Bentonville, Ark.-based Wal-Mart Stores Inc. has announced that its board of directors nominated Marissa A. Mayer of Google Inc. for election as a new member of the company’s board at Wal-Mart’s annual shareholders’ meeting on June 1. If elected, Mayer would become the 16th member of the board. “At Walmart, we are focused on giving […]
Tag: California
Posted in, National, West
Frieda Caplan Honored With NAWBO Legacy Award
Frieda Rapoport Caplan, founder of Frieda’s Specialty Produce, was honored at the National Association of Women Business Owners 26th Annual NAWBO-LA Awards Luncheon alongside other influential Southern California women business owners Cookie Johnson of CJ by Cookie Johnson and Lubov Azria of BCBG Max Azria. The NAWBO-LA Awards gave tribute to top achievers and advocates […]
Posted in, West
Scolari’s Closing California Stores
After more than 60 years on California’s Central Coast, Scolari’s will be exiting the market and closing its four supermarkets in Santa Barbara, Pismo Beach, San Luis Obispo and Paso Robles. “This was a gut-wrenching decision,” said Joey Scolari, co-owner along with his brother Jerry. “The economic downturn hit us hard as far back as […]
Posted in, Equipment & Technology, West
California Grocers Association Launches New Website
The California Grocers Association’s (CGA) new and improved website (www.cagrocers.com) is now as fresh as its members produce. CGA’s redesigned website includes exciting new features including dynamic new graphics, new tools to help members more easily engage in grass-roots advocacy, online membership updating, convenient event registration and an improved “members only” section. “Our goal was […]
Posted in, Marketing News, Perishables, West
Creamery Creates Flavors Inspired By Rock Hall Of Fame Inductions
The controversy around this year’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s inductions isn’t nearly as delicious as the flavors L.A. Creamery Artisan Ice Cream has created as a tribute to two of Los Angeles’ rock legends: the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Guns N’ Roses. • Chocolate, Sugar, Red Hot Magik: made with milk chocolate […]
Posted in, National
Majority Of Americans Can Recycle Plastic Bags, Wraps Locally
A new study released Thursday provides encouraging news about the state of plastics recycling in the U.S.: more than 91 percent of the U.S. population can recycle their plastic bags locally and, additionally, nearly 75 percent of people living in the U.S. can recycle other types of flexible plastic wraps in their own communities. The […]
Posted in, Beverage News, Midwest, National, West
Lagunitas To Build Brewery In Chicago, Go National
By next year, it should be easier to get a Lagunitas India pale ale in the Windy City, and other areas of the East and Midwest. The San Francisco Business Times reports that Lagunitas Brewing Co., a craft beer brewer based in Petaluma, Calif., plans to spend up to $18 million to build a second […]
Posted in, Marketing News, National
Chiquita Exiting Avocado Business
Chiquita Brands International Inc. is apparently pulling out of avocado sales. The Charlotte Business Journal reports that the company plans to exit the avocado business over the next few months to concentrate strategic resources on the core categories of bananas, salads and apples. Chiquita’s banana sales, at $2 billion, amounted to 64 percent of sales […]
Posted in, National, New Products
Magnum Ice Cream Partners With Fashion Brand To Unveil The Mini
“Mini” will be the must-have this season as Magnum®—a super-premium ice cream—partners with sophisticated, yet playful, fashion brand alice + olivia and its founder Stacey Bendet to introduce new Magnum® Mini ice cream bars, now available at grocery retailers nationwide. Bendet will draw inspiration from the dainty but decadent Magnum Mini to design an original […]
Posted in, Organic Natural, West
Safeway, Go Green Initiative Partner For Earth Day Contest
Pleasanton, Calif.-based Safeway Inc. is partnering with the Go Green Initiative to launch the first Go Green Glogster Earth Day contest. Students will be asked to investigate the sustainability of the food, water or energy system in their community, and express their findings through videos, podcasts, blogs, music and photos compiled in a “Glog” (see […]
Posted in, West
Los Angeles Votes ‘Yes’ To Bag Ban
The Los Angeles City Council moved forward Wednesday with a plan to end the use of paper and plastic bags at supermarket checkout lines over the course of a year, the Los Angeles Times reports. The ordinance will force shoppers to bring more environmental bags with them to shop. The council still needs to draft […]
Posted in, West
Chef Launches Hip Chick Farms Company, Product Line
Chef Jen Johnson has launched a new company, Hip Chick Farms—creating hand-crafted, delicious frozen chicken fingers, chicken meatballs, chicken wings and chicken stock, made with all-natural, sustainable ingredients and practices. Hip Chick Farms was created from Johnson’s love of food and family and offers family friendly solutions for lunch and dinnertime. Fresh, all-natural, sustainable—these are […]
Posted in, Beverage News, West
New Hillcrest/Mission Hills Vons Set to Open Thursday
After 11 months of construction, the new Hillcrest/Mission Hills Vons at 515 West Washington St. in San Diego is set to open for business Thursday, March 29, following a 3 p.m. ribbon cutting ceremony. Safeway, Vons’ parent company, has owned and operated a 12,000-s.f. store at this location since 1960, but the store’s size and […]
Posted in, National, West
Tomato Company Ex-Chief Pleads Guilty In SK Foods Schemes
Tomato company baron Frederick Scott Salyer on Friday pleaded guilty in federal court in Sacramento to racketeering and an anti-trust offense in connection to his company SK Foods, which engaged in a pattern of bribes and kickbacks with customers, reports the Sacramento Business Journal. Salyer, 56, of Pebble Beach, Calif., must forfeit $3.25 million dollars […]
Posted in, National
Top 10 American Metro Areas Eating The Freshest Foods Revealed
According to the Ziploc® Fresh Eating Survey, while 81 percent of Americans are looking for more ways to incorporate fresh ingredients into mealtime, less than 50 percent actually eat fruits and vegetables on a daily basis—a clear disparity between Americans’ outlook on eating fresh foods vs. the reality of mealtime. The Ziploc Fresh Eating Survey […]
Posted in, West
Safeway Plans For $1B Stock Buyback
Safeway Inc. has added $1 billion to its stock buyback program, which had just $400 million left in it as of Feb. 22, reports the San Francisco Business Times. Safeway bought 43.3 million of its own shares in October, November and December 2011. The Pleasanton, Calif.-based company had about 297 million shares of common stock […]
Posted in, Marketing News, National
Americans Open To Purchasing Wine From Various Countries
While wine drinking is not linked as closely to American dining and culture as it is with that of some European nations, most Americans buy and drink wine—only 38 percent say they never buy a bottle of wine. And, nearly half of U.S. adults over age 21 say they drink wine several times per month […]
Posted in, National
National Chocolate Covered Raisin Day Is March 24
There’s “Clean-Up Your Room Day” (May 10), “Wear Your Pajamas to Work Day” (April 18) and even “National Goof-Off Day” (March 22), but “National Chocolate Covered Raisin Day”? Yes, and it will be recognized March 24. While Nestle did not establish the holiday, the company is leading a national celebration in the name of Nestle […]
Posted in, West
California Strawberry Season In Full Swing
California strawberry peak season is officially here, according to the California Strawberry Commission. California strawberries are available year-round; March through August mark the peak season. Eighty-eight percent of the strawberries in the United States are grown in California. They’re grown by more than 500 family farmers. “California strawberry farmers consider food safety their top priority,” […]
Posted in, Marketing News, West
Integrated Cinco De Mayo Program Kicks Off California Avocado Season
With 81 million pounds of avocados forecast to be consumed for Cinco de Mayo festivities, the event is shaping up to move even more fruit than February’s “Big Game.” The California Avocado Commission (CAC) plans to kick off its spring-through-early-fall season with a strong Cinco de Mayo program that integrates consumer advertising, public relations outreach, […]