Independent grocers across the country are applauding significant policy victories following months of persistent advocacy led by the National Grocers Association (NGA). With the enactment of a landmark tax package and the defense against the most damaging proposed changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, NGA has delivered tangible results for independent operators and the […]
Tag: column
Posted inIndependent Store News, Association News, Guest Contributors, National, News
NGA Scores Big Legislative Wins For Independent Grocers
At the time of this writing, the first 100 days of the new congressional session are wrapping up, and the National Grocers Association (NGA) has secured major victories that will ease regulatory burdens, promote fair competition and protect independent grocers nationwide. From advocating for antitrust enforcement to blocking costly energy regulations, NGA’s efforts are making […]
Posted inOnline Grocery Technology, Amazon Fresh, Equipment & Technology, Guest Contributors, Home Page Slider, Industry News, National, Shelby Content, Whole Foods
Grocers Need to Plumb Their Data To Better Understand Shoppers
by Sy Fahimi/SVP-Product Strategy, Symphony RetailAI Grocery retail is going through a significant reinvention as we continue to move into the era of the consumer. Retailers can succeed in 2019 by keeping data at the core of every practice in order to better understand their shoppers. Historically, retailers have large amounts of data, such as […]
Posted inDairy News, Executive News, Grocery News, Guest Contributors, Home Page Slider, Midwest, Shelby Content, Shelby Signature Content
An Interview With Topco’s Liebich About Leadership
The Shelby Report and The Grocery Group this month introduce a new column series called “Emerging Leaders” that focuses on current and future leadership in the grocery industry. In this first installment, The Grocery Group Founder and CEO Cindy Sorensen interviews Jamie Liebich, dairy category director for Topco. Sorensen’s questions are in bold. Jamie, congratulations […]
Posted inShelby Content, Guest Contributors, Home Page Slider, Industry News, National, Shelby Signature Content
HR & Benefits News: 2019 HR Compliance Checklist
HR & Benefits News is a monthly column by Chris Cooley, co-founder of MyHRConcierge and SMB Benefits Advisors. As we begin a new year in 2019 and approach the end of a decade, the grocery industry and the workplace in general is changing and growing at an unprecedented rate. By the year 2020, there will be five generations […]
Posted inPackaging News, California Perspective, Guest Contributors, Home Page Latest News, Industry News, Shelby Content, Shelby Signature Content, West
California Perspective: Cups, Plates And Straws, Oh My
by Ronald K. Fong/president & CEO, California Grocers Association There is an expression—“get on the bus or get run over by the bus”—that rings true from time to time in politics. Every so often, when faced with huge policy shifts on the horizon, one is forced to make this very calculation. CGA did this a […]
Posted inGuest Contributors, Home Page Latest News, Industry News, National, Shelby Content
HR & Benefits News: Top 2 HR Compliance Questions From Independent Grocers
HR & Benefits News is a monthly column by Chris Cooley, co-founder of MyHRConcierge and SMB Benefits Advisors. Independent grocers are all too familiar with the challenges they face on a daily basis regarding the rapidly evolving supermarket industry, including competition from conventional grocery giants, changing technology, and managing cash flows amidst food deflation and increased labor […]
Posted inAssociation News, Home Page Latest News, National
GMA President and CEO: ‘GMA’s Best Days Are Ahead’
by Geoff Freeman/Grocery Manufacturers Association president and CEO My first 100 days at GMA have been productive—listening to voices across the industry, identifying areas of common cause and putting in place a high-performing team. Day-by-day, with the help of new senior leadership, we are pivoting from defense to offense. We have analyzed critical functions, targeted […]
Posted inPackaging News, Grocery News, Guest Contributors, Industry News, Midwest, Produce News, Shelby Content
Bring The Farmers Market To Life In The Produce Department
by Claire Lentsch/a contributor to The Shelby Report Produce thrives when it is fresh, affordable, exciting and expresses vintage appeal. It is healthy, fast and filling, making it the ideal snack. Nobody has to question, “Is this good for me?” Consumers assume most items in the produce category will improve their health, and these natural […]
Posted inFood Service News, Guest Contributors, Home Page Latest News, National, Shelby Content
Discover Gold In ‘Customer Zones’: A Proven Strategy To Increase Foodservice Sales
by Howland Blackiston/principal, King-Casey My July article in The Shelby Report pointed out that grocery stores and supermarkets could learn a lot from QSRs and fast-casual restaurant competitors as they entered the “brave, new world of branded, proprietary food offerings.” Specifically, they needed to (1) develop a menu strategy; (2) commit to continuous innovation; and […]
Posted inShelby Content, Guest Contributors, Home Page Latest News, Industry News, National
HR & Benefits News: Workplace Bullying And The Potential Costs
HR & Benefits News is a monthly column by Chris Cooley, co-founder of MyHRConcierge and SMB Benefits Advisors. Most of us experienced or witnessed bullying on the playground as kids, but many small and medium business owners are unaware of how prevalent bullying currently is in the workplace, and how corrosive it can be to the work […]
Posted inDairy News, Grocery News, Guest Contributors, Home Page Latest News, Industry News, Merchandising News, National, Shelby Content, Shelby Signature Content
Dairy And Produce: Grow Sales By Providing Solutions
by Cindy Sorensen/ Founder and CEO, The Grocery Group Today’s produce departments provide a great example of how grocers have reinvented departments within their stores to be relevant to consumers’ ever-growing and changing desires and demands. Several years ago, when local farmers markets began to pop up in library, shopping center and school parking lots around their […]
Posted inShelby Content, Guest Contributors, Home Page Latest News, National, The Independent Perspective
Larkin: Independent Grocers Are Vitally Important To Political Process
by Peter Larkin/ president and CEO, National Grocers Association Special to The Shelby Report The 2018 midterm elections are quickly approaching, as observed by all the political ads that currently pepper our airwaves, and much is on the line for both political parties. A look at historical data on congressional elections suggests that Democrats will have an […]
Posted inDairy News, Grocery News, Guest Contributors, Home Page Latest News, Industry News, International Foods, Marketing News, Merchandising News, National, Shelby Content
Sorensen: Connecting With Hispanic Shoppers
by Cindy Sorensen/Founder and CEO of The Grocery Group The Hispanic population represents the fastest-growing ethnic group in the U.S. In fact, by 2020, Hispanics will be the largest ethnic group. They currently represent 17 percent of the population and will grow to be 29 percent by 2050. This growth will occur in all regions […]
Posted inGuest Contributors, Home Page Latest News, National, Shelby Content
Providing Timely Service Is Essential To Developing Customer Loyalty
by John Larson/senior partner at John Larson & Co. and co-author of Capturing Loyalty Last week, I went to my local Trader Joe’s and bought an inexpensive bottle of Chilean wine. When I went to pay for the wine, the register operator complemented me on my selection. “Several of my customers have purchased this wine […]
Posted inPackaging News, California Perspective, Guest Contributors, Home Page Latest News, Industry News, Shelby Content, West
Prop. 65 Warning No Longer Needed For Coffee; Cereal Under Scrutiny
by Ron Fong/president and CEO, California Grocers Association In many respects, California is like an island unto itself when it comes to laws and regulations. For better or worse, our state is home to a number of laws and regulations that exist nowhere else in the nation. Among the most notorious and controversial of them […]
Posted inDairy News, Grocery News, Guest Contributors, Home Page Latest News, National, Shelby Content
Milk’s Missed Opportunity
by Cindy Sorensen/founder and CEO, The Grocery Group With approximately 96 percent of all households purchasing milk, it holds an enviable spot in consumers’ shopping baskets and refrigerators. There is only one other category that can claim a higher household penetration, and that is toilet paper. But milk’s stronghold with consumers is fading. As competition […]
Posted inGuest Contributors, Home Page Latest News, Industry News, National, Shelby Content
HR & Benefits News: Key To Success—Hire & Keep The Best People
HR & Benefits News is a monthly column by Chris Cooley, co-founder of MyHRConcierge and SMB Benefits Advisors. It’s no secret, hiring and keeping workers has significant impact on independent grocers. Its impact is second only to “competition from other retailers” say independent grocers who participated in the 2018 Independent Grocers Financial Survey prepared by […]
Posted inOnline Grocery Technology, Equipment & Technology, Guest Contributors, Home Page Latest News, Industry News, National, Shelby Content
The Top Four Reasons Self-Checkout Fails In Grocery
(And why line-free mobile checkout is the future) by Will Hogben/ CEO, FutureProof Retail The first iteration of what we now call “self-checkout” in the grocery industry was launched at the Food Marketing Institute’s annual convention in 1987. The “Automatic Checkout Machine” was unveiled by a Florida company called CheckRobot, and it was received well, […]
Posted inPackaging News, Beverage News, Grocery News, Guest Contributors, Home Page Latest News, Industry News, Midwest, Shelby Content, Shelby Signature Content, Sustainability News
Meet Gen Z: Plastic Water Bottles Bring Landfills To Mind
by Claire Lentsch/a contributor to The Shelby Report The first thing that comes to mind when it comes to landfills is plastic. Although plastic is not the only thing that forms mountains of waste, it is one of the more common things we face in our day-to-day lives. Ads promote the idea of “save the […]