Organic Alliance Inc., a global grower, shipper and distributor of fresh foods focusing on organic and Fair Trade agriculture, has issued the following special letter to shareholders: Dear Shareholder: It is my privilege to report that Organic Alliance Inc. (ORGC) has reached the critical mass needed to solidify its market position in the $29.2 billion […]
Tag: economy
Posted in, C-Store News, Southeast
Wawa’s Orlando Grand Opening Set For Wednesday
Pennsylvania retailer Wawa Inc., which first introduced itself to the Orlando, Fla., area in July 2011, plans to debut its first local store at Central Florida Parkway and International Drive near SeaWorld Orlando on July 18. And it will follow that with another four ribbon cuttings through Aug. 18, the Orlando Business Journal reports. It […]
Posted in, National
N.G.A. Reacts To Settlement In Re Payment Card And Merchant Discount Antitrust Litigation
Peter Larkin, president and CEO of the National Grocers Association (N.G.A.), has released the following statement as an initial reaction to the announced settlement In Re Payment Card and Merchant Discount Antitrust Litigation: “N.G.A. has been engaged in this litigation as a plaintiff for over seven years. We took this action on behalf of independent […]
Posted in, Southeast
Georgia Peach Council Sweetens Peoples’ Days
Georgia Peach Council’s grassroots marketing campaign sweetened the day for stressful workers in the key markets of Tampa and Orlando, Fla. This year, Florida consumers have been greeted with updated public relations, advertising and social media campaigns featuring the catch phrase, “Georgia Peaches, All Kinds of Sweet.” To highlight the message, surprise “Sweet on the […]
Posted in, Northeast
Shoppers Workers Ratify New Contract
Members of United Food & Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 400 working at Shoppers Food & Pharmacy have ratified a new, two-year collective bargaining agreement that raises their living standards, protects their health and retirement security, and is comparable to the contract recently ratified by Giant and Safeway workers. UFCW reports that the negotiations were lengthy, […]
Posted in, National, Southwest
Natural Grocers By Vitamin Cottage Prices IPO
Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage Inc. has priced its initial public offering at $13 to $15 a share, the Lakewood, Colo., company disclosed to the Securities and Exchange Commission on Thursday, the Denver Business Journal reports. The family-owned retailer filed its registration statement for an IPO last month. At that time, Natural Grocers by Vitamin […]
Posted in, Marketing News, West
Sunlight Introduces Pretty Lady For The Summer
Summer fun has begun, and what better way to kick off this year’s summer grape season than with a new merchandising program from Sunlight International and JP Dulcich & Sons Grapes? Announcing the new Pretty Lady for the Summer Point-of-Sale materials, available now. Featuring a beautifully illustrated beach scene, and a chic Pretty Lady in […]
Posted in, Corporate Store News, Midwest
Supervalu CEO: Bankruptcy Not A Consideration In Company’s ‘Strategic Alternatives’
by Kristen Cloud/staff writer Supervalu on Wednesday announced a number of initiatives to make the company, as CEO and President Craig Herkert said, “more competitive and unlock value for our shareholders.” In addition for plans to aggressively lower prices in response to competitors’ actions and cut a quarter of a billion dollars in administrative and […]
Posted in, National
Actor, Honey Nut Cheerios Partner To Help Latinos Get Heart Healthy
Spanish-language novela leading man Juan Soler and Honey Nut Cheerios® have launched a joint, multi-market, education initiative designed to help Hispanics lead a heart healthy life. Among its suggestions: cutting down on the heavy saturated fat and cholesterol intake contained in many Latin dishes. Called, “Cuidate, Corazon” (Take Care, Heart), the initiative seeks to help […]
Posted in, BJ's Wholesale Club, Marketing News, National
Study: Four Grocers Prove That Actors, Theatre Drive Retail Growth
A consumer study of America’s leading brands has shown that the retailers driving economic and sector growth are doing so by creating a sense of theatre around their in-store experiences. Half of the top 100 companies overall are retailers. Within the Top 10—Wegmans, fourth; Publix, fifth; Trader Joe’s, sixth; and H-E-B, 10th—were set apart by […]
Posted in, National, Perishables
Beef Checkoff Seeks Entries For National Awards
The Beef Checkoff Program is calling for entries for its annual National Retail Beef Backer Awards, a prestigious national awards program that honors retailers that go above and beyond to market and merchandise beef to their customers. Through Oct. 1, retailers can enter to win in one of four categories: • Independent Retailer (fewer than […]
Posted in, Southeast
Kroger Celebrates Grand Opening of Marketplace in West Knoxville
The new 117,000-s.f. Kroger Marketplace at the Shops at Cedar Bluff in West Knoxville, Tenn., opened Wednesday, bringing an estimated 200 jobs to the Knoxville area. The Marketplace showcases an array of quality products, amenities and services to create a superior one-stop-shopping experience for the west Knoxville community. Located at 9225 Kingston Pike, the Kroger […]
Posted inNational, West
Mollie Stone’s Named Outstanding Specialty Retailer by NASFT
The National Association for the Specialty Food Trade Inc. (NASFT) has selected Mollie Stone’s Markets as an Outstanding Specialty Food Retailer of 2012. This award recognizes only five retailers nationwide each year for excellence in customer service, product sourcing, merchandising, quality assurance and a passion for presenting top-quality food. “Mollie Stone’s shows true commitment to […]
Posted in, Marketing News, National
Study: Change Of Generational Guard Means Trouble For Established Brands, Traditional Stores
Jefferies, the global investment bank, and AlixPartners, the global business advisory firm, have announced the findings of their new joint study, “Trouble in Aisle 5,” which finds that the traditional food-at-home vertical, which is already facing trouble, is likely to see its challenges accelerate over the next few years. The study, which included a survey […]
Posted in, National
Scholarship Program Provides Family Businesses Insight Into Produce Advocacy
The United Fresh Foundation is now accepting applications for the 2012 Frieda Rapoport Caplan Family Business Scholarship Program. The program awards up to four scholarships for employees of family-owned businesses to attend United Fresh Produce Association’s Washington Public Policy Conference (WPPC) in October. Scholarship recipients will receive complimentary airfare, hotel and registration to attend the […]
Posted in, Southeast
Bullard Succeeds Stewart As President Of Piggly Wiggly Alabama Distributing Co.
David Bullard is the new president and CEO of Piggly Wiggly Alabama Distributing Co. (PWADC)following the retirement of the organization’s longtime leader Dennis Stewart on June 1. Bullard, who has been with Bessemer-based PWADC since December 1996 according to his LinkedIn profile, previously served as the company’s director of human resources and earned an MBA […]
Posted in, Equipment & Technology, Southeast, Southwest
GE Lighting Solutions Saves Texas Retailer $235K
Lufkin, Texas-based Brookshire Brothers, with 72 retail supermarkets in Texas and Louisiana, recently launched a facility-wide lighting update including in-store, parking lot, exterior signage and refrigerated case fixtures. Using a myriad of new linear fluorescent lighting (LFL) and LED technologies from GE Lighting, Brookshire Brothers will, once all of its stores have been completed, reduce […]
Posted in, Marketing News, Southwest
Associated Food Stores Surpasses $2B in Sales
During Associated Food Stores’ annual meeting, the company reported to its members an increase in sales and profits during the 2012 fiscal year. Associated Food Stores increased total sales by $88.8 million, or 4.6 percent, surpassing the $2 billion mark. Members of the cooperative also were able to enjoy an increase in patronage dividends of […]
Posted in, National, New Products
Duracell Rolls Out New Battery With Duralock Power Preserve Technology
Innovation has been within the core of Duracell for 60-plus years, according to the company. Since introducing the first AA and AAA batteries in the 1960s, Duracell has continued to invest and lead innovation to drive the category. Now the brand reports that it is launching its greatest innovation since Coppertop—guaranteeing Duracell power for up […]
Posted in, Center Store, West
Unified CEO: It’s Probably Time To ‘Redefine’ Center Store
by Kristen Cloud/staff writer While perimeter store sales have seen a substantial uptick in recent years, perhaps taking away from purchases consumers would normally make in the center store, Al Plamann says the center store category shouldn’t be dismissed as a disappearing one. Rather, he notes, the definition of center store simply needs updating. Plamann, […]