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 […]
Tag: economy
Posted in, Southeast
TreeHouse Foods To Acquire Naturally Fresh
TreeHouse Foods Inc. announced today, March 20, that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire substantially all of the assets of Naturally Fresh Inc., a privately owned Atlanta-based maker of refrigerated dressings, sauces, marinades, dips and specialty items in a wide array of packaging sizes. The products manufactured by the Naturally Fresh Inc. […]
Posted in, Beverage News, National, Southeast
Tropicana Pure Premium Sending One Family To Fla. Orange Grove
To celebrate its 100 percent Pure Florida orange juice, Tropicana Pure Premium is giving consumers a behind-the-scenes look at the Florida groves where their oranges are grown, and is sending one lucky family to Florida to experience the groves in person. Consumers can visit Tropicana’s Facebook page at www.Facebook.com/Tropicana to get an up close and […]
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, New Products, Southeast
Duke’s Rolling Out New Light Mayonnaise With Olive Oil
Duke’s Mayonnaise has expanded its mayonnaise product line to include a Light Mayonnaise made with olive oil. Duke’s Light with Olive Oil has all of the flavor and health benefits of olive oil and no high fructose corn syrup. To meet consumer demand, Duke’s Light Mayonnaise with Olive Oil delivers the same taste and quality […]
Posted in, Midwest, New Products
Best Chicago Meat Acquires Glenmark Brand, Introduces New Product Line
In December 2011, Best Chicago Meat Co. LLC acquired the Glenmark® brand on the occasion of the brand’s 40th anniversary. Originally owned by OSI, the Glenmark burger was first developed in the early 1970s. “The ownership of the brand makes our company the leading frozen burger producer in the Midwest, and we’re really proud of […]
Posted in, Market Profile, Northeast
New Hampshire Enjoying New Grocery Stores
[gn_note color=”#b1cbde”]The 2012 New Hampshire Profile originally ran in the March 2012 edition of The Shelby Report of the Northeast. The profile will be published on theshelbyreport.com one month after it has run in print.[/gn_note] From Market Basket to Aldi, several new stores have opened recently—or are set to open—in New Hampshire. The Market Basket […]
Posted in, Southeast, Southwest
Brown is Kroger’s New Delta Division President
The Kroger Co. announced today, March 19, the promotion of Tim Brown as president of the company’s Delta division. Kroger’s Delta division is based in Memphis, Tenn., and operates stores in Western Tennessee, Kentucky, Mississippi, Arkansas and Missouri. Brown, 52, has been VP of operations in the company’s division, based in Roanoke, Va., since 2011; […]
Posted in, Beverage News, New Products, West
Starbucks Debuts First Juice Store
Four months after acquiring Evolution Fresh Inc., Starbucks Coffee Co. has opened its first Evolution Fresh™ store, debuting the transformation of the brand’s look and feel to better reflect the pure, natural ingredients in each beverage and its strategic expansion and growth. The Bellevue, Wash., store opening and refreshed branding positions Evolution Fresh as a […]
Posted in, Beverage News, Equipment & Technology, Southeast
CHEP USA to Open U.S. Headquarters in Atlanta
Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal has announced that CHEP USA, an industry leader in pallet and container pooling solutions and a part of Brambles Limited, will relocate its headquarters to Atlanta. The company plans to bring 173 jobs to the new facility over the next five years. “Georgia has many natural benefits and other strategic resources […]
Posted in, Equipment & Technology, Marketing News, National, Suppliers
Packaging & The Environment: Shoppers Say, ‘Please Help Me!’
In the most recent research conducted by Perception Research Services, shoppers demonstrate that they are interested in choosing environmentally friendly packaging. Significantly more shoppers say they would like to choose environmentally friendly packaging compared to 2010 (36 percent vs. 28 percent), with fully half still willing to pay more (despite the economy). This is especially […]
Posted in, Beverage News, New Products, West
Jones Soda Enters Sparkling Beverage Market
Jones Soda Inc. will expand into the sparkling beverage market with the introduction of its new Au Naturel sparkling line, the Puget Sound Business Journal reports. The Seattle-based soda company said the new products contain carbonated water, natural sweeteners and green tea extracts with a small amount of natural caffeine. Jones said the sparkling beverage […]
Posted in, Midwest
AWG Achieves Record Sales And Earnings
Associated Wholesale Grocers (AWG) reported record net sales of $7.77 billion on a consolidated basis, and distributed a record $163.8 million in year-end patronage at its annual shareholders meeting on Sunday, March 18. AWG’s sales were up 7.2 percent, an increase of $520 million over the previous year. AWG’s year-end patronage rebate amounted to 2.71 […]
Posted in, Beverage News, New Products, Southwest
Doritos Unveils Giant Vending Machine To Debut ‘Jacked’ Chips
The Doritos brand is taking to the streets of the South by Southwest (SXSW) Music Conference and Festivalin Austin, Tex., to debut Doritos JACKED tortilla chips—literally the Doritos brand’s biggest innovation ever. The bold new product line was revealed inside a giant vending machine—standing at nearly six stories tall—at The Doritos JACKED Maxim Party on […]
Posted in, National, Southwest
Grocer Testifies About Impact Of Healthcare Reform On Independents
National Grocers Association (N.G.A.) member John W. Leevers, president of Leevers Supermarkets of Franktown, Colo., testified today before a congressional subcommittee on the potential adverse consequences of the Affordable Care Act, which will require small businesses to provide employees with health insurance by 2014 or pay financial penalties. “Unless significant changes are made to the […]
Posted in, Albertsons, Corporate Store News, National
Supervalu Expands Sustainable Seafood Program
Building on its current commitment to sustainably source wild-caught seafood, Supervalu Inc., one of the nation’s largest grocery retailers, has announced a significant expansion of the company’s seafood sustainability program. Specifically, Supervalu has entered into a partnership with the Global Aquaculture Alliance (GAA) to implement a new, comprehensive procurement policy to ensure sustainable sourcing of […]
Posted in, Midwest, Store News
Tide Detergent Becomes New Black Market Currency
Law enforcement officials across the country are battling a new—and wholly bizarre—crime wave: theft of Tide laundry detergent. The retail price of the product—roughly $10 to $20 a bottle—and its ongoing popularity in households is making it a growing target for thieves who swipe it from store shelves and resell it at a discount on […]
Posted in, Beverage News, Marketing News, National
Study: Consumers Will Pay More For A ‘Made In The U.S.A’ Label
New research published in the Journal of International Marketing shows that consumers are willing to pay a premium for products made in countries with favorable reputations. “Our findings show that consumers not only prefer and assign a higher value to branded products from a country of origin with a favorable country image but also are […]
Posted in, Midwest, New Products
Moo & Oink Reintroduces 20 Food Products
Twenty of the most popular Moo & Oink food products were reintroduced to Chicago and Northwest Indiana grocers at the annual Dutch Farms 2012 food show held last month at The Holiday Inn Convention Center in Tinley Park, Ill. The iconic characters Moo & Oink attended the show and made their official debut as the […]
Posted in, Midwest
Valli Produce to Open Fifth Location
Valli Produce International Fresh Market, with four locations in Illinois, will open its fifth store this spring in Rockford. Its current locations include Arlington Heights, Hoffman Estates, Glendale Heights and Loves Park. “We are optimistic about the future,” said Alfredo Presta, one of the three founders of the company. “Our focus is on increasing sales […]