The National Grocers Association (NGA) and FMS Solutions have released the results of their joint 2014 Independent Grocers Financial Survey, covering fiscal year 2013. Independents’ financial performance much mirrored the nation’s economy, which showed modest growth and both ups and downs in consumer, financial and market performance indicators. Some retailers managed to grow sales, margins […]
Tag: economy
Posted in, National
Store Label Growth Continues To Outpace National Brands
The PLMA’s 2014 Annual Private Label Yearbook has been released, and the group says it’s indisputable that store brands have extended their multi-year period of growth, outpacing national brands in dollar and unit gains and setting new share records in all major U.S. retail channels. The development that had been touted in some quarters as […]
Posted in, National
Survey Finds That American Recycling Habits Have Room For Improvement
Curbside recycling is available to more than half of American adults, but the public could benefit from additional education on what can be recycled, according to a recent national survey. The survey, commissioned by the National Waste & Recycling Association (Waste & Recycling) and conducted online by Harris Poll among more than 2,000 U.S. adults […]
Posted in, Market Profile, Southwest
Format Agility Helps Brookshire Brothers Meet Community Needs
Brookshire Brothers expanded its supermarket count by five and convenience operations by six stores over the last year. Jerry Johnson, president and CEO, uses the word “vibrant” to describe the state of the Lufkin-based company, and 2014 looks promising as well. Projects include rebuilding an Apple Springs facility destroyed last year and incorporating a North […]
Posted in, Corporate Store News, National
Kroger Created More Than 7K New Jobs Last Year
The Kroger Co. says its total active workforce grew by more than 7,000 during fiscal year 2013. Approximately 90 percent of the new jobs were in the company’s supermarket divisions. “Our associates have the extraordinary opportunity to make a difference for the more than eight million customers who visit our stores each day,” said Katy Barclay, […]
Posted in, National
NGA Show Bigger Than Ever With Record Attendance
The National Grocers Association (NGA) Show has kicked off in a big way: more than 3,000 attendees are buzzing around a show floor that’s been sold out since November. This year, the 350 exhibitors accompany several pavilions, which house even more exhibitors. The Global Marketing Development Center (GMDC) has more than 80 exhibitors at its […]
Posted in, Marketing News, National
Report: Marketers Fail To Incorporate African American Demographic
With a population of 44 million and buying power more than $1 trillion in 2013, African Americans are a key segment in a U.S. economy that is increasingly reliant on purchase patterns of minority consumers, according to “The African-American Consumer Market, 9th Edition,” a report by market research publisher Packaged Facts. By 2017, the buying […]
Posted in, National
Congress Reaches Agreement On Farm Bill
The long-awaited Farm Bill has been passed by both the House of Representatives and the Senate, with the Senate casting the final approval—in a 68-32 vote on Tuesday—before the nearly $1 trillion bill goes to the president’s desk. President Obama is expected to sign the bill into law. The bill has compromises throughout, including changes […]
Posted in, National
Farm Bill Passes In Senate; Off To President
The long-awaited Farm Bill has been passed by both the House of Representatives and the Senate, with the Senate casting the final approval—in a 68-32 vote today—before the nearly $1 trillion bill goes to the president’s desk. President Obama is expected to sign the bill into law. For more on the deals of the bill, […]
Posted in, C-Store News, National
NACS: Gas Customers Evolve In How They Shop For Price
Price remains the dominant reason why consumers buy gas at a particular location, but how consumers shop for that price is shifting, according to the results of a new consumer survey released by the National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS). Two-thirds of consumers (66 percent) say that price is the most important factor in determining […]
Posted in, C-Store News, National
Report: U.S. C-Stores Continue Impressive Growth
The U.S. convenience store count increased to 151,282 stores as of Dec. 31, 2013, a 1.4 percent increase (2,062 stores) from the year prior, according to the 2014 NACS/Nielsen Convenience Industry Store Count. The link between fuels and convenience retailing continues to grow. Overall, 83.7 percent of convenience stores (126,658 total) sell motor fuels, a […]
Posted in, National
Stores Should Optimize Health Offering To Overcome External, Internal Challenges
Consumer confidence is up in our economy, but it’s still somewhat tenuous. The housing market is doing well and prices are rising, but there’s still some volatility. Unemployment is falling in the labor markets and it’s driving down income. If we continue to see income fall as it has been, businesses will struggle more because […]
Posted in, C-Store News, National
7-Eleven Targets Millennial Shoppers With Holiday Merchandise
To appeal to Gen Y, or millennial-age shoppers, 7-Eleven is going heavy this holiday season on pop culture, pro sports, tech and toys, gadget-y stocking stuffers, video games, DVDs and gift cards. The convenience store chain also says it is pricing the items to compete with big-box and online retailers. Millennials value convenience more than […]
Posted in, Southwest
2.5M Pounds Of Produce To Be Donated To Houston Food Bank
The holidays will arrive early for the Houston Food Bank and its more than 600 partner agencies with the donation of as much as 2.5 million pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables. The donation will be made Dec. 13 as part of the Houston Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Association’s annual “Gift of Produce.” Two and […]
Posted in, National
Most Americans Believe Another Government Shutdown Is Likely
While his overall approval ratings may be inching downward, President Obama’s job approval ratings on the economy are holding steady. But “steady” means three in 10 Americans (30 percent) giving the president positive ratings for his handling of the economy; 70 percent still give him negative marks, which is unchanged from last month. These are […]
Posted in, National
How Transportation Costs Affect Fresh Fruit And Vegetable Prices
Fuel prices, understood to be a major driver of food prices in the U.S., can have significant impacts on food price levels and volatility, according to a recently released report from the USDA’s Economic Research Service. Since consumer demand for fruits and vegetables has been proven to be price sensitive, fuel price surges could significantly […]
Posted in, National, Suppliers
Food Packaging Choices: Sustainability Trumps Novelty
An independent research study conducted by MindClick Global on behalf of the Steel Market Development Institute (SMDI), a business unit of the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI), found that when asked about sustainability in food packaging choices, two-thirds of consumers preferred steel cans. The results support findings that consumers consider sustainability to be a […]
Posted in, C-Store News, National
NACS: Consumer Pessimism Deepens Despite Gas Price Declines
Consumer pessimism continues to deepen despite a second straight month of gas price declines. Nearly one in four consumers (23 percent) say they are “very pessimistic” about the economy, tied for the highest level measured this year, according the latest monthly NACS Consumer Fuels Survey. This is also the fourth month in row of increasing […]
Posted in, National
Store Brand Sales Now Surpass $110B
With store brands now surpassing $110 billion in sales, the Private Label Manufacturers Association (PLMA) reported that shoppers are reaching for a retailer’s brand for one out of every four products they buy at the supermarket. Mid-year market share was 23.3 percent in supermarkets. Across all channels, private label recorded sales gains of 4.6 percent […]