The National Frozen & Refrigerated Foods Association (NFRA) awarded 21 Gold Penguins and three Amber Penguins in recognition of the best promotions for the 30th annual March Frozen Food Month. In addition, 35 companies were recognized with Silver Penguin awards. The Golden Penguin Award symbolizes excellence in merchandising and promotion in the frozen food industry. […]
Tag: Grocery
Posted in, Store News, West
Stater Bros. Reports 3Q Increase In Sales, Customer Count
Stater Bros. Holdings Inc. reported Tuesday that its consolidated sales in the 13 weeks ended June 30 were $968.8 million, up $19.0 million, or 2 percent, from the same period a year prior; the prior year’s third-quarter sales were affected by the Easter holiday, which fell in the third quarter of fiscal 2012 and in […]
Posted in, Lipari Foods, National, New Products
‘Sopranos’ Star Lombardi Launching Gourmet Italian Food Line
Best known for playing the role of unconventional hero and fan favorite Edgar Stiles on Fox’s Emmy Award-winning show “24” and FBI Agent Skip Lipari in HBO’s “The Sopranos,” Louis Lombardi is going back to his Italian roots by launching his own gourmet Italian food line, Lombardi’s. The line, which will make its debut the […]
Posted in, Executive News, National
Wenning Announces Retirement From NGA
Tom Wenning, EVP and general counsel for the National Grocers Association (NGA), has announced his retirement, effective in December. “It has been a real honor and privilege to be a legislative, regulatory and legal advocate on behalf of independent retail grocers and wholesalers for the last 40 years before Congress, presidential administrations, regulatory agencies and […]
Posted in, National, Organic Natural
Sprout Foods Debuts Line Of Organic Snacks For Kids
Sprout Foods, which offers chef-inspired, wholesome and certified organic foods for children, has launched Sprout Smash Organic Kids Snack Pouches, its first-ever line of food for school-aged kids. These new organic pureed snacks, ideal for kids pre-school through elementary school, come in easy-to-squeeze pouches and feature wholesome ingredients. the Duluth, Ga.-based company says. The Sprout […]
Posted in, National, Southeast
Alabama Grocers Honor Rep. DeMarco For ‘Buy Alabama’s Best’ Advocacy
Alabama House Rep. Paul DeMarco (District 46) received the Alabama Grocers Association (AGA) Spirit of Alabama Award at the Alabama Grocers Association Annual Convention in Sandestin, Fla., in July. AGA President Ellie Smotherman Taylor presented the honor to DeMarco for his “support in promoting positive and effective legislation for the food industry and for his […]
Posted in, National, Suppliers
Pinnacle Foods To Acquire Wish-Bone Salad Dressings
Pinnacle Foods has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire the Wish-Bone salad dressings business from Unilever PLC for $580 million, in a transaction that is expected to be immediately accretive to Pinnacle. The acquisition, which is subject to customary closing conditions, is expected to be completed in the late third quarter or early fourth quarter […]
Posted in, National, Store News
Survey: Aldi Is Low-Price Grocery Leader For Third Consecutive Year
Discount grocer Aldi was recognized as the nation’s low-price grocery leader for the third year in a row, according to a recent consumer survey conducted by Market Force Information Inc., a leading customer intelligence solutions company. When asked to rank the top grocers offering low prices, consumers ranked Aldi ahead of competitors such as Walmart, […]
Posted in, Beverage News, Grocery News, National
Eight O’Clock Coffee Unveils New Look, Contemporary Varieties
Eight O’Clock Coffee is refreshing its brand this summer with modern red packaging, new varieties and new consumer communication to be featured on air, online and on the runway, America’s No. 1 whole bean brand is kicking off the revamp with four new ground coffee varieties, including African Plains, Caramel Macchiato, Dark Chocolate Cherry (seasonal) […]
Posted in, Midwest, Store News
Giant Eagle Opens Market District Store In Northeast Ohio
Marks seventh of the format for company, first in area Inspired by the open-air markets of Europe and a true passion for food, Giant Eagle Inc. opened its first Northeast Ohio Market District food store Thursday. The 94,000-s.f. culinary, dining and shopping destination is located at 34310 Aurora Rd. in the Solon Village Shopping Center […]
Posted in, National, West
Unified Posts $11.3M Loss In 3Q
Unified Grocers Inc., the largest wholesale grocery distributor in the western U.S., has reported an $11.3 million net loss for the company’s third fiscal quarter; that’s compared to earnings of $1.2 million for the same period in 2012, according to the Los Angeles-based cooperative. Losses before patronage dividends and income taxes were $14.6 million for […]
Posted in, National, New Products
Barilla Introducing Gluten Free Pasta Line
The gluten-free industry is expected to reach $8 billion in 2013 as more people begin to adopt a gluten-free lifestyle. Pasta is one of the foods that is missed most amongst people who are living gluten-free, and yet the options for enjoying a gluten-free pasta meal fall short, with limited brands and varieties available on […]
Posted in, Northeast, Suppliers
Blount Fine Foods Adds To Sales Team
Blount Fine Foods, a leading manufacturer of handcrafted artisan soups, sides and entrees, has added Caitlin Sewall to its sales team in the Northeast. She will hold the title of retail sales for that territory and will report to Lisa Fecera, director of retail sales. Sewall joins Blount after graduating from Assumption College in Worcester, […]
Posted in, National, Perishables
Tribe Hummus Gets Packaging Makeover, Adds New Flavors
Tribe Mediterranean Foods says it’s on a mission to spice up the hummus shelf. As consumers are increasingly looking for convenient, healthier snack foods, hummus has enjoyed double-digit growth over the past few years. However, despite its growing popularity, Tribe believes that the hummus shelf could benefit from a little more fun and pizzazz. After […]
Posted in, Center Store, National
The Original SoupMan Arrives At Nearly 500 Walmart Stores
Soupman Inc., parent company of soup brand The Original SoupMan, says the SoupMan product is now available at nearly 500 Walmart stores. The brand’s soups, which are already sold in more than 4,000 supermarkets nationwide, include classic Lobster Bisque, Chicken Noodle, Lentil and Tomato Bisque soups. The soups are sold in Tetra Pak cartons—a packaging […]
Posted in, Independent Store News, West
Seattle’s Metropolitan Market Hosting Annual Peach-O-Rama
For the 17th year, Metropolitan Market of Seattle says its bringing to store measurably sweeter peaches directly from two orchards in Washington and California. The quest to find the sweetest peach began in 1995 when CEO Terry Halverson and his team were determined to improve the quality of the peaches they sold in their stores. […]
Posted in, Beverage News, National
Report: Change In Industry Provides Marketing Opportunity For Grocers
The retail market for foods and beverages is undergoing some of its greatest changes since supermarkets came to the fore in the 1940s and ‘50s, according to “The Future of Food Retailing: Shopper Insights and Market Opportunities,” a new report from market research firm Packaged Facts. According to David Sprinkle, research director for Packaged Facts, […]
Posted in, National
Chile’s Citrus Industry Ups Marketing Efforts To Boost U.S. Sales
Sweet, fresh navel oranges, clementines and mandarins from Chile are turning summertime into citrus time, with supplies of these fruits increasingly available nationwide. Chile is one of the world’s largest producers of fresh fruit, and with citrus available now through November, the Chilean Citrus Committee, with the support of ProChile (Chile’s promotional bureau), is redoubling […]
Posted in, National, Store News
Sales Up 12 Percent At Whole Foods For 3Q, Store Growth Outlined
Whole Foods Market this week posted positive numbers for the company’s third quarter ending July 7. The Austin, Texas-based grocery chain reported that sales increased 12 percent to $3.1 billion. Comparable store sales increased 7.5 percent, and identical store sales, excluding four relocations and one expansion, increased 7.2 percent. Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and […]
Posted in, National
Frieda’s Helps Produce Wholesalers Stock Up For School Snacking
Summer is nearly over, and parents will soon be shopping for healthy yet exciting lunch and snack options for their kids to take to school. Frieda’s Inc. says it is the go-to source for kid’s favorite fruits and vegetables. Some of the popular back-to-school items are Asian Pears, Baby Red Bananas, Medjool Dates, Mandarinquats, Baby Apples and […]