Seattle-based Starbucks Coffee Co. plans for a global entry into the energy category with Starbucks Refreshers™ beverages—making Starbucks the first to bring green coffee extract innovation to customers on a global scale. Starbucks Refreshers beverages are a breakthrough innovation that deliver thirst-quenching refreshment from real fruit juice and a boost of natural energy from a […]
Tag: investing
Posted in, Equipment & Technology, National
AllTrust Networks Launches Retail Connect
AllTrust Networks has launched Retail Connect, a web-based Point-of-Sale (POS) service. It provides retailers an all-in-one front-end that consolidates management of financial service offerings. Typical services offered by retailers include check cashing, walk-in bill payment, money transfer, prepaid services and money orders. Retail Connect also works in conjunction with Paycheck Secure®, AllTrust’s check cashing service, […]
Posted in, Beverage News, Midwest, Southeast
Hormel Foods Donates Two Semi-Trailer Loads of Products
Hormel Foods Corp. donated 55,000 Hormel® Compleats® microwave meals and more than 11,000 cases of Hormel turkey pepperoni packs to Feeding America to aid in relief efforts for parts of Kentucky and southern Indiana following the recent tornadoes. “Our thoughts are with everyone affected by this unfortunate hardship,” said Julie H. Craven, VP of corporate […]
Posted in, Marketing News, National
Kraft Foods Changing Its Name
The name “Kraft Foods” has been around for decades, but the maker of all sorts of cereals, snacks and other well-known food products says it’s time to go in another direction, starting with a name change, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports. Pending shareholder approval, Kraft Foods will become Mondelez International. The company, which is splitting into […]
Posted in, National, Organic Natural
Local Produce Edging Out Organic In Importance Among Consumers
It seems like just yesterday natural/organic was the hot ticket, but local is quickly becoming a consumer favorite, as locally sourced products are becoming more popular at grocery stores and restaurants alike. According to recent Mintel research, the same is true in the fruit and vegetable industry with more than half (52 percent) of consumers […]
Posted in, Southeast
Bob Sasser Joins Board of The Fresh Market
The Fresh Market Board of Directors has elected Bob Sasser, president and CEO of Dollar Tree Stores, as a new board member for the Greensboro, N.C.-based specialty grocery company. Sasser joined Dollar Tree as COO in 1999. He haas been president since 2001 and CEO since 2004. Prior to joining Dollar Tree, Sasser held senior […]
Posted in, Amazon Fresh, Marketing News, National, Whole Foods
Report: Sam’s Club, Aldi, Publix, H-E-B Have Most Loyal Customers
A new research report published by Temkin Group, “2012 Temkin Loyalty Ratings,” indicates that only seven companies—four of which are grocery retailers—earned “very strong” loyalty ratings: Sam’s Club, Aldi, USAA, Publix, credit unions, Amazon.com, and H-E-B. At the other end of the spectrum, 37 companies earned “very weak” loyalty ratings. The research examines consumer loyalty […]
Posted in, West
Safeway Plans For $1B Stock Buyback
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 […]
Posted in, Beverage News, C-Store News, National, Southeast
TravelCenters, Trucking Solutions Sponsor Health Awareness Walk
The entire trucking industry is invited to join TravelCenters of America LLC and Trucking Solutions Group for the third annual MATS Health Awareness Walk. The walk, sponsored by TA and Petro Stopping Centers branded travel centers, together with Trucking Solutions Group, will be held at 9 a.m. Friday, March 23, during the Mid-America Trucking Show […]
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, 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, 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, National
National Chocolate Covered Raisin Day Is March 24
There’s “Clean-Up Your Room Day” (May 10), “Wear Your Pajamas to Work Day” (April 18) and even “National Goof-Off Day” (March 22), but “National Chocolate Covered Raisin Day”? Yes, and it will be recognized March 24. While Nestle did not establish the holiday, the company is leading a national celebration in the name of Nestle […]
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, 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, 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 […]