On June 14, Wrigley’s Mars Inc. subsidiary opened a state-of-the-art addition to its Yorkville, Illinois, factory. The Yorkville expansion is the result of a $50 million investment by Mars that adds 145,000 s.f., a new Skittles line and 75 new jobs—a 25 percent increase in the workforce at the facility. “Mars has a long-standing history […]
Tag: Midwest
News from the midwestern United States.
Fareway Donates More Than 60K Dozen Eggs To Food Banks
Fareway donated a truckload of 21,600 dozen eggs to the Food Bank of Iowa in Des Moines on June 8, followed by donations of 10,800 dozen eggs each to the Northeast Iowa Food Bank in Waterloo, Food Bank for the Heartland in Omaha (Nebraska), Hawkeye Area Community Action Program Inc. (HACAP) in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, […]
General Mills Partners With Cooperative To Increase Organic Dairy Supply
General Mills has formed a sourcing partnership with the largest organic cooperative in the U.S. that will help about 20 dairy farms add around 3,000 acres to organic dairy production over the next three years. The program with Wisconsin-based Organic Valley will drive more acres in the U.S. into the organic certification process and builds […]
Casey’s Fiscal Year Ends Strong As Company Looks To Expand East And South
On June 6, Casey’s General Stores Inc. reported diluted earnings per share of $1.19 for the fourth quarter of fiscal year ended April 30 vs. $1.05 for the same period a year ago. For the year, diluted earnings per share grew 24 percent to $5.73 vs. $4.62 for the same period last year. “Fiscal 2016 […]
Meijer Opens Supercenters In Wisconsin And Indiana
Meijer opened a new 192,000-s.f. supercenter in Sussex, Wisconsin, on June 7. The Sussex store is one of nine new Meijer supercenters to open this year, and part of an investment of more than $400 million in new and remodeled stores that will create 3,000 new jobs across the Grand Rapids, Michigan-based retailer’s six-state foot […]
Doc’s Food Stores Promotes ‘The Blend’ In Three Departments
Doc’s Food Stores, which operates as Country Mart, JB’s Market and Apple Market in Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma, has launched the Mushroom Council’s “Blend” in its deli, meat and produce departments at all of its stores. “The Blend” is mixing finely diced mushrooms into proteins such as beef, turkey, lamb or pork to make hamburgers, […]
Meijer Opens Supercenter In Its Home State
Grand Rapids, Michigan-based Meijer opened a new 192,000-s.f. supercenter June 2 in the southern Michigan town of Sturgis. “Opening this store has been a long time coming, and we’re thrilled the day is finally here,” CEO Hank Meijer said. “Sturgis has never had a one-stop shopping destination like Meijer, so we’re proud to be the […]
Coborn’s And Foodtown Deploy Birdzi’s Shopper Engagement Platform
Minnesota-based Coborn’s and New Jersey-based Foodtown, have selected the Birdzi (sounds like bird’s eye) platform to provide personalized digital savings for their shoppers and increase customer engagement. The independent chains selected Birdzi for its ability to create personalized offers and drive loyalty at home, in store and on the go. The Birdzi platform allows retailers to […]
Earth Fare Opens Fourth Ohio Store
Earth Fare opened its fourth Ohio location yesterday in The Venue at Belden, located at 3939 Everhard Road in North Canton. Every item in the new 24,000-s.f. store is free of artificial fats, trans-fats, colors, preservatives and sweeteners and high fructose corn syrup, as well as bleached or bromated flour. Its meat, seafood and poultry […]
Founder’s Grandson Takes Helm Of Strack & Van Til
The board of directors of Midwest grocery operator Strack & Van Til has announced the appointment of Jeff Strack as president and CEO. Strack replaces Kenneth Diehl, who has stepped down to return home in the Western U.S. Diehl had led the company since October 2014. The change is effective immediately. Strack, the grandson of the […]
Butera Highest Bidder For Three Joe Caputo & Sons Stores
Three former Joe Caputo & Sons grocery stores in Algonquin, Palatine and Des Plaines, Illinois, soon will be under new ownership. Butera Finer Foods/Piggly Wiggly Midwest was the single, highest bidder in an auction held yesterday at the Hyatt Rosemont in Chicago. More than 100 people were in attendance. Joe Caputo & Sons and Anthony […]
Budweiser’s Patriotic Campaign Features Word ‘America’ On Cans, Bottles
The word “Budweiser” will be replaced with “America” on the front of the Anheuser-Busch brand’s 12-oz. cans and bottles. Budweiser’s label also is being modified to add copy central to American history, including phrases from the Pledge of Allegiance and lyrics from “The Star Spangled Banner” and “America the Beautiful.” The revamped cans will be […]
Strong Results, Stronger Together: AWG Celebrates 90th Anniversary
Learn more about AWG’s proud past and its continued growth in a 40-page section, which appears below and in the June 2016 print editions of The Shelby Report of the Midwest, The Shelby Report of the Southeast and The Shelby Report of the Southwest.
Greenridge Farm Expanding Into Midwest Costco Stores
Beginning this month, consumers will find Greenridge Farm artisanal sausages in Costco stores in 13 states, including Illinois, Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Kansas and Iowa. The products will be available in 3-lb. packages at Costco vs. its standard 14-oz. packages available at neighborhood grocery stores. Greenridge Farm […]
Ben’s Soft Pretzels Franchise Eyeing Expansion Through Retail Partnerships
by Alissa Marchat/staff writer Growing from its first humble location in a farmers market booth to a budding national—and maybe even international—brand, Ben’s Soft Pretzels is taking the next steps in its development by partnering with Meijer and Walmart to open in-store locations. Founded in Indiana in 2008 by Ben Miller, an Amish baker; Brian […]
Knowlan’s Wins Minnesota Grown Retailer Of The Year Award For Fifth Straight Year
The Minnesota Grown program, in conjunction with the Minnesota Grocers Association, has named Knowlan’s Super Markets a 2016 Retailer of the Year. This marks the fifth consecutive year the grocer has been chosen for the award, announced Tuesday at a special luncheon sponsored by the Minnesota Grocers Association. Knowlan’s operates six Festival Foods stores and […]
Supervalu’s 4Q Sales ‘Softer’ Than Forecasted
Supervalu’s new president and CEO, Mark Gross, said Tuesday that, although the company’s fourth quarter sales were “softer than we had forecast, I am optimistic about our future prospects … We have a lot of positives to build on as we move forward.” Fourth quarter consolidated net sales were $3.95 billion compared to $4.07 billion […]
Hy-Vee, Pinky Swear Foundation Announce 2016 Kids Triathlon Dates
Hy-Vee is again partnering with the Pinky Swear Foundation, a national charitable organization that supports children with cancer and their families, to host six kids triathlon fundraising events across the Midwest this summer. For the second year in a row, this partnership will bring Hy-Vee Pinky Swear Kids Triathlons to Omaha, Des Moines, Kansas City, […]
Schnucks Rolls Out ‘Schnupons’ Digital Coupon Program
Schnucks shoppers now have the option to clip and save their grocery store coupons online. Schnupons, as they are referred to, are digital coupons that provide a convenient way for customers to receive additional weekly savings and a simpler way to redeem them during checkout, according to the St. Louis-based grocer. Shoppers can register for […]
State Rep. Shaul Of Missouri Grocers Association Receives FMI Public Affairs Award
The Food Marketing Institute (FMI) on Wednesday presented Missouri Rep. Dan Shaul (District 113), director of the Missouri Grocers Association, with the Donald H. MacManus Award for his leadership in public affairs and his dedication to both industry and community relations. FMI President and CEO Leslie G. Sarasin presented Shaul with the award at FMI’s […]
