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 […]
Tag: West
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, 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, West
California Strawberry Season In Full Swing
California strawberry peak season is officially here, according to the California Strawberry Commission. California strawberries are available year-round; March through August mark the peak season. Eighty-eight percent of the strawberries in the United States are grown in California. They’re grown by more than 500 family farmers. “California strawberry farmers consider food safety their top priority,” […]
Posted in, Marketing News, West
Integrated Cinco De Mayo Program Kicks Off California Avocado Season
With 81 million pounds of avocados forecast to be consumed for Cinco de Mayo festivities, the event is shaping up to move even more fruit than February’s “Big Game.” The California Avocado Commission (CAC) plans to kick off its spring-through-early-fall season with a strong Cinco de Mayo program that integrates consumer advertising, public relations outreach, […]
Posted in, Organic Natural, West
Lundberg Family Farms Marks 75 Years Of Organic Leadership
Richvale, Calif.-based Lundberg Family Farms®, a leading manufacturer of organic rice and rice products, is celebrating its 75th anniversary. The occasion arrives three-quarters of a century after Albert and Frances Lundberg fled the ravages of the Dust Bowl for the fertile soil of the Sacramento Valley. Arriving in Richvale in 1937, armed with lessons learned […]
Posted in, New Products, Perishables, West
‘Just Jane’ Treats Hit Shelves at Ralphs, Bristol Farms
For more than 20 years, Jane Lockhart, owner and founder of Sweet Lady Jane, has delighted the taste buds of her loyal customers with only the finest desserts made from the highest quality ingredients. With two retail stores in West Hollywood and Santa Monica, Jane now has exciting plans to enable many more to indulge […]
Posted in, West
Goodspeed Re-Elected Chairman Of Unified Board
Shareholders of Unified Grocers, the largest wholesale grocery distributor in the western United States, elected 18 individuals to the board of directors at the company’s annual shareholders meeting, held Feb. 22 in Cerritos, Calif. At a board of directors meeting immediately following the annual shareholders meeting, directors re-elected Richard E. Goodspeed, principal, Goodspeed & Associates, […]
Posted in, Southwest, West
Sunflower Farmers Market Opening Third Oklahoma Store
Boulder, Colo.-based Sunflower Farmers Market, the full-service natural and organic grocer known for “serious food at silly prices,” will open its third store in the Oklahoma market in the first quarter of 2013. The market will be located at W. Main Street and S. Lahoma Ave. in Norman. “We’re truly looking forward to both our […]
Posted in, West
WinCo Foods Opening Two New Nevada Stores
Boise, Idaho-based WinCo Foods LLC will open two new discount supermarkets in Nevada at 9 a.m. Sunday, March 4. The stores are located at 80 N. Stephanie in Henderson and at 6101 N. Decatur Blvd. in Las Vegas. Each store is approximately 94,000 s.f. and will employ approximately 200 individuals, most of whom have been […]
Posted in, National
AFFI’s Frozen Food Convention Matches Attendance Record
The American Frozen Food Institute (AFFI) 2012 Frozen Food Convention in San Diego, Calif., has matched the convention’s all-time attendance record set two years ago. More than 1,400 members of the frozen food industry gathered at the Manchester Grand Hyatt earlier this week. AFFI-CON delegates gathered to attend educational sessions, network at social events and […]
Posted in, West
Almonds Certified With Signature ‘Heart-Check’ Mark
The American Heart Association (AHA) has certified almonds with its signature Heart-Check mark to signify that they are a heart-healthy food. This symbol is the most consumer-trusted nutrition icon appearing on packaged foods—in fact, one study found that more than half of shoppers use the mark as a deciding factor when choosing to purchase a […]
Posted in, West
Save Mart Supermarkets Again Earns Waste Reduction Award
The California Integrated Waste Management Board (CIWMB) has once again named Save Mart Supermarkets as one of the winners of the 2011 Waste Reduction Award in recognition for green business practices. Every year California businesses and nonprofits are encouraged to showcase their voluntary waste reduction, recycling and resource conservation efforts by applying for recognition in […]
Posted in, Southwest
Trader Joe’s Adds Two More Houston Sites
Trader Joe’s is adding two more Houston, Texas, area sites to its shopping list for store locations, according information on the Texas Comptroller’s website. The grocery store chain has received sales tax permits to open stores at 1440 S. Voss and 2922 S. Shepherd. The new locations will join a store under development in The […]
Posted in, Midwest
2012 N.G.A. Show Attracts Record Numbers
The National Grocers Association (N.G.A.) has concluded its 2012 N.G.A. Show in Las Vegas, Nev.—reaching important milestones and fulfilling its promise as the place to be “Where Independents Gather” to discuss “Real Issues with Real Grocers and forge Real Solutions.” The annual four-day event was the largest in the trade association’s history, with more than […]
Posted in, West
Harmons Grocery Opening Today in Salt Lake City
Harmons Grocery will open a new 70,000-s.f. custom-designed urban grocery store in downtown Salt Lake City, Utah, today, Feb. 15, with plenty of fan fare and festivities. Special care has gone into making Harmons’ 16th store an inviting hub for the city where people working and shopping downtown can find the best tasting and freshest […]
Posted in, Beverage News, Marketing News, West
More from The N.G.A. Show—In Pictures
From The 2012 N.G.A. Show… In the photo above: Michael Sansolo speaks to the panel consisting of Chris Coborn, president and CEO of Coborns Inc.; Carlos Smith, president of Bodega Latina Corp./dba El Super; and Jay Lawrence, president of Lawrence Bros. M-A-L Enterprises Inc.
Posted in, Northeast
Safeway Selling Three Genuardi’s Stores to Weis Markets
Pleasanton, Calif.-based Safeway Inc. has reached a definitive agreement to sell three of its Genuardi’s stores in Pennsylvania to Weis Markets Inc. Safeway will continue to operate these stores until the transaction closes, and the company is working through an orderly transition for the stores, according to a news release. The transaction is subject to […]
Posted in, West
McGregor Honored for Industry Leadership at N.G.A. Show
Idaho independent grocer Archie McGregor Jr., 75, president of Archie’s IGA in St. Maries, Idaho, and Dissmores IGA in Pullman, Wash., has been awarded the 2012 Thomas K. Zaucha Entrepreneurial Excellence Award. First presented in 2009, the award is given each year by Kraft Foods Inc. at The National Grocers Association (N.G.A.) Show to an […]