Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market plans March openings for its first five locations in the Sacramento, Calif., region. The U.K-owned grocery chain, which opened its first stores in Southern California, Nevada and Arizona in 2007, announced expansion into Northern California last year. The first stores set to open March 7 will be at Mack and […]
Tag: West
Posted in, West
NorCal Grocery Workers Want to Block Walmart’s Neighborhood Markets
Unionized grocery workers in Northern California have come out against the introduction of Walmart neighborhood markets into the region. Walmart Stores, based in Bentonville, Ark., has said that it intends to build up to 30 Neighborhood Markets—stores averaging 30,000 to 40,000 s.f. that will compete directly with unionized companies like Safeway and Lucky. This is […]
Posted in, West
Eggert Retires from New Seasons Market
Co-founder and board member Chuck Eggert has retired from New Seasons Market, the 12-store grocery company based in Portland, Ore. He has sold his shares back to the company, but Eggert is not completely severing his ties with the grocery company he helped create more than a dozen years ago. He will remain as a […]
Posted in, West
San Francisco Bans All Plastic Disposable Bags
The Wall Street Journal reports that the San Francisco Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to make it illegal for any shop in the city to offer disposable plastic bags to customers. The law expands a 2007 bag ban that applied to large grocery stores and pharmacies, and also mandates stores charge customers 10 cents apiece […]
Posted in, West
PMA to Debut Produce Pavilion at N.G.A Show in Las Vegas
The 2012 National Grocers Association (N.G.A.) Show will feature a new collaboration with the Produce Marketing Association (PMA) that will bring together more than 20 produce companies into 2,500 s.f. of exhibit space on the expo floor called “The PMA Produce Pavilion.” The PMA Produce Pavilion will provide independent grocers and attendees of The N.G.A. […]
Posted in, West
Ocean Mist Farms Receives Economic Vitality Award
Castroville, Calif.-based Ocean Mist Farms has been honored by the Monterey County Business Council for its contribution to agriculture in Monterey County. Ocean Mist Farms was one of six organizations selected to receive the Economic Vitality Award at the council’s annual awards ceremony last week in Monterey. The Monterey County Business Council is an alliance […]
Posted in, Southeast, Southwest, West
More Than 500 Walmart Women File EEOC Discrimination Charges
In a move to protect their right to pursue individual and class-action pay and promotion claims against Walmart Stores Inc., more than 500 former and current Walmart women employees who had been part of a national class-action lawsuit have filed a charge of discrimination against the retailer with the U.S. Equal Employment and Opportunity Commission […]
Posted in, National, West
Safeway Employees Contribute One Million Volunteer Hours in 2011
Pleasanton, Calif.-based Safeway Inc.’s companywide effort to mobilize its workforce and transform communities resulted in employees volunteering one million hours in 2011. “The number of hours along with the stories about employees who unselfishly gave their valuable time are inspiring and humbling,” said Larree Renda, Safeway EVP and chair of the Safeway Foundation. “Through their […]
Posted in, West
Bristol Farms Rolling Hills Re-Opens With New Look
Bristol Farms opened the doors to its first store in Rolling Hills, Calif., 30 years ago, and it re-opened that same store earlier this month with a new design and look to kick off 2012. The store is located at 837 Silver Spur Rd. “We have been planning the remodel of this store for some […]
Posted in, West
Trader Joe’s Files Paperwork for Colorado Stores
Trader Joe’s has field paperwork with Colorado officials to come to the state for the first time, reports the Denver Business Journal. The California-based grocer and specialty foods company filed paperwork with the Colorado Secretary of State’s office last week saying it intends to start doing business in the state on April 1. Sources told […]
Posted in, C-Store News, Marketing News, Suppliers, West
AWMA Expo Sells Out, Space Being Added
The American Wholesale Marketers Association’s (AWMA) 2012 Expo is sold out, but space is being added to accommodate additional manufacturers at the group’s annual convention event—to be held Feb. 15-17, at the Paris Hotel in Las Vegas, Nev. “We are intent on making sure that each year the AWMA show introduces new features and activities. […]
Posted in, West
Your Local Market Hosts Charity Benefit Friday
Your Local Market in Bellevue, Wash., will hold a benefit Friday, Jan. 13, for Bellevue LifeSpring (formerly Overlake Service League), a local charity that provides emergency services, youth programs and educational assistance within the Bellevue community. The event, FridayFest, is free and open to the public, with wine and beer tasting and free samplings all […]
Posted in, West
Fresh & Easy Shutters A Dozen Stores
Several Fresh & Easy grocery stores that are underperforming will be temporarily closing, KABC Los Angeles report. The company that owns the stores said it is shutting down 12 locations in California, Arizona and Nevada “At this time, there is simply not enough growth in sales and customers at these stores to keep them open. […]
Posted in, West
Seattle Plastic Bag Ban One Step Closer to Reality
The Seattle City Council voted unanimously Monday for a broad band on plastic shopping bags for businesses ranging from farmers markets to department stores. The bill would require stores to charge a 5-cent fee to shoppers if they want paper bags to hold their purchases. The bill now goes to Mayor Mike McGinn for his […]
Posted in, West
Fresh & Easy to Launch ‘Thank You’ Card for Loyal Customers
Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market is rolling out its new Friends of Fresh & Easy “thank you” card to all its stores following a successful trial of the program at seven stores in Bakersfield, Calif. Fresh & Easy had originally planned to trial the card this fall and roll out the program to all stores […]
Posted in, West
Fry’s to Carry Schnepf Chili
For a limited time, Fry’s Food Stores will carry Schnepf Farms chili at a majority of its grocery store locations, reports the Phoenix Business Journal. Schnepf Farm owners Mark and Carrie Schnepf are going to make guest appearances at select Fry’s Food stores in the East Valley to promote the new product, which can be […]
Posted in, West
California Walmart Expanding
The Folsom, Calif., Walmart is getting an expansion and a facelift starting today. The company said the expansion at the location at 1018 Riley St. will bring about 85 new jobs to the city. The store will stay open during the expansion that will add about 26,796 s.f. According to the Sacramento Business Journal, construction […]
Posted in, West
Sunflower Farmers Market Moving Regional Headquarters
Sunflower Farmers Markets is moving its regional offices to Phoenix, reports the Phoenix Business Journal. The company is leasing 23,214 s.f. on the northwest corner of 19th Avenue and Loop 101 in the Deer Valley Office Park in Phoenix. The Boulder, Colo.-based company had been housed at a site near Metrocenter Mall in Phoenix. Financial […]
Posted in, Midwest, West
Safeway Announces Change in Leadership at Dominick’s Stores
Pleasanton, Calif.-based Safeway Inc. July 15 that the president of its Chicago-area Dominick’s Finer Foods division, Don Keprta, has resigned. “Don has contributed significantly to the Dominick’s stores. His commitment and innovation helped the stores evolve to best serve the Chicagoland customers. We are fortunate that he has produced a team that is prepared to […]
Posted in, West
Expanding Oakland Safeway Absorbs Local Pharmacy
A Safeway on College Avenue at the border between Oakland and Berkeley is taking over Chimes Pharmacy, a nearby store, as part of its expansion plans. According to the San Francisco Times Business Journal, Pleasanton-based Safeway hopes to expand the Safeway at College and Claremont—its draft environmental impact report was posted July 1 and will […]