Treva Bennett
Food Lion Feeds’ seventh annual Orange Bag campaign, in collaboration with customers, provided the equivalent of more than 14.8 million meals to address food insecurity. The campaign, which ran from Feb. 26-March 18, benefits Feeding America and local partner food banks throughout Food Lion’s 10-state [...]
Dollar Tree has reached an agreement to sell its Family Dollar business for $1 billion to Brigade Capital Management LP and Macellum Capital Management LLC. Family Dollar will remain headquartered in Chesapeake, Virginia. After a review of potential alternatives, the Dollar Tree leadership team and [...]
Independent grocery stores play a vital role in rural communities, but inflation, competition from big-box retailers and other challenges are putting increasing pressure on their operations. Blake Schwartz, owner of Hometown Market in St. Paul, Nebraska, said labor issues specifically are greatly impacting independents in [...]
Steve Black, CEO and founder of abrighterday.life by Steve Black We’ve lived in the Rocky Mountains for the last 10 years. As we spend more time in the High Country – and when I go on my daily walks or sit out on the deck [...]
Nebraska’s grocery industry is at a crossroads as economic conditions shift and legislative policies evolve. Ansley Fellers, executive director of the Nebraska Grocery Industry Association, highlighted for The Shelby Report key concerns facing independent grocers, including competition from dollar stores, rising labor costs and wholesale [...]
Carlie Jonas, policy associate, Center for Rural Affairs Nebraska’s rural grocery stores are facing increasing financial and logistical hurdles, but new legislative efforts seek to provide targeted support to sustain these essential businesses. Carlie Jonas, policy associate at the Center for Rural Affairs in Lyons, [...]
Taking part in the check presentation ceremony were Kevin Lovell, Albertsons/Safeway NorCal; Gary and Nicoll Vlcek, Steve Weakley, HeSook and John Alden and Debbi Navarro, Certified Federal Credit Union; Rick Williams, Gelson’s; and Pat Posey, WAFC. Certified Federal Credit Union (CFCU) recently made a $250,000 [...]
by Diana Leza Sheehan / founder, principal consultant, PDG Insights In this new series, we explore the opportunity created for retailers by targeting Latino grocery consumers across the United States. For context, the Latino population in 2024 reached about 66 million, or about 19.5 percent [...]
The grocery industry is grappling with many challenges, including inflation and the threat of tariffs on imports from Mexico and Canada, according to FMI – The Food Industry Association’s 2025 Inflation & Food Price Outlook. Andrew Harig, FMI’s VP of tax, trade, sustainability and policy [...]
by Diana Leza Sheehan / founder, principal consultant, PDG Insights In this new series, we explore the opportunity created for retailers by targeting Latino grocery consumers across the United States. For context, the Latino population in 2024 reached about 66 million, or about 19.5 percent [...]
Balls Food Stores has been recognized as The Shelby Report of the Midwest’s 2025 Retailer of the Year, an honor that celebrates the company’s dedication to innovation, community service and operational excellence. Scott Bayne Scott Bayne, EVP of operations, attributes this recognition to the company’s [...]
Kansas City, Kansas-based Balls Food Stores (BFS) – The Shelby Report of the Midwest’s 2025 Retailer of the Year – is embarking on an ambitious new chapter, marked by employee ownership, a strategic growth initiative and deep commitment to its teammates. The independent grocer, which [...]
James Hagedorn The National Confectioners Association (NCA) has named Jerry Hagedorn, EVP for Barry Callebaut, as chair of the NCA Board of Trustees for a two-year term. Hagedorn most recently served as vice chair and will take over for departing NCA Board Chair Tony Jacobs, president [...]
ECRS unveiled its latest innovations at the 2025 NGA Show, aimed at enhancing operational efficiency and customer service in grocery retail. The Boone, North Carolina-based company demonstrated several new offerings to the independent grocers in attendance. CartCheck Bottom of Basket Detection System CartCheck is an embedded [...]
“Store Brands Marketplace” is the 2025 theme for PLMA’s Annual Private Label Trade Show, scheduled for Nov. 16-18 at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Chicago, Illinois. The announcement comes at a time of record-setting sales results for the store brands industry. In 2024, store brand sales [...]
Healthy Choice Wellness Corp., a holding company operating 19 natural and organic grocery stores across six states, has launched its revamped fully-integrated rewards program across all banners, offering discounts, special pricing and other promotions across all HCWC-owned stores. “It has been widely acknowledged that strong [...]
Market of Choice, Oregon’s largest independent, family-owned grocer, is strengthening its commitment to local makers with its new private label line, Craft & Kitchen. This new line includes premium dairy products and center store pantry staples distinguished by unique recipes and flavors that have been co-created with [...]
San Francisco-based Simbe has spent the past decade working to digitize physical stores, with a mission to enhance visibility and operational efficiency for retailers. Brad Bogolea, Simbe’s co-founder and CEO, recently spoke with The Shelby Report about the company’s evolving role in the retail technology [...]
The Western Association of Food Chains (WAFC) held its SoCal Pre-Convention Rally on Feb. 6, highlighting the crucial role of education and community in shaping the future of the grocery industry. The event, presented by The Illuminators, drew industry leaders, sponsors and professionals to The [...]
Big Y Foods Inc. has donated $75,000 to the American Red Cross for California wildfire relief. The Springfield, Massachusetts-based supermarket chain collected donations from customers and employees Jan. 17-31 through its registers, online and myExpress Checkout Mobile app. The funds, which included contributions from Big [...]
The United Family and Rainier Fruit donated 5,000 pairs of socks to Texas nonprofits in February through their Apples and Pears on a Mission initiative, the companies announced. The donations, intended to support the homeless community, were made possible by a portion of proceeds from [...]
ShopRite’s annual ShopRite Partners In Caring (SRPIC) Cheerios Contest raised $1.3 million this year, thanks to the generosity of customers and the dedication of ShopRite associates who once again helped raise awareness around food insecurity. The contest is sponsored by General Mills, As part of the [...]
Tops Friendly Markets is partnering with Breakthrough T1D (formerly JDRF), a global type 1 diabetes (T1D) research and advocacy organization, to raise money to fund research to help find a cure for T1D. This year’s campaign runs March 2-22. T1D is an autoimmune disease that [...]
Schnuck Markets Inc., in partnership with Mid-States Minority Supplier Development Council, is seeking its second cohort of local and diverse-owned businesses to participate in the Schnucks Springboard accelerator program. Diverse-owned is defined as at least 51 percent owned, operated and managed by a U.S. citizen [...]
Hannaford Supermarkets has announced a $1.3 million investment in programs that positively impact child health and wellness across New England and New York. The funding is the latest chapter of Hannaford’s “Eat Well, Be Well – A Path to Better Health” initiative, which paves the [...]
Albertsons Companies Inc. has announced a CEO succession plan under which Susan Morris, EVP and chief operations officer, will assume the role following the planned retirement of Vivek Sankaran, effective May 1. During the transition period, Morris will work closely with Sankaran to continue executing [...]
Confectionery sales topped $54 billion in 2024, according to the 2025 State of Treating report published March 3 by the National Confectioners Association. The report forecasts that U.S. confectionery sales will grow over the next five years, exceeding $70 billion in all outlets by 2029. Across the [...]
MGP President Patrick Garofalo and Senate Minority Leader Mark Johnson, winner of the 2025 Bipartisan Bag-Off The Minnesota Grocers Association (MGA) hosted its eighth annual Bipartisan Bag-Off on Feb. 26 at the Minnesota State Capitol. The event highlighted the Minnesota food industry and its impact [...]
Hauppauge, New York-based King Kullen and Wild by Nature recently came to the aid of Long Islanders in need by hosting the annual in-store “Check Out Hunger” campaign, raising $16,000. The money was donated to the Long Island Cares/Harry Chapin Food Bank, which has served [...]
BJ’s Wholesale Club opened its new club in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, Feb. 28. Located at 136 Las Palmas Drive, the club features an on-site BJ’s Gas location. BJ’s members save on fresh foods, produce, full-service deli items, fresh bakery goods, household essentials, home décor, [...]
Chris St. Clair Lubbock, Texas-based TRUNO Retail Technology Solutions has named Chris St. Clair as its new CEO. With decades of experience navigating the operational and technological challenges of the grocery industry, St. Clair brings the leadership and expertise needed to drive TRUNO forward in [...]
The Kroger Co. Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Rodney McMullen has resigned following a board investigation of his personal conduct that, while unrelated to the business, was inconsistent with Kroger’s Policy on Business Ethics, according to a March 3 statement from the company. The board [...]
Jason Ferreria Jason Ferreira, co-op member of Allegiance Retail Services LLC, a supermarket grocery services co-op, has received recognition by Shelby Publishing in its third annual Exceptional Independents Award – an awards program celebrating the outstanding contributions by independent retailers across the industry. Ferreira was honored for his [...]
Circana has released two new reports highlighting the continued global momentum of retailers’ private label products. Initially driven by cost-conscious shoppers, private labels have evolved into sought-after options as consumers increasingly recognize the quality and variety retailers offer. Circana’s global research, From Growth to Transformation: A Global [...]
In recognition of American Heart Month in February, Southeastern Grocers (SEG), parent company and home of Harveys Supermarket and Winn-Dixie grocery stores, donated $130,000 to the American Heart Association in support of its “Life is Why” campaign. Throughout the three-week community donation program, SEG and its [...]
Alison Bodor, president and CEO of AFFI A record-setting crowd of more than 1,600 attended AFFI-CON 2025 hosted by the American Frozen Food Institute (AFFI). Professionals from frozen ingredient suppliers, processors, retailers and service providers attended this year’s event, which took place in Dallas, Texas, [...]
Chris Lesso Harps Food Stores has promoted Chris Lesso to director of information systems, where he will oversee the company’s technology infrastructure and lead initiatives to enhance operational efficiency and customer experience. Lesso’s career at Harps began in summer 1998 at Store 177 in Fayetteville, [...]
Fareway received Shelby Publishing's Exceptional Independents Award. Fareway Stores wrapped up a successful trip to the National Grocers Association Show, hosted Feb. 23-25 at the Ceasars Forum Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. For the second year in a row, Fareway was honored with the [...]
Keasbey, New Jersey-based Price Rite Marketplace celebrated its team of associates Feb. 22 on Supermarket Employee Day – a day proclaimed by FMI – The Food Industry Association to recognize supermarket employees for their commitment to feeding families and enriching lives. Team members from 46 [...]
Publix leaders and representatives from Feeding America partner food banks across the Southeast are shown at the 2025 Publix Hunger Summit in Lakeland, Florida. Publix Super Markets has exceeded 1 billion pounds of food donated through its Good Together food donation program, which began in [...]
For nearly 40 years, Jim’s SuperValu in Park River, North Dakota, has been a cornerstone of its rural community. Co-owner Diana Hahn, who has spent decades working in the store her parents purchased in 1986, understands the unique challenges and opportunities that come with running [...]
Representatives from The United Family joined city officials and other community representatives Feb. 25 to break ground on an Albertsons Market grocery store and fuel station in Lovington, New Mexico. Slated to open in 2026, it will be the first United Family location in the [...]
Wakefern Food Corp. cooperative members Cingari Family Markets and Kinsley Market [ShopRite of Brodheadsville] have been awarded The Shelby Report’s Exceptional Independent Grocer Award for the second year in a row. Presented to the Cingari and Kinsley families at the National Grocers Association (NGA) Show [...]
Allison Garcia Ontario, California-based Heritage Grocers Group, the largest Hispanic and ethnic food retailer in the country, has appointed Allison Garcia VP of marketing. Reporting directly to Suzy Monford, chairman and CEO for Heritage Grocers Group, Garcia will oversee HGG’s comprehensive go-to-market strategy. “Allie brings a wealth of knowledge and [...]
The Fresh Market opened its seventh store in the greater-Chicago area Feb. 26. The retailer brings a commitment to offering high-quality, fresh foods and an exceptional shopping experience to the local community. The grand opening in Northbrook, Illinois, marks The Fresh Market’s 168th location and promises [...]
Publix Super Markets opened a new store Feb. 27 at Briar Bay Shopping Center, 13005 SW 89th Place, in Miami, Florida. The 53,287 square-foot store offers departments for grocery, dairy, frozen food, seafood, meat and fresh produce as well as a full-service bakery, deli, pharmacy [...]
North Dakota’s grocery industry is navigating changes, shaped by population growth, economic shifts and evolving consumer habits, according to John “Jiggs” Dyste, president of the North Dakota Grocers Association. “We only have some 700,000 people in the whole state,” Dyste said. “I think as far [...]
Heather Stoick, RF Buche and Jim Stoick Paylessfoods, a Mobridge, South Dakota, retail grocery operation since 1960, will become Buche Foods on Feb. 27, according to RF Buche, CEO and president of G.F. Buche Co. “We’re proud to have Paylessfoods join our seven other community [...]
The International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA) is urging Congress to take bipartisan action to support American growers, strengthen food security and maintain U.S. leadership in fresh produce production. Bret Erickson, SVP of business affairs at Texas-based Little Bear Produce, testified before the U.S. Senate Committee [...]
Food Lion has launched its annual three-weeklong Food Lion Feeds Orange Bag Campaign in stores and online, inviting customers to directly support efforts to address food insecurity in their local communities. Food Lion Feeds will provide a minimum of 2 million meals to neighbors experiencing [...]