Associated Wholesale Grocers (AWG) has appointed Joe Kelley as COO, effective May 4. Kelley will oversee merchandising, procurement, distribution, sales, marketing and division support center operations across AWG’s 33-state footprint. Kelley joins from Kroger, where he most recently served as SVP of retail divisions, leading 11 divisions across the central and western United States. His […]
Category: National
Posted inIndependent Store News, Featured News, National, News, Save A Lot
Save A Lot Honors 10 Retail Partners At Annual Meeting
Save A Lot recognized 10 retail partners at its annual Retail Partner Awards, presented during the company’s annual meeting and food show in St. Charles, Missouri. Awards honored performance in calendar year 2025 across several major categories, including year-over-year customer and sales growth, Store Managers of the Year, Hometown Hero, Omnichannel Leaders, Outstanding Customer Service and […]
Posted inIndependent Store News, Association News, Featured News, National, News
Main Street Competition Coalition Expands Into Permanent Advocacy Organization
The Main Street Competition Coalition (MSCC) is formalizing its structure as a permanent advocacy organization, expanding its mission beyond Robinson-Patman Act enforcement to challenge market power abuses across grocery, pharmacy and agriculture. The coalition – founded by the National Grocers Association (NGA) and the National Community Pharmacists Association – describes itself as the first business-backed […]
Posted inC-Store News, Grocery Store Equipment, National, News
Tote Deploys AI Employee Agent With Loop Neighborhood Markets
Tote, the AI-native point-of-sale platform built for fuel and convenience retail, has deployed its Genie AI agent with Loop Neighborhood Markets, a California-based convenience retailer operating more than 50 locations. Since launch, the tool has handled associate inquiries across customer service, POS operations, maintenance and payments with 100 percent first-contact resolution and zero escalations to […]
Posted inSnacks Brands, Featured News, National, News
PepsiCo Begins Tostitos Brand Refresh, Introduces Updated Packaging
PepsiCo Foods U.S. is rolling out a comprehensive brand refresh for Tostitos, moving the tortilla chip and dip line beyond its traditional snacking identity with updated packaging, a revised logo and marketing that emphasizes ingredient quality and the traditional masa-making process behind the product. The refreshed packaging is hitting shelves now and will continue rolling […]
Posted inGuest Contributors, Featured News, National, News
Crossroads: How Cap Rates, Lease Terms Affect Grocery Store Property Value
In a previous column, we discussed building businesses to last and some of the factors that influence valuation. Today, we will take a closer look at one area that often creates confusion – the valuation of real estate in the grocery industry. Nerd alert: This one is a little more technical, but I believe it […]
Posted inBakery News, Featured News, National, News
Grupo Bimbo Named A Most Ethical Company For 10th Consecutive Year
Grupo Bimbo, the world’s largest baking company, has been recognized by Ethisphere as one of the World’s Most Ethical Companies 2026, marking 10 straight years of receiving the designation. The 2026 class includes 138 companies from 17 countries and 40 industries. Ethisphere evaluates companies through its proprietary Ethics Quotient methodology, assessing ethics and compliance programs, […]
Posted inInternational Foods, Center Store, Featured News, National, News
Goya Foods Donates 1M Pounds Of Food On 90th Anniversary
Goya Foods marked its 90th anniversary on March 31 by hosting its annual Goya Gives Day, a single-day coordinated effort that distributed 1 million pounds of food to families across the U.S., Puerto Rico and Spain. More than 100 community partners participated alongside Goya facilities and employees in food donations and volunteer efforts. The date […]