Independent grocers operate in one of the most demanding areas of retail. Margins are tight, labor is unpredictable and vendor costs can change without warning. Yet many store leaders still rely on month-end reports or spreadsheets that arrive long after the moment to adjust has passed. That delay makes it harder to lead with confidence. […]
Category: Industry Leaders Speak
Expert Article
Commercial Ripening 2026: An Interview With David Byrne
Commercial ripening has come a long way over the past 30 years. From air-stacking boxes in temperature-controlled holding rooms to today’s ultra-advanced, digitally controlled ripening room systems that can uniformly ripen multiple truckloads of palletized fruit to the exact same color at the exact same time. As the global leader in commercial ripening room design […]
Expert Article
Labor Pressures Rising: How Independent Grocers Can Control Costs Without Cutting Corners
Labor has always been essential to operations and one of the biggest factors influencing the bottom line. However, in fiscal 2024, labor and benefits costs climbed to new highs, putting even more pressure on already thin margins. According to the 2025 Independent Grocers Financial Study by FMS and NGA, total expenses increased to 25.8 percent […]
Posted inMerchandising News, Independent Store News, Industry Leaders Speak, National
Winning the Shrink Battle – How Independent Grocers Can Maximize Their Margins
Sponsored content Shrink silently chips away at profits through outdated product, theft, overstocking, damage and errors. These losses aren’t just missed revenue – they lead to dissatisfied customers and reduced reinvestment opportunities. Reducing shrink isn’t just about cutting losses – it’s about gaining clarity, control and profitability in a competitive industry. Shrink is the difference […]
Posted inCoborn's, Association News, Industry Leaders Speak, National
NGA CEO Greg Ferrara & Coborn’s SVP Dennis Host On Grocery Innovation, Opportunity
Sponsored content With a shared passion for supporting independent grocers and cultivating the next generation of industry leaders, Greg Ferrara, President and CEO of the National Grocers Association, and Dennis Host, Senior Vice President of Marketing at Coborn’s, a 135+ location Midwest chain, discuss Host’s unconventional path into the grocery industry, key lessons he’s learned […]
Posted inOnline Grocery Technology, Industry Leaders Speak, National
How Geissler’s Supermarkets Added Shopping Carts With AI
Sponsored content Nick Nickitas, general manager of local independent grocery at Instacart, sat down for a conversation with Bob Rybick, president and CEO of Geissler’s Supermarket, to discuss the strategy behind Geissler’s decision to replace a majority of their shopping carts with AI-powered smart Caper Carts, making them one of the first retailers in the […]
Posted inIndustry Leaders Speak, National
Dispelling Pricing Analytics Myths
Sponsored content By Rajat Nigam, CEO and founder of Bungee Tech From managing tight margins to streamlining operations, the path to profitability in grocery retail is full of obstacles. Amid these challenges, grocery retailers are turning to pricing analytics and optimization to execute effective, competitive strategies. However, despite its proven benefits, some grocers remain hesitant […]
Posted inIndustry Leaders Speak, National
Customized POS Solutions Enhance, Protect Today’s Grocers
Sponsored content Supermarket retailers are increasingly focused on meeting consumer expectations for seamless, personalized and hyper-efficient shopper experiences. To help them achieve that goal, Toshiba Global Commerce Solutions recently introduced the TCx 900 point-of-sale system. Engineered with retail in mind, the TCx 900 is a robust solution with a small footprint and is designed to […]