Leadership wisdom often comes from unexpected places. One of the most respected leadership voices in American sports is the late Lou Holtz, who we lost in March. The legendary college football coach was known for turning struggling programs into championship teams. While his career unfolded on football fields rather than grocery aisles, the leadership lessons […]
Category: National
Posted inMarketing News, National, News, Walmart
Walmart, Sam’s Club Launch Annual Fight Hunger. Spark Change. Campaign
Walmart and Sam’s Club have launched the 13th annual Fight Hunger. Spark Change. campaign across all U.S. stores and club locations. The cause marketing initiative runs from April 6 through May 3, with the goal of providing people facing hunger access to food and resources through Feeding America’s network of local food banks. Since its […]
Posted inC-Store News, Association News, National, News
NACS Adds Four New Hires To Leadership Teams
NACS, the national association for convenience and fuel retailers, has brought on four new team members in recent weeks across fundraising, accounting, digital marketing and editorial roles. Ali Dunne joined the NACS Foundation on April 8 as director of fundraising and partnerships. She previously served as senior manager of strategic alliances at First Book. Dunne […]
Posted inPackaging News, Equipment & Technology, Meat/Seafood/Poultry, National, News
Chef Robotics Expands AI-Powered Automation Into Meatpacking
Chef Robotics, a San Francisco-based food robotics company, has expanded its AI-driven automation platform to handle tray assembly for meatpacking. The system can assemble raw, frozen and precooked proteins — including pork loin fillets, chicken breasts, steaks, lamb chops, bratwursts and sausage links — onto trays before packaging. Tray assembly for proteins has been difficult […]
Posted inSupply Chain News, National, News
NRF: Middle East Conflict Fuel Costs Pressuring Imports
U.S. container port volumes are not being significantly disrupted by the conflict in the Middle East, but rising fuel costs tied to the blockage of the Strait of Hormuz could eventually affect retailers and consumers, according to the latest Global Port Tracker report from the National Retail Federation and Hackett Associates. “Just because retailers don’t […]
Posted inSnacks Brands, Association News, Featured News, National, News
Chicago Selected As Home Of NCSA’s Candy Hall Of Fame Experience
The National Confectionery Sales Association (NCSA) has selected Chicago as the permanent home of the Candy Hall of Fame Experience, a 60,000-square-foot, multi-level facility set to open in summer 2027 at 830 N. Michigan Ave. on the city’s Magnificent Mile. Chicago was chosen over Orlando and New York City following a national evaluation. The city’s […]
Posted inCenter Store, Beverage News, Featured News, National, News, Snacks Brands
Circana Names 2025 U.S. CPG Growth Leaders
Circana has released its 14th annual U.S. CPG Growth Leaders report, identifying the top-performing consumer-packaged goods companies across five revenue tiers. The 2025 analysis found that private label and smaller manufacturers generating under $1 billion in annual sales are gaining market share, while retail food and beverage sales grew 3 percent and non-food sales slowed […]
Posted inIndependent Store News, Featured News, Finance News, Grocery Research, National, News
Survey: Consumers Spend 37% Of Grocery Budget At Independent Stores
Americans spend a larger share of their grocery budget at independent stores than in any other retail category, according to a new survey from OnDeck in partnership with research consultancy Censuswide. The finding underscores the role independent grocers play in local economies even as consumers navigate an era of online convenience and corporate scale. The […]