Sn Off the Shelf

Bill reads a story about chaos at the DG while Tim shows off his math skills by dividing $1 in half.

Tim promises to stop talking about his obsession with branded gear, and Bill gives his prediction on what a post-lawsuit Kroger might look like.

In Episode 2 of Grocery Guys, Supermarket News Senior Editor Bill Wilson and Associate Editor Tim Inklebarger take a crack at coming up with merch for Aldi and talk about the problems DEI withdrawal has caused for retailers like Amazon and Target. In addition to the Aldi merch DEI talk, “Grocery Guys” also talk about:Tim's plea for the Costco beatElon Musk's fall from trillionaire statusWalmart's immunity from DEI withdrawal *Love what you hear? Email us at contactus@supermarketnews.com and let us know! Hate what you hear? Please don't email us at contactus@supermarketnews.com.

In the first-ever Grocery Guys podcast, Supermarket News Senior Editor Bill Wilson and Editor Tim Inklebarger talk about vending machines and what is going on with the leadership at Kroger and Albertsons.

SN editors break down the trends

The plant-based food industry is experiencing mixed results at the grocery retail level. Some products, like dairy, continue to flourish while other areas, like plant-based meat, are struggling. In this episode of SN of the Shelf, Supermarket News Senior Editor Bill Wilson talks with Douglas Brown, senior retail reporter with New Hope Network. Brown talks about the state of the industry and some of the emerging trends with plant-based products.

SN sat down with Upshop VP of Customer Success Lauren Kennedy to talk about why sustainability efforts for grocers are more important than ever

Supermarket News Executive Editor Chloe Riley sat down with Alex Kinnier, the co-founder and CEO of Upside, to talk about a new report Upside has about consumer spending behavior — and how grocers can be thinking differently about courting shoppers who are less inclined towards loyalty than ever before.

Regenerative farming has been gaining momentum for a while now, and a prime example as to how far it has come is to look at Burroughs Family Farms in California's Central Valley. Benina Montes, who is a managing partner, grew up on the farm and saw the transition to regenerative practices. She talks about what they do at Burroughs Family Farms and what the future holds for the practice.

Newtopia Now has certainly made a name for itself. Formerly Natural Products Expo East, the show held in Denver last month had an all-natural buzz to it and served as a springboard to successful events moving forward. The show had over 550 exhibitors, with 180 exhibiting for the first time at any trade show, and over 7,000 attendees, according to show officials. Heavy hitters in the natural and organic food industry like Whole Foods, Target, and Sprouts Farmers Market were also in attendance. The core goal of Newtopia Now is to create a meeting place for CPGs and retailers in the natural and organic market, according to New Hope. The show was divided up into four sections or “neighborhoods”: “Thrive,” “Glow,” “Regenerate,” and “Represent.” Newtopia Now also had a kitchen area where natural and organic dishes were being created, a café, and a Tasting Bar located right off the show floor where attendees could sample various products of the show. There is a lot of work that goes into show planning, and with the new name the effort took on more importance. Supermarket News sat down with Jessica Rubino, vice president of content for New Hope Network, at the show to talk about what went into the name change, the energy during the first day of the event, and some of the features.

Electronic Shelf Labels (ESL) are taking off. Walmart recently announced that it plans to switch over to 100% electronic shelf labels by 2026, citing a need for increased productivity and reduced walking time as well as simplified stock replenishment and faster order picking and fulfillment. ESL is transitioning past the early adopter phase — the tech is now becoming more and more a necessity that gives retailers a leg up.The cost on electronic shelf labels has also been dropping in recent years and, simultaneously, labor costs have been rising. All of which has industry analysts speculating that ESL tech is going to begin to quickly scale.On this special tech edition of our podcast, “SN Techwire,” Supermarket News editor Chloe Riley sat down with Tighe Renner, senior manager, new business development with Aperion (a retail technology arm of the Hussmann Corporation) whose primary product is ESL offerings from digital store solutions company Hanshow.

Whether they have the local benefits of an independent or the scale of a chain, supermarket operators need as much information as they can take in about their guests' buying patterns, preferences, and demographics. But which sources help them the most?Supermarket News Intelligence recently investigated where more than 100 retailers turn to collect data on customers and their spending habits in our 2023 Tech Market Leader Report.“It's still an AI story,” Perrier told SN recently at the FMI Midwinter Conference in Marco Island, Fla. “ I think the big difference is…years ago we were talking about personalization and targeting…now we're actually seeing real use cases, real demos. Large scale language models are being used to help retailers generate revenue and it's quite powerful.”In this special edition of our SN Off the Shelf podcast — SN TechWire — SN spoke with Sylvain Perrier, president and COO of grocery ecommerce software company Mercatus, about how grocers can smartly use personalization to drive loyalty and customer retention.On today's TechWire podcast, you'll learn:How can grocers can be leveraging personalization to get the whole basketWhat's more important today: ecommerce or engagement?Why AI isn't going anywhere anytime soon (and how you can best leverage it)Take a listen.

When given the chance, those opposing the Kroger, Albertsons merger have let themselves be heard. It happened again in Colorado, where a number of people stood up during a meeting attended by Federal Trade Commission Chair Lina Khan and urged the agency not to approve the deal.Grocery price increases and job security are the two top concerns expressed by consumers, workers, and unions.But what if grocery prices remained competitive after the merger and a minimal number of jobs were lost? It most likely will happen, according to Eric Fruits, senior scholar at the International Center for Law and Economics. Fruits is the co-author of the white paper titled, “Food-Retail Competition, Antitrust Law, and the Kroger/Albertsons Merger.”In the latest episode of SN Off the Shelf, Supermarket News Senior Editor Bill Wilson talks with Fruits about the Kroger, Albertsons merger which, according to Fruits, enough has been done to satisfy the parameters of a fair deal.Take a listen.**Have a pitch for the podcast? Reach out at contactus@supermarketnews.com. And thanks for listening.

A little over a year ago Ahold Delhaize USA made a major move in the retail media game.Peapod Digital Labs, the e-commerce and digital innovation arm of Ahold Delhaize USA, announced plans to grow its AD Retail Media network into an end-to-end, in-house retail media business. That will enable consumer packaged goods partners to better leverage the long reach of Ahold Delhaize grocery retail brands, which encompass more than 2,000 stores, process over 23 million transactions weekly, engage nearly 24 million active loyalty card users and generate more than $51 billion in annual sales.In this episode of SN Off the Shelf, Supermarket News Senior Editor Bill Wilson had the chance to check in with SVP of Retail Media at Ahold Delhaize USA Bobby Watts at Groceryshop 2023 in Las Vegas. Watts believes retail media has not reached its peak yet and cautioned that retailers need to keep the consumer in mind when executing a plan. Take a listen. **Have a pitch for the podcast? Reach out at contactus@supermarketnews.com. And thanks for listening.

The landscape for center store beverage categories has been shifting dramatically, as consumers gravitate toward newer players that provide functional benefits, like prebiotic and probiotic sodas, as well as old standbys like energy drinks.Supermarket News Executive Editor Chloe Riley sat down with Numerator's Mike Scavuzzo at the recent EXPO East Natural Products show in Philadelphia, Penn. to talk about the significant growth in functional beverages. Highlights from Scavuzzo's 2022 recap on the prebiotic and probiotic soda category:Just shy of $162 million in category projected sales on 107% growth vs 2021Total households, up 71%Average spend per household, up 22%Purchase frequency, up 12%Spend per trip, up 9%Spend per unit, up 2%Units per trip, up 7%“The brilliance of these brands is that they took a high penetration, mainstream category and made it ‘better for you.' Mainstream means consumer approachability and little education needed to understand what the product is.. Better for you is self explanatory. That deadly combo is making a dent in CSD (carbonated soft drink) sales and you better believe Coke and Pepsi are on high alert.”Take a listen.**Have a pitch for the podcast? Reach out at contactus@supermarketnews.com. And thanks for listening.

Retail media has been exploding over the last year, and Dollar General is right there riding the wave.However, the discount retailer is taking a different approach. Rather than doing retail media in-house, Dollar General is partnering with third parties to deliver the message to consumers.In this episode of SN Off the Shelf, Supermarket News Senior Editor Bill Wilson talks with Chad Fox, who is vice president and chief marketing officer at DG. Hear how Dollar General has taken on the world of retail media with its own flair.Take a listen.**Have a pitch for the podcast? Reach out at contactus@supermarketnews.com. And thanks for listening.

The plant-based category has had its share of ups and downs. A year ago, The Guardian asked whether the plant-based sales phenomena of the last decade was finally starting to be on the outs. But recent data from Kroger data arm 84.51° suggests that consumers are still choosing plant-based, especially in the plant-based dairy category. Some key findings from the 84.51° data: Shift in spend: Shoppers who engage with plant-based foods generally reduce their engagement with animal-based foods. Shoppers who increased their plant-based engagement overall increased their dollar spend in total plant-based foods by 92%, while only increasing animal-based spending by 9% in the same periodConsumers are choosing plant-based: 38% of surveyed shoppers indicate they are choosing plant-based milk instead of animal-based milk; 25% are choosing plant-based meats instead of animal-based meat; and 22% are choosing plant-based yogurt instead of animal-based yogurtEcommerce as growth engine: Plant-based foods hold a higher market share in ecommerce likely due to easier searchability and increased variety of products Over 1.4 million Kroger households engaged with plant-based categories on their ecommerce platforms during the 12-week study period. While Millennials were the most engaged, all generations were represented, illustrating a broad opportunity to optimize omnichannel strategies based on consumer buying preferences.At the recent EXPO East natural products show in Philadelphia, Penn., Supermarket News Executive Editor Chloe Riley sat down with 84.51° Lead Consultant, Insights Account Manager Shannon Weis, to talk about how consumers are actually shopping plant-based today. Take a listen.

After nearly four decades of serving the natural and organic CPG industry, natural products media group New Hope Network has announced that the 2023 Natural Products Expo East will be the trade show's final edition. Natural Products Expo West will continue to take place annually in Anaheim, California. And springing up in place of EXPO East is a new show called Newtopia Now — which will be designed to provide more opportunities for brands to meaningfully participate, regardless of where they are at in their lifecycle.Supermarket News Executive Editor Chloe Riley spoke with Jessica Rubino, vice president, content at New Hope Network, about trends on the show floor at the final EXPO East, as well as taking a look ahead, for an exciting preview of the group's latest trade show: Newtopia Now.Take a listen.**Have a pitch for the podcast? Reach out at contactus@supermarketnews.com. And thanks for listening.

Ahold Delhaize USA CEO JJ Fleeman was at Groceryshop 2023 in Las Vegas last week talking about omnichannel strategies.However, you must know how customers are responding to a given channel to come up with an effective overall experience. In that regard, Ahold Delhaize has insight research teams and work with CPGs. Analysts and economist teams also provide input, and shop-a-longs are another way the grocer monitors trends and changes in shopper behavior.Supermarket News Senior Editor Bill Wilson had the chance to catch up with Fleeman at the show, and talked about everything ranging from the omnichannel experience to shrink inventory and retail theft.In this episode you will hear about:Ahold Delhaize's omnichannel strategyActing quickly on shopper trends and behaviorDigital media growthTechnology at fulfillment centersMarket consolidationRetail theft

Bold is certainly one word to describe the strategy of the West Des Moines, Iowa-based Hy-Vee over just the past five years. In that amount of time, the retailer has continued to ramp up its growing expansion in pharmacy and health care; rebranded its Hy-Vee Gas convenience concept to Hy-Vee Fast & Fresh; and continued to lead the market with its foodservice and prepared foods strategies.Hy-Vee's foray into health care and pharmacy over the past decade (and even just the past five years) has been extensive. In 2014, the retailer acquired Amber Pharmacy, one of the largest privately owned specialty pharmacies in the country and a driving force behind Hy-Vee's national health care strategy. That acquisition allowed Hy-Vee to move forward with providing specialty pharmacy services in all 50 U.S. states and Puerto Rico. Perhaps the retailer's most ambitious step into health care would be the launch of the first Hy-Vee Health infusion clinic, opened in April in West Des Moines. (A second opened in Chicago in August)“We're viewed as a food company, but our largest department is pharmacy,” said Jeremy Gosch, Hy-Vee CEO since 2022. “So health care plays a massive, massive role in Hy-Vee, and I think we're just scratching the surface of what we're going to be doing with health care moving forward.” Supermarket News Executive Editor Chloe Riley sat down with Gosch at Hy-Vee headquarters, and talked with him about foodservice at retail, the company's continued branding around fresh, and how health care is the future.Take a listen.**Have a pitch for the podcast? Reach out at contactus@supermarketnews.com. And thanks for listening.

A recent monthly category report indicates that, when it comes to groceries, consumers are very much fluctuating between what, how much, what brand, and where they purchase — all as a reaction to the impacts of inflation.Along those lines, the July category update from 210 Analytics (with data provided by Circana) found that during the same visit, consumers might purchase some premium products, while going ultra-value on other items.So it's a toss up. Consumers have all kinds of purchase intents when they arrive at the grocery store, and their baskets reflect that. Supermarket News Executive Editor Chloe Riley spoke with Anne-Marie Roerink, president of 210 Analytics, for a look at what's driving some of this behavior (in addition to inflation), as well as a category update across meat, seafood, and produce.Take a listen.**Have a pitch for the podcast? Reach out at contactus@supermarketnews.com. And thanks for listening.

In early August discount grocery store operator Save A Lot sold the last of its 18 stores to become a wholesaler and licensor to the Save A Lot store network.It was a natural transition for Saint Ann, Mo., based retailer, which will now focus on providing the right core offering and the right framework for its network of independent retailers.“As we've made a strategic shift to become a licensed wholesaler, it's clear that our long-term growth momentum must be rooted in the success of our strong network of retail partners,” said Leon Bergmann, CEO of Save A Lot, in a statement following the 18-store selloff.The move to a wholesaler actually started in 2019 before Bergmann became CEO of Save A Lot, but he believes it was the right move to make. Bergmann sat down with Supermarket News Senior Editor Bill Wilson to talk about the move to a full-fledged wholesaler as well as other topics like food deserts and grocery price inflation, which Bergmann believes has not reached its peak.In this episode you will hear about:Why Save A Lot made the pivot to the wholesale levelHow Save A Lot will focus on fresh offerings in its distribution networkSave A Lot's strategy to promote a fresh approachSave A Lot's pricing approach throughout its networkThe impact of food deserts in the U.S.The status of grocery price inflationTake a listen.**Have a pitch for the podcast? Reach out at contactus@supermarketnews.com. And thanks for listening.

Dutch multinational retail and wholesale holding company Ahold Delhaize, which operates the Stop & Shop, Giant, Food Lion, and Hannaford brands in the U.S., is coming off a strong second quarter that saw group net sales increase 4.3% year-over-year and comparable sales excluding gas rise 3.6%.Net consumer online sales improved 9.3% vs. Q2 2022 and the underlying operating margin was 4.1% with a modest decline in the U.S. Ecommerce penetration in the U.S. reached 8.1% during the first half of the year.Ahold Delhaize now expects free cash flow in the range of $2.2 billion to $2.4 billion and is holding onto its 2023 projections of an underlying margin greater than 4%.But success this year has gone beyond the numbers for Ahold Delhaize, and Supermarket News Senior Editor Bill Wilson was able to check in with company CEO Frans Muller to talk about everything from inflation to store operations.In this episode you will hear about:Ahold Delhaize's private label brandMuller's take on inflation moving forwardThe store's omnichannel strategyU.S. business outlook for the rest of 2023Labor challengesSustainabilityPlans for store expansion and upgradesTake a listen.

Are your shelves stocked? And if not, why not? That's the question we're exploring today with Greg Buzek of global research and advisory firm IHL Group, which just released new research around global retail sales. In 2023, the total cost of inventory distortion is projected at $1.77 trillion, according to the IHL research — down $172 billion from 2022 with out-of-stocks accounting for $1.2 trillion and overstocks totaling $562 billion.The study also looked at the true cost and experiences of consumers who reported the reasons they left stores without buying the items they planned to purchase.According to the study, although consumers have seen improvements in on-shelf availability, they list various reasons for leaving without their items including: sizes not being available, lack of employee help, products locked up or in the stockroom, or empty shelves. Take a listen.**Have a pitch for the podcast? Reach out at contactus@supermarketnews.com. And thanks for listening.

Grocery food prices may have reached a tipping point. For the second straight month, the Consumer Price Index for food-to-home was relatively flat. However, shoppers are still paying 23% more on average per unit for food and beverage across the store.Trips to the grocery store are on the rise, but the amount purchased with each trip has become smaller as shoppers continue to grapple with inflation.In this episode of SN Off the Shelf, Supermarket News Senior Editor Bill Wilson talks with Jonna Parker, principal of the Fresh Foods Team Lead at Circana, about the inflation story over the last year.In this episode you will learn:The latest data and trends about grocery prices and the impact at the grocery storeThe current trade efficiency from store promotionsHow current shopper behavior is affecting purchasingThe influence of the “price cliff”Strategies grocers can implement for the rest of the yearTake a listen.Have a pitch for the podcast? Reach out at contactus@supermarketnews.com. And thanks for listening.

Retail theft is on the rise across the country, and grocers are doing all they can to neutralize the threat.However, in New York City, politicians are working to take away an important tool which grocers say deters crime — facial recognition software.The New York City Council is currently considering a measure that would make it illegal to use facial recognition software within city limits. Grocers are fighting the move, saying that if the legislation becomes law, they will have to go back to taping up photos of repeat offenders near cash registers in the hopes a worker recognizes them when they enter the store.Grocers say they also believe the rise in crime is putting their own workers in the line of fire. Many retailers depend on employees to either stop theft before it happens or get in the way of it while it is going on in the store. Some have used store design to prevent crime, like a Walgreens in Chicago that put most of its merchandise behind the counter. A Safeway just outside of San Francisco recently added security gates.Avi Kaner is the co-owner of the Morton Williams supermarket chain in Manhattan. Kaner said he feels that small businesses cannot combat theft effectively without tools including facial recognition, adding that he personally hired off-duty New York police officers for the chains' 16 locations, costing him over $1 million to curb shoplifting.Supermarket News Senior Editor Bill Wilson caught up with Kaner and talked about the challenges he faces and his concerns around the potential loss of the software. In this episode you will learn:The current efforts in the city to ban facial recognition technologyWhy some New York grocers are concerned about the potential loss of the tech How the Morton Williams supermarket chain currently deals with theftTake a listen.**Have a pitch for the podcast? Reach out at contactus@supermarketnews.com. And thanks for listening.

The IDDBA show floor was busy at Anaheim, Calif. this year (attendance was way up according to show officials) and several vendors mentioned both “quality and quantity” among attendees — meaning lots of retail buyers. The concept of “indulgence” was also going strong on the show floor. The message at IDDBA was that it's okay for retailers to encourage a little indulgence among consumers, and it can be included in the overarching message around health.Supermarket News Executive Editor Chloe Riley spoke with SN Contributor Mark Hamstra, for a breakdown of the trends he saw on the show floor at the recent IDDBA show in Anaheim, Calif.In this episode, you'll learn:Why the concept of “little indulgences”is still going strong among consumersKey challenges retailers face right now in the dairy-deli-bakery areaOther trends still going strong in dairy, bakery, and deliWhy grocers need to up their delivery gameThis was the first show with IDDBA's new president and CEO, David Haaf: find out what his vision is like for IDDBA moving forward Take a listen.Have a pitch for the podcast? Reach out at contactus@supermarketnews.com. And thanks for listening.

A recent report indicates that some 80% of retailers said their ability to attract and retain workers has been challenged over the past year. In our recent SN Fresh Trends Survey, grocers also confirmed that labor continues to be a challenge. Retail and grocery are asking associates to do more with less. The average store has 44-plus point solutions running the shopping experience; and disconnected solutions are guaranteed to make an associate's job harder. Overworked, unhappy associates can easily lead to poor shopper experiences.In this special edition of our SN Off the Shelf podcast — SN TechWire — SN spoke with Shamus Hines, CEO of Upshop, a tech firm focused on optimizing store operations, about how grocers can be leveraging tech to retain employees. On today's TechWire podcast, you'll learn:Why institutional knowledge is being lost in the industry and what you can do to counteract that loss Why it matters to shift from a focus on “process improvement” to “people empowerment”How gamification can be an opportunity for successTips for how grocers can get associates to lean into and embrace technology Take a listen.**Have a pitch for the podcast? Contact the SN staff at contactus@supermarketnews.com. And thanks for listening.

Grocery stores are using technology to reach out to shoppers on-site, and over the next couple of years the experience is expected to be completely different compared to how it is today.In late May, Kroger announced it was expanding its retail media strategy with the addition of digital screens that facilitate video advertising across 500 stores.Cara Pratt, senior vice president at Kroger Precision Marketing, said the screens will be integrated with the retailer's 84.51 degrees data science platform “to create an engaging and valuable experience for our customers, associates, and brands.”Earlier in the year, Cooler Screens conducted a survey that involved 3,750 brick-and-mortar shoppers on the effectiveness of in-store media and digital ads and found:79% reported a positive impact on their shopping experience82% found in-store digital ads memorable56% made unplanned purchases prompted by the ads they sawSo where is this trend heading and how will grocers use the technology to reach customers effectively? Supermarket News Senior Editor Bill Wilson talked with Arsen Avakian, CEO of Cooler Screens, about the movement and where it is headed.Take a listen.**Have a pitch for the podcast? Reach out at contactus@supermarketnews.com. And thanks for listening.

Consumers are still crazy for candy. With household penetration at 88% in 2022, candy is still going strong (especially chocolate, which had a 56% share of sales in the category in 2022) — this according to a report from 210 Analytics.Supermarket News Executive Editor Chloe Riley spoke with Anne-Marie Roerink, president of 210 Analytics, for a breakdown of the trends they both saw on the show floor at the recent Sweets and Snacks show at McCormick Place in Chicago. Take a listen.**Have a pitch for the podcast? Reach out at contactus@supermarketnews.com. And thanks for listening.

When you beat Amazon at its own game, it's big news. Supermarkets now have the stage, as a recent survey showed the group is a top performer in terms of online food shopping.The Feedback Group, which provides actionable stakeholder feedback, conducted the research with 1,000 shoppers, asking them about their digital experience. Supermarkets topped the list with an impressive overall satisfaction rating of 4.40 on a five-point scale. Amazon followed closely behind with a score of 4.30, while mass retailers, primarily Walmart and Target, secured third place at 4.26. The research further indicated that value-oriented stores, such as Aldi, Lidl, and Grocery Outlet, achieved a rating of 4.11, followed by club stores at 3.99, and dollar stores rounded off the list with a 3.90 overall satisfaction score. Across all shoppers, the overall satisfaction score was 4.21.Brian Numainville, a principal with the Feedback Group, saw it all coming. He said over the past few years supermarkets have invested a ton of money and time improving the ecommerce experience for shoppers, and the COVID-19 pandemic only put the strategy on high.Supermarket News Senior Editor Bill Wilson talked to Numainville about the survey and how supermarkets can continue to improve in the digital sector, which caters to a young audience.Take a listen.Have a pitch for the podcast? Reach out at contactus@supermarketnews.com. Thanks for listening.

It's a hot time for the bots, digital and otherwise. In March, Instacart announced it would be adding OpenAI's ChatGPT chatbot technology to its app, jumping on the bandwagon of many companies doing the same. Salt Lake City-based Associated Food Stores is now bringing AI robots into its distribution center, and SpartanNash is expanding the use of its autonomous inventory robot ‘Tally.'ChatGPT and AI tech is almost everywhere you look in grocery. And the technologies aren't cooling down anytime soon. Supermarket News editor Chloe Riley spoke with Prashant Agrawal, CEO of the AI solution company Impact Analytics, to talk about the importance of AI (and the emerging importance of ChatGPT) in grocery.In this episode, you'll learn:How grocers be thinking about ChatGPT and how they can be regularly putting it to useSome of the pain points AI can help retailers solveHow can AI help with inventory managementAI and pricing — What assumptions are grocers making about their pricing and how AI aids with pricing strategiesWhether AI is an available solution for independent grocersHow we're going to see the AI trend continue in 2023Take a listen.**Have a pitch for the podcast? Contact the SN team at contactus@supermarketnews.com. Thanks for listening.

As far as grocery goes, it's all a go for delivery king Amazon.Amazon, which has brick-and-mortar stores under the Whole Foods, Amazon Fresh and Amazon Go names, has made physical food stores one of the cornerstones of its corporate strategy in 2023. CEO Andy Jassy emphasized grocery during Amazon's Q1 financial call in late April. During the meeting, he said Whole Foods Market continues to grow nicely and that there were a number of changes in the past year that have changed the profitability trajectory. As for Amazon Fresh, Jassy hopes the pause in establishing new brick-and-mortars will pay off down the line. The CEO said a set of experiments and concepts are being worked on across a number of stores and the hope is to continue with an expansion strategy.According to Business Insider, analysts at Bernstein have put together a comeback strategy for Amazon in grocery and the main component is purchasing existing stores that are on the chopping block due to the proposed Kroger, Albertsons merger. The grocers are expected to shed up to 500 stores, and many are in areas that could be favorable for Amazon. The price to acquire is another selling point. Bernstein analysts also are proposing that Amazon quickly rebrand stores or focus on stores in targeted regions. However, the waters continue to be rough. As noted earlier, Amazon has put a pause on constructing or opening brick-and-mortar grocery stores, and in Minneapolis the company announced it will be sub-leasing space that was originally marked as Amazon Fresh or Amazon Go stores. In addition, Whole Foods announced layoffs in April while Amazon restructures the organization.So where exactly is Amazon heading with its grocery initiative? Supermarket News Senior Editor Bill Wilson talked to Jennifer Bartashus, senior analyst, Retail Staples and Packaged Food, for Bloomberg Intelligence about the road that lies ahead for Amazon grocery.Take a listen.Have a pitch for the podcast? Reach out at contactus@supermarketnews.com. Thanks for listening.

Joe Canfield just wants to let people in so they could see for themselves.The opening of a Save A Lot in the Englewood neighborhood of Chicago has been on pause for months due to concerns from residents, and there are no signs Canfield, who is the CEO of Yellow Banana, which owns the store and is rehabbing the premises, will be able to make that one final, convincing point any time soon.A Town Hall meeting was held on May 3, and shoppers in the neighborhood are still fired up over the decision to replace a Whole Foods with a Save A Lot at West 63rd and Halsted.“We are new owners of Save A Lot and we're more than willing to be judged on how we operate that store in Englewood,” Canfield said on the SN Off the Shelf podcast. “We just want to get the doors open to do it.“We run a model by which we can deliver affordable, healthy, safe options to people,” he continued. “And we know they need it, we know they need our help and we want to open the doors and get that done.”Canfield admits he is not sure how it “all went sideways.” The Yellow Banana team and Save A Lot (Saint Ann, Mo.) officials were getting ready to open the Englewood store earlier in the year, and on Jan. 10 a meeting took place with community leaders that had engaged with the new owners about the grocery shift. Protestors, however, prevented the store from officially starting the business, and that is when the community involvement pulled back.“We kept reaching out, we kept asking for involvement,” remarked Canfield. “We did not get a lot of engagement from groups and we had to keep pressing forward because at some point you got to get the store open. You're paying the electric bill and you got expenses and you're bringing inventory in, and you have got to sell that inventory.“So we're really trying to look forward and not look backwards, and we are hopeful that we can get there pretty quick.”But the situation has to be perfect, and all of the neighborhood concerns need to be addressed. As anxious as Canfield is to get the operation running, he knows exactly what lays in front of him.“As of now we're still voluntarily pausing to try to work through any open issues that folks have.”Listen to this interview, which also includes questions about Yellow Banana's $26.5 million deal to rehab a number of stores in Chicago, in its entirety.Have a pitch for the podcast? Contact SN Executive Editor Chloe Riley at chloe.riley@informa.com, or reach out and say hi on LinkedIn. Thanks for listening.

It's no secret private label brands are experiencing a strong surge during these times of high food prices. During the first three months of this year, store brands picked up right where they left off in 2022, with double-digit sales increases and greater market share in both dollars and units, according to nationwide data provided to PLMA by Circana (formerly IRI and NPD). The figures include 2023 food and non-food sales in all outlets as of March 26.“The Q1 results are particularly impressive since they are compared to 2022 sales figures, which were historically high for U.S. store brands,” said PLMA President Peggy Davies. But how long will this growth continue? In this episode of SN Off the Shelf, Senior Editor Bill Wilson talks with Tom Prendergast, who is the director of Research Services for PLMA, about the current rise in private labels and if it is sustainable beyond inflation.Take a listen.Have a pitch for the podcast? Contact SN Executive Editor Chloe Riley at chloe.riley@informa.com, or reach out and say hi on LinkedIn. Thanks for listening.

Thrive Market, headquartered in Los Angeles, is a mission-driven grocery store, and it truly has boots on the ground. The natural and organic market is TRUE certified for zero waste and also is climate-neutral certified. For every paid membership a portion is donated to families who cannot afford healthy food, those in the military and to emergency responders.Thrive Market has reduced plastic use by 70%, and the suppliers and vendors it works with also have done their part in reducing plastic use, and so far in 2023 the company is experiencing double-digit growth, and is even setting records in some categories.Bill Wilson, senior editor for Supermarket News, talked to Jeremiah McElwee, Chief Marketing Officer for Thrive Market, about the mission of Thrive Market and how it has navigated through the COVID-19 pandemic and the current era of inflation.Take a listen.--Have a pitch for the podcast? Contact SN Executive Editor Chloe Riley at chloe.riley@informa.com, or reach out and say hi on LinkedIn. Thanks for listening.

According to research by Incisiv, in collaboration with The Food Industry Association (FMI) and in partnership with Loyal Guru, 74% of grocers believe digital shopping has made customers less loyal.That is a troubling stat, especially during the high heat of inflation where price has become critical. The report, “Shopper Loyalty in the Digital Age,” looks at the importance of offering a seamless omnichannel experience for shoppers to foster loyalty, including providing a well-designed digital platform, integrating with digital channels, and offering personalized experiences.Key take-aways from the report include:74% of grocers believe that digital shopping has made shoppers less loyal88% believe that a poor third-party experience negatively impacts shopper loyalty76% of grocers believe that a poor web and mobile experience reduces shopper loyaltySupermarket News Senior Editor Bill Wilson talked with Doug Baker, vice president, Industry Relations at FMI, about digital's takeover among consumers as well as what grocers can do to bring the customer loyalty back to where it was before the technology takeover.Take a listen.**Have a pitch for the podcast? Contact SN Executive Editor Chloe Riley at chloe.riley@informa.com, or reach out and say hi on LinkedIn. Thanks for listening.

Some stats from the recent “Power of Meat” report from analytics firm 210 Analytics: With $87.1 billion in annual sales, 98.3% household penetration and nearly 50 shopping trips per year, meat is the most powerful of the perimeter departments. Sales reached another record, up 5.7% versus a year ago and retailers continued to move more pounds than they did prior to the pandemic. Beef is the biggest seller in fresh, followed by chicken. In processed, bacon and pre-packaged lunch meat are the top movers.Meat is hot. Case ready is on the rise, and 87% of home-prepared dinners (still very much a trend) contain a portion of meat or poultry. Shoppers are hungry for meat, and grocers who are smart about tapping into that hunger and optimizing their offers in this category are sure to benefit from a sales perspective. Other trend highlights from Power of Meat:Meat department sales and engagement remained strong in 2022. With $87.1 billion in sales, 98.3% household penetration and 50 shopping trips per year, meat is the most powerful of the fresh departments. Sales grew 5.7% vs. 2021 and pound sales remained above pre-pandemic levels (IRI). Shifts in channel choices are prompting changes in the meat/poultry dollar distribution. Demographic and inflationary forces have resulted in a loss of share for traditional grocery from 42.8% of meat and poultry sales in 2019 to 40.3% in 2022 (IRI) — a shift of several billions of dollars. Supercenters, clubs and online outlets, all over indexing for Millennials, gained in share. Online meat sales grew on better conversion and more frequent orders. A strong meat department reputation helps drive traffic for the entire store. Price, location and assortment dominate the grocery store choice, with meat being the most influential department. Prices, quality and reputation decide where people buy most of their meat/poultry. A strong meat reputation is driven by freshness and quality of the product itself, a clean and well-stocked department with good prices and service excellence.Supermarket News spoke with Anne-Marie Roerink, president of 210 Analytics, for a breakdown of Power of Meat, as well as another recent monthly meat report from the firm, in addition to looking ahead at trends and predicted growth for meat in 2023. Take a listen.**Have a pitch for the podcast? Contact SN Executive Editor Chloe Riley at chloe.riley@informa.com, or reach out and say hi on LinkedIn. Thanks for listening.

More food is fulfilling its life's mission these days. Dealing with food waste is a top priority among grocery retailers, so instead of just dumping produce into a landfill the process has become more detailed and complex. However, the end result remains the same: To nourish as many as possible.Earlier this year a group of food waste experts gathered at the 2023 Southeast Produce Council's 2023 Southern Exposure event to talk about the issue and share strategies. Justin LaCroix, director of sustainable operations and brand lead for health and sustainability at Ahold Delhaize USA, was on the panel and shared some of the things his company was doing to cut down on the waste.Ahold Delhaize is part of the 10x20x30 initiative which features 10 of the world's biggest food retailers. The power grocers are engaging with 20 of their priority suppliers to cut the amount of food waste in half over the next seven years. Ahold Delhaize wants to cut food waste by 32% at its stores by 2025 and 50% by 2030. To help do this, the company is launching a HowGood label program to provide product sustainability ratings, and the retailer also wants to advance traceability.It's not a simple pivot. For example, a produce manager on the store floor needs to engage in constantly rotating items like plums and tangerines with the goal of selling as much as possible on a daily basis. Then at the end of the day a determination needs to be made as to where food past their sell date could be most useful. The tasks demand constant attention and action. In this episode of SN Off the Shelf, LaCroix talks with Supermarket News Senior Editor Bill Wilson on the goals of food waste moving forward and greener practices that can be done at the market.

ChatGPT. Instacart is planning to add the tech to its app later this year, and a majority of grocers recently indicated that they also plan to test an AI or ChatGPT solution in 2023. Are you one of those?In this special live edition of SN Off the Shelf, Supermarket News editors Chloe Riley and Bill Wilson talk about the real-life uses of ChatGPT in grocery, as well as Instacart's plan for the tech. (Plus a bonus segment on “The Dollar Store Invasion” — a new study which shows how dollar establishments are levying a heavy toll on communities.) Take a listen.Have a pitch for the podcast? Contact SN Executive Editor Chloe Riley at chloe.riley@informa.com, or reach out and say hi on LinkedIn. Thanks for listening.

In a scathing new study, dollar discount stores like Dollar Tree and Dollar General are accused of being harmful to the local environment.Titled the Dollar Store Invasion, which was released by the Institute for Local Self-Reliance (ILSR), the study shows how dollar establishments (more than 34,000 in the U.S.) are levying a heavy toll on local communities, especially those of race. The negative impact is so great that at least 75 cities and towns have successfully blocked new store projects since 2019, and the ISLR is calling for more anti-trust regulation.Supermarket News Senior Editor Bill Wilson sat down with one of the co-authors of the report, ISLR Senior Researcher Kennedy Smith, and dove deeper into these accusations in the latest episode of the SN Off the Shelf podcast. Have a listen.Have a pitch for the podcast? Contact SN Executive Editor Chloe Riley at chloe.riley@informa.com, or reach out and say hi on LinkedIn. Thanks for listening.

What does the omnichannel customer look like? Well, according to a recent report: This person is more likely to be a Millennial, they have children, and they're very interested in natural and organic offerings.And that's just to start. Why should you care about the omnichannel shopper? You should care because these consumers, shoppers who buy groceries both online and in-store, are on the rise and have the potential to be strong sales opportunities for supermarket operators.In this special edition of our SN Off the Shelf podcast — SN TechWire — SN spoke with Brian Wynne, CEO of the newly rebranded marketing firm Acosta Group about strategies to navigate competition at the shelf and the evolving customer journey. Take a listen.Have a pitch for the podcast? Contact SN Executive Editor Chloe Riley at chloe.riley@informa.com, or reach out and say hi on LinkedIn. Thanks for listening.

The annual National Grocers Association show just ran from Feb. 26-March 1 in Las Vegas, and the show was the best attended since 2017, according to NGA CEO and President Greg Ferrera. There were plenty of vendors, plenty of retailers, and a buzzy energy throughout the whole show. Hot topics included Inflation, what retailers can be doing to recapture stomach share from restaurants, and retention, retention, retention. Workers are looking for purpose, and, the consensus at the show was — grocers have to help drive home the narrative of the “why” of what they do, not just the “what” or “how.”There were also lots of nifty tech innovations on the show floor: here's a look at 5 of the coolest we saw.Supermarket News Senior Editor Bill Wilson tuned in with Executive Editor Chloe Riley live from the National Grocers Association show. Take a listen.Have a pitch for the podcast? Contact SN Executive Editor Chloe Riley at chloe.riley@informa.com, or reach out and say hi on LinkedIn. Thanks for listening.

Deloitte released its 2023 consumer products industry outlook, which looks at labor, supply chain, inflation — and how all of the above are affecting consumer perception of retail value. SN sat down with Nick Handrinos, vice chairman and leader of Deloitte LLP's retail and consumer products, to break down the data: what it means, and how retailers should be thinking about and approaching consumers in the year ahead. Take a listen.Have a pitch for the podcast? Contact SN Executive Editor Chloe Riley at chloe.riley@informa.com, or reach out and say hi on LinkedIn. Thanks for listening.

Amazon recently announced that it's halting the rollout of its Amazon Fresh retail stores while it re-evaluates the concept's economics. In a recent fourth-quarter conference call with analysts, Amazon president and CEO Andrew Jassy said: “We're doing a fair bit of experimentation today in those stores to try to find a format that we think resonates with customers.” It remains to be seen exactly what that format will look like. Supermarket News contributor Diana Blass did a deep dive with SN Executive Editor Chloe Riley on what's been working for Amazon in grocery (as well as what hasn't), in addition to where things are headed. We take a look at:What's holding back Amazon's growth in the grocery spaceAmazon's retail competition when it comes to technologyAnd what the path forward for Amazon Fresh may beTake a listen.Have a pitch for the podcast? Contact SN Executive Editor Chloe Riley at chloe.riley@informa.com, or reach out and say hi on LinkedIn. Thanks for listening.

Ongoing challenges in a tight labor market have been forcing supermarket retailers to rethink their strategies around recruiting and retention, as well as their overall standard operating procedures, in an effort to keep rising labor costs in check.So what's a grocer to do? Mike Cook, aka “Grocery Store Mike,” has some thoughts. “I think it's going to continue being a challenge,” he said of hiring grocery workers. “I talk to retailers every day — it doesn't matter the size of their organization. They have one thing in common and that's the need for top talent.”Cook, who has over 35 years in the grocery industry, started as a part-time courtesy clerk, and worked his way up to serve in-store leadership positions with both traditional and specialty food formats. He now specializes in hiring, training, and developing company leaders for both small and large grocery store operations.Supermarket News spoke with Cook, an executive recruiter for grocery retail at Frontline Source Group, to talk about hiring, retention, and managing your ecommerce labor strategy.Take a listen.**Have a pitch for the podcast? Contact SN Executive Editor Chloe Riley at chloe.riley@informa.com, or reach out and say hi on LinkedIn. Thanks for listening.

Retail deli prepared seafood, and to-go meals made with seafood are both potential areas of growth for 2023 — so says a new report from market research firm 210 Analytics. Last year saw an 11.9% sales increase in deli and prepared foods vs. 2021. Consumers are hungry for protein variety and seafood is a great, higher-margin way to service that need, according to the report, “Seafood at Retail Q4 and YE 2022.” Consumers are also generally seeking value from grocery, a trend that’s translating in an even bigger way for seafood. Other growth trend highlights from the report: Inflationary pressure is real: promote where possible: Keep comparing to the 2019 pre pandemic normal to understand where demand sits relative to “normal” It’s not just about price, it’s about value: Try to match the shoppers’ value, whether in species, pack size or meal deals, but premiumization also remains an opportunity It’s a balancing act between convenience and value: While value matters, shoppers are also out of time and energy to cook There’s a continued interplay between retail and restaurants: Restaurant trips are pressured once more and shifting to QSRs. Retail can step in as the premium meal It’s fresh and frozen, not fresh or frozen: Shoppers are switching back and forth between fresh and frozen, but the latter is popular in all categories Supermarket News spoke with Anne-Marie Roerink, president of 210 Analytics, for a breakdown of the report, as well as a look at trends and predicted growth for seafood in 2023. Take a listen. Have a pitch for the podcast? Contact SN Executive Editor Chloe Riley at chloe.riley@informa.com, or reach out and say hi on LinkedIn. Thanks for listening.

The supermarket sector’s growth leaders in 2022 were Aldi, H-E-B, Publix, and Grocery Outlet, according to a new report from professional services firm JLL. Last year, Aldi added 49 stores, totaling nearly 804,000 square feet of new space, while San Antonio-based H-E-B, added 12 new stores last year for a total of 1.2 million square feet. Publix and Grocery Outlet also saw significant growth. Supermarket News spoke with James Cook — Americas Director of Retail Research for JLL, and also host of the weekly podcast “Where We Buy,” which covers retail and real estate, as well as the host of the video show “Everything We Know About Retail” — for a breakdown of the report, as well as a look at trends in grocery store growth. We also take a look at: The rise of smaller-format store concepts Private label growth E-commerce And grocery-anchored investment sales Take a listen! **Have a pitch for the podcast? Contact SN Executive Editor Chloe Riley at chloe.riley@informa.com, or reach out and say hi on LinkedIn. Thanks so much for listening.

The past few months have seen grocery foodservice endeavors ramping up. Hy-Vee, for example, first had a partnership with Wahlburgers in 2017 to open dozens of locations of that burger brand, including freestanding units. Now this week, the company said that any Wahlburgers restaurant locations it opens moving forward would be inside its stores exclusively, saying, quote: “With the changing nature of the restaurant business combined with staffing challenges, we are evolving our strategy when it comes to standalone Wahlburgers restaurant locations.”And it's not it's not just Hy-Vee. Other grocery chains are expanding their in-store branded restaurant locations.Kroger has been rapidly rolling out Mix Food Halls, operated by Kitchen United, in its stores, featuring several well-known restaurant brands. These include Fuku Fried Chicken, Wow Bao, Genghis Grill, Hardee's, Pei Wei Asian Kitchen, Nékter Juice Bar, Nathan's Famous, Saladworks, Wing Zone, Capriotti's Sandwich Shop and Dickey's Barbecue Pit. And a whole bunch more. H-E-B has also been expanding its own-brand in-store restaurants, including South Flo Pizza and True Texas BBQ, which was actually recently named the best chain barbecue restaurant by Texas Monthly. H-E-B said it's going to include both those concepts in a new, two-story, 97,00-square-foot supermarket in Lake Austin, Texas, along with, what else: a coffee shop that offers breakfast tacos and a full bar.The Fresh Market also had an interesting foodservice-adjacent moment: rolling out a shoppable livestream cooking show promoting their Valentine's Day offerings.Supermarket News tuned in with our sister publication Nation's Restaurant News to see what the restaurant world makes of all this grocery restaurant business. Take a listen.** Have a pitch for the podcast? Contact SN Executive Editor Chloe Riley at chloe.riley@informa.com, or reach out and say hi on LinkedIn. Thanks for listening.

It was a mixed bag in 2022, but overall, the stock prices of publicly traded food retailers outperformed the market. Many grocery stocks started the year strong, but as inflation ramped up quickly in the first half of the year — and the economic outlook became gloomier amid rising interest rates and the fear of a possible recession — several companies’ stock prices faltered. Take Kroger for instance. In a year that saw the Dow Jones Industrial Average fall 8.9%, the S&P 500 lose 19.4% and the NASDAQ tumble 33.1%, even a flat performance by Kroger Co. could be considered a win for investors, however. Some analysts believe Kroger is well-positioned for the year ahead, however, given its strong private label offering, its focus on fresh foods, and its data analytics capabilities. SN spoke with Scott Mushkin, founder and CEO of R5 Capital, about what the trend in grocery stocks means, and where it’s pointing us in 2023. Take a listen. Have a pitch for the podcast? Contact SN Executive Editor Chloe Riley at chloe.riley@informa.com, or reach out and say hi on LinkedIn. Thanks for listening.

Deloitte just released its 2023 consumer outlook, and the report kicks off with a great question: Was this a good year or bad year for the industry? In many ways, it’s been both, depending on how you’re holding the glass, and your definition of full. Inflation has meant high prices, but it’s also meant consumers trading down to private label and a loss of brand loyalty. According to Deloitte’s outlook data: Consumer products executives surveyed also feel conflicted about the year ahead. On the one hand, they are negative about the macro environment, with eight of 10 respondents saying they are neutral or leaning pessimistic about the global economy and geopolitical stability. But when it comes to their own companies? Three in four are optimistic about their company’s performance (74%) and its strategy (80%). Some of the biggest challenges of the past year include labor, supply chain, and inflation, and Deloitte’s report touches on all three. Some 62% of respondents expect that supply chain issues will still be a big challenge in 2023, and last year set the record for higher CPG prices. Where does that leave us for the year ahead? Will consumers continue to pay higher prices? Supermarket News spoke with Nick Handrinos, vice chairman and leader of Deloitte LLP’s retail and consumer products, about what both retail executives (and consumers) expect to see in the year ahead. Take a listen. Have a pitch for the podcast? Contact SN Executive Editor Chloe Riley at chloe.riley@informa.com, or reach out and say hi on LinkedIn. Thanks for listening.