The Friday Checkout: Amazon Says It’s the Second-Largest U.S. Grocer — Stores (Mostly) Not Required
Amazon announced it has become the second‑largest grocery retailer in the United States, driven by Whole Foods Market and a rapidly expanding online grocery operation. The combined grocery segment generated more than $150 billion in gross sales for 2025, with same‑day perishables delivery added last year. Amazon plans to open roughly 100 additional Whole Foods locations, while its Amazon Fresh and Amazon Go concepts have been deemed unviable as brick‑and‑mortar formats. The push marks a sharp increase in grocery‑related commentary compared with a year ago.
Albertsons and Its CEO Face a ‘Make or Break’ 2026
Susan Morris marks her first year as Albertsons CEO after the aborted Kroger merger, steering the grocery chain through a period of operational reset. Under her leadership digital sales jumped 21% and loyalty memberships rose 12% to 51 million, while the...
Sprouts’ Holds Steady in Q1 with a Focus on Affordability
Sprouts Farmers Market posted a 4% rise in Q1 net sales to $2.3 billion, buoyed by six new store openings. However, comparable‑store sales slipped 1.7%, reflecting lingering pricing challenges. The retailer is rolling out selective price cuts on staple items and...
Market Basket Names New President
Market Basket announced that longtime employee Chuck Casassa will serve as its new president, ending a 50‑year tenure that began as a bagger. Interim CEO Donald T. Mulligan, who stepped in after the ouster of former CEO Arthur T. Demoulas, is retiring but will stay...
Sprouts’ Achilles’ Heel Is Affordability. Can Its New Loyalty Program Mend That?
Sprouts Farmers Market, amid rapid expansion of its small‑store format, launched its first loyalty program, Sprouts Rewards, in October 2025 to combat growing affordability concerns among price‑sensitive shoppers. The program offers five points per dollar, personalized offers, member‑only events, and...
Ingles Markets’ Real Estate Grabs Attention in Proxy Fight
Ingles Markets faces a proxy battle as activist investor Summer Road, which owns about 3% of the company’s Class A shares, seeks election of its nominee, Rory Held, to the board. Summer Road argues that Ingles has let hundreds of acres...
FMI Condemns Federal Regulators’ Overriding of Illinois Swipe Fee Law
The Food Industry Association (FMI) sharply criticized the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) for issuing interim rules that nullify Illinois' Interchange Fee Prohibition Act and block other states from adopting similar measures. The Illinois law, set to...
Albertsons Hit with BOGO Deals Lawsuit
Washington Attorney General filed a lawsuit accusing Albertsons’ Safeway, Haggen and Albertsons banners of overcharging consumers in more than 3 million buy‑one‑get‑one transactions between 2019 and 2024. The complaint alleges the retailer artificially raised prices before BOGO promotions, generating roughly $19.7 million...
Fresh Value CEO Terry Stanley to Step Down
Terry Stanley announced he will step down as chief executive of Fresh Value, the Alabama‑based grocery chain, effective May 2, 2026. He will be succeeded by Shane Holliday, the company’s vice president of operations, who assumes the role on May 3. Stanley, who...
Walmart’s Grocery Sales Growth Slows
Walmart’s U.S. grocery segment posted $285 billion in net sales for fiscal 2026, a 3.4% year‑over‑year increase and 59% of total company revenue. Growth slowed to roughly 3% after 4% and 11% gains in the two prior years, and the retailer’s...
Food Lion Pulls Back the Curtain on Its Loyalty Program
Food Lion’s MVP loyalty program has become a cornerstone of the chain’s recent growth, helping it achieve 53 consecutive quarters of comparable‑store sales expansion. The program now serves over 1 million monthly active customers, delivering personalized discounts automatically at checkout and...
How 9 Grocers Are Dialing up Their Health and Wellness Moves
Grocery retailers are intensifying health‑and‑wellness initiatives as consumers demand affordable, nutrition‑focused options. Kroger introduced a SNAP/WIC discount program, while Hy‑Vee added a 100‑point nutrition rating to its online platform. Target expanded its wellness assortment by 30%, and Save A Lot pledged to...
The Friday Checkout: Is Agentic AI the Next Frontier for Grocers?
Agentic AI, which enables autonomous actions within a chat interface, is emerging as the latest frontier for grocery retailers. Instacart announced integration with Anthropic’s Claude, allowing shoppers to build carts directly in a chatbot conversation. A FMI‑NielsenIQ report shows only...
Online Grocery Sales Will Near $500B by 2028, FMI Report Says
Online grocery sales are projected to reach $452 billion by 2028, growing at an 11.6% annual rate and representing about one‑fifth of total grocery spend. Omnichannel shoppers now account for 94% of the market, but retailers face hurdles such as high‑cost...
Florida UNFI Workers Approve Union Contract, Averting Strike
United Natural Foods (UNFI) warehouse workers in Pompano Beach, Florida ratified a five‑year contract with the Teamsters, averting a strike. The agreement covers over 200 employees, delivering a 31% wage increase, access to the union health plan and pension, and...
How Surging Gas Prices Are Impacting Grocers
BJ’s Wholesale Club opened its first Texas location and offered a one‑day promotion of $2 per gallon of regular gasoline, far under the $3.60 state average and the $4 national average. The move spotlights the broader consumer anxiety over soaring...
Market Basket CEO’s Firing Was Valid, Judge Rules
A Delaware Court of Chancery judge ruled that Market Basket’s board acted in good faith when it fired CEO Arthur T. Demoulas, finding he failed to prove a breach of fiduciary duty. The decision concludes a decades‑long family feud that...
More than a Store: Electronic Shelf Labels Pose Pricing Conundrum
Electronic shelf labels (ESLs) are rapidly expanding across U.S. grocery chains, but state and federal lawmakers are scrutinizing them as potential tools for covert price changes. Retailers are experimenting with display styles: Whole Foods uses small, multi‑line tags that show...
Kroger’s Fueling Empire Grows as Competitors Threaten
Kroger now runs 1,731 fuel centers, eclipsing major convenience‑store chains such as Wawa and QuikTrip. The network, built since 1998, is tied to Kroger’s loyalty program, offering fuel discounts that encourage grocery spend. Recent promotions saw the company quadruple fuel...
The Friday Checkout: Walmart’s Biggest Private Brand Is Finally Getting a Makeover. Grocers Should Pay Attention.
Walmart announced a comprehensive redesign of its Great Value private‑label line, the retailer’s largest store brand, marking the first visual overhaul in more than a decade. The update includes modern packaging, a refreshed logo, and a premium‑focused design to shift...
AI’s Role in Grocery so Far This Year
Artificial intelligence has become a strategic priority for U.S. grocery retailers in 2026, with major chains like Kroger deepening ties to Google Cloud's Gemini AI and enhancing internal tools such as the Sage virtual assistant. Independent‑grocery distributors are responding by...
Why The Fresh Market Revamped Its Loyalty Program After Just 4 Years
The Fresh Market has rebranded its four‑year‑old Ultimate Loyalty Experience as TFM Rewards, a simpler, brand‑centric name. The overhaul adds new perks such as flexible birthday credits, 10% off sample events, and a 5% discount on curbside orders over $60....
Albertsons Looks to Store Remodels and Technology to Juice Growth
Albertsons announced a $1.8 billion capital‑expenditure outlay for fiscal 2025 and plans to raise that to $2 billion‑$2.2 billion in fiscal 2026. The retailer remodeled 94 stores, opened nine new locations last year, and expects store openings to increase 50% next year. It is also...
Inside Giant Food’s Strategy for Linking Healthy Eating with Affordability
Giant Food, an Ahold Delhaize subsidiary, has launched a weekly 10‑minute podcast called “This Week at Giant” that blends nutrition advice with the chain’s current promotions. The audio shows, hosted by the retailer’s Healthy Living team, highlight discounted items and demonstrate...
How Grocers Can Embrace the ‘Promiscuous Shopper’
Grocery shoppers have abandoned single‑store loyalty, with only 1% sticking to one retailer and the average American visiting at least two stores weekly. Upside research shows over 90% of shoppers are “uncommitted,” chasing price above brand affinity. Victor Kimble of...
Grocery Price Growth Cools as Overall Inflation Surges
U.S. grocery price growth decelerated in March, with food‑at‑home inflation easing to a 1.9% year‑over‑year increase, down from 2.4% in February. The broader consumer price index, however, jumped to 3.3% as gasoline surged more than 21%, driving overall inflation higher....
The Friday Checkout: Grocery Industry Hits Back at Electronic Shelf Label Controversy
The Food Industry Association (FMI) is pushing back against political criticism of electronic shelf labels (ESLs), arguing the technology eases labor shortages rather than eliminating jobs. FMI’s director Michael Green emphasized that banning ESLs would force grocers back to slower,...
Kroger Colluded with Trucking Companies via No-Hire Agreements, Lawsuit Alleges
A lawsuit filed Thursday alleges that Kroger instructed major trucking firms—Swift Transportation, U.S. Xpress and Werner Trucking—to enforce a no‑hire agreement that barred former Quickway drivers from employment. The complaint describes the arrangement as a “gentlemen’s agreement” aimed at suppressing wages...
Ahold Delhaize USA Joins Responsible Labor Initiative
Ahold Delhaize USA announced it has become a member of the Responsible Labor Initiative (RLI), an international group that tackles human‑rights risks in global food and beverage supply chains. The membership grants the grocery giant access to grievance mechanisms, risk‑assessment tools and...
Food City Appoints New CFO
Food City announced the promotion of Paul Cox to senior vice president and chief financial officer, succeeding Eddie Neely who is retiring after five years in the role. Cox, a veteran of the parent company K‑VA‑T Food Stores since 1983,...
How Traditional Grocers Are Trying to Narrow the ‘Value Gap’ with Discount Competitors
Traditional grocery chains are abandoning generic low‑price messaging in favor of targeted promotions, private‑label price comparisons, and longer‑term discount programs. Surveys show only 13% of shoppers trust these stores to offer the lowest prices, prompting retailers like Wegmans, Kroger and...
Why Loyalty Programs Can’t Afford to Overlook Aging Consumers
Many loyalty programs target younger consumers with gamification, yet older adults will comprise nearly one‑quarter of the U.S. population by 2060 and represent a high‑value spending segment. EY’s 2026 Loyalty Market Study shows only 7% of consumers aged 55+ belong...
Associated Wholesale Grocers Names New COO
Associated Wholesale Grocers (AWG) named Joe Kelley as its new chief operating officer, effective May 4. Kelley joins from Kroger, where he most recently served as senior vice president of retail divisions and previously led King Soopers & City Markets. The...
Hannaford Unveils Redesigned Private Label Line
Hannaford, a banner of Ahold Delhaize USA, has launched a redesign of its private‑label packaging, swapping the previous graphics for a simpler look featuring bold red block lettering. The overhaul, which took roughly a year of consumer research, is being rolled out...
Ahold Delhaize USA Debuts Employee App
Ahold Delhaize USA has rolled out ADUSA Connect, a new mobile app for its store‑level associates. The platform aggregates curated news, company resources, and an internal social wall where employees can post updates and interact. Launched in early April, the app is...
The Friday Checkout: Can Raley’s Still Become a Super-Regional Grocer?
Mike Teel has been reinstated as CEO of The Raley’s Companies, marking his third tenure leading the family‑owned grocer. The firm, which acquired Bashas’ in late 2021, now operates 117 stores—seven fewer than at the time of the merger. While...
Grocers Focus on Steep Discounts for Easter
Major U.S. grocers are rolling out aggressive Easter promotions, with Amazon, Kroger, Sam’s Club and Walmart‑owned stores offering deep discounts on ham, lamb, eggs and prepared meals. Amazon’s Whole Foods Prime members can get up to 30% off bone‑in spiral‑cut...
BJ’s Taps Former Sam’s Club Exec as Chief Merchandising Officer
BJ’s Wholesale Club announced Stephanie Reibling as executive vice president and chief merchandising officer. Reibling, who spent nearly five years at Sam’s Club and over a decade at Walmart, brings roughly 25 years of merchandising, product development, and e‑commerce expertise....
10 Top Grocery Executive Changes in March
In March, the grocery sector saw a wave of C‑suite reshuffles, highlighted by Ahold Delhaize USA’s CEO departing in June to become Dollar General’s chief executive in January 2027. Raley’s long‑time president‑CEO Keith Knopf exited abruptly, with chairman Mike Teel assuming the top role. Heritage Grocers filled...
More than a Store: 4 Ways Grocers Can Do More with Merch
Grocery retailers are increasingly using branded merchandise—tote bags, plushies, apparel—to deepen shopper engagement and generate incremental revenue. Trader Joe’s viral tote releases illustrate how limited‑time, low‑cost items can spark FOMO and drive foot traffic. Other chains such as Kroger, Stop & Shop, Aldi...
SpartanNash Zips Along with Store Renovations
SpartanNash announced the completion of a major remodel at its Martin’s Super Markets location in Goshen, Indiana, marking the store’s first significant refresh in two decades. The company also finished a series of renovations across several Family Fare locations in...
Trader Joe’s Unveils Plans for 8 More Stores
Trader Joe’s announced eight additional store openings, bringing its 2026 expansion plan to more than 20 new locations. The chain has already opened two stores this year in New York and Connecticut and previously announced 17 other sites, including locations in...
Homeland to Close 4 Stores, Consolidate Others
Homeland Stores, a HAC, Inc. banner, will shut four Oklahoma locations within the next 45 days and is consolidating operations in three markets ahead of a July 1 reopening. The retailer is also listing ten additional Oklahoma stores for sale as...
Sprouts’ CEO Says the Chain Needs to Be a Better ‘Value’ for Shoppers
Sprouts Farmers Market missed its 2025 sales targets as price‑sensitive shoppers slowed comparable‑store growth and transaction volume. The chain is now emphasizing "value" through clearer product pricing, health‑trend relevance, and convenient ready‑to‑eat options. A newly launched loyalty program will gather...
Fareway Breaks Ground on Distribution Center Expansion
Fareway Stores has begun construction on a 105,000‑square‑foot freezer expansion at its Boone, Iowa distribution center, slated for completion in mid‑2027. The addition will almost double pallet capacity, increase pallet facings by about 33%, and convert frozen space into extra...
Kroger to Spend $112M on Store Projects in Ohio
Kroger announced a $112 million investment to open two Kroger Marketplace stores and remodel fifteen existing locations in central and northwest Ohio during 2026. The Delaware and Canal Winchester stores, spanning 123,000 and 118,000 square feet respectively, each cost roughly $30 million...
Number Sense: Can Target Succeed by Positioning Itself as a Specialty Grocer?
Target is repositioning itself as a specialty grocer, earmarking more than $1 billion—about 20% of its 2026 capital budget—for food and beverage innovation. The retailer’s 2,000th store in North Carolina will feature a grocery area 30% larger than the average Target,...
AWG Invests $110M to Modernize Distribution Center
Associated Wholesale Grocers (AWG) is investing $110 million to modernize its Gulf Coast distribution center in Pearl River, Louisiana, adding advanced automation to boost order accuracy, service reliability, and weather resilience. Construction runs Jan‑Nov 2027 with automation installed in April, and...
Wholesale Prices Rise Sharply in February, Driven by Food Costs
Wholesale prices for fresh and dry vegetables surged nearly 50% in February, propelling the Producer Price Index (PPI) for final‑demand goods up 1.1% month‑over‑month—the fastest rise since August 2023. Overall wholesale food prices climbed 2.4%, with egg prices jumping over...
The Friday Checkout: Regional Grocers Hustle to Keep Pace with National Competitors
Regional grocers are accelerating growth to rival national chains, with Harps Food Stores entering Tennessee and Kentucky and nearly doubling its footprint. Brookshire Brothers announced four senior promotions, highlighting a talent‑development strategy aimed at sustaining expansion. Redner’s Markets unveiled a...