Aldi Makes Debut in 40th State
Aldi opened its first store in Portland, Maine, making the state the 40th in the U.S. to host the discount grocer. The new location is part of a broader plan to launch 180 stores in 2026, pushing the chain toward nearly 2,800 outlets. Aldi aims for 3,200 stores by the end of 2028, backed by a $9 billion investment in stores, distribution centers, and digital upgrades. The company added 17 million new customers last year, underscoring strong consumer demand.
Albertsons Files Subpoena for McMullen’s Testimony
Albertsons has issued a subpoena compelling former Kroger chief Rodney McMullen to testify in its antitrust lawsuit over the aborted $24.6 billion merger. A Delaware Chancery Court deposition is slated for April 8‑9 to assess whether Kroger exercised the required “best efforts” to...
Loyalty without Over-Discounting
Everyday low‑price (EDLP) retailers traditionally avoid loyalty programs because discounts clash with their price promise. The article argues that AI‑driven personalization can replace price reductions, delivering targeted nudges, non‑monetary rewards, and cross‑category suggestions that grow visit frequency and basket size...
Kroger Store in Michigan Now Has a Dunkin’ Kiosk, and More Are on the Way
Kroger is rolling out Dunkin’ coffee kiosks, starting with a flagship store in Southfield, Michigan and expanding to two Houston-area locations later this spring. Each kiosk’s build‑out costs about $160,000 and is slated for completion by late May. The partnership...
Winn Dixie, Amazon Now Offer Grocery Delivery to More Areas in Florida
Amazon and Winn Dixie have broadened their grocery‑delivery partnership to six additional Florida counties, adding Tampa Bay and surrounding cities to the service footprint. Customers can now order more than 15,000 Winn Dixie products through Amazon’s website or app, alongside the retailer’s...
Publix Whips up a Batch of Its Own Cookies
Publix announced its entry into the cookie market with a spring launch of four private‑label flavors. The lineup includes Double Cookies & Cream, Vanilla Celebration, Double Chocolate, and Raspberry Cream Cheese, with more varieties slated for summer. The rollout follows...
UNFI Will Close Racine, Wis., Plant, Laying Off 443 Workers
United Natural Foods (UNFI) announced the closure of its 425,000‑square‑foot Racine, Wisconsin distribution center, eliminating 443 positions. Operations will shift to a newer facility in Joliet, Illinois, where the company is installing modern technology to boost capacity. The move coincides...
Afresh AI Platform Now Covers All Grocery Departments
Afresh announced its AI platform now supports all grocery departments, adding center store, frozen foods, general merchandise, and health & beauty to its fresh‑food focus. The single AI engine uses separate data models and workflows per department to manage replenishment,...
Kroger CEO Focused on Bananas, Among Other Things
Greg Foran, Kroger’s new CEO, is already targeting the banana supply chain, labor staffing, and the company’s partnership with Ocado. He plans to shift banana purchases from brokers to direct grower contracts, aiming to tighten margins on the top‑selling fruit....
Walmart Tests ‘Rapid Remodels’ of Neighborhood Markets
Walmart is piloting a rapid remodel program for its Neighborhood Market stores, temporarily shutting the main shopping floors for four weeks while keeping pharmacies and fuel stations operational. The test, covering locations in Florida, Oklahoma, Texas, Georgia, South Carolina and...
Big Y Invests $130M in Home State Expansion
Regional supermarket chain Big Y announced a $130 million expansion to add six new stores in Massachusetts and two in Connecticut. The investment moves the retailer toward its goal of 100 locations by its 100th anniversary in 2036. The plan includes...
AWG Brands Adds 63 Products in Early 2026 Expansion of Private-Label Lineup
Associated Wholesale Grocers (AWG) is rolling out 63 new private‑label products in Q1 2026, expanding its AWG Brands portfolio across Best Choice, Superior Selections, Tippy Toes, TopCare and Simply Done. The additions span grocery, household and infant categories, emphasizing both...
Weis Markets Rebounds with Strong Q4 Driven by Ecommerce and Pharmacy Growth
Weis Markets posted a robust fourth quarter, with revenue climbing 5% to $1.3 billion driven by a 21% surge in ecommerce sales and higher pharmacy volumes. Comparable sales excluding fuel rose 2.5%, and full‑year revenue reached $4.96 billion, up 3.5% YoY. Despite...
Judge Dismisses Pricing Suit Against Publix
A federal judge in Florida dismissed a class‑action lawsuit alleging Publix overcharged shoppers at self‑checkout. Plaintiff Wendy Koutouzis claimed weight‑based pricing errors on 18 items, but the court found she had received refunds for many disputed purchases and was charged...
Instacart’s Partnership with Uber Eats Has Helped with Grocery
Instacart’s 2024 partnership with Uber Eats is delivering a measurable “flywheel” effect, driving more frequent grocery orders. By lowering the minimum basket to $10 and promoting its Instacart+ membership, the company is shifting users from quarterly to weekly activity. The...
Instacart Partners with Fareway to Expand Online Grocery Pickup Options
Instacart announced a partnership with Midwest grocer Fareway to roll out online ordering and curbside pickup across the chain’s more than 140 locations. The collaboration leverages Instacart’s Storefront Pro platform, allowing customers to shop via Fareway’s website or the Instacart...
More Americans Open to Switching Grocery Brands as Price Awareness Rises
According to Reach3 Insights, 81% of Americans are willing to try new grocery brands, while 92% say they notice prices more than before. The study shows brand loyalty weakening as shoppers compare price, benefits, and reputation. Grocery trips are taking...
Publix Will Pull Payment Option on App
Publix announced it will retire the Publix Pay feature in its mobile app effective March 19. Shoppers can still use Apple Pay, Google Pay, and stored gift cards at checkout. The move comes as the Florida‑based grocer posted solid Q4 results,...
UNFI Moving in the Right Direction Despite a Down Q2
United Natural Foods (UNFI) is accelerating its RELEX AI‑powered supply‑chain platform, with 12 distribution centers slated to go live next week and full rollout expected by year‑end. Operational metrics improved, showing over 6% productivity gains, an 11% reduction in shrink,...
Kroger Will Hold Customer Appreciation Week
Kroger’s annual Customer Appreciation Week runs March 11‑17, offering a mix of in‑store and online discounts, including 99‑cent soft drinks, buy‑one‑get‑one salads and 10% off private‑label brands. Each day the retailer releases new digital “Daily Deal Drops” that shoppers can clip...
Walmart Closes Stores in February
Walmart trimmed its footprint in February, shuttering three stores, including two Sam’s Club locations. The most dramatic contraction came from Family Dollar, which closed 100 stores, largely concentrated in the South and Southeast. Dollar Tree and Walgreens also reduced locations,...
5 Things: Aldi Sass Is What We Live For
Aldi’s cheeky Instagram reply to McDonald’s recent product flop highlighted the grocer’s aggressive digital tone. Meanwhile, Oregon City launched the nation’s first 600‑sq‑ft micro‑grocery, echoing New York bodegas’ compact model. H‑E‑B swiftly corrected a false closure rumor, Iceland settled a...
Walgreens Workers at some Stores in NYC Will Wear Body Cameras
Walgreens announced a pilot program that equips employees in select New York City stores with body‑worn cameras. The initiative aims to de‑escalate conflicts and improve safety for customers and staff while maintaining privacy safeguards. The move follows similar pilots by...
Readers React: NYC Mayor’s $70M Request for City-Run Grocery Stores Is a Wasted Effort
Mayor Zohran Mamdani has asked New York City for $70 million to launch five city‑run grocery stores, one in each borough, despite a $5.4 billion budget gap. The proposal offers no detailed operating plan and relies on subsidies to private businesses, eliminating...
An Impulsive Plan for Greater Produce Sales
The FMI "Power of Produce 2026" report finds that 90 % of shoppers buy fruits or vegetables they hadn’t planned to purchase, with 48 % doing so frequently. Store‑provided recipes, cross‑merchandising and social‑media inspiration are identified as the strongest drivers of these impulse...
Circana Launches Complete Why Analytics Platform for CPG Sales Performance
Circana unveiled Complete Why, an AI‑driven analytics platform for the consumer packaged goods sector, embedded in its Unify+ visualization suite. The tool models sales performance at store‑ and week‑level, evaluating up to 60 drivers such as price, promotions, distribution, competition,...
Amazon Begins Grocery Delivery for Cub
Amazon has launched a grocery delivery partnership with Minnesota‑based Cub, enabling Twin Cities shoppers to order Cub’s fresh produce, meat, private‑label brands and household items via Amazon’s website and app. The service offers same‑day delivery, two‑hour windows and free shipping...
Kroger Expands Private-Label Brand with More than 20 New Meals
Kroger is adding more than 20 new items to its Private Selection private‑label line, covering frozen entrees, refrigerated deli meals and whole roasted chicken. The assortment features globally inspired dishes such as Korean‑style beef bulgogi, chicken parmesan, Italian gnocchi and...
Anheuser-Busch Completes Its $490M BeatBox Acquisition
Anheuser‑Busch completed a $490 million acquisition of 85% of Austin‑based RTD brand BeatBox, finalizing a deal announced in December. BeatBox, which posted over $340 million in retail sales and a 50% revenue jump last year, joins AB InBev’s expanding Beyond Beer portfolio...
Walmart, Kroger and Others Use Dynamic Pricing: Report
A Decodo analysis of over one million price points shows that Amazon, Walmart, Kroger and other major retailers regularly employ dynamic pricing, with price cuts outpacing hikes. Amazon leads with 116,509 adjustments and a 35.3% average drop, while Walmart and...
SN Top 10: Will This Unique Whole Foods Pilot Work?
Whole Foods is piloting a system in its Philadelphia store that lets shoppers scan QR codes or use the Amazon app to order national‑brand items not stocked on the shelves. Employees pull these Amazon‑fulfilled products within minutes and stage them...
Amazon Same-Day Grocery Delivery and Pharmacy Services Comes to Louisville
Amazon has launched same‑day grocery delivery and pharmacy services in Louisville, covering a 55‑mile radius. The rollout adds Louisville to more than 2,300 U.S. cities offering Amazon grocery delivery and moves the company toward its goal of nearly 4,500 cities...
Ground Beef, Egg Purchases Surge on Flashfood as Grocery Prices Rise in 2026
Flashfood reported a sharp rise in protein purchases as grocery prices climb, with ground beef sales up 28% and egg purchases soaring 90% year‑over‑year. Protein now accounts for more than 30% of the app’s total sales, reflecting consumer shifts toward...
NYC Mayor Wants $70M for City-Run Grocery Stores
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced a plan to allocate $70 million toward launching a city‑run grocery‑store program. The proposal comes as the administration confronts a $5.4 billion budget shortfall and a $127 billion 2027 budget request. The plan envisions one subsidized...
Grocery Prices Will Continue to Increase in 2026: USDA
The USDA Economic Research Service forecasts a 2.5% rise in overall grocery prices for 2026, slightly below the 20‑year average of 2.6%. Seven of the 15 food‑at‑home categories, including beef, fish, sugar and non‑alcoholic beverages, are expected to outpace the...
Most Health-Focused Shoppers Read Labels Before They Buy: Report
Acosta Group’s new U.S. shopper survey shows label reading is becoming a routine part of purchase decisions, with 58 % of all respondents and 87 % of health‑focused shoppers checking ingredient lists before buying. The study highlights a flexible buying approach—two‑thirds of...
Seafood Surveillance Goes High-Tech
Seafood operators are adopting high‑tech traceability systems that assign digital identities and monitor temperature throughout the supply chain. By using QR codes, cloud platforms and sensor‑based cold‑chain monitoring, retailers can verify species, harvest location, and freshness in real time. These...
Frozen Food Is Becoming the Main Dish at Home
The fourth edition of the “Power of Frozen in Retail” report shows frozen foods have moved from a side option to a core component of American meal planning. Usage rose to 40% of shoppers buying frozen every few days or...
5 Things: Free Grocery Store a Hit in NYC
Polymarket, a crypto‑based prediction market, staged a five‑day pop‑up grocery store in New York that offered free food to ticket holders, drawing massive early‑morning lines. A Consumer Reports price‑comparison study found Whole Foods the most expensive chain while Costco delivered the...
Policy Group Makes Proposal to Lower Grocery Prices
The Center for American Progress unveiled a three‑part federal proposal to curb soaring grocery costs. It calls for short‑term caps on staple items like eggs, milk, bread and produce, paired with incentives for participating food companies. The plan also seeks...
Amazon Replaces Walmart as No. 1 in Revenues
Amazon has overtaken Walmart as the world’s largest company by revenue, reporting $716.9 billion for its most recent fiscal year, edging out Walmart’s $713.2 billion. The shift ends Walmart’s 13‑year run at the top of the Fortune 500 and reflects Amazon’s 12.38 % revenue...
10 Items or Less: Amazon, You Are Losing Focus
Amazon’s rapid expansion into logistics, entertainment and cloud services is diluting its core retail advantage, according to industry analyst Bill Wilson. The piece argues that the company’s most defensible growth lever is its Whole Foods acquisition, which still lacks a...
Publix Rolls Out Limited-Edition Ice Cream
Publix Super Markets announced a limited‑edition ice‑cream rollout for the 2026 season, adding twelve new half‑gallon flavors and four fresh pint‑size varieties while bringing back several fan favorites. The lineup features inventive combos such as Buckeyes & Fudge, Cold Brew...
Walgreens Plans to Close Houston Distribution Center, Cutting 159 Jobs
Walgreens announced it will close its 500,000‑square‑foot distribution center in Houston, eliminating 159 positions effective June 1. The company said the move is part of a broader effort to streamline its distribution network and improve operational efficiency. Deliveries will be consolidated...
