Meijer eyes bigger sales for Halloween

Early Halloween sales at Meijer stores had increased by 50% compared to the same time last year. The retailer is attributing the 50% increase in shoppers taking advantage of early savings on Halloween candy, décor and costumes, to excitement surrounding the days of celebration that will lead up to the actual holiday.

"People are really enthusiastic, especially since Halloween falls on a Monday so the weekend will give kids and adults more opportunities to celebrate," Christina Fecher, a Meijer spokeswoman said.

According to the National Retail Federation, Americans are shopping earlier this year with 44% beginning shopping for Halloween in the first two weeks of October, 29% in September, 22% in the last two weeks of October and 5% before September.

Meijer projects that it will sell 7 million bags of Halloween candy with its bulk offerings appealing to families; more than 80,000 masks and wigs, and 30% more lighted/animated decor versus last year, with devices that project images and lights onto houses growing increasingly popular, according to Fecher.

Total spending for Halloween is expected to reach $8.4 billion this year.

Food prices in the US are lower than last year

Food prices have fallen for nine straight months in the U.S. It’s the longest streak of food deflation since 1960, thanks to low oil and grain prices.

Another reason grocery prices are falling is the increased competition from grocery discounters like Aldi the German supermarket discounter, which has big plans for the US market. This year they opened many supermarkets in California, and will continue to add stores in the US. Lidl, another German supermarket discounter has also plans to open stores in the US by 2018.

Kroger, the largest grocery store chain in the U.S., with nearly 2,900 stores, has also cut prices to compete with Wal-Mart and increase its market share.

AutoZone earnings and revenues rise

AutoZone profit grew 6.4% in the final quarter of the fiscal year. The auto parts retailer also reported higher revenues, with sales at stores open at least a year higher by 1% for the current quarter.

Also, the increase in revenues was driven by new store openings, and the increase in inventory and selection of products.

The company's ongoing inventory rollout has gone very well and will continue in 2017, the Thursday Chief Executive Bill Rhodes said.

Inventory per store climbed 2.5% from a year ago, while overall inventory increased 6.1%.

AutoZone opened 71 new stores and relocated two stores in the U.S., bringing its total to 5,297. Check the AutoZone Circular for the monthly motor oil and auto parts best deals & specials.

For the August quarter, AutoZone reported a profit of $426.8 million, up from $401.1 million, and revenues climbed 3.3% to $3.4 billion.

AutoZone had a gross margin of 52.8%, up from 52.5% a year earlier.

FDA bans antibacterial soaps

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) banned antibacterial soaps this month, because they're not cleaner, or safer than regular soap.

"Consumers may think antibacterial washes are more effective at preventing the spread of germs, but we have no scientific evidence that they are any better than plain soap and water," said Dr. Janet Woodcock, director of the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research said.

"In fact, some data suggest that antibacterial ingredients may do more harm than good over the long-term.", the official said.

The ban applies to products with 19 active ingredients, including triclosan and triclocarban.

One study, published in the Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy in September 2015, compared soap containing triclosan with regular soap both in lab tests and on people's hands.

The researchers exposed people to a type of common bacteria than can infect those with weakened immune systems, then had them wash their hands with triclosan and regular soap.

They found no difference between the two soaps.

Multiple studies have found that handwashing with antibacterial soap does not remove more bacteria or prevent more illnesses than washing with regular soap.

While regular soap works by mechanically removing germs from your hands, antibacterial soap contains chemicals that can kill bacteria or inhibit their growth. The old wash-off-the-germs method works just as well as kill-them-on-contact.

The FDA first registered triclosan in 1969, and the chemical has been added to soaps, cosmetics and cleaning products since then.

But triclosan soap is not just an equally effective replacement for ordinary soap — it may actually be worse than non-antibacterial varieties.

Studies have found that triclosan can increase bacterial antibiotic resistance, affect hormone regulation in animals and kill algae.

Source: Business Insider

Weis Markets opens five new supermarkets

Weis Markets will open five new supermarkets which were acquired from Mars Supermarkets in Baltimore County, MD.

The new locations include two stores in Dundalk and individual units in Essex, Arbutus and Carney. More than 500 former Mars employees will join the new Weis store teams.

“We are excited to steadily grow within Baltimore County and will make this transition as seamless as possible for the community and our new associates,” Kurt Schertle, Weis Markets’ COO, said. “Our goal is continuity; we will continue to offer a wide variety of local products carried in Mars stores. We are also thrilled that more than 500 Mars associates will join our Weis Markets family. We look forward to sharing our commitment of value, quality and customer service.”

The stores will offer more than 3,000 Weis brand products, and fresh produce from local growers and affordable food including a wide selection of organic produce, baked goods, quality meats and fresh dairy items.

Price Chopper sold undersized lobsters

Price Chopper Supermarkets sold undersized lobsters, according with an inspections conducted by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.
The lobsters where shipped by the Cape Cod-based wholesaler The Lobster Trap, who has acknowledged responsibility for shipping undersized lobsters.

The Lobster Trap said in a statement that it inadvertently shipped lobsters to Price Chopper that would be of legal size in other states but fell short of requirements in New York. In New York, lobsters must measure at least 3 3/8 inches from the eye socket to the end of the body shell.

“It was never our intention to send short length lobsters to any of our customers,” said The Lobster Trap co-owner Logan Clarke.

“It’s entirely our fault that some of our packers mixed 3 1/4-inch lobsters earmarked for other Northeastern states with the shipment bound for Price Chopper.”

Costco customers will use the Anywhere Visa Card for payments

Costco dumped American Express cards in favor of Visa cards, and from June 20, 2016, if you want to get credit card rewards for your bulk purchases, you'll be able to use any Visa card, along with debit cards, cash, checks, EBT and Costco Cash Cards.

Customers who previously had a Costco and American Express co-branded card, will receive a new Costco Anywhere Visa Card by Citi, with all the previous rewards.

The new card from Visa offers 4% back on up to $7,000 a year in gas purchases, 3% back on restaurant and travel purchases and 2% back on Costco purchases.

Little impact from Aldi California stores for Smart & Final

Smart & Final discount stores competes with about 20 of the 26 Aldis that have opened in the past couple of months.

According with the Dave Hirz company’s president and CEO, the stores had lost an average of $5,000 in sales during opening week, and it’s now down to about $2,000.

What’s helping the Smart & Final is the availability of club sizes, which account for 30% of its sales “and which Aldi doesn’t carry. The Smart & Final Weekly Ad Sale is released every week and has great offers for groceries.

Smart & Final expects to continue to increase store count by about 10% a year, though the acquisition of 33 former Haggen stores at the end of last year boosted growth to 15% this year.

The Los Angeles based Smart & Final Stores continues the rapid growth in California, with all 33 stores acquired from Haggen now open for business.

In opening the 33 stores, Smart & Final has increased its presence in the important Los Angeles and Orange County markets, and doubled store count in the California Central Coast and San Diego.

Currently, Smart & Final operates 306 stores in California, Oregon, Washington, Arizona, Nevada and Idaho, including 251 Smart & Final banner stores, 160 of which are Smart & Final Extra! format stores.

A new Hispanic Grocery Store format - Fresco y Más

At a Winn-Dixie store in Hialeah, Florida, the retailer had unveiled a new Hispanic brand name - Fresco y Más.

Fresco y Más has been tailored to provide the products and services that meet the needs of the community, "while continuing to offer great value, stunning quality food and service with personality."

“Winn-Dixie opened its first store in Hialeah in 1958, and this community has been important to us for many years," Ian McLeod, president and CEO of Southeastern, said in a statement. "

“Fresco y Más offers an expanded Hispanic product assortment, great low prices and new features, including a full-service Latin Butcher shop and new Cocina — everything that our customers told us is important to them,” he added.

Fresco y Más grocery supermarket services:
- A full-service Latin butcher shop (Carniceria) offering an expanded selection of fresh cut meats to better serve the customers.
- A café with expanded seating area serving authentic Hispanic breakfast, pastries, drinks and hot and cold sandwiches.
- A new “Cocina” offering daily specials of freshly-prepared, homemade favorites.
- Made-to-order personalized party platter packages available to serve 25, 50 or 100 people (includes personalized cake, croquettes (croquetas), pastries (pastelitos) and fried stuffed potatoes (papas rellenas).
- $1 Zone within the store, with savings on more than 300 popular items for only $1, including cleaning products, baby products, bath and health products, foil ware and value greeting cards.

Save-A-Lot to revamp the weekly ads

Eric Claus, CEO of Save-A-Lot detailed some initiatives designed to boost sales at the limited assortment discounter.

One of the strategies will be to revamp the Save-A-Lot Weekly Ad Circulars including changes in content, cadence and timing of this ads.
The new Save-A-Lot weekly ad will make a stronger price impression on customers while emphasizing the differentiating fresh departments.

Other changes will encourage shoppers to increase the number of units they purchase on each trip, with a goal of increasing basket size.

The grocery retailer will offer one or two national brands, and make the stores a place where customers can make a complete shop.

Instacart to deliver Food Lion groceries in Charlotte

The agreement between Food Lion and Instacart is the first between these two companies and it's the Food Lion's debut on online shopping and home delivery. This new service will allow customers to order and receive their groceries in as little as an hour.

"As part of our ongoing commitment to making grocery shopping easy, Food Lion is proud to partner with Instacart in the Charlotte market," said Keith Nicks, vice president of customer engagement at Food Lion. "Through Instacart's speedy delivery service, our customers can enjoy fresh, quality groceries at the affordable prices they expect from Food Lion, now at the convenience of their doorstep."

Shoppers in the delivery area, which include the Charlotte, N.C., zip codes 28202, 28203, 28204, 28205, 28207, 28209, 28210 and 28211, can shop using Food Lion's website at www.foodlion.com/homedelivery or the Instacart app.

Additionally, by linking their personal MVP cards to their Instacart accounts, Food Lion customers can continue to take advantage of Food Lion's weekly savings specials, including MVP discounts. Food Lion customers using Instacart for the first time will receive their first home delivery fee for free.

How to order on Instacart?

Customers can visit www.foodlion.com/homedelivery or open the Instacart mobile app on their iPhone or Android device, enter their zip code and Food Lion store, add items to a virtual cart, and then choose a delivery window (within one hour, within two hours, or some scheduled time in the future) and check out. An Instacart Personal Shopper accepts the order on his/her smartphone, uses the Instacart shopper app to guide them through shopping, and then delivers the order to the customer in the designated delivery timeframe.

Instacart also offers deliveries to the Orange County customers in California.

Food Lion is based in Salisbury, N.C., has more than 1,100 stores in 10 Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic states and employs more than 65,000 associates.

Instacart to start deliveries in the Orange County, California

Instacart delivery service will be available in Corona del Mar, Costa Mesa, Irvine and Newport Beach.

Instacart customers from Orange County will be able to receive delivieres from Costco Wholesale, Gelson’s Market, H Mart, Ralphs, Smart & Final, Stater Bros. Markets, Whole Foods Market and Petco.

The company said taht during 2015, deliveries had grown by over 300% in Los Angeles.

“We are passionate about saving our customers time and money, which is why we partner with local and national retailers to bring our customers groceries from their favorite stores wherever and whenever they want them,” said CEO Apoorva Mehta.

Harris Teeter will offer grocery home delivery through Uber

Harris Teeter Express Lane click-and-collect online shopping will include home delivery through a partnership with UberRUSH.

The delivery option is limited to mobile shoppers at Harris Teeter's Constitution Square store in Washington, D.C., and is only available to consumers within a five-mile radius of that store.

“Harris Teeter is excited to enhance the online ordering process by offering home delivery,” said Danna Robinson, communication manager for Harris Teeter, a Matthews, N.C., operating division of Kroger. “UberRUSH delivery will help us reach our customers where they are by making the grocery shopping experience even more convenient.”

Shoppers can log on to Harris Teeter’s mobile app, order their groceries and upon checkout, can choose delivery or pickup. For delivery option, an UberRUSH driver is dispatched, collects the order and delivers the groceries.

Uber, the on-demand ride service, launched UberRUSH last year as a means of providing a convenient delivery option.

Fred Meyer stores to give free fruits to kids

Fred Meyer grocery chain offers free fruits to kids. For years, Fred Meyer have been giving out bakery cookies

The grocery chain stores have clementines, apples and bananas for kids. This fruits can be taken by kids for free.

The Fruit for Kids program is available in all Fred Meyer and QFC stores.

Fred Meyer stores are located in Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and Alaska. Fred Meyer grocery specials can be found in the latest weekly ad.

The retailer offers: food, clothing, groceries, footwear, bedding, furniture, jewelry, beauty products, electronics, toys, garden supplies and housewares.

Pork sales lower in 2015

The average U.S. household spent less on pork in 2015, with an annual average of $64.69, compared to $66.71 in 2014.

In 2015, 41% of consumers participating in a Nielsen Omnibus survey reported that they bought less meat as a result of increased pricing.

The pork cuts which consumers are buying more often include: pork loin, pork shoulder butt and pork side.

Pork prices had decreased during last year, with prices for shoulder butt lower by 18%, and those for pork loin and shoulder butt are lower by 10.5%.

Weis Markets to introduce Nutri-Facts

Weis Markets announced its new shelf tag program, Nutri-Facts. Customers will see brightly-colored icons on pricing tags to help them easily identify the foods that meet their unique health and lifestyle needs.

“Weis Markets is committed to helping our customers live well. We can accomplish this goal by providing tools and resources on healthy eating and simplifying the process of finding nutritious foods in our stores,” said Beth Stark, Manager of Lifestyle Initiatives for Weis Markets. “Our Nutri-Facts program is designed to provide a snapshot of food products so that at a glance, a customer can determine if its nutrition or lifestyle profile fits their individual needs and the needs of their family.”

Using U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) guidelines, the Weis Dietitians developed Nutri-Facts icons that include popular dietary and health identifiers that are in demand by customers, including organic, gluten free, whole grain, carb conscious, heart healthy, vegan, no added sugar, low sodium, vegan and more.

The Weis Dietitian team also recently launched its Fresh for You and Superfoods programs. The Superfoods program highlights nutrient-rich foods that naturally contain significant amounts of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.

Food Lion Opens a New Store in Edenton, NC

The new Food Lion store is located at 300 Virginia Road in Edenton, NC.

Food Lion will give to first 100 customers $10 gift cards, between April 6-9, at the opening of a New Store in Edenton, NC, and wiil donate $2,000 in fresh meals, or the equivalent of 22,000 meals, to the Food Bank of Albemarle.

"Food Lion has been a proud member of the Edenton community for more than 25 years and we look forward to creating an easier shopping experience for our customers," said Rodney Jackson, Director of Operations for Food Lion, including the Edenton area. "Over the past year, we have listened to our customers in this market and we look forward to bringing an expanded assortment of quality, fresh products to our customers, while keeping the low prices they expect from Food Lion. On behalf of our 130 associates at this store, we want to thank our customers and the entire community for your patience during the new store transition as we bring our new and improved shopping experience to Edenton. We look forward to welcoming you to our new store."

Featuring Food Lion's newest format, the new store is easier to navigate so customers can get in and more quickly. It also features a walk-in produce cooler that keeps produce fresher, longer. Additional features of the new store include:
• A new assortment of products with an abundant selection of fresh meat and produce backed by Food Lion's promise of 100 percent fresh or double-your-money-back guarantee
• A dedicated gluten-free section
• A growing selection of Nature's Place beef, pork and poultry items free from unwanted ingredients
For the latest offers and specials don't miss the Food Lion Edenton Weekly Ad Specials.

Food Lion, based in Salisbury, N.C., since 1957, has nearly 1,100 stores in 10 Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic states and employs more than 65,000 associates.

Fry's Food to open six large-scale Marketplace stores in 2016

Fry's Food is a division of Kroger, the largest grocery retailer in the US, and one of the largest in the world.
The grocery chain plans to expand its presence in Arizona with six new large-scale Marketplace stores in 2016.

The expansion will create more than 2,000 jobs, and will require an investment of $260 million

"Fry's is a company that is focused on smart, strategic growth and providing a highly-satisfied customer shopping experience," Steve McKinney, president of Fry's. "We've operated here since 1960. In that period, we've grown our footprint to 119 stores and 82 fuel centers. Fry's successfully reached this point by closely monitoring the unique needs of this market and evolving to meet the requests of our customers.

The new Fry's Food locations will open in: Mesa, Phoenix, Litchfield Park, Chandler, and Peoria.

The Marketplace stores at Peoria and North Valley Parkway will feature Power Parasol parking areas shaded by solar energy collectors.

McDonald’s to add 1,000 restaurants in China

McDonald’s aims to have 3,500 restaurants by 2020 in China, up from 2,200 now, Chief Executive Steve Easterbrook said in an interview with The Wall Street Journal.

The expansion plans came after McDonald’s announcement last year that it was closing 350 restaurants in China, Japan and the US.

The fast food restaurant chain wants to add more than 1,500 restaurants in China, Hong Kong and South Korea.

McDonald’s is the largest fast food chain in the world, with locations in about 120 countries. McDonald’s menu prices are very competitive, starting from $1 a piece for its value menu.

Target plans to sell more food in its stores

Target CEO Brian Cornell said that the retailer was "doubling down" on efforts to transform its food business, but cautioned it would be a long ride.

Food is a $18.5 billion business for Target, which has more than 1,800 stores, and has a huge potential for growth.

The retailer will focus first on expanded assortments of natural, organic and fresh foods, and also improving the supply chain to ensure fresher items at stores. More food offers will be showed in Target Weekly Circular, where Target features its best deals for the week.

Comparable store sales in grocery had outpaced the total store growth in Target's two most recent quarters.

Meijer plans to invest $400 million

Meijer plans to spend $400 million in 2016 to grow the Midwest retailer's presence. The investment includes the construction of nine new Meijer supercenters and 32 store remodel projects. The new stores will go up in Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky and Wisconsin.

"We are pleased to continue to grow and invest in the Midwest communities that have supported us for so long," co-Chairman Hank Meijer said. "By keeping prices low and ensuring a great shopping environment, we are keeping our promise to our customers that we will provide the best one-stop shopping solution."

The company plans to hire 3,000 new employees to staff the nine new stores.

Meijer new supercenter locations: Owensboro, KY; Evansville, IN; Indianapolis, IN; Round Lake Beach, IL; Flossmoor, IL; Sturgis, MI; Flat Rock, MI; Sussex, WI; Waukesha, WI.

Meijer currently operates over 220 locations across Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky and Wisconsin.

Food Lion and Hannaford to sell 100% cage-free eggs by 2025

Food Lion and Hannaford stores will sell 100% cage-free eggs by 2025. The first step will be to transition private label shell eggs, which account for the majority of category sales.

“Delhaize America supports continuous improvement in animal welfare practices through its comprehensive approach to sustainability,” J.J. Fleeman, chief strategy and development officer at Delhaize America, said. “Today's cage-free egg announcement is another step we are taking to ensure the humane treatment of animals while also reinforcing a number of strong sustainability practices we have implemented across our organization.”

Other grocery retailers that made similar commitments are: Albertsons, Trader Joe’s, Target, ALDI, Bashas'.

ALDI opens its first grocery stores in Southern California

Aldi opened its first stores in California on March 24, 2016, with 17 more stores to be opened by mid-year.
By the end of the year the company announced that a total of 45 ALDI stores will be opened in California.
ALDI has a strategic plan to open 650 new stores in the US over the next five years.

By the end of 2018 Aldi expects to operate nearly 2,000 stores nationwide, from 1,500 at the end of 2015. At the end of 2015 the retailer sales reached $11 billion.

The first ALDI stores in California are located in: Beaumont, Fontana, Lake Elsinore, La Quinta, Moreno Valley, Palm Springs, San Bernardino and Yucaipa.

Aldi will host three days of grand-opening events, with the first 100 shoppers at each store receiving a golden ticket redeemable for gift certificates in varying amounts. In addition, all shoppers will be eligible to enter an on-site sweepstakes for a chance to win produce for a year.

ALDI, Bashas', Fresh Market stores to offer only cage-free eggs

Aldi will work with its suppliers that by 2025 all eggs sold in-stores will be cage-free. As a first step toward its goal, all ALDI stores will carry a cage-free shell option by the end of the year.

Also, Bashas' says that all of its private label eggs would be cage-free by 2017. The Chandler, Ariz.-based retailer said it is working with supplier Hickman’s Family Farms to begin transitioning its eggs starting in November

The Fresh Market, which already offers only cage-free eggs for its private brand, said all eggs in its stores would be cage-free by 2020.

ALDI is a leader in the grocery retailing industry, ALDI operates nearly 1,500 US stores in 32 states. More than 30 million customers each month save up to 50 percent on their grocery bills, benefiting from the ALDI simple and streamlined approach to retailing.

ALDI Weekly Ads advertise offers for the most frequently purchased grocery and household items, primarily under its exclusive brands, which must meet or exceed the national name brands on taste and quality.

Stater Bros. to open a new store in Rancho Cucamonga

Stater Bros. plans to build a new Blue Ribbon supermarket at the northwest corner of Baseline Road and Day Creek Road in the city of Rancho Cucamonga, California.

This new 44,000 sq. ft. full service supermarket is being developed by Lewis Retail Centers in the Day Creek Marketplace, which will also include a full service drug store as co-anchor.

With wider, customer-friendly aisles, in-door dining, and a new décor scheme, this new Stater Bros. supermarket will offer an extensive assortment of fresh and healthy products advertised in Stater Bros. Weekly Ad Specials.  It will also include all the full service departments found in its newer supermarkets and incorporate many energy saving and environmentally friendly practices.

This will be the third Stater Bros. supermarket in the City of Rancho Cucamonga. This new supermarket is scheduled to open later this fall and will be almost double the size of the company’s two existing Stater Bros. Rancho Cucamonga supermarkets which are located at 8770 Baseline Road and at 9750 Nineteenth Street.

Stater Bros. Markets was founded in 1936 in Yucaipa, California, and has grown steadily through the years to become the largest privately owned Supermarket Chain in Southern California and the largest private employer in both San Bernardino County and Riverside County.  The Company currently operates 168 supermarkets, and there are approximately 18,000 members of the Stater Bros. supermarket family.

Whole Foods to sell slow-growing chickens

Whole Foods Market announced it plans to change its sourcing for chickens. The retailer plans come after Global Animal Partnership’s standards, a non-profit animal welfare organization said it will require only slower-growing chicken breeds by 2024 for certification in its 5-Step Rating Program, which Whole Foods uses in its stores to rate meat and poultry.

“Since 2011, Whole Foods Market has used Global Animal Partnership’s 5-Step Rating system to provide our customers with standards and information around how the animal was raised for the meat they buy,” said Theo Weening, global meat buyer for Whole Foods Market. “Supporting this additional commitment to improve chicken welfare is a step forward in continuing to provide our customers with products of the highest quality and flavor.”

According to GAP, 98% of all commercially available chicken meat in North America comes from fast-growth chickens.

Source: Whole Foods Market

McCaffrey's to open 2 stores in Pennsylvania

McCaffrey’s Food Markets, announced that he will open his newest store in late spring in Blue Bell, PA, and the other will be open in Doylestown. The McCaffrey’s Food Markets Blue Bell location previously operated as SuperFresh.

Located in the Center Square Plaza on Skippack Pike, the new Market is the sixth location for McCaffrey’s, a family-owned business that currently operates four, additional Markets in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

“We will strive to provide exceptional quality, value and customer service – as we do in all of our Markets – and hope to become an integral part of the esteemed Blue Bell community,” said Mr. McCaffrey.

The new McCaffrey’s Food Market store will have 50,000 square foot, and will be staffed by food experts and offer what McCaffrey’s is famous for: exceptional produce, meat, seafood, cheese deli, bakery and floral, along with chef-inspired, gourmet prepared foods.

Some highlights of the store include: freshly prepared artisan pizzas, a crepe station, a gourmet sandwich station, hundreds of cheeses from around the globe, custom cakes, a gourmet coffee bar, a comfortable, intimate seating area and hundreds of organic and exotic product offerings. An on-site catering coordinator will be available to help customers with their party planning. And, customers can food shop from anywhere – order online with pick up at the store.

Albertsons to acquire 4 Paul’s Markets locations

Albertsons had purchased four Paul’s Markets stores, located in Boise, Homedale, Kuna and McCall, Idaho. The retailer plans to open them under the Albertsons banner.

Paul’s Markets will close the remaining locations in Caldwell, Mountain Home and Nampa. Albertsons intends to acquire those properties.

Paul’s opened its first store in 1955. Stan and Steve Zatico, co-owners of Paul’s, said, “We know the folks at Albertsons share our values and commitment to providing the best to our communities. We look forward to watching how these stores evolve to serve their customers for the future.”

Mi Pueblo launches healthy living program

Hispanic grocery chain Mi Pueblo Food Centers has launched a new healthy living program for shoppers and employees known as "Salud y Belleza" by nutrition expert Lisa Antillón. Lisa Antillón will share healthy recipes, tips and advice.

The program was launched because obesity among the Hispanic population is higher compared to the general population. Through this program the retailer will increase awareness among the community and provide healthier and accessible alternatives.

The program will include recipes, health advice, beauty and skin care tips using natural products and produce found in the supermarket.

Mi Pueblo has a total of 19 store locations throughout the San Francisco Bay Area, Central Valley and Monterey Bay Peninsula. The retailer strives to create an ambiance reminiscent of the crowded, fresh-food markets of Mexico and Latin America while also carrying all the grocery items generally available in mainstream supermarkets.

Stew Leonard’s grocery store opens in Farmingdale, Long Island

The opening marks the first Stew Leonard’s farm fresh food store on Long Island. Stew Leonard's had already announced the site for the second Long Island Store, at East Meadow, N.Y.

Recognized as “The World’s Largest Dairy Store” by Ripley’s Believe It Or Not, Stew Leonard’s is best known for its farm fresh food, dedication to customer service and a fun, family-friendly atmosphere.

Stew Leonard’s Farmingdale store offers award-winning dairy, a full service butcher, an in-store bakery, 250 varieties of just picked fresh fruits and vegetables, more than 30 varieties of fresh caught seafood, an in-house gourmet kitchen, a cheese shoppe and deli, along with many other local products highlighting the agricultural bounty Long Island has to offer. Farmingdale’s open concept kitchen will feature a sushi bar, Mongolian grill, hearth pizza oven, wok, BBQ station, and hot/cold buffet bar.

Customers can expect to see some new surprises while shopping at Farmingdale: selfiespots located throughout the store to capture the location’s energy and excitement, and a free ice cream with every $100 spent.

Stew Leonard’s Farmingdale is located at 261 Airport Plaza, Farmingdale, N.Y. 11735. Regular store hours are Monday through Sunday 8 a.m. – 10 p.m. The store can be reached directly at 516-962-8210.

Key Food had acquired SuperFresh brand

Key Food acquired SuperFresh brand from A&P, and is planning to open several stores under SuperFresh brand in the future.

Key Food had acquired 24 stores from A&P in 2015. SuperFresh stores operated in Philadelphia, Baltimore-Washington and New Orleans.

SuperFresh banner will be used for larger format stores in suburban areas where Key Food plans to rebrand certain existing stores, as well as with new store acquisitions.

Save Mart to close 2 stores

Save Mart Supermarkets will close two struggling stores in the Sacramento area by March 19.

Save Mart stores that will be closed are located at 8839 Greenback Lane in Orangevale, and at 2735 Marconi Ave., in the Town & Country Village shopping center, Sacramento. The 2 stores to be closed have about 100 people employed.

Save Mart operates more than 200 stores in California and Nevada, with more than 10 stores in the Sacramento region.

ShopRite will start selling premium PL frozen shrimp

ShopRite, a grocery retailer with stores in the Nord-East will start to sell frozen shrimp that is preservative- and antibiotic-free.

The shrimp earned four stars for environmental and social responsibility from the Global Aquaculture Alliance. The Shrimp is available in cooked or raw frozen varieties.

The farms where ShopRite shrimp are raised follow responsible practices that minimize environmental impacts, respect worker rights, and produce food safely and sustainably.

Burger King will sell hot dogs

The restaurant chain will start selling hot dogs, in the biggest Burger King menu change in decades. With this change, the fast food chain wants to increase the sales at its restaurants.

Burger King plans to launch the hog dogs menu on February 23. Burger King says it is returning to its roots as a traditional fast-food outlet, after trying to offer salads and other healthier fare in the past with little success.
Other fast foods restaurants offer more healthier menus, like Chipotle, which says that its food is prepared with fresh ingredients.
Burger King said that hot dogs are the biggest menu addition since it started selling chicken in the 1970s.

Target Upgrades Market Pantry Brand

Target Market Pantry brand, which includes more than 1,900 products had received a new packaging, a more joyful look.

Target’s Market Pantry brand has become the go-to for busy guests and their families. The Market Pantry line offers every food product found on a grocery list, with trustworthy ingredients and affordable prices. In the 15 years since it first landed on the shelves, Market Pantry has grown into Target’s largest owned food brand, and one of our 10 owned brands that bring in $1 billion or more in annual sales.

“Turns out, guests loved Market Pantry’s great taste, quality and low prices, but they thought the packaging designs fell a little flat,” says Amanda Irish, vice president merchandise manager, Owned Brands. “Target’s known for great design, but the current, generic look and feel of Market Pantry just wasn’t reflecting that.”

The new look incorporates bright colors against a consistent red and white base, and varied background patterns that can be customized to fit packages of all sizes and shapes.

Hy-Vee sources all seafood from sustainable sources

Hy-Vee achieved 100 Percent of Grocery Store’s Fresh and Private Label Frozen Seafood Now Comes from Responsible Sources.

In 2011, Hy-Vee committed to procuring its fresh and frozen seafood from environmentally responsible sources by the end of 2015.

Hy-Vee’s intent is to sell high-quality seafood that is not only safe for consumption but also harvested or raised in a manner that provides for its long-term viability while minimizing damage to the environment and other sea life. To follow through on those commitments, Hy-Vee chose to transition all of its fresh and private label farmed salmon to responsible sources rated Yellow or Green by Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch Program, and supplement those options with wild Alaskan salmon.

“When you purchase Hy-Vee seafood, you are supporting best practices that will help ensure a healthy supply of seafood for generations to come,” said Greg Frampton, Hy-Vee’s vice president of meat and seafood operations. “Hy-Vee’s sustainability mission is to protect ocean resources and do business in a manner that promotes the well-being of our customers, employees, communities and the global environment.”

In 2016, Hy-Vee will expand its Responsible Choice Seafood Program to include other seafood categories, including shelf-stable tuna and sushi. With these additions, its 240 grocery stores can continue to maximize their impact on conservation and lessen their impact on the environment.

Hy-Vee is an employee-owned corporation operating 240 retail stores across eight Midwestern states with sales of $9.3 billion annually.

Winn-Dixie Opens Next Generation Store in Baymeadows

Winn-Dixie Baymeadows is an entirely new store concept. With a focus on stunning quality food, serving with personality and great value, this store has been tailored to the Baymeadows community and represents the start of an extensive Winn-Dixie store remodel program for 2016.

Ian McLeod, President and CEO of Southeastern Grocers – home of BI-LO, Harveys and Winn-Dixie said, “This store provides us with an opportunity to redefine what Winn-Dixie can provide for its customers in a contemporary, friendly and exciting in-store environment focused on stunning quality fresh food, specialty stores-within-stores and very competitive prices.”

“We are planning around 50 store remodels this year and believe this store represents a step change from where we have been, as well as a clear indicator on how we intend to satisfy our customers’ needs in the future,” continued Ian McLeod.

Sourcing from over 50 Florida farms, the store will feature quality produce displayed on ice, to maintain freshness and expanded varieties, including prickly pears, lychees and dragon fruit, and over 100 fresh, organic items.

Winn-Dixie Baymeadows offers over 4,000 natural and organic products and hosts the brand new, health food store-within-a-store called Naturally Better. Over 2,600 of these natural and organic products will be completely new.

The Kitchen will offer customers an in-house, stone hearth pizza oven and smokehouse. Brisket and pulled pork will be slow cooked in house for 10 - 12 hours, and Winn-Dixie chefs are making a signature pizza sauce and marinades from scratch.

Customers can pick up a hot brew of steaming coffee at the Café. With a trained barista on the team and coffee beans roasted on-site, customers can order a latte, cappuccino, espresso or cup of “Joe” and either sit and enjoy at the café style seating or conveniently place in their shopping cart’s cup holder – to sip their way down the aisles.

Other store features include:
Deli with more than 350 local and international artisanal cheeses and a trained American Cheese Society Certified Cheese Steward on-hand with recommendations and pairings. There will be up to 30-40 local artisanal cheeses, and this will be the first Winn-Dixie to offer a full-range of grass-fed cheeses.

Butcherto feature 100 percent natural Adena Meats and Florida Frank’s grass-fed, natural beef and organic chicken, USDA Choice Prime beef steaks, dry aged beef, Berkshire pork, Boar ribs and an expanded assortment of fresh sausages and natural packaged meats. There will be a dry aging meat case, in which chosen cuts of meat can be custom aged to a customer’s liking.

Bakery department includes fresh, hot mini-donuts made in-store, full dessert case featuring specialty cakes, a patisserie with local cupcakes from Cupcake 50 Etc., cheesecakes from the Cheesecake Factory and assorted artisanal breads. There will be at least 10 varieties of artisanal breads baked daily and 11 flavors of gluten-free bread. Customers will also enjoy bagels and butter croissants baked fresh daily.

A full-service seafood departmentoffering shoppers a variety of seafood assortments, including 4-Star BAP certified sustainable salmon and fresh catch of the day.

Winn-Dixie Baymeadows has also been designed to make shopping a little easier for parents. The store features mini shopping carts for children and educational engagement throughout the store, with “moo moo!” and “cluck cluck!” sound features located near the milk and eggs.

How to buy groceries online?

Google And Instacart offer the opportunity to shop for groceries online, from the comfort of your couch.
With traditional grocery stores offering a limited selection of products online, Google Shopping Express offers the solution to shop online from multiple stores, without the need to go to every website.

After purchasing the groceries your need, Instacart takes the groceries from the store to your house.
Instacart charges a fee for each delivery, starting as low as $2.99. For a membership fee, Instacart delivers all groceries to your house for free, and Google Shopping Express offers unlimited deliveries for a year with a $95 membership fee.

Lidl plans to enter into the United States market

Lidl has launched a new website detailing its preferred site criteria, and guidelines for potential suppliers, part of an effort to acquire sites for its US expansion.

Lidl intends to build stand-alone stores of 36,000 square feet in dense population markets in eight East Coast states between New Jersey and Georgia.

Lidl US, is a division of German retailer Schwarz Group, one of the largest grocery retailers in Europe. Lidl has more than 6,000 stores, located almost everywhere in Europe. About 3,000 stores are in Germany, making Germany Lidl's biggest national market.

Gelson's Markets opened a store in the Coachella Valley-area

Gelson’s Markets, one of California’s premier supermarket chains, opened its first-ever Coachella Valley-area store, located at 36-101 Bob Hope Drive in Rancho Mirage, on Thursday, January 28.
Gelson’s thanked its first 200 customers with a special gift bag valued at $20. In addition, all customers will have the opportunity to sample featured merchandise and dishes throughout opening week.

"Gelson’s has been looking for a great desert location for nearly 15 years, and we’re excited to come to Rancho Mirage,” says Gelson’s President & CEO Rob McDougall. “Our goal is to serve the local community by providing premium-quality merchandise and exceptional customer service, while also re-employing many of the dedicated employees of the former Haggen store."

Gelson’s remodeled the existing store, which now features new salad, hot foods and antipasti bars; a carving cart within the service deli; wellness set; and an enhanced juice and cut fruits counter. The Rancho Mirage store also features upgraded check stands and a customer service desk to facilitate the company’s signature service offerings.

The supermarket chain, long revered by chefs, celebrities and foodies in Los Angeles and Orange County, purchased eight Southern California locations from Haggen after the chain filed for bankruptcy in late 2015. Reopening quickly with some essential improvements was a priority in order to re-employ existing Haggen associates, some of whom have worked at the location for many years under previous ownership. A more extensive remodeling is slated later in 2016.

Gelson’s currently operates 18 full-service specialty grocery stores in Southern California. Each Gelson’s Market features the full amenities of a traditional supermarket, with the local flavor of a neighborhood market.

Sobeys to lower prices for produce

Sobeys, a Canadian grocery chain, has said that it would reduce prices on a large number of produce items at the Sobeys and Safeway stores.
The retailer will also offer weekly produce picks based on best quality, and tips from Chef Jamie Oliver.
A combined flyer for Sobeys and Safeway will be launched from January 29, 2016.
The retailer will introduce hundreds of new products, including private label products, and Western Canadian Sterling Silver AAA aged beef.
Sobeys is the second largest food retailer in Canada, with over 1,500 supermarkets operating under a variety of banners.

Coborn's will offer Supervalu products

Coborn’s will offer to all stores products from the Supervalu. The retailer used the AFM wholesaler products for the four stores brought from Affiliated Foods Midwest.
Coborn's realized that the transportation was complicated by moving private label for all stores to Supervalu and also moving to Supervalu for all products at the Marketplace stores.
Coborn’s operates 54 supermarkets in Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, Illinois and Wisconsin.
Coborn’s uses Topco’s Food Club as its private label.

Where to buy Hispanic/Latino Groceries in the United States

The Hispanic population in the United States is projected to double until 2050, to over $100 million. This trend will represent a big opportunity for grocery stores that cater to this community.
Already there are over 50 supermarket chains that sell mostly Latino groceries, and the store number increases every year.

Some of the most important Hispanic Grocery Store chains that can be found in the United States:
Baja Ranch Supermarket
Carnicerias Jimenez – Chicago area
Cardenas Supermarkets – with stores in Riverside and San Bernardino counties, California.
Compare Foods – stores in New York City, Long Island, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and North Carolina.
Fiesta Mart – Fiesta currently has 60 stores open in the Houston, Austin, and Dallas-Fort Worth markets.
Food Bazaar Supermarkets – with stores in Connecticut, New Jersey, New York.
Food City – stores in Arizona.
Foodarama – 10 grocery stores throughout Houston and the surrounding areas.
González Northgate – 40 stores in the Los Angeles, San Diego, and Orange County, California.
Ideal Market – stores in Pennsylvania.
Presidente – 30 stores across Miami-Dade to Palm Beach County, Florida.
Los Altos Ranch Market – 10 stores in the Southwest.
R Ranch Markets – stores located in the Southern California.
El Rancho Supermarket – Garland, Dallas, Austin, Lewisville, Cockrell Hill, Fort Worth, Airlington and Odessa, Texas.
Rancho Markets – stores opened in West Valley City, Kearns, Provo, Magna, Ogden, Salt Lake City – Utah. Savings available every week at Rancho Markets Weekly Ad
El Rio Grande Latin Market – stores are located in Texas.
El Super – with stores in Los Angeles, Southern Nevada and Phoenix. Savings available every week at El Super Weekly Ads
Vallarta Supermarkets – 47 stores through out California.

Read more here: Hispanic Grocery Stores Weekly Ads

Festival Foods will start selling natural pork and organic chicken

The success of the grass-fed beef program is prompting Festival Foods retailer to expand its offerings to natural pork and organic chicke“We want to create a destination point for the guest that requires or desires that type of product.

"We are getting many good guest comments on the grass-fed beef, from the standpoint of both edibility/quality and health attributes", Mike Zimmerman, senior meat and seafood director at Festival Foods.

Festival Foods had introduced grass-fed beef in all stores at the end of last year. With the price for organic food coming down, customers are demanding more organic selections in the meat, dairy or produce departments.

Festival Foods operates more than 20 full-service, state-of-the art supermarkets and employs more than 5,000 full and part-time associates.

FreshDirect offers 1-hour delivery

Online retailer FreshDirect has launched an app called FoodKick, that offers food selections, and one-hour delivery.
The app is geared to urban consumers, and features daily food selections, customizable meal ideas and solutions, produce, meat, fish, dairy.

FreshDirect will also highlight new and limited time offerings from partners like Cocktail Courier, Indie Fresh, Hungry Root and Mille-feuille.
The one-hour delivery is only available to customers in Brooklyn and Queens. First-time customers will get free delivery for the first 30 days on qualified orders.

FreshDirect is an online retailer that offers groceries to residences and offices in the New York City metropolitan area. FreshDirect prepares groceries and meals for its customers, with a manufacturing practice called Just In Time that reduces waste and improves quality and freshness.

Walmart will close 269 stores

Walmart had declared that it would close 269 stores, 154 of them in the US, including all of its 102 Walmart Express small-format stores.
The decision to close the stores follows a review of the retailer's portfolio initiated in October to ensure its stores were aligned with its strategy, according to the company.
The stores to be closed are less than 1% of the retailer stores worldwide, which stood at over 11,000. The closures are expected to impact 16,000 employees, including 10,000 in the US.
Walmart declared that it will open more than 300 stores around the world next year.
The retailer is the biggest in the world, with revenues of about $500 billion.

99 Ranch Market will expand to the East Coast

99 Ranch Market is going to open its first East Coast stores in Edison, Jersey City, and Hackensack. The store will provide the freshest produce and highest quality grocery products at incredible prices to the residents in the east coast.
99 Ranch Market was established in 1984, with its first store in Westminster, California. With the support of loyal customers and local communities, 99 Ranch Market is now the leading Asian Supermarket chains in the United States, with over 40 store locations in California, Nevada, Texas and Washington State. From fresh seafood and produce to incredible selection of groceries and frozen or prepared foods.
99 Ranch Market is hiring employees for all department, management trainees, bakers, and cashiers. The store offers great benefit program which include 401(k), comprehensive medical, dental and life insurance plans.

Aldi will introduce healthier checklanes

Aldi will introduce healthier checklanes at its stores, stocked with single serve nuts, trail mixes, dried fruit and granola bars instead of chocolate and candy. The healthier checklanes will be introduced at about 1,500 locations, by year's end.
The retailer checkout zones will offer fruit and nuts instead of chocolate and candy.
In an effort to offer better food options to its customers, Aldi’s private label products, are now free of certified synthetic colors, partially hydrogenated oils and added MSG.
Aldi's milk is free of artificial growth hormones for years, according to the retailer, and it has a committed to ensure that the milk used to make yogurts, sour cream and cottage cheese, has no artificial growth hormones.
Aldi is one of the biggest discount retailer in the world, with operations in Germany, UK, US, Australia.

McDonald's Sales Go Up Powered by All-Day Breakfast Menu

McDonald's had posted its best U.S. quarterly sales in nearly four years, driven by all-day breakfast menu sales.
The fast food chain had struggled lately to remain relevant with consumers, amid intense competition from other fast food restaurants.
Earlier this month, McDonald's introduced a value menu that is expected to increase the company sales. Its new McPick 2 menu allows customers to pick a pair of items for a total of $2 from four choices: mozzarella sticks, small fries and the McDouble and McChicken sandwiches.
McDonald's reported quarterly profit of $1.21 billion, or $1.31 a share, up from $1.1 billion, or $1.13 a share, a year earlier. Revenue declined 3.5% to $6.34 billion, in the quarter.

Walmart Canada will charge customers 5 cents for plastic bags

Walmart Canada will begin to charge customers in British Columbia five cents for every plastic bag, from February 9, 2016. Over the coming months all Walmart Canada stores will charge customers for the use of plastic bags.
The reusable bags will be sold for 25 cents. Walmart Canada has a zero waste commitment, and with this move the company expects to be closer of achieving this target.
Walmart Canada affirms that it has already removed 72% of its waste from municipal landfills. Some of the revenue from the plastic bag fee will be used to support plastic film recycling initiatives.
Walmart is the biggest retailer in the world, with about $500 billion in revenues, ahead of warehouse club retailer Costco and Carrefour from France.

Top Fast Food Consumption Countries

Fast Food restaurants are popular all over the world. The typical menu items common in all fast food restaurants include fries, pizza, wings, burgers, nuggets, hamburgers, salads, sandwiches, and more.
Food served in fast food restaurants is cooked in bulk in advance and kept hot; is finished and packaged to order; and is usually available ready to take away, from a limited menu.
Here are the top 10 countries with the most fast food consumption.

1. United States
2. France
3. Canada
4. United Kingdom
5. South Korea
6. Japan
7. Austria
8. Germany
9. Switzerland
10. Japan

All countries are wealthy, which means that in order to eat at fast food restaurants you need to have money. In poor countries people don't have enough money to pay for fast food, and in this countries people tend to eat cooked meals at home.

Salma Hayek cosmetics will have new and improved formulations

Salma Hayek will replace the color cosmetics of her Nuance brand with new products, due to be rolled out in CVS pharmacies, from March.
The new cosmetics will include eye shadows, a cream concealer, moisturizing lipstick, brow pencil, cream illuminators and shadow sticks, all repackaged and reformulated.
CVS has high hopes for the new exclusive make-up range, which will be formulated with anti-aging and skin care ingredients. Nuance Salma Hayek is currently number one among CVS’ exclusive brands.
CVS is one of the biggest retailers in the United States, with about 9,000 stores, and revenues that exceed $65 billion.

McDonald's sells McCafe Coffee in supermarkets

McDonald's McCafe coffee line can be found in most supermarkets and big box stores, like Albertsons, Kroger, Target, Walmart, and CVS. The McCafe premium roast sold in McDonald's restaurants is produced by Kraft, and sold in 12-ounce bags of ground coffee and 12- and 18-count K-Cup packs.

McDonald's has redesigned their cups to be more appealing to carry around, and introduced latte-style drinks designed to compete with Starbucks - the well renowned coffee shop in the world.

McDonald’s menu prices are very competitive, with fast food meals that start from $1 a piece for its value menu. McDonald’s is the world’s largest fast food chain, with restaurants in over 120 countries, selling hamburgers and Big Mac's.

Top 10 Electronics Retailers in the United States

The biggest electronics retailer in the United States is Best Buy, with sales that top $30 billion. The retailer has stores in US, Canada and Mexico. The sales were almost flat in the last 4 years, but trending lower, from  $32.99 billion in 2010 to just over $30 billion in 2014.

On the second place, with sales that reached $29 billion, Hewlett Packard is ahead of retailer Amazon, which grew faster in the last years, from only $9 billion in 2010 to $25 billion in 2014. On this pace, Amazon will became the number one electronics retailer in the United States, in the coming years.

The biggest decline in sales was registered by Dell, sales decreased from over $35 billion in 2010 to $19 billion in 2014.

Top 10 Electronics Retailers in the United States

1. Best Buy - $30.55 billion

2. Hewlett Packard - $29.02 billion

3. Amazon.com - $25.04 billion

4. Walmart - $22.9 billion

5. Dell - $19.2 billion

6. Apple Computer Retail Stores - $15.45 billion

7. CDW Corporation - $12.07 billion

8. Target - $7.39 billion

9. Staples - $7.2 billion

10. GameStop - $6.45 billion

Source: Statista.com

Target will launch its own nail care range - defy & INSPIRE

Target is launching defy & INSPIRE, a new nail care collection available exclusively at Target.
The collection will further boost the company’s two main categories; fashion and beauty. The nail color line will carry 38 different shades as well as a top coat and base, and will be rolled out into all 1,800 Target stores as well as online from 17th January. The products will cost $7.49 each.
The line boasts a patented formula that delivers a no-chip mani/pedi without the hassle of lights or other tools.
“Our guests love coming to Target because we make it easy and affordable for them to update their look, whether that’s a new throw pillow, skirt or fresh new nail color,” said Dawn Block, senior vice president, Target.com, mobile and beauty merchandising, Target. “defy & INSPIRE is the most recent addition to Target’s roster of exclusive brands, offering our guests access to the latest beauty technology and affording them the ability to achieve salon-quality results in the convenience of their own home.”
The products are aimed at budget-conscious consumers, and is part of a initiative to sell quality, affordable products.

Hand Chemistry - the best-selling hand and body product at Boots

A Canadian anti-aging hand cream has become one of the top-selling products in the UK within weeks of its launch.
“Canadians don’t like Canadian brands. They don’t think they’re sophisticated,” Brandon Truaxe, Founder of Hand Chemistry parent company Deciem told The Globe and Mail. “Yes, MAC came from here, but in a global context no one thinks of Canada as a beauty powerhouse. But it just takes a few for all that to change, and hopefully we will be one of them.”
The rumor is that UK consumers are using it as a face cream rather than on their hands as intended.

Wegmans bans cosmetics containing microbeads

Wegmans, the US based grocery chain will remove cosmetics containing microbeads from its shelves, starting February, 2016.

Tiny plastic microbeads are causing big environmental concerns in waterways, prompting Wegmans Food Markets to remove all personal care products containing this ingredient from store shelves by mid-February 2016. Wegmans has communicated about discontinuing these products directly with its affected customers and offered substitution suggestions.


Microbeads are found in some face washes, body scrubs and toothpaste formulas. These synthetic plastic particles, smaller than pin heads, pass through drains, slipping through waste water treatment plants and into natural waterways. They do not break down in the aquatic environment. Recent studies reveal that these particles can become coated with other toxins and some marine species ingest these contaminants. The Great Lakes have been identified as having large concentrations of microbeads.

Microbeads, seen as a threat to aquatic life, are prompting proposed legislation in several states across the country. A proposal to ban microplastics in New York State stalled, but an Erie County (New York) microbead ban will take effect in February 2016. Wegmans has 11 stores in the Erie County/Buffalo area, and made the decision to remove microbead products from all 88 store locations.

“We feel this is the right thing to do for the communities we serve,” says Mary Ellen Burris, Wegmans senior vice-president of consumer affairs. “It falls under our sustainability mission to make responsible decisions that positively impact people, business and the environment.”

Wegmans Non-Foods Quality Assurance Manager Betsy Crater conducted an in-house inventory to confirm that no Wegmans brand products contain microbeads. She also identified the national brand health and beauty items with microbeads sold at Wegmans stores. Products include some popular pore cleansers, body scrubs, acne washes and toothpastes, and account for a small percentage of overall personal care sales. Makers of these items are already in the process of reformulating ingredients to phase out microbeads.

While some products may be reformulated quickly, some skin care formulas may take up to a year, according to Jessi Chichelli, a Wegmans category merchant who oversees health and beauty products. She’s worked closely with suppliers to understand the expected timelines for new formulas to appear on the shelves and recommend product substitutions to try in the meantime.

Wegmans Food Markets is an 88-store supermarket chain with stores in New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Virginia, Maryland, and Massachusetts.

Source: Wegmans.com

Cartridge World Launches Free Printer Lease Program

Cartridge World launched an internet and radio advertising campaign to promote the No-Cost Printer Lease program across the United States. The program gives free access to the latest printing technology to companies of all sizes, schools and non-profit organizations. The equipment includes color and monochrome printers that copy, scan, fax and print – even from mobile devices.

Whether a business prints a dozen or 1,000 copies a day, Cartridge World provides everything a company needs to print. This includes printers, printer cartridges, paper, service, maintenance and recycling. Plus, Cartridge World’s No-Cost Printer Lease is a new alternative for businesses versus signing expensive multi-year copier contracts or buying fleets of printers at office supply stores. Details can be found at www.FreePrinterDeal.com.

“Cartridge World’s program revolutionizes the way copier companies and superstores trained corporate America to buy printers,” said Tom McLaughlin, North American Marketing Director. “With the No-Cost Printer Lease, business customers will not only use printers for free, but also benefit from saving 20-30 percent on printing supplies. They can save hundreds to thousands of dollars annually.”

The No-Cost Printer Lease program is simple, says Cartridge World. First, a company completes a questionnaire to describe their needs. Second, if the company’s printing volume meets minimum requirements, Cartridge World will present various equipment and supply options. This includes printers from suppliers such as HP, Brother, Canon, etc. Then Cartridge World will lock in prices for printing supplies for a 1- to 2-year plan for the customer.

McLaughlin explained, “As long as customers buy their printing supplies for the printers from Cartridge World, they can use the printers for free. The No-Cost Printer Lease is ideal for small and medium-sized companies and budget-strapped schools and non-profits.”

Cartridge World also offers free next-day delivery for printing supplies, service and support on printers, and cartridge recycling. “At a time when office superstores are merging and consolidating services, Cartridge World is expanding,” he added. “Whether a company needs 1 or 100 printers, they could qualify for the program and eliminate the high cost of hardware and over-priced supplies and service.” See participating locations for details.

With 450 retail locations across the United States, Canada and Mexico, Cartridge World is the only international franchise that provides full-service printing solutions for businesses and consumers. For information about Cartridge World’s printing products or recycling programs, visit a local Cartridge World store or www.CartridgeWorld.com.

Source: Cartridge World

Fred's December Total Sales Increased 10%

Fred's total sales for the month increased 10% to $231.9 million from $210.7 million in December 2014. Excluding $8.0 million from last year's December sales related to 47 subsequently closed locations, total sales increased 14% for the month. Comparable store sales for the month rose 2.4% compared with a decline of 1.4% in the year-earlier period.

Fred's total sales for the first 11 months of 2015 increased 9% to $1.994 billion from $1.830 billion for the same period last year. Excluding sales of $71.7 million from stores closed mainly in late 2014, total sales increased 13% for the first 11 months of 2015. On a comparable store basis, year-to-date sales increased 1.5% versus a decline of 1.0% for the year-earlier period.

Commenting on the announcement, Jerry A. Shore, Chief Executive Officer, said, "We are pleased to report solid sales results for December, which reflected the success of our merchandising programs designed for the holiday season and, in the case of total sales, recent growth in our specialty pharmacy department. December comparable store sales were driven by strong general merchandise department sales, with increases in holiday gift-giving categories as well as continued balance in our sales mix across all categories. On the other hand, comparable sales for our retail pharmacy department were negatively affected in December by a very low incidence of cold and flu activity, which reduced December overall comparable store sales by approximately 125 basis points.

"As we enter the last month of fiscal 2015 and move into 2016, we do so with confidence built on the successful programs and process improvements we made during this past year," Shore continued. "Our team is well aligned to extend this success with additional initiatives in the coming year to drive stronger financial returns for fiscal 2016."

Fred's, Inc. and subsidiaries operate 659 discount general merchandise stores and three specialty pharmacy-only locations in 15 states in the southeastern United States.

Source: Fred's

Barnes & Noble Holiday Sales Results

Barnes & Noble reported sales for the nine-week holiday period ending January 2, 2016. Core comparable store sales, which exclude NOOK products, increased 1.6%, marking the second consecutive holiday increase.

“We are pleased with the performance of our bookstores during the holiday period, with core comparable store sales increasing 1.6% on top of a 1.7% increase a year ago," said Ron Boire, Chief Executive Officer of Barnes & Noble, Inc. "We were also encouraged by the improved performance of BN.com during December, as the site remained stable and traffic improved through the holiday period. As we look ahead, we see further opportunities to improve the experience and increase conversion on BN.com.”

Retail sales, which include Barnes & Noble stores and BN.com, were $1.1 billion, decreasing 0.8% due to lower online sales and store closures. Comparable store sales, including NOOK products, increased 0.6% for the holiday period.

NOOK sales of $41.2 million decreased 25.8%. Digital content sales were $21.3 million and device and accessory sales were $19.9 million for the holiday period.

Based on the holiday sales results, the Company continues to expect fiscal 2016 core comparable store sales to increase approximately 1%, and comparable store sales to be approximately flat. The Company also continues to expect full fiscal year EBITDA losses in the NOOK segment to decline versus the prior year.

Barnes & Noble is the nation’s largest retail bookseller, and a leading retailer of content, digital media and educational products. The Company operates 640 Barnes & Noble bookstores in 50 states, and one of the Web’s premier e-commerce sites, BN.com (www.bn.com).

Source: Barnes & Noble

Merchant Trends from 2015

ShopKeep, the cloud-based point of sale and business management solution used by more than 20,000 small businesses across the U.S., released new data highlighting interesting trends seen in 2015 from across its merchant base.

Specifically the data helped to portray not only the daily activity of a small business merchant, but also how ShopKeep merchants interact with their point of sale system. Key trends include:
• On average, ShopKeep merchants start selling at 6:42am and close at 9:49pm
• Most merchants take a break at 11:45am
• The ShopKeep Pocket app, allowing merchants to easily view store data, was checked the most during the hours of 1pm-3pm
• ShopKeep’s 24/7 customer care service, offered free to all merchants 365 days of the year, is busiest on Tuesdays

The data also highlighted trends specific to ShopKeep’s retail, QSR and FSRB merchants:
• Retail has its highest sales months in July and August, and lowest in January and February
• 10am is the average sale start time for clothing stores
• Quick serve restaurants do the most transactions between 12pm and 1pm
• November 25th was the busiest day of the year for liquor stores, while gift shops saw the most sales on December 12th

With tens of thousands of small business owners relying on ShopKeep’s sophisticated iPad POS system, and benefitting from the systems’ varied reporting features and backend analytics, the anonymized data paints a valuable and insightful picture of the U.S. small business landscape.

About ShopKeep: ShopKeep provides an intuitive, secure, iPad point-of-sale system with POS software that empowers merchants to run smarter businesses by optimizing staffing, regulating inventory and accessing sales reports and customer information on one seamless, cloud-based platform. With more than 20,000 customers.

Kroger buys Roundy's grocery retailer

Kroger announced the successful completion of Kroger's tender offer to purchase all outstanding shares of Roundy's common stock for $3.60 per share in cash.

"This merger blends Roundy's complementary markets with Kroger's strengths in scale and merchandising. Our future together is bright, and we look forward to learning from each other as partners," said Rodney McMullen, Kroger's chairman and CEO. "Most of all, we want to welcome each of Roundy's more than 22,000 associates to the Kroger family of stores."

"We look forward to bringing together the best of Roundy's and Kroger for our customers and associates," said Bob Mariano, who will continue to lead Roundy's as president and CEO. He has served as chairman, president and chief executive officer of Roundy's since 2002. "Our merger with Kroger will help us continue to exceed our customers' expectations."

Kroger says that while it expects to have a cost savings of $40 million over time, it doesn’t plan to close any stores.

Roundy’s exited the Minneapolis-St. Paul market last year, selling 18 Rainbow stores to a group of local grocery retailers for $65 million.

Kroger, is one of the world's largest retailers, employs more than 422,000 associates who serve customers in 2,774 supermarkets and multi-department stores in 35 states and the District of Columbia under two dozen local banner names including Kroger, City Market, Dillons, Food 4 Less, Fred Meyer, Fry's, Harris Teeter, Jay C, King Soopers, Mariano's, Pick 'n Save, QFC, Ralphs and Smith's.

Staples has Launched New Next Day Guarantee Tech Services to Help Keep Small Businesses Running Smoothly

Staples makes more happen for small businesses with its new Next Day Guarantee Staples Tech Services. The suite of Staples Tech Services includes PC services that now come with a Next Day Guarantee to quickly and correctly fix tech issues to help keep businesses running smoothly. Select Staples stores also offer mobile phone and tablet repairs.

A recent Staples survey found that the majority of small business leaders would find guaranteed next day service for technology issues valuable. The new Next Day Guarantee from Staples Tech Services delivers fast, quality solutions including PC set up, data transfer, software upgrades, virus removal and more.

The Next Day Guarantee ensures that PC’s brought into Staples stores by Noon will be serviced by 5PM the next day -- or the repairs are free (excluding hardware repairs, unbootable PCs, off-premise services and subject to store hours).

“Staples customers rely on technology to keep their business running, and we are committed to providing quick and efficient tech services for the total lifecycle of their technology,” said Peter Scala, executive vice president, merchandising at Staples. “Whether our customers need tech support in store, online, at home or in the office, our new Staples Tech Services make solutions happen and help keep business running smoothly.”

For more information on Staples Tech services, visit: www.staples.com/techservices.

In addition, Staples Tech Services will offer mobile phone and tablet repair in select Staples stores. Mobile repairs include replacements for cracked screens, poor batteries, broken home buttons and more. All of Staples mobile phone and tablet repairs are made with the highest quality parts and come with a limited 1-year warranty.

Staples Tech Services provides all of the tech support small businesses need such as PC tune-ups, virus and malware removal, data recovery and IT support. And customers can feel confident knowing they are getting the lowest prices on technology products and services with every day guaranteed low prices, the back-to-business 110% Price Match Guarantee and the Business Less List.

About the Survey
This survey of 998 small business leaders was conducted using Research Now and was live from December 10, 2015 – December 17, 2015.

About Staples:
Headquartered outside of Boston, Staples operates throughout North and South America, Europe, Asia, Australia and New Zealand.

What are the most visited stores in US?

About half of all American shoppers had visited the biggest retailer in the world, Walmart. Among the stores most visited by consumers are CVS and Walgreens, the biggest drugstore retailers in America, with over 15,000 stores together.
The most popular stores are primarily in the fast-food, discount retail and pharmacy area, according with Placed, a data service company that monitors the behavior of more than 150,000 American consumers daily.

The most visited stores in US

1. Walmart - the retailer has over 4,500 stores in US, and is the biggest retailer in the world, with about $500 billion in revenue. Over 50% of American shoppers go to a Walmart location every month.

2. McDonalds's - the fast-food restaurant chain has over 15,000 stores in US, and revenues of about $18 billion. The fast-food locations are visited by about 50% of Americans every month.

3. Subway - with over 27,000 stores the fast-food chain is visited by about 40% of US shoppers.

4. Starbucks - the well known coffee chain has grown to over 12,000 stores, and about 30% of all shoppers go to a Starbucks every month.

5. Walgreens - with about 9,000 stores, Walgreens locations are visited by about 29% of all US shoppers every month. The retailer sells health products, grocery, cosmetics, and general merchandise.

Source: USA TODAY

Top 100 World Retailers by Revenue

In 2013 the retail landscape remained dominated by big US and Europe retailers. The biggest retailer was Walmart with $476 billion in revenue and over $16 billion in net income. The second place is at some distance, with only $105 billion in revenue, and a net income of $2 billion, Costco is ahead of Europe retailers Carrefour (France) and Schwarz (Germany), which are coming close to $100 billion in revenue.

Complete list of the first 100 world retailers
Rank Company Country Revenue (US$m) Net Income (US$m)

1 Wal-Mart Stores Inc. U.S. $476,294 $16,695
2 Costco Wholesale Corporation U.S. $105,156 $2,061
3 Carrefour S.A.        France       $98,688         $1,812
4 Schwarz Unternehmens Treuhand KG Germany $98,662 n/a
5 Tesco PLC U.K. $98,631 $1,529
6 The Kroger Co. U.S. $98,375 $1,531
7 Metro Ag Germany $86,393 $588
8 Aldi Einkauf GmbH & Co. oHG Germany $81,090 n/a
9 The Home Depot Inc. U.S. $78,812 $5,385
10 Target Corporation U.S. $72,596 $1,971
11 Walgreen Co. U.S. $72,217 $2,450
12 CVS Caremark Corporation U.S. $65,618 $4,592
13 Casino Guichard-Perrachon S.A. France $63,468 $2,023
14 Groupe Auchan SA France $62,444 $1,109
15 Amazon.com Inc. U.S. $60,903 $274
16 Edeka Zentrale AG & Co. KG Germany $59,704 n/a
17 Aeon Co. Inc. Japan $57,986 $835
18 Woolworths Limited Australia $54,457 $2,258
19 Seven & i Holdings Co. Inc. Japan $54,258 $1,890
20 Lowe's Companies Inc. U.S. $53,417 $2,286
21 Rewe Combine Germany $51,109 $266
22 Wesfarmers Limited Australia $50,711 $2,076
23 Centres Distributeurs E. Leclerc France $47,671 n/a
24 Koninklijke Ahold N.V. Netherlands $43,321 $3,370
25 Best Buy Co. Inc. U.S. $42,410 $523
26 J Sainsbury plc U.K. $38,031 $1,138
27 ITM Développement International France $37,351 n/a
28 The IKEA Group (INGKA Holding B.V.) Netherlands $36,495 $4,339
29 Sears Holdings Corp. U.S. $36,188 ($1,116)
30 Safeway Inc. U.S. $35,011 $3,522
31 Loblaw Companies Limited Canada $30,697 $612
32 Publix Super Markets Inc. U.S. $29,148 $1,654
33 Delhaize Group SA Belgium $28,037 $243
34 Macy's Inc. U.S. $27,931 $1,486
35 Wm Morrison Supermarkets PLC U.K. $27,739 ($373)
36 The TJX Companies Inc. U.S. $27,423 $2,137
37 Rite Aid Corporation U.S. $25,526 $249
38 Migros-Genossenschafts Bund Switzerland $25,010 $847
39 Système U, Centrale Nationale France $24,706 n/a
40 Lotte Shopping Co. Inc. S. Korea $24,601 $810
41 LVMH Moët Hennessy - Louis Vuitton S.A. France $24,392 $5,243
42 Mercadona S.A. Spain $23,954 $684
43 Albertson's LLC U.S. $23,000 n/a
44 Inditex S.A. Spain $22,265 $3,171
45 H.E. Butt Grocery Company U.S. $20,330 n/a
46 Apple Inc. / Apple Retail Stores U.S. $20,228 $37,037
47 Cencosud S.A. Chile $19,855 $505
48 Empire Company Limited Canada $19,829 $230
49 H & M Hennes & Mauritz AB Sweden $19,729 $2,632
50 Coop Group Switzerland $19,529 $592
51 A.S. Watson Group Hong Kong SAR $19,230 n/a
51 Kohl's Corporation U.S. $19,031 $889
52 Yamada Denki Co. Inc. Japan $18,921 $199
54 Groupe Adeo SA France $18,197 n/a
55 OJSC "Magnit" Russia $18,197 $1,118
56 Dollar General Corporation U.S. $17,504 $1,025
57 Kingfisher plc U.K. $17,454 $1,114
58 X5 Retail Group N.V. Russia $16,785 $345
59 Suning Commerce Group Co. Inc. China $16,616 $60
60 Marks and Spencer Group plc U.K. $16,391 $804
61 The Gap Inc. U.S. $16,148 $1,280
62 Jerónimo Martins, SGPS S.A. Portugal $15,712 $521
63 Coop Italia Italy $15,211 n/a
64 Meijer Inc. U.S. $15,000 n/a
65 ICA Gruppen AB Sweden $14,952 $219
66 El Corte Inglés S.A. Spain $14,789 $232
67 Conad Consorzio Nazionale Italy $14,438 n/a
68 John Lewis Partnership plc U.K. $14,164 $159
69 Gome Home Appliance Group China $13,441 n/a
70 Otto (GmbH & Co KG) Germany $13,355 $239
71 S Group Finland $13,233 $300
72 Distribuidora Internacional Dia, S.A. Spain $13,076 $260
73 Whole Foods Market Inc. U.S. $12,917 $551
74 Isetan Mitsukoshi Holdings Ltd. Japan $12,856 $217
75 Co-operative Group Ltd. U.K. $12,652 ($3,601)
76 Fast Retailing Co. Inc. Japan $12,639 $1,033
77 Toys "R" Us Inc. U.S. $12,543 ($1,036)
78 China Resources Enterprise Limited Hong Kong SAR $12,258 $406
79 Alliance Boots GmbH Switzerland $12,170 $1,544
80 Nordstrom Inc. U.S. $12,166 $734
81 Staples Inc. U.S. $12,160 $620
82 J. C. Penney Company Inc. U.S. $11,859 ($1,388)
83 BJ's Wholesale Club Inc. U.S. $11,800 n/a
84 Louis Delhaize S.A. Belgium $11,689 n/a
85 Dixons Retail plc U.K. $11,560 ($113)
86 Bed Bath and Beyond Inc. U.S. $11,504 $1,022
87 Spar Holding AG Austria $11,411 $251
88 S.A.C.I. Falabella Chile $11,377 $1,004
89 Metro Inc. Canada $11,236 $711
90 E-MART Co. Inc. S. Korea $11,164 $438
91 JD.com Inc. China $10,827 ($8)
92 L Brands Inc. U.S. $10,773 $903
93 Shoppers Drug Mart Corporation Canada $10,742 $584
94 J. Front Retailing Co. Inc. Japan $10,411 $348
95 Family Dollar Stores Inc. U.S. $10,391 $444
96 Canadian Tire Corporation Limited Canada $10,385 $548
97 Dairy Farm International Hong Kong SAR $10,357 $513
98 Liberty Interactive Corporation U.S. $10,307 $580
99 Ross Stores Inc. U.S. $10,230 $837
100 Uny Group Holdings Co. Inc. Japan $10,156 $66