Albertsons Companies introduced Albertsons Pay, a new zero-touch checkout experience. Available through its updated just for U loyalty app, it offers shoppers with a secure and contact-free way to pay, use discounts, and earn rewards. The new technology is …
Grocers and suppliers feel more prepared for a second surge of COVID-19, reported The Boston Globe (Oct. 19). Most grocers and wholesalers began stockpiling items that were popular during the first wave of shutdowns. Some …
Vertical farming company Plenty Unlimited Inc. attracted $140 million in a Series D financing round that included existing investor SoftBank Group Corp., as well as berry producer Driscoll’s, reported Bloomberg (Oct. 14). The new raise …
Amazon issued a warrant to purchase up to 5.4 million shares in SpartanNash, according to a filing with SEC, reported The Motley Fool (Oct. 9). The warrant has been issued specifically to Amazon.com NV Investment …
Several retailers have been working on re-strategizing their operations recently. Dollar General is looking to attract more high-income shoppers, reported The Wall Street Journal (Oct. 8). The company is planning to open a new brand …
Although much of the grocery industry is prospering, trips to Whole Foods in September were down 25% from a year earlier, according to Placer.ai, reported Bloomberg (Oct. 7). Some of the decline is due to …
Walmart sold a majority stake in Asda to a consortium that includes brothers Zuber and Mohsin Issa and the private equity firm TDR Capital in a deal that values the supermarket chain at about $8.8 …
Although shoppers have been primarily driven to make grocery purchases based on health and safety concerns during the pandemic, a second layer of consumption behavior has been emerging from those experiencing financial restraint, according to …
Grocers are stocking up to prepare for a possible surge in sales amid a second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the holiday rush, reported The Wall Street Journal (Sept. 27). Food companies …
Food retailers are partnering with technology companies to make their operations more efficient as the COVID-19 pandemic continues. Giant Eagle now operates FlyBuy Pickup, a curbside and in-store pickup program. FlyBuy, using location technology from …
Fast food may weather winter better than casual dining as the pandemic continues and flu-season arrives, reported MarketWatch (Sept. 21). Analysts are boosting their ratings and targets for fast food companies, in large part, due …
While restaurants continue to feel the weight of the pandemic, retailers are still benefiting. Nearly one in six restaurants, representing 100,000 foodservice establishments, have closed permanently or long-term in the six months following the first shutdown orders …
Kroger forecasted growth of more than 13% for 2020 in its latest earnings report. Sales were up 8.2% to $30.5 billion in second quarter, with growth up 139% excluding fuel. Identical store sales increased 14.6%, …
Robyn Carter, founder and CEO of Jump Rope Innovation (JRI), joined the Food Institute Podcast to discuss consumer perceptions and desires during the pandemic. With the back-to-school season in full swing, and Halloween, Thanksgiving, and …
More than half of shoppers plan to stock up on groceries if another coronavirus-related shutdown occurs, according to data from Acosta. “As COVID cases continue to rise, most shoppers believe we’re headed for another shutdown …
Shopify Inc. is seen as one of the biggest winners in the retail shakeout following the coronavirus pandemic, reported The Wall Street Journal (Sept. 8). Millions of small businesses were forced to adapt to online sales …
September is National Family Meals Month, and FMI is highlighting proven scientific benefits of sharing meals. “We have long known that family meals have a tremendously positive impact,” said David Fikes, executive director of the …
Private-label brands have been performing well during COVID-19. Entering 2020, the category grew more than 4% as national brands only grew at 1.5%, according to Nielsen. As the year carried on, the category continued to …
Retailers are developing new strategies in an effort to one up each other in the battle for delivery advantage. Walmart will launch Walmart+, a membership service that could help it better compete with Amazon Prime. …
Main Points: Convenience stores must adopt practices to ensure employee and customer safety, such as contactless checkout The ability to shift focus to different day parts to achieve sales is essential Consumer loyalty is …
German discount grocers Aldi and Lidl have been capturing a larger share of the U.S. grocery market over the past several years. The stores have increased sales and attracted shoppers with simpler stores that offer …
Sales of chocolate and candy increased during the pandemic as consumers look for products to boost their mood and lighten perspectives, according to data from the National Confectioners Association (NCA). Overall sales of chocolate and …
DoorDash plans to open an initial public offering in the fall, according to people familiar with the matter, reported Bloomberg (Aug. 22). The company had previously considered going public through a direct listing but decided …
Food Institute Focus – How COVID-19 is Impacting Eating
Food Institute Focus – Will Meal Kits Retain Success Post-Lockdown?
Food Institute Focus – Retailers Disrupt Milk Processing Industry
Online grocery shopping has surged during the COVID-19 pandemic. Before COVID-19, online accounted for less than 10% of food sales, according to Ernst & Young LLP (EY). By June, 45% of food sales were online. …
Food Institute Focus – Gen Z’s Influential Food Preferences
Food Institute Focus – Food Industry Continues to Fight for Social Justice
I heard a commentator on TV recently describe the coronavirus as an “accelerator.” In his words, the dramatic industry changes we are currently seeing would have happened anyway in a non-pandemic world, just not as …
Food Institute Focus – Shifting Back to Sustainability
Food Institute Focus – Walmart’s Latest Selling and Spending Activities
As the new year rolled around, no one could have predicted the drastic changes grocery retailers would face in the first half of 2020. The COVID-19 pandemic created major disruptions in consumer buying patterns, online …
As consumers turned to stockpiling when stay-at-home orders were enacted at the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, food manufacturers were forced to pivot to new operating models to ensure profitability. Avenues targeted included direct-to-consumer models, …
Food Institute Focus – Food Businesses are on Frontlines of Mask Debate
Food Institute Focus – Fourth of July Holiday Spurred Sales Gains
