How grocery categories have fared during the pandemic

Fresh seafood and the frozen department saw some of the biggest dollar sales growth from March to October, while deli and floral struggled, according to data from IRI and 210 Analytics.

By Catherine Douglas Moran • Nov. 18, 2020

Schnucks rebrands downtown St. Louis store

The grocer's Culinaria format, which opened in 2009, will become Schnucks Downtown and feature new self-checkout stations and a refreshed assortment.

By Catherine Douglas Moran • Nov. 16, 2020

Aldi promises a Thanksgiving meal for under $30

The discount grocer is also giving all of its employees two $30 gift cards. 

By Catherine Douglas Moran • Nov. 12, 2020

Bottoms up: How grocers can keep alcohol sales pouring in

As the coronavirus pandemic boosts category sales, retailers are setting the table for long-term shopper engagement with larger departments and expanded online availability.

By Catherine Douglas Moran • Nov. 11, 2020

Inside the store: Wegmans' new location in Tysons, Virginia

The 80,000-square-foot supermarket on the campus of banking giant Capital One features a smaller, urban concept with prepared foods as the focal point.

By Catherine Douglas Moran • Nov. 4, 2020

Halloween candy sales are up, but pandemic is changing celebrations

As manufacturers have altered their approach, 90% of young parents say they cannot imagine Halloween without sweet treats, according to the National Confectioners Association.

By Jessi Devenyns • Oct. 27, 2020

Amazon Fresh opens second store in California

Like the first store in Woodland Hills, the new supermarket in Irvine offers low prices, along with Amazon's Dash Carts and Alexa features to assist shoppers.

By Catherine Douglas Moran • Oct. 22, 2020

Why Trader Joe's traffic has recovered but Whole Foods' hasn't

Specialty chains were hit hardest by the drop-off in Q2 foot traffic, but some, like Trader Joe's, have been better at adapting to a new "mission-driven" shopper mindset, according to a report from Placer.ai.

By Rosie Bradbury • Oct. 22, 2020

Amazon Fresh looks to hire 1,500 in Chicagoland

The retailer will cross-train workers across four area stores as its brick-and-mortar grocery expansion plan comes further into focus.

By Jessica Dumont • Oct. 21, 2020

Grocery sales barely budge in September as pandemic-driven surge continues to ebb

Sales have been in a holding pattern in recent months as spending at food retailers becomes more predictable.

By Sam Silverstein • Oct. 16, 2020

Kroger adds more than 50 new items to plant-based brand

The grocer has launched a new line of plant-based "Chick'n" patties and plans to sell more than 75 plant-based foods under its Simple Truth brand by the end of 2020. 

By Catherine Douglas Moran • Oct. 14, 2020

NJ lawmakers approve single-use plastic and paper bag ban

After some states and stores ditched plastic bag bans over COVID-19 fears, the bill heading to the Garden State governor signals a return to curbing plastic use.

By Catherine Douglas Moran • Sept. 30, 2020

Inside the store: Amazon Fresh

The just-opened supermarket will feel familiar to shoppers, but the relentless focus on low prices and removing shopping friction is where the company looks to stand out.

By Krishna Thakker • Sept. 21, 2020

What's on shoppers' lists? Bacon, cleaning products and frozen foods

Six months into the pandemic, center store items are still among the fastest-growing categories at grocery stores, according to recent sales data.

By Jeff Wells • Sept. 17, 2020

Grocery sales dip in August as overall retail spending picks up

Sales at food retailers fell 1.6% compared with their level in July as overall retail sales climbed 0.6%.

By Sam Silverstein • Sept. 16, 2020

Food prices outpace inflation but show signs of easing

Food-at-home prices rose 4.6% between August 2019 and last month, while the overall Consumer Price Index rose 1.3%.

By Sam Silverstein • Sept. 14, 2020

Giant Food to sell more local brands online

The grocer has partnered with Union Kitchen, a Washington, D.C.-based food and beverage accelerator, to offer customers local products on its e-commerce platform. 

By Krishna Thakker • Sept. 2, 2020

Target adds premium products to its Good & Gather line

Good & Gather Signature has launched with 60 items including small-batch Italian sauces and gourmet pizzas, helping bring the private label line to nearly 2,000 products.

By Krishna Thakker • Sept. 2, 2020

Walmart's Winemakers Selection gets a refresh

The retailer has relaunched its private label line in about 2,600 stores, featuring a new label, a pared-down assortment and a $5 price point.

By Jessica Dumont • Aug. 17, 2020

Grocery sales post small increase in July, reversing June's decline

Grocery industry sales still remain sharply elevated compared with 2019, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

By Sam Silverstein • Aug. 14, 2020

Inside the store: Safeway's Capitol Hill location in Washington, DC

The grocer's first new store in the city since 2014, which opened Wednesday morning, features a walk-in wine cellar, specialty popcorn shop, raw oyster bar and 200 types of cheese.

By Sam Silverstein • Aug. 12, 2020

CVS now stocks groceries from DTC site Public Goods

Following a trial run in January, the pharmacy chain is carrying Public Goods products like gluten-free cookies and seaweed snacks in 2,000 stores.

By Jeff Wells • Aug. 10, 2020

Dollar General continues 'Fresh' distribution push

The discount retailer continues its expansion of fresh and frozen goods with three announced facilities that will collectively deliver to around 4,500 stores.

By Jeff Wells • Aug. 6, 2020

Trader Joe's doesn't see its brands as racist

The grocer says reports that it had decided to drop labels like Trader José and Arabian Joe in response to a petition were not accurate.

By Sam Silverstein • July 31, 2020

Wegmans opens its 2nd North Carolina store

The much-anticipated 103,000-square-foot location includes in-store dining options, imported meats, cheeses and wines, as well as locally sourced seafood and produce. 

By Krishna Thakker • July 30, 2020