News Briefs

Stubborn inflation slowed improvements in consumer spending in July. According to the advance monthly trend report from the U.S. Census Bureau, overall sales were virtually flat from June to July, versus a 0.8% rise from May to June. Analysts had anticipated a small increase.

U.S. retail and foodservice sales reached $682.8 billion last month, compared to nearly $682.6 billion in June. Grocery sales likewise held steady, with $70.8 billion in seasonally adjusted sales for July versus $70.6 billion the prior month.  

The Census Bureau also tracks sales at food and beverage stores and found similar buying behavior in those retail businesses, with almost $79 billion in sales for July and $78.8 for June.

Despite proverbial belt-tightening among shoppers this summer, overall retail sales were 10.3% more than during July 2021, by the Census Bureau's figures.

Meantime, based on its own research, the National Retail Federation (NRF) reported this week that core retail sales slightly increased in July. Excluding car dealers, fuel stations and restaurants, NRF’s data showed a 0.8% retail sales increase from June to July. Looking at grocery and beverage stores, NRF found that sales edged up 0.2% month over month on a seasonally-adjusted basis.

The NRF aligned with the Census Bureau findings showing year-over-year sales gains. By NRF’s research, core sales were 7.1% higher this year than in July 2021.

“Retail sales grew in July, supported by declines in prices at the gas pump and moderately lower inflation,” said Matthew Shay, NRF’s president and CEO. “Consumers are adapting to higher prices by prioritizing essentials like food and back-to-school items, and retailers are working hard to absorb the impact of higher costs and help customers stretch their hard-earned dollars. However, policy measures like removing China tariffs, enacting smart immigration reform and investing in supply chain resiliency are needed to relieve inflationary pressure and lower costs for American families.”

Instacart and Quicklly, a one-stop marketplace for Indian/South Asian groceries, tiffins, meal kits and fully prepared restaurant dishes, have expanded their partnership to provide delivery of Quicklly’s Indian pantry staples, spices and sauces in as fast as an hour in seven U.S. cities: New York; Chicago; Austin, Texas; Fremont, Calif.; Sunnyvale, Calif.; Naperville, Ill.; and Edison, N.J.

The Instacart app also offers nationwide delivery of Quicklly’s meal kits in three to four days. Shipped directly to consumers’ doors, the kits enable users to prepare an array of authentic vegetarian and nonvegetarian Indian meals and sauces. The new Quicklly grocery storefront enables customers in the seven cities mentioned above to have items delivered the same day that they’re ordered. 

“We’re thrilled to grow this partnership with Instacart and bring authentic and delicious Indian and South Asian food to Americans of all backgrounds, identities and locations,” noted Keval Raj and Hanish Pahwa, co-founders of Chicago-based Quicklly. “With Quicklly, we’ve seen hundreds of thousands of customers engage with Indian and South Asian cuisine in new and exciting ways. We’re excited to continue to connect consumers with tasty staples and a diverse array of groceries, meal kits and more.”

“We’re proud to expand our partnership with Quicklly to provide access to same-day delivery of its assortment of authentic Indian groceries, food, fresh produce and customers in seven cities,” said Elise Metzger, director of retail accounts at San Francisco-based Instacart. “At Instacart, we’re dedicated to helping retailers compete and better serve their customers.” 

Quicklly plans to expand same-day delivery to six additional cities – Seattle, Atlanta, Dallas, Pittsburgh, Boston and Los Angeles – in the next few months. So far, the company has teamed with nearly 300 independent local businesses across greater Chicago, New York, New Jersey, the San Francisco Bay Area and nationwide.

On the occasion of National Nonprofit Day (Aug. 17), the Cardenas Markets Foundation has introduced the Cardenas CARES (Committed, Active, Reliable, Empowering, Supportive) Community Giving Program.

Upon checkout, every one of the grocer’s stores will provide customers the opportunity to donate $1, $3 or $5 to the foundation. Funds raised through Cardenas CARES will benefit nonprofit organizations in the grocer’s local communities.

Additionally, by going online or requesting a Cardenas CARES Community brochure from their local store director, nonprofits seeking support from the Cardenas Markets Foundation will find the giving guidelines and criteria.

“Our customers are like family, and they can always count on us to be there for them,” said Adam Salgado, Cardenas Markets Foundation president and chief marketing officer for Cardenas Markets. “Not only are we committed to providing fresh offerings and an authentic shopping experience, we are also dedicated to providing unwavering community support.”

Ontario, Calif.-based Cardenas Markets operates 51 stores under the Cardenas Markets banner, seven stores under the Los Altos Ranch Markets banner, six stores under the Rio Ranch Markets banner and one store under Cardenas Ranch Markets banner. It’s one of the largest ethnic grocery chains in the country with stores in California, Nevada, and Arizona. The Cardenas Markets Foundation is a stand-alone, 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

Tops Friendly Markets is launching its annual Tops Totes for Change program as the school year kicks off for students throughout the country. The program, which encourages shoppers to purchase a special reusable bag with proceeds being donated to local community organizations, is adding a Tops in Education bag for the first time this year.

Tops has donated more than $1.5 million dollars to local schools to date through the Tops in Education program, with the new education tote fostering additional aid to the educational community. For each $2.69 Tops in Education reusable bag sold, $1 will be donated to local schools.

The new education-focused bag joins four other charitable bags, including ones that support United Way, the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, Feeding America and Children’s Miracle Network. 

“Our consumers have a wide array of reusable bags to choose from that consist of cloth and recycled materials which can easily and economically be purchased at the store. To see consumers make the choice, however, to give back to these charities by purchasing a Tops Totes for Change bag is truly heartwarming,” said Kathy Sautter, public and media relations manager for Tops Markets.

Williamsville, N.Y.-based Tops Markets LLC operates 150 supermarkets, including five franchise stores, and employs more than 14,000 associates in New York, Pennsylvania and Vermont. The banner’s parent company, Northeast Grocery Inc., is No. 44 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2022 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America.

Convenience and gas retailer QuikTrip has opened a location in Tulsa, Okla., that offers customers a checkout-free experience thanks to Amazon’s Just Walk Out technology. The site, located in the BOK Tower at One Williams Center in downtown Tulsa, is the company’s second-ever non-gasoline store.

The Tulsa location is also the first QuikTrip site to utilize Just Walk Out technology, and includes a Nitro Coffee Station, a complete menu of grab-and-go items and customer favorites including mac and cheese, breakfast tacos, hardwood smoked BBQ sandwiches and more. 

“We are excited to expand our presence in Tulsa with our second non-gas location nationwide and we look forward to introducing this new innovative store experience to the downtown Tulsa community,” said Aisha Jefferson-Smith, QuikTrip’s corporate communications manager. “Amazon’s Just Walk Out technology is designed to eliminate checkout lines, enabling guests to enjoy a frictionless shopping experience and get what they need quickly.”

QuikTrip Corp. is a privately held company headquartered in Tulsa, Okla. Founded in 1958, the company has grown to more than 900 stores in 15 states. QuikTrip is No. 33 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2022 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America. Seattle-based Amazon is No. 2 on The PG 100.

Several food retailers have been recognized on Forbes’ annual ranking of America’s Best Employers For Women.

Forbes teamed up with market research company Statista to identify the companies leading the way by supporting women inside and outside their workforces with the business publication's annual ranking of America’s Best Employers for Women.

Surveying 50,000 Americans — 30,000 women and 20,000 men working for businesses with at least 1,000 employees — the list focused on several areas. Respondents were asked to rate their organization on criteria such as working conditions, diversity and if they would recommend their employer to others. Statista additionally asked female respondents to rate their employers on factors such as parental leave, discrimination and pay equality, and to nominate organizations in industries outside their own. Executive and board-level representation was also factored into the score.

The America’s Best Employers For Women list encompasses 400 companies. Food retailers that made the list include:

• Trader Joe’s, at No. 117
• H-E-B, at No. 134
• Target Corp., at No. 222
• Publix Super Markets, at No. 225
• Wegmans Food Markets, at No. 275
• Festival Foods, at No. 325
• Costco, at No. 379
• Aldi, at No. 394
• Amazon, at No. 398

Wegmans also earned the No. 3 spot on Fortune’s 100 Best Companies to Work For list. Other retailers included on Fortune's 2022 list include Target, at No. 12 and Publix, at No. 92.

To view Forbes’ entire ranking of America’s Best Employers For Women, click here.

Meanwhile, for insights of successful women in the food and grocery industries, listen to Progressive Grocer's Top Women in Grocery Podcast.