Trading Partners

In my last newsletter, we announced the launch of Progressive Grocer‘s LinkedIn group, and I’d like to thank everyone who has joined and added to the discussions — your input has been tremendous. We’re at almost 800 members now, with dozens of new ones joining each week from all facets of the food retailing business — national grocery chains, community-based independents, CPG suppliers, technology and equipment vendors, just to name a few.

The introduction of high-quality, store-brand organic products has changed consumer perceptions of private label grocery brands, according to results of the forthcoming J.D. Power and Associates Private Label Industry Report announced at the IRI CPG Summit in Las Vegas.

Canadian gourmet and organic food retailer Choices Markets plans to offer indoor-grown organic herbs in an exclusive agreement with Squamish Nation leaders and Vancouver, B.C.- based TerraSphere Systems, LLC.

It’s no surprise that the economy has thrown private label into the spotlight, but store-brand programs are about a lot more than price. Indeed, retailers are applying the tools they use for branded products to those products created in their own name, and technology is no different.

Leaders OF the United Fresh Produce Association (United Fresh) and the Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) testified this week before the House Committee on Appropriations, Subcommittee on Agriculture as part of a hearing to address food traceability systems.

Community-based independent Green Hills has turned its Syracuse, N.Y., store into a live technology lab — called the Center for Advanced Retail Technology (CART) — with the goal of enhancing industry learning through store visits featuring hands-on experience and behind-the-scenes views into technologies used in its operations.

Safeway, Inc. and its vendor partners DemandTec and Kraft Foods will discuss collaborative deal management at the Grocery Manufacturers Association’s (GMA) Information Systems/Logistics Distribution Conference, which will be held in Miami from April 6 to April 8.

Australian retailer Woolworths, Ltd. has installed a new workforce optimization suite in its Everyday Money customer service center to support enhanced services to customers of its new range of financial services products.