Sep 25, 2023
By Jim Dudlicek / NGA Director of Communications and External Affairs What trends should independent grocers be leveraging in Q4 to maximize sales and customer satisfaction? Fresh is always a winner, but there are plenty of other bright areas this season, ripe for opportunity throughout the store to give independents an edge with consumers planning…
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Sep 15, 2023
By Jim Dudlicek, NGA Director, Communications and External Affairs September is National Preparedness Month, and many parts of the country are used to being on high alert this time of year as hurricanes and other severe weather events threaten lives and property. While there’s no stopping Mother Nature, there are steps you can take not…
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Sep 8, 2023
By Max Wengroff, Manager of Government Relations & Membership From the anticompetitive tactics of power buyers to rising costs and credit card fees, independent grocers are facing myriad difficulties that impact their operations. To address this, NGA worked with members of Congress and NGA member companies to set up store tours throughout the month of…
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Sep 7, 2023
By Jim Dudlicek / NGA Director of Communications and External Affairs Inflation has dominated headlines and bottom lines over the past year, hurting volume and unit sales for independent grocers, Retailers dealt with increases in expenses much like their shoppers, but savvy margin and expense management resulted in net profits that remained above pre-pandemic levels.…
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Aug 29, 2023
By Josh Anderegg / NGAF TA Center Project Director I was honored to be on hand for the recent rollout of a nutrition incentive pilot program at two Tops Friendly Markets stores in the greater Buffalo, N.Y., area, the culmination of a nearly 3-year effort between the TA Center, Tops, project grantee Field & Fork…
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Aug 24, 2023
By Christopher Greco / President and CEO, Storewise Recent narratives about the supermarket industry are painting an unnecessarily pessimistic picture of the future for supermarkets. The industry is changing, and smaller stores have seen a marginal dip in market share. But that’s only half of the story, and not the most exciting half. Instead of…
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Aug 16, 2023
By Jim Dudlicek / NGA Director of Communications and External Affairs Sustainability and store benchmarking can drive operational efficiencies and profit for independent grocers. Infrastructure projects designed to enhance a grocer’s energy efficiency may be eligible for USDA Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) grants. The Ratio Institute’s benchmarking process can provide insights into existing…
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Aug 3, 2023
By Jim Dudlicek / NGA Director of Communications and External Affairs The USDA has published a new regulation to “Strengthen Organic Enforcement” (SOE). The SOE states that “more types of businesses in the organic supply chain must be certified organic.” Among the new provisions is the requirement that facilities that “handle” or store organic products,…
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Jul 21, 2023
By Jim Dudlicek / NGA Director of Communications and External Affairs “Taste is king,” according to decades of data from the International Food Information Council’s annual Food and Health Survey. But taste isn’t the only factor that influences our food choices. By understanding the interconnections of factors that drive consumer food decisions, grocers and retailers…
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Jul 19, 2023
By Jim Dudlicek / NGA Director, Communications and External Affairs Even in challenging times, even with high inflation, it’s hard not to still love your local neighborhood grocery store. And most folks would appear to agree, even as their faith in society’s major institutions drags the ground. A new Gallup poll finds small business enjoying…
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Jul 18, 2023
By Jim Dudlicek / NGA Director, Communications and External Affairs Employee recruitment and retention remains a top issue facing the independent retail industry. According to many industry and academic research studies, at least 58% of U.S. retailers said that over the past two years, they have experienced hiring challenges that have negatively impacted their business.…
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Jul 6, 2023
By Jim Dudlicek / NGA Director, Communications and External Affairs Remember back when gluten-free products were all the rage? Product manufacturers tripped over themselves trying to get gluten-free versions of everyday staples on store shelves. Even standbys like oatmeal and Rice Krispies proudly proclaimed themselves to be gluten free. Of course, they always were. But…
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Jul 5, 2023
By Ted Mason, Ted Mason, Retail Technology Consultant Introduction Medicare Advantage healthy benefit cards offer a convenient way for eligible individuals to access their healthcare benefits, such as monthly allotments for the purchase of groceries and health related products. More than 30 million Americans are now enrolled in Medicare Advantage programs, and at least 5…
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Jun 28, 2023
By Jim Dudlicek / NGA Director, Communications and External Affairs There is power in effective product positioning for your market. In a time of changing shopper behavior, it’s important to have criteria for valuing products and services to maximize consumer satisfaction. In a recent webinar, the final installment of a three-part category management series NGA…
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Jun 21, 2023
By Jim Dudlicek / NGA Director, Communications and External Affairs I don’t think anyone’s expecting inflation to go away in one huge pop, so with folks everywhere continuing to stress about high prices at the grocery store, any gentle hiss is a welcome relief. So, it was great news when announced recently amid the 4%…
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Jun 21, 2023
By Pat Jones, Project Coordinator, NGAF TA Center The National Grocers Association Foundation Technical Assistance Center (NGAF TA Center) and the SNAP EBT Modernization Technical Assistance Center (SEMTAC, also administered by the NGA Foundation) partnered with Miriam Seidel, a food systems and nutrition expert, to host a recent webinar, “The Evolving Landscape of SNAP.” The…
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May 31, 2023
Progressive grocery retailers actively engage their communities in many ways, including advertising, social media, and their weekly circular, whether it’s print or digital. As creators and users of these materials, grocers have a responsibility to consider copyright when making or using creative expressions, such as photographs and artwork. NGA hosted a recent webinar that explained…
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May 30, 2023
By Jim Dudlicek / NGA Director, Communications and External Affairs Criminals can attach devices called skimmers to point-of-sale (POS) machines/PIN pads to steal card numbers and other information from credit, debit and EBT cards. These devices look like a normal part of a POS machine. They are easy to place and hard to spot, and…
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May 22, 2023
By Jim Dudlicek / NGA Director, Communications and External Affairs In today’s competitive environment, significant thought and consideration must be given to managing available shelf space. The arrangement of products demands creativity and foresight. To optimize available space, placement of items within a category must be done deliberately and artfully. Using data-driven planograms, or maps…
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May 16, 2023
By Jim Dudlicek / NGA Director, Communications and External Affairs Having exclusive, unique products on your shelves that address the latest trends or specific demands of the shoppers in your community can give independent grocers a leg up on the competition. NGA hosted a recent webinar featuring a live demonstration of how independent grocers can…
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