News Briefs

The Kroger Co. and Unique Logistics International Inc., a global logistics and freight-forwarding company, have agreed to a 12-month-long ocean freight contract as Kroger becomes a new customer of the company.

The services provided by Unique Logistics are managed by its network of trained employees and integrated information systems enabling customers like Kroger to share data regarding their international vendors and purchase orders and information under their operating instructions, provide visibility to the flow of goods from factory to distribution center or store, and update their inventory records.

“This is an exciting new partnership for Unique Logistics,” said Sunandan Ray, CEO of the Jamaica, N.Y.-based company. “Serving the retail industry is our company’s strength, and our team looks forward to working with Kroger to solve problems and provide innovative solutions to strengthen Kroger’s supply chain performance.”

Under the terms of the agreement, Unique Logistics will serve as an ocean transport and logistics provider for Kroger from the Asia-Pacific region to North America through April 2023. The contract agreement came after Kroger revealed the expansion of its presence and delivery network in south Florida and central Ohio with the addition of state-of-the-art Ocado-powered fulfillment centers in those regions. 

Kroger also had a strong first-quarter earnings report, in which the grocer noted that it was rolling out its Boost membership program offering customers fuel points on every dollar spent, extra savings on Kroger’s private brands, and free two-hour or next-day delivery. The grocer additionally launched a farmers market in Atlanta with partner Market Wagon, offering delivery-only items such as fresh produce and artisan-style offerings from nearby farmers, bakers and food entrepreneurs.

Cincinnati-based Kroger is No. 4 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2022 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America.

SpartanNash announced that its recent campaign supporting Special Olympics athletes and Summer Games in its Midwest footprint has raised $242,050. This is the 38th year that the Michigan-based food solutions company has worked with Special Olympics.

Donations were accepted throughout the month of May at participating SpartanNash stores and fuel centers. Across eight states and banners including Family Fare, D&W Fresh Market and VG’s Grocery, shoppers gave $232,877 via checkout transactions in store and online. The SpartanNash Foundation rounded up the overall donation to $242,050.

“Diversity and inclusion are foundational to the People First culture we are cultivating at SpartanNash, so we are proud to partner with Special Olympics,” said Adrienne Chance, SpartanNash’s SVP, communications and executive director of the SpartanNash Foundation. “SpartanNash associates have enjoyed celebrating the athletes, and we are grateful for the additional support from our communities. These generous donations help enhance the athletes’ experience, teach lifelong skills, and create lasting memories.”

The company’s involvement with the Special Olympics organization is also direct. SpartanNash employs more than 25 Special Olympics athletes who have worked for a combined 195 years.

“We aim to create hope, inspire others and create meaningful relationships with companies like SpartanNash, which help to support us in the times we need it,” remarked Tim Hileman, president and CEO of Special Olympics Michigan.

SpartanNash’s core businesses include distributing grocery products to independent and chain retailers, its corporate-owned retail stores, and U.S. military commissaries and exchanges, plus fresh produce distribution and fresh food processing. No. 41 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2022 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America, the Grand Rapids, Mich.-based company serves customer locations in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, as well as abroad. SpartanNash also operates more than 140 supermarkets.

Aiming to fill gaps in a cold supply chain that’s been under pressure and undergoing changes, two tech companies are teaming up to provide sustainable solutions for grocers and food companies. KPI Integrated Solutions (KPI), a supply chain consulting, software, systems integration and automation supplier, and Phononic, which provides solid state cooling technology, announced a collaboration to maintain cold chain integrity and traceability through various phases of the distribution process.

At the heart of the partnership are Phononic’s actively-cooled totes, which will now be used in KPI’s automation designs that cover distribution from the warehouse to the curb. While the totes deliver consistent temperature control, they are also convenient and cost efficient because they can be used in an existing footprint and allow for a more comfortable workspace in a frozen environment.

In addition, Phononic’s solid state cooling and refrigeration technologies use a refrigerant of water mixed with naturally available carbon dioxide for a global warming potential (GWP) of 1 or less. That’s the lowest GWP rating in the industry compared to other commonly used refrigerants that contribute to climate change, according to KPI.

“This strategic partnership with Phononic will deliver a strong return on investment for our clients who are looking to quickly and flexibly provide cold storage and order fulfillment capability that is unconstrained by cooling and freezer needs,” said Jim Kuecker, KPI’s chief commercial officer.

Added Dana Krug, SVP, cold chain fulfillment at Phononic:  “KPI’s innovative and versatile cold storage designs can scale from larger grocery delivery operations to smaller-scale food storage – without the need for investment in full-size refrigerators or freezers which are much less efficient, costly, and harmful to the environment. As grocery e-commerce continues to explode, KPI and Phononic together deliver an innovative, proven, and sustainable solution for cooling.”

Smart & Final is launching its annual register campaign for Olive Crest, a nonprofit that works to prevent child abuse and treat and educate at-risk children. From now through July 5, shoppers at locations in California, Arizona and Nevada can donate $1 at checkout to benefit the cause.

Last year, the grocer warehouse store raised $515,000 for Olive Crest’s programs and services that help more than 24,000 kids each year.

“For more than a decade we’ve been proud to support at-risk children through our partnership with Olive Crest,” said Tinamarie Squieri, manager of the Smart & Final Charitable Foundation. “The past few years have been incredibly challenging for Olive Crest kids and their families. We’re grateful to their Child Abuse Stops Here Network for providing resources to help stop child abuse in the communities we serve.”

"The work our Child Abuse Stops Here Network does to build strong families and keep kids safe continues to be critical through the additional hardships the pandemic has brought on," said Rhonda Tagge, national director for Olive Crest. "We simply couldn’t provide the services we do without the support we receive from the Smart & Final Charitable Foundation and their supporters.”

In addition to this campaign, Smart & Final Charitable Foundation supports several other causes throughout the year, including those that focus on hunger, relief, health and wellness, team sports and disaster assistance. According to the company, the Foundation has raised nearly $2 million to support 1,500 causes. 

Commerce, Calif.-based Smart & Final’s locations include larger-format stores under the Smart & Final Extra! banner combining a warehouse-store format with traditional grocery offerings. The company was acquired in 2021 by Grupo Comercial Chedraui, No. 40 on The PG 100 in 2022, Progressive Grocer's list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America. 

Geoff Freeman, president and CEO of the Consumer Brands Association, will leave the organization to rejoin the U.S. Travel Association after nearly a decade away. In the interim, he was first president and CEO of the American Gaming Association before taking on his present role. His new position at Washington, D.C.-based U.S. Travel starts Sept. 1. 

“We are grateful for Geoff’s many contributions to our industry during his tenure at the Consumer Brands Association,” noted Jeff Harmening, board chair at the organization, and chairman and CEO of Minneapolis-based General Mills. “Under Geoff’s leadership, Consumer Brands advanced a turnaround strategy that has transformed the organization and established it as a powerhouse association in Washington, D.C. The organization enjoys the support of the world’s leading CPG companies, and its revenues have increased nearly 50% over the past three years. Today, our industry is united behind a compelling policy agenda and speaks with a strong pro-consumer voice. Consumer Brands benefits from a strong leadership team, and we are confident in the organization’s continued growth and effectiveness. We will begin the process of working with Geoff on a transition plan and identifying his successor.”

In the wake of this impending executive move, an association spokeswoman told Progressive Grocer that Consumer Brands was “working with the board and determining a path forward.”

According to its website, Washington, D.C.-based Consumer Brands’ mission is to “champion growth and innovation for the industry whose products consumers depend on every day.” 

Cardenas Markets, one of the largest Hispanic grocery chains in the country, has partnered with Coin Cloud to offer digital currency machines in the retailer’s 59 stores. Customers will have access to buy and sell Bitcoin, Ethereum and more than 40 other digital currencies with cash.

A recent survey found that Hispanic U.S. adults have adopted cryptocurrency at a rate exceeding the general adult population. According to Morning Consult, an explanation is that the Hispanic community is turning to digital currencies for payments rather than for investments.

“We are pleased to offer cryptocurrency capabilities to our customers through Coin Cloud’s network of digital currency machines,” said Prabash Coswatte, COO of Cardenas Markets. “Through this unique offering we continue to deliver on our commitment to meeting our customers’ evolving needs, especially in today’s digital world.”

Coin Cloud digital currency machines offer Bitcoin and other digital currency options like Bitcoin Cash, Litecoin, Dogecoin, Shiba Inu Coin, Ethereum, and a range of stablecoins and DeFi tokens. New coins added recently include Cardano, Nano, SushiSwap, Algorand, Polygon, OMG Network, and ApeCoin.

Las Vegas-based Coin Cloud operates more than 5,800 digital currency machines across the United States and Brazil. The company’s digital currency machine network is located at nationally recognized retailers, including H-E-B, Spirits & Finer Foods, UNFI customer stores and Yesway.

Ontario, Calif.-based Cardenas currently operates 51 stores under the Cardenas Markets banner, seven stores under the Los Altos Ranch Markets banner and one store under Cardenas Ranch Markets banner, with locations across California, Nevada and Arizona. Apollo Funds recently agreed to acquire Cardenas from investment funds affiliated with international investment firm KKR. Upon completion of the deal, Apollo will combine Tony’s Fresh Market with Cardenas to create a Hispanic- and ethnic-focused grocer.