Supermarket/Grocery

Grocery delivery app taps major chain veteran to develop business
Starbucks knows a thing or two about developing business across channels, and on-demand, app-based grocery delivery service Shipt is bringing that expertise in-house.

Birmingham, Alabama-based Shipt has named Joe Manning, former Starbucks director of business and channel development, to lead business development. Shipt is looking to Manning to establish and grow partnerships with grocers and CPG companies as the company expands.
Specialty grocer meets delivery demand
Ethnic grocery chain H Mart is expanding its partnership with Instacart nationally.

Lyndhurst, New Jersey-based H Mart, which operates more than 45 U.S. and Canadian stores, specializes in Asian grocery products. H Mart is now offering Instacart deliveries in as little as one hour to consumers in Philadelphia. Coming soon, the retailer will also offer Instacart services in markets including Orange County, Washington, D.C., suburbs, Atlanta, Chicago suburbs, Los Angeles, and Houston. Instacart prices will match H Mart in-store prices.

And the Store of the Year is…
Target tests recipe for food growth

Target Corp.’s partnership with MIT Media Lab and global design firm IDEO is bearing fruit — literally.
Target looks to disrupt food category

Target Corp.’s partnership with MIT Media Lab and global design firm IDEO is bearing fruit — literally.

In January, Target announced the launch of the Food + Future coLab, a multi-year collaboration with MIT and IDEO to explore the future of food. Although it’s only been a couple of months, Target is already testing two ideas from the coli.
Pop-Up originator names new CEO

Hickory Farms is looking for new ways to grow following the operator of the company acquisition last fall by a private equity firm and the recent appointment of a CEO who spent time at RedBox and Crate & Barrel.
Report: Ahold to sell Richmond-area Martin’s stores ahead of merger

The Richmond Times-Dispatch is reporting that the 19 Martin’s Food Markets stores in the area will be either sold or closed as the completion of parent company Ahold’s merger with Delhaize Group. The Richmond-area stores are just some of the 83 stores the combined companies are looking to unload across the eastern and northeastern U.S. (Richmond Times-Dispatch)
Shoppers hop to stores for Easter apparel offerings

The growth of digital shopping tools continues to benefit physical stores with new seasonal research from the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) showing how much.
SPECS Exclusive: A new day for physical stores

Photo: Amazon Dash
Tech Guest Viewpoint: Digital convergence gets interesting

RSR has been tracking retailers' e-commerce strategies for more than five years. During that time we’ve seen interest in a major platform refresh, the introduction of mobile and social as e-commerce considerations, as well as convergence – where retailers increasingly view mobile and other non-commerce online activities in the context of their overall "digital" strategy, with their e-commerce platform as the centerpiece.
Kroger names new group VP of retail operations

The Kroger Co. has promoted one of its regional executives to be its new VP of retail operations.

The grocery chain said it has promoted Mary Ellen Adcock to serve as Kroger's group VP of retail operations, effective May 16. She succeeds Marnette Perry, whose retirement was previously announced. Adcock currently serves as VP of operations for Kroger's Columbus division.
The Wilder Companies awarded new shopping center leasing and management contract

White Plains, N.Y. -- The Wilder Companies announced it was awarded the leasing and management contract for The Source at White Plains, a specialty shopping center in White Plains, New York.

The Source at White Plains is a 250,000 sq. ft., four-story shopping center with adjoining parking garage. The center feature retailers include: Whole Foods Market, Dicks Sporting Goods, Raymour & Flanigan, The Cheesecake Factory, Morton’s The Steakhouse, and Destination Maternity.