The new online store and digital marketing program for Houston independent food retailer Little Red Box Grocery are powered by Grocerist, which offers the first and only industry-specific solution built on Shopify, the world’s largest e-commerce platform. The solution provides a modern customer experience, weight-based selling, product substitution features, advanced pick/pack technology, flexible pickup/delivery scheduling and customer marketing services. 

“Grocer investments in digital must translate into profit and additional business value, and this is where we come in, to ensure e-commerce becomes a driver of growth and profit,” noted Matt Smith, COO and co-founder of Toronto-based Grocerist. “We are excited to work with Little Red Box to bring their store online. Grocerist provides all of the technology that independent grocers like Little Red Box need to succeed online and, equally important, our marketing team designs and executes for the grocer the email, social, search and in-store campaigns that drive business growth.” 

“We were eager to bring our store online and researched how to do this on our own,” said Samuel Newman, of Little Red Box. “When we realized the overwhelming amount of time, cost and expertise that required, we quickly pivoted to selecting Grocerist. They offer all of the grocery-specific features and functionality built on the Shopify platform so we can take advantage of the unique marketing integrations Shopify offers with Facebook, Google, email platforms and more. Now, with Grocerist’s marketing support, we can grow our customer base (both in-store and online), increase order size, increase purchase frequency and really emerge as an omnichannel grocer to better support our suppliers, customers and community.”

Grocerist customizes Ottawa, Ontario-based Shopify and integrates proprietary and best-in-class third-party technology to meet the particular needs of independents. For online SNAP EBT, the company partners with USDA-approved third-party payments provider Forage, which is based in San Francisco. 

Knowing that conditions must be right for growing, Mission Produce, Inc. is cultivating a broad leadership team for sales and marketing. The Oxnard, Calif.-based company that sources, produces and distributes fresh Hass avocadoes and mangos, announced the hiring and promotion of executives in that department.

Cheryl Hoefs (pictured) has joined Mission Produce as SVP of sales and marketing, a role in which she will oversee business development, retail, foodservice, and wholesale programs in the U.S., as well as international export sales. She will leverage her nearly 30-year background, which includes senior-level sales positions at Sabra Dipping Co., The Kellogg Co., Acosta and PepsiCo, among other companies.

[Read more: "Avocado Imports Smash Records"]

In addition, Mission Produce announced the promotion of several leaders within the sales department. Brooke Becker, Patrick Cortes and Hector Soltero have been elevated to VP positions, while Roberto Rodriguez has been named director of international exports.

“These leaders are poised to help drive continued growth across the company’s channels in the U.S. and globally while strengthening Mission’s current initiatives in people development and process improvement. I am confident in their ability to maintain Mission’s position as a category leader and achieve profitable results for the company,” remarked President and COO Tim Bulow.

Bulow is also new to the organization, tapped as president and COO in August. Founder Steve Barnard remains in his role as CEO and a member of the board of directors.

Against a backdrop of a squeezed labor market, a broader return to in-person celebrations and high prices, grocers are tweaking their brick-and-mortar hours to both maximize sales and optimize their workforces for Thanksgiving and Black Friday.

Several food retailers announced that they will be closed Nov. 24 in observation of Thanksgiving Day, including prolific operators like Walmart, Costco and Target and chains such as Publix, Trader Joe’s and Southeastern Grocers’ banners including Winn-Dixie, Harveys Supermarkets and Fresco y Más.

BJ’s Wholesale Club is one of those retailers whose warehouses will be shuttered on Thanksgiving. “Our team members demonstrate hard work and dedication day in and day out, to both our members and communities. So as the holiday season approaches, it’s important for them to be able to spend well-deserved time off with family and loved ones,” remarked Jeff Desroches, EVP and COO for BJ's Wholesale Club. “2022 marks the 16th consecutive year we are keeping our doors closed on Thanksgiving Day, but we are looking forward to welcoming our members back into the club so they can continue shopping our unmatched holiday deals.”

Other retailers are open part of the day to meet shoppers’ last-minute, “I forgot!” needs. The Texas-based H-E-B, for example, will keep its doors open from 6 a.m. to 12 p.m. and offer curbside pickup from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. Other stores operating with mostly limited hours on the food-centric holiday include The Fresh Market, Meijer, Whole Foods, Wegmans and several Kroger-owned banners.

The Save Mart Cos. has hired Tamara Pattison to serve in the newly created role of SVP, chief digital officer. Pattison has been tapped to further enhance the grocer’s opportunities for emerging digital technologies and e-commerce strategies.

Prior to joining Save Mart, Pattison worked for DemandTec, Yahoo!, Albertsons Cos., Beverages & More, and other companies. She most recently worked for AAA Northern California as the director of A3Ventures, the innovation lab and capital investment arm of the organization.

“Ongoing digital transformation to serve our shoppers and fulfill their needs with innovative and affordable solutions continues to be at the forefront of our strategic objectives,” said Shane Sampson, executive chairman of the board for Save Mart. “With over 20 years of extensive industry experience building and leading diverse teams to develop innovative programs, Tamara is an accomplished leader and I am thrilled to have her leading our digital and e-commerce experience.”

Based in Modesto, Calif., The Save Mart Cos. operates more than 200 retail stores under the banners of Save Mart, Lucky California and FoodMaxx. In addition to its retail operation, the company also operates SMART Refrigerated Transport and is a partner in Super Store Industries, which owns and operates a distribution center in Lathrop, Calif., and the Sunnyside Farms dairy-processing plant in Turlock, Calif. Save Mart is No. 55 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2022 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America.

Appealing to consumers shellshocked by high food prices, Lidl US is touting its Thanksgiving meal essentials that can feed groups of 10 or less than $30.

The grocer highlighted budget-friendly prices for several holiday dinner staples, including a frozen turkey that sells for 49 cents a pound via Lidl’s free loyalty program. The suggested Thanksgiving bundle also includes a 16-oz. package of fresh peas, 12-oz. bag of fresh cranberries, whole celery stalk, 16-oz. bag of baby carrots, 3-lb. bag of sweet potatoes, pint of heavy whipping cream, three 8-oz. packages of turkey stuffing mix, 12-count package of Hawaiian dinner rolls, pumpkin pie mix and two pie crusts.

[Read more: "Lidl to Open 1st Store in Brooklyn"]

Lidl curated the special Thanksgiving basket based on items chosen by the American Farm Bureau Foundation’s (AFB) annual Thanksgiving dinner cost survey. Last year’s AFB data pointed to a $53 average grocery bill for traditional Thanksgiving items.

"Even as grocery prices rise nationally, shoppers can rely on Lidl for the best deal to feed their family this holiday season," said Stefan Schwarz, chief product officer for Lidl US. "We are proud to offer shoppers at Lidl a delicious Thanksgiving dinner with all the fixings for less than $30. We hope our low prices give families some financial relief as they come together this holiday season."

Neckarsulm, Germany-based Lidl operates around 11,550 stores and is active in 32 countries, employing more than 341,000 employees globally. With U.S. headquarters in Arlington, Va., the grocer operates about 170 stores in nine East Coast states. Lidl US is No. 89 on the PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2022 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America.

Food Lion To Go is growing in Maryland, North Carolina and Virginia. The grocer’s pickup service will expand to an additional 27 locations throughout the three states, with customers’ first pickup on the house. 

With the addition of the 27 stores, Food Lion To Go is now available at 630 locations in the grocer’s 10-state footprint. Customers over the age of 21 can also purchase beer and wine where allowed by law.

“With some of the busiest months ahead for our customers, we are excited to expand this convenient service to more stores in the Food Lion footprint so our customers can spend more time on what matters most to them,” said Evan Harding, director of digital and e-commerce at Food Lion. “With the Food Lion to Go service, we provide our neighbors the option to shop through the channel they prefer, in-store or online, still ensuring they have access to the freshest groceries at affordable prices.”

Salisbury, N.C.-based Food Lion has more than 1,100 stores in 10 Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic states, and employs more than 82,000 associates. Its parent company, Ahold Delhaize USA, a division of Zaandam, Netherlands-based Ahold Delhaize is No. 10 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2022 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America.