The Boston Beer Company Inc., maker of such brands as Samuel Adams, Truly Hard Seltzer, Truly Vodka Soda, Twisted Tea, Angry Orchard Hard Cider, Dogfish Head, Hard Mountain Dew and Jim Beam Kentucky Coolers, has tapped Philip A. Hodges as chief supply chain officer (CSCO). He will oversee brewery management, procurement, customer service, engineering, safety, quality and planning.

Hodges moves into the official role following a one-year stint as a supply chain advisor to Boston Beer. Since May 2022, he has improved brewery performance by reducing freight and warehouse costs and implementing systems that improve forecasting and inventory management, the company noted. 

A 30-year CPG professional, Hodges was EVP of group supply chain at Copenhagen-based brewing company Carlsberg before working for Boston Beer. His extensive background also includes supply chain and operations positions at SABMiller, Mondelēz International and Kraft Foods Group.

"Phil has influenced our supply chain approach since he first started consulting with us last year," said Boston Beer CEO David A. Burwick, to whom Hodges will report. "The supply chain team has been working hard to modernize our supply chain through investments in equipment and process and by implementing thoughtful gross-margin savings plans. We're looking forward to the significant impact Phil will now make in his new leadership position as our CSCO as we seek to generate substantial gross-margin expansion from our supply chain over the next few years."

Specialty food distributor Lipari Foods has reached an agreement to acquire Comercializadora Del Midwest (CDM), a provider of Central and South American specialty items. According to Lipari, the move will expand its portfolio of international products, as well as its distribution footprint in the Midwest.

Founded in 2007, CDM services 380-plus customers in Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, South Dakota, Nebraska, Minnesota, Illinois and Wisconsin, and has approximately 26 employees. The company globally sources more than 1,200 items from 12-plus countries throughout Central and South America and the Caribbean.

“We are thrilled to welcome the CDM team into our family as we develop the Latino category,” John Pawlowski, President & COO of Warren, Mich.-based Lipari. “[The company] did an incredible job focusing on the customer and supplier relationships while building out their program as a trusted partner. We are excited to integrate their expertise with our distribution footprint, leading to significant opportunities for all of our business partners.” 

“We knew Lipari was a trusted partner that would build upon our company values centered around people, relationships, trust and focus on the customer,” added Roberto Gomez, owner of Clive, Iowa-based CDM. “We are excited to see the growth and development as our companies work together, creating new opportunities for all of our customers and suppliers.”

Claudio Zarate will continue as leader of CDM.

Founded in 1963, Lipari delivers a wide range of quality bakery, dairy, deli, packaging, seafood, meat, grocery, foodservice, confectionery and convenience food and beverage products to 11,000-plus customers across 28 states.

There’s been an ownership swap at grocery stores in the town of Munising in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Pat's Foods is taking over a Family Fare store in that central U.P. town, as well as Bob’s IGA, following the retirement of longtime grocer Bob St. Amour. Pat’s is consolidating the operations.

Based in Houghton, Mich., Pat’s Foods is the area’s largest grocer, operating 17 stores.  Like the grocer’s other locations in the U.P., the refreshed store will be stocked with a variety of locally sourced foods and feature a large beer cave.

“It’s been on our radar for years to try and get here,” Pat’s Foods co-owner Ben Campioni told local media. “We were super-excited when we got the opportunity to buy a store here. It’s exciting times for our family and for the workers. I think it’s going to be a step in the right direction.”

Munising is a popular tourist attraction in the area. The store reopening comes at a time when seasonal business starts to rise. 

Cleveland Clinic has teamed with Nestlé USA to launch a first-of-its-kind pilot program providing no-cost frozen meal delivery via Instacart to Cleveland Clinic employees as part of a weight management program. 

Program participants receive e-coaching from a certified health coach for weight management through Cleveland Clinic’s employee health plan. Now, along with coaching, they’ll get 10 dietitian-approved frozen meals from Nestlé USA every two weeks for three months at no cost to them. The meals will arrive via Instacart from area grocery stores. The program will give participants Instacart Health Fresh Funds – category-specific virtual stipends – to pay for the meals. 

Cleveland Clinic and Nestlé USA dietitians selected meals that meet Cleveland Clinic nutrition criteria from Sweet Earth Foods, Lean Cuisine and Life Cuisine. Participants also will receive education on how to fit these meals into an overall eating plan. 

After the 12-week pilot, Cleveland Clinic and Nestlé will assess results and jointly consider ways to grow this frozen meal/coaching program to not only Cleveland Clinic patients and caregivers, but also to employers and consumers.

The pilot will gauge how the meals affect engagement with e-coaching, how often people order meals, and pre- and post-program weight.

“Planning and preparing nutritionally balanced meals is often a time-consuming and arduous step for people looking to manage certain health conditions. Frozen entrees can help alleviate that pain point, providing a delicious, balanced and convenient solution,” said Tom Moe, president, Nestlé Meals division, which is based in Solon, Ohio. “By leveraging Nestlé’s insights as the world’s largest food and beverage company, and Cleveland Clinic’s expertise in health and wellness, this innovative partnership offers us the opportunity to understand how we can better support people on their health journey.”

Nestlé is providing funding for the meals and delivery during the pilot.

After closing two years ago due to flood damage from record rainfall, Save A Lot has officially reopened its location in Carlisle, Ky. The grocer held a ribbon cutting on May 17 with Save A Lot CEO Leon Bergmann; Saver Group owners Larry Noe, Wendell Combs and Dale Combs; Saver Group COO Keith DeFisher; and the Nicholas County Chamber of Commerce present to mark the occasion.

“We’re thrilled to have the Saver Group bring back the Carlisle store to their list of hometowns that get to experience once again what the Save A Lot brand is all about,” said Bergmann. “We know the Save A Lot brand brings unmatched value and quality to over 800 communities nationwide and can’t wait for the Carlisle community to experience that again for themselves.”

The grocer also held a cookout in its parking lot to commemorate the re-opening, and is holding giveaways for the first 100 customers each day through May 23. 

“We are excited to bring the Save A Lot banner back to Carlisle,” said Larry Noe. “My business partners, Dale and Wendell Combs and I understand that residents deserve high quality food at a value price point that works for them. We think the Save A Lot brand helps us deliver that to our neighbors here and we can’t wait to have people experience this new option in town.”

Save A Lot has 842 stores in 32 states. The St. Ann, Mo.-based company is No. 57 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2023 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America.

If charity begins at home, Target Corp. is keeping it close this summer. The Minneapolis-based retailer announced that it is investing in the Minneapolis Downtown Council’s “Summer’s Best Downtown” campaign that aims to support and encourage visits to the community.

Target estimates that more than 15,000 of its employees work or live in the city. "For Target, Minneapolis is not only home to our headquarters, it’s also a community where so many of our team members live. We have immense pride in our city and are proud to partner with the Minneapolis Downtown Council on this initiative to celebrate and support the things that make it a great place to live, work and shop,” said Amanda Nusz, SVP of corporate responsibility and president of the Target Foundation.

Over the course of the summer, visitors can take part in any of the 1,800 events that will be offered, including live music, games, food trucks, celebrity appearances, giveaways and more. Many activities will be held on Thursdays, with themes ranging from “Garden Bash” to “Roller Disco.” According to the Minneapolis Downtown Council, more than 8.6 million patrons visited the downtown area last year.

In addition to its support of summer events and programming, the Target Foundation awards Hometown Foundation Grants that foster entrepreneurship, workforce development, housing and asset building. The company’s team members regularly give back to the community through service, collectively volunteering more than 82,000 hours in the area in 2022.

Target Corp. is No. 6 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2023 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America, with nearly 2,000 locations.