Retailer-owned cooperative Wakefern Food Corp. has made its Electronic Benefits Transfer Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (EBT SNAP) available as an accepted payment method for orders placed through Instacart from ShopRite, Fairway Market, Gourmet Garage and The Fresh Grocer stores in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Delaware and Maryland. Additionally, the co-op’s online shopping service, which is available on its banner brands’ websites, accepts EBT SNAP payments.

“Expanding online shopping EBT SNAP payment options beyond our retail digital channels will make fresh foods and essentials even more accessible for families in need,” noted Elizabeth Goodbread, director of digital commerce at Wakefern. “This is an important additional step in advancing the fight against food insecurity in the communities our stores serve.”

To subsidize costs for EBT SNAP participants, San Francisco-based Instacart will waive delivery and pickup fees on the first three EBT SNAP orders through Dec. 31 for customers using a valid EBT card associated with their Instacart account.

“We share Wakefern’s mission to provide more people across the Northeast with greater access to nutritious food,” said Sarah Mastrorocco, VP and general manager of Instacart Health. “At Instacart, we believe online grocery can be a major tool to address nutrition security. We look forward to increasing affordability and accessibility through our expanded partnership with Wakefern.”

Keasbey, N.J.-based Wakefern comprises more than 40 members that independently own and operate 360-plus supermarkets under the ShopRite, Price Rite Marketplace, The Fresh Grocer, Dearborn Market, Gourmet Garage and Fairway Market banners in New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Rhode Island. Together with its member companies, Wakefern employs nearly 80,000 people. The company is No. 25 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2022 listing of North America’s top food and consumables retailers in North America.

Food City will welcome its latest store into the fold on Nov. 9 in Cartersville, Ga.

Located on Joe Frank Harris Parkway SE, the more than 59,000-square-foot supermarket includes a full-service bakery and deli and meat and seafood departments. Rapid checkout service is provided by seven traditional checkout lanes and nine self-checkouts. For added convenience, the store also includes a wine-tasting station, a Starbucks Cafe, a Food City Pharmacy equipped with a patient consultation room, and GoCart curbside pickup. The store is additionally equipped with several energy-saving concepts, ranging from energy-efficient glass cooler doors, parking lot lights and refrigeration systems to motion sensors and 100% LED lighting, as well as an open-rafter ceiling design. 

Further, a Food City Gas N’ Go fuel center will be located across the street from the store and is expected to open in the summer of 2023. Customers can take advantage of the Fuel Bucks program once the facility opens.

The grocer has hired 250-plus associates, the vast majority of whom have come from the local community.

Food City recently broke ground on a new store located at 514 Main Street, in Kimball, Tenn. The 49,000-square-foot retail supermarket is expected to open in late summer or early fall of 2023.

Abingdon, Va.-based K-VA-T Food Stores, Food City’s parent company, operates 148 retail outlets throughout southeast Kentucky, southwest Virginia, east Tennessee, Georgia and Alabama. K-VA-T is No. 68 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2022 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America. 

Timed near the observation of Veterans Day, The Kroger Co. is holding a virtual veteran and military family career expo on Thursday, Nov. 10 from 1 to 2 p.m. (EST). The event will make it easier and more convenient for veterans and their families to learn about career opportunities with the Kroger Family of Cos. and participate in one-on-one conversations about recruitment and hiring.

Potential employees can also hear from veteran leaders within Kroger, who will share their perspective on working for the company. One of those leaders is Cora R. Mauzy, a member of the Veteran's Associate Resource Group and Store Leader. "I am fortunate to work for an organization that values my military experience and leadership gained as a Captain in the U.S. Army," she said. "My experience coupled with great mentors have enabled me to advance with multiple promotions and national recognition as a Top Woman in Grocery (TWIG). I want all veterans to know that Kroger is a place where they can utilize their military experience to grow and advance in their career."

Kroger estimates that it has hired more than 50,000 veterans in the last decade. "Kroger is immensely grateful for our nation's veterans, service members and military families, and we continue to honor our heroes by offering a meaningful career for those who have served, including military families and beyond," said Tim Massa, Kroger's SVP and chief people officer. "We recognize the unique skills and experience our brave servicemen and women have to offer through their military experience, and we look forward to hiring our heroes and feeding their future."

Prospective associates may register for the Veteran Career Expo online.  

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. 

Tech solution provider ReposiTrak and the National Grocers Association (NGA) are teaming up to bring more traceability resources to NGA-member independent grocers and wholesalers. For a limited time, ReposiTrak will waive its $2,000 setup fee for food industry suppliers and, once data exchange begins, offer a low, flat fee for unlimited records creation and data sharing with in-network trading partners.

The Network allows suppliers and their retail and wholesale customers to share traceability data that will be required by a new rule from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for high-risk foods. “Without the ReposiTrak Traceability Network, the new requirements under the Food Safety Modernization Act Section 204 will become a recordkeeping and data management nightmare for suppliers and their customers,” explained Randy Fields, chairman and CEO of the Murray, Utah-based ReposiTrak. “Through automation and our proven supply chain technology, the Network simplifies the creation and sharing of the Key Data Element records required by the FDA.”

Laura Strange, SVP of communications and external affairs at NGA, noted that it’s a pivotal time for more accessible traceability. “Today’s food system has becoming increasingly complex with many stakeholders spanning global to regional and local levels. At the same time, there is increased public awareness of recalls and expanded government regulations, making it imperative for retailers to be even more focused on product sourcing and food safety standards from farm to fork,” she remarked. “The ReposiTrak Traceability Network is an essential solution that will help our members and their trading partners meet the new federal regulations and take advantage of many other benefits they’ll see from knowing exactly where products are at all times.”

Food City officials have broken ground on a new store located at 514 Main Street, in Kimball, Tenn. The 49,000-square-foot retail supermarket is expected to open late summer or early fall of 2023.

The location will include an in-store bakery and deli, complete with a hot-food bar, large café seating area, fireplace, Asian wok and fresh-food bar. Full-service meat and seafood departments will offer pre-marinated, seasoned oven-ready products and top-quality meats, including Certified Angus Beef. In-house butchers will be available to hand-cut steaks and fresh meat to order.

“We are excited to be joining the Kimball retail community. We look forward to constructing a state-of-the-art supermarket that will create quality jobs and tax revenue for the citizens of Marion County,” said Steven C. Smith, Food City president and CEO.

The Food City Floral Boutique will be staffed with a designer seven days per week. Rapid checkout service will be provided by five traditional checkout lanes and seven self-checkouts. GoCart curbside pickup and home delivery will be offered. The store will also include a Food City Pharmacy, equipped with a drive-thru; a Food City Gas N’ Go featuring top-quality fuel and diesel; and a Starbucks cafe.

Several energy-saving concepts range from energy-efficient glass cooler doors, parking lot lights and refrigeration systems to motion sensors and 100% LED lighting, as well as an open-rafter ceiling design. 

“Our customers can expect to find exceptional customer service and top-quality products at the lowest possible prices, along with great variety/selection and some exciting new services,” said Smith. 

Abingdon, Va.-based K-VA-T Food Stores, Food City’s parent company, operates 148 retail outlets throughout southeast Kentucky, southwest Virginia, east Tennessee, north Georgia and Alabama. K-VA-T is No. 68 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2022 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America. 

HAC, Inc., parent company of Homeland Grocery Stores, announced that David Criscione is its new president and CEO.

Criscione comes to HAC from Walmart International, where he held executive management roles in finance, strategy and technology and reorganized its business to fuel greater growth. His 30-year industry career also includes a role as general manager of Amazon Go and leadership positions for the Food Lion and Hannaford banners at Delhaize Group.

“We were focused on finding an individual whose values align with our employee owners’ values, has deep grocery industry experience, and has a record of developing and successfully implementing strategic thinking,” said Richard May, chair of HAC’s board of directors. “David clearly distinguished himself from a strong field of candidates and we feel fortunate to have his leadership onboard as HAC embarks on building its exciting and challenging next chapter of growth.”

Criscione said he is ready to hit the ground running. “I am thrilled to be joining the HAC team. I see so much potential for the organization and I look forward to leading a dedicated group of employee-owners and serving the communities where we are located,” he remarked.

The main banner of HAC, Inc., Homeland Stores operates 34 locations in Oklahoma and one in Texas. HAC's other banners include Food World, Piggly Wiggly, Country Mart, United and Cash Saver.  The company’s roots date back to 1916 and the opening of the first United Supermarket.