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.

Sustainable health care company Cabinet will roll out to more than 700 CVS stores across the country in bid to rid the medicine aisles and homes of American consumers of single-use plastics. By partnering with the largest prescription market shareholder in the United States, Cabinet aims to introduce CVS’ many shoppers to a sustainable alternative to conventional over-the-counter (OTC) drug packaging.

Cabinet’s system is free from single-use plastic and even offers fully compostable refill pouches. More than five SKUs of its ethically sourced and batch-tested OTC medications will be available at CVS in new retail-ready packaging that includes various bottle sizes. 

To mark the CVS launch, Cabinet is kicking off a summer-long marketing initiative as it travels the country in its Medicinemobile. Stopping in 10 key CVS markets across the United States, Cabinet will collect old medicine bottles that can’t be recycled to create works of art. 

Ahead of the rollout, Cabinet introduced its latest packaging solution: Cabinet 3.0 features the shatter-proof frosted glass bottles now available in several sizes, increased pill counts and saved costs of up to 20% per pill compared with typical OTC medications, according to the New York-based company. The retail-ready packaging highlights the brand’s mission while raising consumers’ awareness of the environmental impact of their purchase. 

Cabinet’s medications, including Allergy Relief, Pain Relief, Cough + Cold Relief, and Digestive Care, will be available at CVS starting May 26.

With its CVS Pharmacy subsidiary operating almost 10,000 locations nationwide, Woonsocket, R.I.-based CVS Health is No. 7 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2023 list of top food and consumables retailers in North America.  

Mother’s Market & Kitchen, an independent organic and natural health food store chain with 12 Southern California locations, and retail tech companyUpside have teamed up to offer the retailer’s customers the chance to earn cash back while shopping.

“This partnership presents an exciting opportunity for us to not only broaden our customer base and enhance the value we offer to our patrons, but also gain valuable insights and data-driven analytics to improve our overall service and offering,” noted Dorothy Carlow, CEO of Costa Mesa, Calif.-based Mother’s Market & Kitchen. “By leveraging Upside's data-driven approach, we’re better equipped to meet the evolving needs of our customers while delivering them value and quality.” 

Together, Mother’s Market & Kitchen and Upside aim to provide the retailer’s current customers with more purchasing power while expanding its reach through margin-bound promotions that inspire real behavioral change. Upside’s cash-back offers entice both new and existing customers to visit participating stores. Retailers using Upside’s platform have seen their customers’ basket sizes grow by an average of 10% and their customers’ visit frequency increase by 1.7 times each month, according to the tech company.

“Mother’s Market & Kitchen is a savvy grocer finding profitable ways to help their customers combat rising inflation costs, while keeping up with larger chain competitors,” saidTyler Renahagan, VP of grocery at Washington, D.C.-based Upside, which also works with such grocers as Schnucks, Cardenas Markets, Coborn’s, Price Chopper, Gelson’s, Piggly Wiggly and Save A Lot.“In today’s climate, where consumers demand greater value and grocers require profitable growth to succeed, partnerships like these can make a significant difference.”

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.