The Friday Checkout: Amazon is hot on Instacart’s heels again

The online grocery company soared the last time Amazon leveled a major challenge to its business. How will it respond to the latest salvo?

Updated Aug. 22, 2025

Hy-Vee rolling out concierge healthcare benefit

The plan, developed with healthcare technology company Oscar, will become available this fall to employees in and around Des Moines, Iowa.

Amazon’s grocery delivery play doesn’t erase key challenges

While the retailer’s same-day delivery expansion leverages its enormous reach online, its fractional brick-and-mortar presence remains a central liability, industry analysts said.

SpartanNash’s retail sales again lead its quarterly growth

The grocery company’s retail unit saw revenue growth of 13% during Q2, while wholesale revenue dropped 3%.

Walmart expands 10% grocery discount for its workers

Extending its holiday food discount to year-round stemmed from employee requests for simpler, more accessible perks, the retailer said.

Grocery e-commerce hits record high household penetration

More than 60% of U.S. households bought groceries online in July, according to Brick Meets Click.

Amazon brings same-day perishable food delivery to 1K cities and towns

The retailer plans to expand the service, which allows shoppers to buy groceries and non-food products using a single online cart, to more than 2,300 locations by the end of 2025.

How Instacart is upgrading smart carts to drive omnichannel shopping

The grocery technology company is seeing coupons and ads on its Caper Carts as a key attraction for customers and advertisers.

FMI says it’s concerned about tariffs’ impacts on consumers

More than half of respondents to the trade group’s U.S. grocery shopper trends survey for August said tariffs were their primary concern related to food costs.

Heritage Grocers ushers in predictive tech to revamp prepared foods strategy

The Hispanic grocery company aims to improve market demand fulfillment while also better serving its multicultural family customers.

7 big grocery industry questions for the rest of 2025

From who will become Kroger’s next CEO to how consumer price sensitivity and tariffs will evolve, here are the top storylines to watch.

SpartanNash names new marketing exec for private brands

Jason Ulichnie brings decades of store brand experience from Walmart, Schnuck Markets and Southeastern Grocers to the company. 

SpartanNash hires CIO, information security chief as it preps for merger

The grocery company has also combined its finance, IT and strategy groups ahead of its planned acquisition by C&S Wholesale Grocers.

Kroger settles lawsuit with C&S Wholesale Grocers

The companies did not say whether Kroger would pay the termination fee related to its failed merger with Albertsons that C&S had demanded in its suit.

Natural Grocers posts strong Q3 despite cyberattack on UNFI

The natural and organic retailer said it took at least a 1% hit on its comparable-store sales because of the data breach against its primary supplier, but still saw that metric rise year over year.

Judge dismisses King Soopers’ lawsuit against UFCW Local 7

The union fended off allegations that it tried to force the Kroger-owned banner into bargaining with other labor groups that don’t have ties with the grocer.

Albertsons outlines defense against growing ingredients costs

The grocery chain would consider alternate sourcing options if tariffs become unwieldy, its CEO said.

Wakefern to acquire Morton Williams

A subsidiary of the company will run the chain’s 17 stores in the New York City metro area.

Updated Aug. 7, 2025

Instacart reports strong Q2 results amid omnichannel push

The company is expanding in-store and online solutions as “multichannel customers” prove to be the most valuable, CEO Fidji Simo said.

Stressed, bored and curious: How consumers are approaching food shopping right now.

Shoppers don’t just want retailers to echo their economic anxieties — they want help discovering new food and beverages, the Kearney Consumer Institute found.

The Friday Checkout: Is 2025 the year of grocery e-commerce profitability?

More retailers are talking about making online grocery shopping profitable. Here’s how Ahold Delhaize says its U.S. digital business hit this milestone.

Ahold Delhaize credits omnichannel for strong financial results

The company told investors it achieved e-commerce profitability on a fully allocated basis during the first half of 2025.

HelloFresh makes $70M product investment

The meal kit company is looking to fuel expansion in personalization, variety, quality and health-centered offerings.

How Kroger built a sonic ecosystem into its multichannel brand platform

The grocery giant teamed with Made Music Studio to expand on existing brand elements and engage with consumers.

More states ban soda and ‘junk food’ purchases from SNAP benefits

Six more states have received permission to place restrictions on which foods are SNAP-eligible, bringing the number of states with waivers up to 12.