Deep Dive
Industry insights from our journalists
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With Supervalu acquisition, UNFI gets a company in transition
The combination will create a new wholesaling entity offering a wide variety of products, but both companies have significant challenges to overcome in order to make the deal work.
Jeff Wells • July 27, 2018 -
Are grocers solving the e-commerce riddle? Depends on whom you ask
Most major supermarket chains have made investments or partnerships in the space, but some experts question whether they are doing enough to separate themselves from their competitors.
Christopher Doering • July 23, 2018 -
The collapse of Chef'd illustrates meal kits' challenges
Slowing sales growth could put pressure on weaker companies that remain to improve their businesses, find a buyer or be forced to close.
Christopher Doering • July 19, 2018 -
As consumers move online, food and beverage makers struggle to adapt
With 20% of all grocery sales expected to come from the web by 2022, CPG companies are scrambling to build an effective sales infrastructure for e-commerce.
Christopher Doering • July 17, 2018 -
How specialty food retailers are fighting back against Amazon
At the Summer Fancy Food Show in New York, grocery buyers said they're staying competitive by accentuating their core offerings and creating an enjoyable in-store experience.
Louise Kramer • July 03, 2018 -
Snacking's appetite grows to take a bigger bite of US food consumption
The category has expanded beyond salty and sugary items that once defined the space to include more options that meet consumer needs like convenience and better-for-you products.
Pamela DeLoatch • May 21, 2018 -
What you need to know about grocery marketing
As large chains drive down prices and e-commerce makes it easier for shoppers to try new sellers, retailers have to show what they stand for.
Food Dive staff • May 14, 2018 -
More than mileage: Grocers embrace story and transparency in local marketing
Food and beverages sourced from small, regional players provide a path to growth for supermarkets of all sizes, but retailers need to clearly communicate their brand's definition of "local" to make the sale.
Emma Liem • May 14, 2018 -
Can promotional changes boost Lidl's fortunes?
U.S. customers haven't yet come around to the discounter's price-meets-quality proposition — so it's turning up the volume.
Jeff Wells • May 14, 2018 -
Small grocers say they have an Amazon-sized advantage in prepared foods
As independent retailers look for ways to outmaneuver national chains, high-quality meals have emerged as a major opportunity.
Jeff Wells • April 16, 2018 -
Why millennials are leading the way in prepared foods
The nation's largest and most influential demographic is pushing supermarkets to offer bolder, higher quality meals.
Pamela DeLoatch • April 16, 2018 -
Food and beverage M&A will heat up this year, report says
The annual study from A.T. Kearney found that while deal volume and value dropped in 2017, political events and consumer trends point to more global transactions.
Cathy Siegner • April 10, 2018 -
After a year of explosive growth, can Instacart keep its lead in grocery home delivery?
In an interview with Food Dive, chief business officer Nilam Ganenthiran said the company is focused on deepening relationships and driving more sales with its existing retailer partners.
Jeff Wells • April 06, 2018 -
More than just good fortune: Lucky's Market stakes its claim in the natural and organic segment
The grocer's quirky, affable vibe has helped it grow in small cities across America, but can it thrive under pressure from traditional competitors and a new crop of grocers?
Pamela DeLoatch • April 03, 2018 -
At Shoptalk, retailers ponder the future of brick-and-mortar groceries
As the industry continues to move online, executives are trying to embrace omnichannel commerce, but still keep their stores relevant to consumers.
Jeff Wells • March 26, 2018 -
What you need to know about private label brands
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Jeff Wells • March 13, 2018 -
Hitting refresh: Grocers update their store brands to stay top-of-mind with shoppers
As competition grows, retailers are looking at the ingredients found in many of their private label products while moving into new categories within the space.
Pamela DeLoatch • March 12, 2018 -
Not just knock-offs, but 'knockouts': Inside Kroger's private label push
As store brands become a battleground for retailers, the grocer is leaning on its scale and advanced data science to develop products its customers haven't seen before.
Jeff Wells • March 12, 2018 -
A peek inside one of Target's newest small format stores
The mass merchant is betting big that these stores will draw in customers in urban, suburban and college cities. But what's the key to making it work?
Corinne Ruff • March 08, 2018 -
Could the Aldi-Kohl's partnership be a model for supermarket growth?
At a time when most major grocers have slowed store expansion, creative partnerships like this one could help them reach new customers.
Jeff Wells • March 06, 2018 -
Food companies are starved for female leadership
This could significantly impact bottom lines, according to panelists at the Food Marketing Institute's Midwinter Conference.
Jeff Wells • Jan. 31, 2018 -
Q&A: How a local biscuit maker rose to success at big-name grocers
Mason Dixie, which launched in 2014 with Kickstarter funding, already sells its made-from-scratch products in more than 2,000 retail locations, including Whole Foods and Kroger.
Christopher Doering • Jan. 31, 2018 -
E-commerce food packaging comes of age as more shoppers go online
The ability of the consumer to order cereal, soda, soup and other items from their computers has created challenges for manufacturers that package and ship those products to a person's doorstep.
Pamela DeLoatch • Jan. 30, 2018 -
What you need to know about grocery store technology
Even as tech innovations become increasingly futuristic, they still focus on the same goals grocers had in mind more than a century ago: to offer better food more efficiently, and to stand out in the marketplace.
Emma Liem and Christopher Doering • Jan. 30, 2018 -
6 takeaways from the FMI Midwinter Executive Conference
Facing a rapidly changing industry, attendees came away from the annual meeting with a lot to digest.
Jeff Wells • Jan. 30, 2018