Edward Fillinger

The Save Mart Companies is rolling out a price reduction campaign as the Modesto, Calif.-based grocer is cutting prices on more than 4,000 items. ➡️ https://lnkd.in/eTsDN4es #grocery #retail #pricecuts

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📦 Distribution shift in California's RTD market: Patco Brands, the company behind Rancho La Gloria and other private label beverages, is moving its California distribution to California Beverage Solution starting August 1. A strategic step for one of the leaders in wine-based RTD products. https://lnkd.in/gJd5DTuk #RTDdrinks #BeverageIndustry #AlcoholicBeverages #DistributionNews #CaliforniaBusiness

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Easy Does It Partners with LA Distributing to Expand Southern California Distribution The partnership marks the next phase of growth as the LA-based non-alcoholic beer brand expands distribution across the region. LOS ANGELES, CA - March 18, 2026 - Easy Does It, the Los Angeles-born non-alcoholic beer brand rooted in counterculture, craftsmanship, and community, today announced a new partnership with Los Angeles Distributing Company (LAD), signaling the next phase of growth as the brand expands availability across the bars, restaurants, and retail shelves that have helped establish the brand in market. The partnership follows a year of steady expansion, with Easy Does It building distribution across a curated group of hospitality and retail accounts throughout Southern California. The brand is now carried in more than 80 locations, including Tony’s Darts Away, The Bungalow, Casa Vega, Rainbow Bar & Grill, Silver Lake Lounge, Great White, and The Benjamin in Hollywood, as well as retail partners including Albertsons, Vons, Pavilions, and BevMo. With the addition of LA Distributing, one of Southern California’s leading beverage distributors, Easy Does It will expand its reach across LAD’s network while continuing to prioritize the retail and hospitality relationships that helped establish the brand across the market. “Easy Does It built real momentum in Los Angeles by winning in the right accounts and letting the product speak for itself,” says Richard Medina, Founder & CEO of LA Distributing. “The adult non-alcoholic category is still early, and they are helping define what the next generation of beer looks like. Our job is to take that foundation and expand it across Southern California, placing them exactly where they belong.” Read the full release below at BevNET.com https://lnkd.in/gw5AvrDY

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Black Friday and Cyber Monday can be exciting opportunities to save—but without a plan, they can turn into financial traps. Smart shoppers in Modesto can stretch their dollars by shopping with strategy, not just spontaneity. 💡 Here are some proven ways to shop smarter: 📝 Start with a list – Deloitte found 64% of shoppers overspend when they don’t create one. Write down what you need before opening a single app or walking into a store. 🎯 Time your buys – Adobe Analytics reports that electronics are discounted an average of 25% on Cyber Monday, while toys and games see the biggest price drops on Black Friday. Shop accordingly. 💻 Use cash-back browser tools – Consumers who use extensions like Honey or Rakuten save an average of $50–$100 per holiday season, according to Statista. 🚨 Don’t fall for “limited-time” pressure – NerdWallet found 45% of “doorbuster” deals aren’t unique at all and appear year-round. Compare prices before clicking purchase. 📊 Set a spending cap – Americans are projected to spend over $1,500 on holiday shopping in 2025 (NRF). Decide in advance how much fits comfortably into your budget—and stick to it. This holiday season, don’t let impulse buys overshadow your savings goals. The best deal is the one that fits your budget, meets your needs, and brings you peace of mind. #ModestoCalifornia #Modesto #CaliforniaLife #ILoveModesto

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{FOODSERVICE} Case Study: Sprouts Farmers Market brings quality grain bowls to the grocery deli - explore five new bowl builds featuring a lentil and grain blend base debuting across their grocery locations U.S.-wide https://ow.ly/LL1f50XfLsa

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California farmers who grow fruit for canned products suffered a major setback this month as Del Monte Foods announced plans to close its only remaining cannery in the state. The cannery’s closure will reportedly affect roughly 600 employees and 1,200 seasonal workers in Modesto. The closure ends Del Monte’s more than 100-year history as a processor of California-grown fruits and vegetables, potentially leaving scores of farmers without a buyer for their produce. “It’s difficult,” said Ranjit Davit, who grows cling peaches in Sutter County and chairs the California Canning Peach Association’s board of directors. “Growers are very upset about the situation.” In recent years, Del Monte contracted about 35% of California’s cling peaches. Farmers who planted fruit orchards under long-term contracts with Del Monte said they were weighing their options and bracing for steep losses. Read more in Ag Alert at bit.ly/4q2cCFL 📸: Caleb Hampton #News #AgAlert #CAFarmBureau #DelMMonteFoods #Canned #Cannery #Fruits #Vegetables #Growers #Farmers

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VIPs from Sprouts Farmers Market, Raley's and National Co+op Grocers discussed how organic produce is central to retail growth strategies at the ninth annual Organic Produce Summit, held in Monterey, California, July 9-11. These retail leaders are embracing an "organics first" mindset and shared how merchandising innovation, compelling storytelling and strategic supplier partnerships are driving growth despite challenges like supply gaps and rising costs. 👉 Read the full session recap here: https://lnkd.in/gg_zMAUi This session was a part of a Retailer Roundtable panel at #organicproducesummit. Moderated by: FreshSource President Scot Olson  Panelists: - Joshua Crone, retail programming senior manager of produce with National Co+op Grocers (NCG) - Faith Garrard, Raley's executive director of fresh & alcohol - Reyna Graves, director of national produce merchandising for Sprouts Farmers Market #organicfood #organicproduce #organicgrowers #organicretail #organicgrowth

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We’re keeping our eyes peeled 👀 California Navel oranges are looking strong this season, with bigger fruit sizes and a solid marketing window, according to Casey Creamer, President & CEO of California Citrus Mutual, in his chat with FreshFruitPortal.com Of course, challenges like pests and shifting markets are always in play… which is why quality has to come first. At Clairfresh, we’re proud to support some of the world’s leading citrus growers and exporters, including Sunkist Growers, ANB GROUP, and IMG Citrus, helping them cut down on rejections and keep their fruit shining on the global stage. Quality remains key as crop faces market shifts. Read more: https://lnkd.in/euCpVRGH #Citrus #QualityManagement #FreshProduce #Clairfresh

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Most wholesale food companies rely on referrals. That’s not a strategy. That’s luck. A simple funnel fixes that 👇 🫐 Awareness: help the right buyers find you. 🫐 Consideration: prove you’re a legit supplier (certs, specs, COAs). 🫐 Purchase: make ordering easy (MOQs, lead times, fast quotes). 🫐 Loyalty: keep accounts reordering with updates + check-ins. 🫐 Advocacy: turn customers into repeat referrers. If your marketing isn’t moving buyers through these steps, it will feel “random.” Want the exact system we use to build this? ✅ Download the Free Growth Kit.

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A recent post from the National Association of Convenience Stores highlighted an important point from Christopher Rapanick and the NACS research team: If unit growth isn’t increasing, operators have to focus on building basket value and driving inside transactions. That means turning this: 🚗 Fuel → leave Into this: 🚗 Fuel → drink→ food → $$$ There’s a factor that influences whether customers walk inside in the first place: The condition of the forecourt. Oil stains, dirty concrete, and neglected pump areas send a message before a customer ever opens the door. Clean, well-maintained fuel islands and walkways create a better first impression and help encourage that extra step inside. At CAF, we spend a lot of time helping operators maintain cleaner forecourts and exterior surfaces using solutions like EXIMO® Waterless Concrete Cleaner, designed specifically for fuel environments. Curious to see the insights coming out of the 2026 NACS State of the Industry Summit. Read More Here 👉 https://lnkd.in/g_HByeH3 If you're interested in how operators are improving forecourt cleanliness, you can learn more here: https://www.mycaf.com/

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Headliner... Sprouts Farmers Market CEO Jack Sinclair talks about the company's approach to private label, store growth and more during PLMA's Annual Leadership Conference: https://lnkd.in/gzZmV9fY #sprouts #grocerynews #foodretail

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J&J Snack Foods Corp Foods CEO Dan Fachner on Dippin'​ Dots, LLC ’Acquisition: ICR Conference 2026 🍦They discussed the company’s more than 30 strategic acquisitions including the Dippin’ Dots acquisition 📈How J&J is positioning itself for improved margins and long-term growth among other topics. See more: https://lnkd.in/esfzSatN

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Should your franchise system favor single-unit or multi-unit operators? There’s no one-size-fits-all answer. What matters most? What’s right for the brand. ✅ Chick-fil-A chose the single-unit path—deep operator focus, high-touch leadership ✅ Pioneer franchises are the opposite—30 to 40 groups owning hundreds of locations Both models work. But the right one depends on: 📍 Your brand DNA 📍 The support structure you’ve built 📍 The type of franchisees you want in your ecosystem At the end of the day, most brands land somewhere in the middle. The key is choosing with intention—not just momentum. Comment “TRIBE” if you want to talk strategy for your growth model.

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Cal-Maine Foods, Inc. has completed its acquisition of breakfast foods maker Echo Lake Foods, Inc. in a cash transaction for approximately $258 million. #foodbusiness #foodandbeverage #mergersandacquisitions https://ow.ly/B5R250W4f2m

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Succeeding in today’s competitive beverage market requires a full-view analysis of the beverage alcohol and beer industry – one that brings together On- and Off-Premise data for a complete, unified market perspective. At this year’s National Beer Wholesalers Association's Annual Conference, join Andrew Hummel, Director - Beverage Alcohol, North America, and Kaleigh Theriault, Director - Beverage Alcohol Thought Leadership, as they present: Zoom Out, Win Big: Giving Your Team a Full View of the Total Beverage Alcohol Market. Attendees will receive an exclusive first look at new analysis to challenge industry myths—combining scan, panel, and On Premise insights. As consumers continue to moderate their beverage alcohol consumption, understanding the total industry landscape is more critical than ever. This session, tailored for beer distributors, will explore: -Navigating both On- and Off-Premise channels -Uncovering growth opportunities in a shrinking volume market -Deploying Beer First tools to complete the sale 📍 Attending National Beer Wholesalers Association Convention & Trade Show? Stop by and connect with Drew and Kaleigh in person to dive deeper into the insights and tools that can help your team win big. #TheFullView #Beer #BeverageAlcohol #OnPremise #Distribution

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Great Brand. Wrong Store? Non-alc is booming — but in independent c-stores, that doesn’t guarantee you’ll get on shelf… or stay there. 🚨 NA beer grew 27.6% last quarter in c-stores. 📉 Yet it still accounts for just 0.1% of total bev/al sales. The demand is real, but the growth is coming off a tiny base. That makes it risky for independent retailers to bet big — unless they’re confident your brand will perform with their specific shopper. That’s where Aisle AI comes in. We help NA brands: 🔍 Understand where demand is trending locally 🛒 Target the right retailers based on shopper fit 📈 Prove velocity, not just category buzz Indy retail doesn’t play by the same rules as national chains. Let us help you write a data-backed pitch that sticks. #NonAlcoholic #SoberCurious #RetailDistribution #IndyRetail #AisleAI #CPGstrategy

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Gen Z and millennials drive digital shift in $97B produce market, FMI report finds. The FMI report reveals that the category’s future is increasingly shaped by generational shifts in shoppers’ engagement with fruits and vegetables. 🌐

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