Blog

Use These Resources for We Card Awareness Month this September

With We Card Awareness Month here, it’s a great time to train or re-train store associates and raise awareness about federal, state, and local regulations on tobacco, e-cigarettes, and vaping products. NGA sits on the board of directors for The We Card Program, Inc., a national non-profit organization whose important mission — which grocers support…
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An Introduction to the Appropriations and Budget Process

While President Trump and Congressional Republicans might be pursuing an aggressive legislative agenda, including a renewed focus on tax reform, there’s still the annual appropriations and budget processes that they must get through first. The Congressional Budget Act of 1974 outlines a standard framework to guide that process, but the federal government rarely follows that…
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Supermarket Industry News Roundup: September 2, 2017

NGA Surprises ‘Mentor To Many’ With Spirit Of America Award The National Grocers Association (NGA) surprised Joe Williams with the NGA Spirit of America Award on July 23 at the Texas Retailers Forum in Fort Worth. Williams is the former VP for regulatory and member services of the Texas Retailers Association (TRA). He currently serves…
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How Grocers Can Help Those Impacted by Hurricane Harvey

The Texas Retailers Association (TRA) is putting out a call for help – and we’re amplifying their message. The state association has been working alongside local authorities to distribute food and other items to areas impacted by Hurricane Harvey. In fact, two of their members are even helping with on-the-group rescue efforts. Despite all the…
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Create a Food Safety Plan with this New Tool from the FDA

  As part of the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) commitment to help businesses within the food supply chain comply with the Food Safety Modernization Act, the agency recently announced the release of a Food Safety Plan Builder. The new feature is a software tool designed to help owners and operators of food facilities create…
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Food Safety Tips for Areas Affected by Hurricane Harvey

For residents in the path of Hurricane Harvey, the threat of power outages and flooding can compromise the safety of stored food. The Category 4 hurricane has brought life-threatening storm surges, rainfall, and wind hazards to portions of the Texas coast. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) recommends that…
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Supermarket Industry News Roundup: August 25, 2017

  NGA Foundation Awards Scholarships To Grocery Industry’s Rising Stars The National Grocers Association (NGA), the trade association representing the independent supermarket industry, has awarded up to $73,000 in scholarship funding through the NGA Foundation to 16 students pursuing a career in the grocery industry for the 2017-2018 academic year. Learn more via The Shelby…
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Meet the Rising Stars Receiving NGA Scholarships This Year

Workforce development – or finding, hiring, and training the right people – is an important and growing need for the independent supermarket industry. Preparing today’s students for the challenges of tomorrow is a crucial part of the work NGA helps to support to ensure independent grocers remain ahead of a rapidly-changing marketplace. In fact, the…
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Sharing Best Practices to Tackle Some of the Industry’s Biggest Challenges

  There’s no doubt that this is a game-changing time for the independent supermarket industry. Between Amazon entering the grocery space and a boom of e-commerce activity, even the best supermarket operators are sprinting to keep up. Luckily, independent grocers are no stranger to a rapidly-changing marketplace. In fact, it’s often what allows independent supermarkets…
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Supermarket Industry News Roundup: August 18, 2017

  Grocery Outlet Raises $1 Million For Local Food Banks Grocery Outlet Bargain Market’s 7th Annual Independence from Hunger® (IFH) campaign has raised more than $1 million to provide over 500,000 meals to families in need. Throughout the month of July, Grocery Outlet customers, employees and store independent owner-operators across six states contributed food and…
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NGA Webinar Speakers: Communication, Education Key for Shopper Satisfaction

By: David Orgel, principal, David Orgel Consulting LLC. Independent retailers are raising their games with strategies from fresh to local, but they need to effectively communicate these efforts and educate shoppers. That was the message from speakers in an NGA webinar last week that focused on insights about consumers of independent retailers. “You are the…
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How One Grocer Helped Customers Get Excited about Buying Groceries Online

Long before Amazon announced the company would be entering the grocery business, the independent supermarket industry has been utilizing – and succeeding in – e-commerce to better serve communities and differentiate themselves from competitors. There’s a good reason for grocers to be online too, with nearly one fifth of all grocery spending – a total…
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Supermarket Industry News Roundup: August 11, 2017

  SNAC Int’l to Be NGA Show Pavilion Partner SNAC International will be a pavilion partner for the first time at the 2018 NGA Show, scheduled for Feb. 11-14 at the Mirage Hotel and Casino, in Las Vegas. The 600-square-foot pavilion on the expo floor will feature manufacturers of a wide range of snacks, from…
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There’s More Dads in the Dairy Aisle than Ever Before

Anyone who is grocery shopping these days can’t help but notice that there are a lot more guys browsing supermarket shelves or looking for the perfect bananas – not too green, not too much brown. The fact is, men are increasingly bearing a larger share of the responsibility for food shopping. Recent research done by…
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The Future of Snacking is at The NGA Show 2018

  Anyone who’s been to previous NGA Shows can testify that the EXPO floor, which highlights new products and services to nearly 3,500 attendees, is one of the most exciting aspects of the trade show that’s been sold out for five consecutive years. This year won’t be any different either, with SNAC International, the leading…
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Supermarket Industry News Roundup: August 4, 2017

Grocers Back House Menu-Labeling Bill The National Grocers Association (NGA) and Food Marketing Institute (FMI) have thrown their support behind H.R. 772, dubbed the Common Sense Nutrition Disclosure Act of 2017. The bipartisan legislation was advanced by the House Energy and Commerce Committee today. Learn more via Progressive Grocer. Cosentino’s Price Chopper Bagger Crowned Missouri’s Best …
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Trade Show Competition Empowers Students to Make Connections

By Caitlin Paynich, M.S. This article originally appeared in the University of Findlay’s summer edition of Findlay Magazine. Everyone goes to the grocery store. Picking out produce, grabbing some milk and figuring out what to buy for dinner are routine tasks for most people, but have you ever thought about how groceries are marketed or…
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Supermarket Industry News Roundup: July 28, 2017

NGA Gives Spirit of America Award to Joe Williams The National Grocers Association (NGA) presented Joe Williams, former VP for regulatory and member services of the Austin-based Texas Retailers Association, with the NGA Spirit of America Award at the Texas Retailers Forum, which took place Sunday, July 23. Learn more via Progressive Grocer. NGA Promotes Laura…
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NGA to Washington: Time to Serve Solutions on Menu Labeling Regulations

By Matt Foley, Senior Manager, Government Relations Despite the many cooks in the kitchen working on the menu labeling regulation, there’s a key ingredient still missing: common sense. The law, which was wrapped up within the Affordable Care Act, was originally intended for national chain restaurants, but later expanded to include supermarkets in the rulemaking…
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Utilizing Dietitians to Help Shoppers Meet their Wellness Goals

As consumers are increasingly browsing supermarket shelves for food that will help them achieve their individual health and wellness goals, supermarkets are introducing a variety of resources to help shoppers, including introducing in-store dietitians to provide one-on-one guidance. Today, nearly 11,000 supermarkets across the country are being served by over 1,000 dietitians and, as usual,…
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