Retail & FoodService

KeHE Distributors announced today that it has entered into a distribution agreement with Fresh Thyme Farmers Market (FTFM), a new natural grocer with an aggressive market development plan for the Midwest Region. Fresh Thyme, who will open their first store in April in Mt. Prospect, Illinois, anticipates opening 60 stores in the next five years. …

Hy-Vee, Inc., an industry leading grocery retailer with 235 stores in eight states, announced plans today for a major expansion of its Minnesota operations into the Twin Cities market. Hy-Vee has been a fixture in Minnesota communities since 1969 and currently has 17 employee-owned stores statewide with approximately 5,100 employees. …

An analysis of more than 32 million shoppers across almost 10,000 grocery stores during a 52-week period ending in mid-year 2013 has found that on average, shoppers bought just 0.7% of available products. The study, conducted by Catalina Marketing [download page], also reveals that this selectivity tends to apply across various grocery departments and is relatively consistent when segregating shoppers by age and income. …

The Kroger Co. announced Dennis Gibson has been promoted to president of the QFC division. He succeeds Joe Fey, who was named president of Kroger's Mid-Atlantic division in January. …

As the 65-and-older demographic increases in size and spending power, retailers, brand marketers and service providers have opportunities to better support the health and well-being of aging consumers, according to new findings from Nielsen, a leading global provider of information and insights into what consumers watch and buy. …