Retail & FoodService

The California Supreme Court upheld the right of cities to ban plastic bags, ruling Thursday that a full-scale environmental review may not always be needed to prohibit stores from giving bags to their customers. …

While Michigan has historically been known for its automobile and furniture manufacturing, the state also is one of our nation's leading producers of apples, cherries, asparagus, potatoes, blueberries, baby food, cereal and baked goods … to name just a few items found on your local grocery store shelves. It is this connection to the food industry that Grand Rapids, Michigan-based Spartan Stores, the nation's 11th largest grocery distributor, is building upon to stimulate the state's economy.
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PERFORMANCE Foodservice-Middendorf, St. Louis, has marked 25 years as a licensed distributor of Certified Angus Beef ® products. Staff and guests gathered in June at the facility for an open house celebrating the milestone. Attendees included Orville Middendorf, who founded Middendorf Meat & Quality Foods in 1962, his brother Don Middendorf, and retired brand specialists Charlie Brown and Rich LaRose. …

The world’s largest retailer, which has nine supercenters and two Sam’s Club warehouse stores in the Pikes Peak region, says it will build two Wal-Mart Market grocery stores — which are much smaller than a supercenter — in Colorado Springs that will open in mid-2012. …

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) launched an online resource today that makes it easier than ever for small and mid-sized producers to find markets for their products. …