Gina Acosta

2 weeks ago | progressivegrocer.com | Gina Acosta

New formats, leadership and strategies set the stage for a reinvention At an Amazon Fresh store in Torrance, Calif., deals abound for Prime members. It has been said many times before, but Amazon is about to drastically change the grocery business. Since Buechel took the top job at Whole Foods Market in 2022, the Austin, Texas-based retailer has driven higher profitability and sales for Amazon’s physical stores segment.

2 weeks ago | progressivegrocer.com | Gina Acosta

Food retailer's focus on community, service and value pays off Food City team members, back row from left: Carrie Strait, Sergio Ramos, Alex Mota, Danny Hosler, Miguel Sabino and Bryant Wohlgemuth. Front row from left: Aaron Figueroa, Saul Oblea, Mari Prieto, Ashley Guadian, Dua Hassan, Jorge Alvarez and Jesse Muñoz. The corn and flour tortillas are still warm in their bags when I walk into the Food City store in Chandler, Ariz., on a sunny February day.

1 month ago | progressivegrocer.com | Gina Acosta

Trump’s trade war means a merchandising reset Some grocers, like Whole Foods, feature designated areas for local products in their stores. Lately, I’ve been spending an unnatural amount of time staring at tanker trackers: apps with real-time data showing that cargo volumes at U.S. ports are undergoing a drop in container traffic not seen since the pandemic.

1 month ago | progressivegrocer.com | Gina Acosta

It’s not just about price, according to the retailer’s EVP/Food, John Laney Walmart is investing $9 billion to remodel and upgrade stores, focusing on a “Store of the Future” concept with techy layouts and supersized fresh departments. In 2025, Walmart isn’t just selling more groceries than anyone else – it’s redefining what a modern grocer should be.

2 months ago | progressivegrocer.com | Gina Acosta

GLP-1-friendly snacks, mushroom products, protein-packed foods and functional beverages dominate Natural Products Expo West attracted nearly 70,000 grocery geeks to Southern California in March. Some people dream about going to the Super Bowl. But every year I dream about going to the Super Bowl of grocery: Natural Products Expo West in Anaheim, Calif.