Mark Hamstra

New York

Writer and Editor at Freelance

Freelance business journalist. Tweeting about food, business, the business of food + other stuff.

Articles

C&S seen as a ‘white knight’ in SpartanNash acquisition

2 days ago | supermarketnews.com | Mark Hamstra

C&S Wholesale Grocers will provide a boost to both SpartanNash’s wholesale and retail operations, said consultant Burt Flickinger of Strategic Retail Group. Keene, N.H.-based C&S on Monday said it had agreed to acquire SpartanNash for about $1.77 billion, expanding its national network of warehouses and retail stores.
Wegmans tests smart carts in four stores

2 days ago | supermarketnews.com | Mark Hamstra

Wegmans Food Markets confirmed local reports that it is testing smart carts in three of its stores, with a fourth store set to join the test in the coming days. The company said it is testing carts from two different technology providers to gather customer feedback and drive improvements. The carts, which allow shoppers to scan items as they shop, are being tested in two stores in the Rochester, N.Y., market, and one store in Buffalo, with another store set to come online in Syracuse.
Walgreens’ Q3 sales get a boost from pharmacy gains

2 days ago | supermarketnews.com | Mark Hamstra

Walgreens Boots Alliance on Thursday said its U.S. pharmacy division posted double-digit sales gains in the company’s fiscal third quarter, although retail sales declined compared with year-ago results. The company, which is in the process of being acquired by an affiliate of private-equity firm Sycamore Partners, said pharmacy sales increased 11.8% percent in the quarter, and comparable pharmacy sales increased 14.6% vs. the third quarter of last year.
Heritage Grocers names Espinoza chief administrative officer

3 days ago | supermarketnews.com | Mark Hamstra

Heritage Grocers Group said it has named Leticia G. Espinoza as its new chief administrative officer, the latest in a string of new hires at the Hispanic-focused group. Espinoza, who joined the company’s Cardenas Markets banner in 2019 as general counsel and corporate secretary, most recently was chief legal and human resources officer for Heritage Group.
Gristedes grocery owner threatens to leave New York City

3 days ago | supermarketnews.com | Mark Hamstra

John Catsimatidis, the owner of the Gristedes supermarket chain and other business in New York City, said he would consider relocating and selling his grocery operations if Zohran Mamdani is elector mayor, according to reports. Mamdani, a democratic socialist who on Tuesday appeared to win the Democratic primary election for mayor of the city, campaigned on the platform of making the city more affordable for low-income residents.
How Small-Batch Uncle Jerry’s Pretzels Leans Into The Better-For-You-Snack Trend

3 days ago | uschamber.com | Mark Hamstra

Demand for healthier foods is expected to help drive a 3.1% compound annual growth rate for pretzel sales over the next five years, according to Grand View Research. Uncle Jerry’s Pretzels do not use any additives, oils, sugars, or preservatives, which allows it to make fist-sized pretzels that are only 90 calories each. The company is expanding into new geographic markets through both direct-to-consumer sales and its retail distributor partners.
Grocery industry trade groups support estate tax proposal

1 week ago | supermarketnews.com | Mark Hamstra

Both the National Grocers Association and FMI – The Food Industry Association said they support proposed revisions to the estate tax that have been outlined by both houses of Congress in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Under the proposed revisions, estates valued at $15 million or less would not be subject to the estate tax beginning in 2026, with the threshold set to increase with inflation.
Kroger plans to close 60 stores

1 week ago | supermarketnews.com | Mark Hamstra

Kroger Co. on Friday said it plans to close 60 stores in the next 18 months, but said the closures would not impact its financial guidance for the full year. The Cincinnati-based grocery retailer, which is seeking to bounce back from its failed bid to merge with Albertsons Cos. late last year and the loss of its chairman and CEO earlier this year, posted gains in adjusted sales and earnings for the first quarter.
NGA says it supports Senate SNAP revisions

1 week ago | supermarketnews.com | Mark Hamstra

The National Grocers Association on Wednesday said it is encouraged by the U.S. Senate’s revised approach to reforming the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, known as SNAP. In a statement, NGA President and CEO Greg Ferrara said the Senate’s proposed changes to the One Big Beautiful Bill Act would ensure that benefits remain 100% federally funded when states maintain low payment error rates.
Laurel Grocery Co. sued by former employee

1 week ago | supermarketnews.com | Mark Hamstra

A former employee of Laurel Grocery Co. has filed a class-action lawsuit against the wholesale grocery distributor, alleging that the company did not provide adequate notice to workers and to state and local authorities when it closed its operations in April. London, Ky.-based Laurel Grocery Co., which had supplied IGA retailers and other independent stores across several Southeastern states for more than 100 years, shuttered abruptly in April.