News Briefs

Kroger is paying it forward – literally – when it comes to their employees. The Kroger Co. Foundation announced the winners of this year’s scholarship program benefiting the children of its associates.

The retailer awarded $300,000 to 120 students, who will receive $2,500 toward any accredited two- or four-year college, university or vocational program. The scholarships were based on criteria including volunteer work, civic service, academic performance, work experience and extra-curricular activities. According to Kroger, this year’s class of Kroger Scholars will pursue their education at more than 80 institutions around the U.S.

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"We are proud to recognize this year's Kroger Scholars for their commitment to academic excellence and service to their schools and communities," said Patty Leesemann, head of philanthropy at Kroger. "We hope these funds make it a little easier for our associates and their children as they transition studies beyond high school, ultimately building a brighter future for us all."

Recipient Averie Rutter, who plans to earn a degree in animal science, expressed gratitude for the recognition. "I feel as though I have grown up at Kroger," Rutter said. "My parents have worked there for the last 30 years. This will help me not only further my education, but it will also help me pursue my passion."

Since its inception in 2008, the Kroger Scholars program has doled out more than $4.5 million in scholarship funds. Biological, adopted and stepchildren of Kroger associates with more than two years of service and a work schedule of at least 1,000 hours a year are eligible. In addition to the program for workers’ children, Kroger offers a tuition reimbursement program for both part-time and full-time associates.

Cincinnati-based Kroger is No. 4 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2022 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America.

Store-hailing service Robomart has changed its name to Conjure. According to the rebranded company, the word, which means “to summon as if by magic,” better reflects its patented store-hailing experience: “delivery so fast, it’s like magic.” The service is set to go live on Jan. 15, 2023, in Hollywood, Calif.

“We have had amazing success as Robomart, but felt the name didn’t clearly articulate the emotional connection our store-hailing service elicits with consumers,” explained Ali Ahmed, CEO and co-founder of Los Angeles-based Conjure. “Feedback we regularly heard from consumers was how unbelievably fast our mobile shops would show up, with many noting it was like magic. The name Conjure better embodies our revolutionary store-hailing experience as we embark on the next chapter of our business.” 

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Along with the name change, Conjure is focusing on ice cream as its anchor category, and its new mobile shop will feature products from Englewood Cliffs, N.J.-based partner Unilever, maker of such well-known ice cream brands as Ben & Jerry’s, Talenti and Magnum. With 75% of Americans eating ice cream more than once a week, the company described this move as “a tremendous opportunity to meet consumer demand.” Additionally, shoppers don’t have to worry about melting treats, since Conjure can deliver a store filled with frozen ice cream products directly to consumers in as little as two minutes.

Consumers will be able to hail a mobile shop to their location using Conjure’s proprietary app. When the mobile shop arrives, the user swipes across the app to open its side door. Conjure’s patented checkout-free system allows shoppers to choose their products and then walk away, without physically checking out and paying. Products are tracked and the credit card on file is charged, and a receipt is sent shortly afterwards.

Fast-growing brand Kodiak Cakes is onboarding a new CEO. Valerie Oswalt has been tapped for the leadership position and will succeed co-founder and most recent CEO Joel Clark, and co-founder and president Cameron Smith.

As the founders move to roles on the company’s board of directors, Oswalt will step up to build on recent business momentum. The brand, backed by investment firm L Catterton, reported more than 30% topline growth over the past year and gained attention when actor/producer Zac Efron joined the Park City Utah-based company as a board member and chief brand officer.

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Oswalt brings extensive experience to her new role at Kodiak. Most recently, she served as president of the snacks division at Campbell Soup Co. and, before that, as a Campbell EVP. In addition, she was CEO of privately-held Century Snacks and worked in several executive positions at Mondelez International and Kraft Foods. 

“Valerie’s people-first leadership style and deep industry experience uniquely position her to lead Kodiak into its next phase of growth,” said Clark. “I’m thrilled to pass the baton to someone our team unanimously felt was the right person for the job."

Added Smith: “Building the Kodiak brand alongside Joel for over a decade has been such a rewarding experience. We have been fortunate to work alongside some great people that have helped build the culture, which has made Kodiak a very special place. We chose Valerie for this role because her approach to leadership mirrors those values that are so important to the culture at Kodiak.”

Thousands of people will be able to celebrate a bigger Thanksgiving dinner with the help of Southeastern Grocers. The retailer and its SEG Gives Foundation are donating 7,000 turkeys and Thanksgiving meal essentials to local food banks.

Southeastern Grocers, in tandem with the Feeding America network of food banks, is giving out the turkeys and side dishes at 13 food distribution events across its regional footprint. Sites include the company’s hometown of Jacksonville, Fla., as well as parts of the Florida Panhandle, central Florida, south and southwest Florida, the New Orleans area and Birmingham, Ala. In addition to working with Feeding America food banks, Southeastern Grocers is engaging military nonprofit partner the USO to assist with donations.

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“We know holiday festivities are centered around the family table, and we want to give back to our communities through our turkey donations and drive-through food pantry events. This is the season of giving, and we couldn’t be more grateful to have the opportunity to help our neighbors in need celebrate Thanksgiving with the people they love, while creating cherished memories during the holiday,” remarked Raymond Rhee, chief people officer.

While the retail chain helps community residents in need, Southeastern Grocers is also helping its employees celebrate the holiday with their loved ones. All of its Fresco y Más, Harveys Supermarket and Winn-Dixie stores will be closed Thanksgiving Day.

Jacksonville, Fla.-based Southeastern Grocers is one of the largest conventional supermarket companies in the United States, with grocery stores, liquor stores and in-store pharmacies serving communities throughout Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana and Mississippi. Its banners include Fresco y Más, Harveys Supermarket and Winn-Dixie grocery stores. The company is No. 39 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer's 2022 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America.

In its new “Aspirational Compass” study examining shopper behavior, Corvallis, Ore.-based behavioral research firm InsightsNow found significant differences between what consumers desire (their aspirations) and what they actually buy when shopping in stores. 

Among the key findings of the study: 

• One of the largest gaps between shopper aspirations and shopper realities was in the area of sustainability, with 42% of shoppers aspiring to shop for sustainably sourced products, but only 5% able to actually do this.
• 68% of shoppers aspire to shop in accordance with price value, but just 38% are able to shop that way in reality.
• Meanwhile, 30% of shoppers are seeking high-protein foods to meet their nutritional goals, with only 14% of this group not achieving that aspiration.

The study used a reaction-based mobile research approach in which study participants received a list of key aspirational characteristics about the foods they would buy, and then were asked about what they actually do in real-life shopping experiences.

The “Aspirational Compass” study was conducted in August 2022 among 2,891 U.S.-based primary shoppers, with the aim of helping brands identify current and future consumer goals, as well as to understand where consumers are in their buying journeys and where they’ll be in the future.

Known for its inventive gourmet flavors, Jeni's Splendid Ice Cream has a new business leader. Stacy Peterson is taking on the role of CEO following the departure of John Lowe, who served as CEO for 13 years.

Peterson joins Jeni’s from her most recent position as chief revenue officer at Wingstop. As Wingstop's CRO and, earlier, as chief experience office and chief digital and technology officer, she helped grow the restaurant chain from 550 to 1,900 locations. During her career, she also held leadership jobs at Service King, FedEx Office and CBRE.

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Lowe, who will remain on the company’s board of directors, said that Peterson is a good fit for the Columbus, Ohio-based company founded in 2022 by James Beard-winning ice cream maker Jeni Britton. “The company will benefit from her thoughtful approach and deep expertise in fast growth brands. She loves helping people succeed and I’m excited to see her coach and mentor the 1,800 members of Team Jeni’s. I know her leadership will help ensure we are a force for good for years to come. And I’m excited that Stacy, her husband and boys will join our Columbus community.”

“I’m excited to join Team Jeni’s and help carry on their commitment to making better ice creams and bringing people together,” said Peterson, who will take the reins in December. "What Jeni created, with quality as the company’s North Star and a tremendous focus on customer experience and a team commitment to be a Force for Good, will continue to be what differentiates this company from our competition.”

Jeni’s ice cream is available at grocery stores around the U.S. The company also operates nearly 70 scoop shops and an e-commerce business at jenis.com.