The circular chicken economy is coming home to roost at select grocery stores in the Philadelphia area. Do Good Foods is launching its “carbon reduced chicken” there, produced by birds that were nourished by nutrient-dense, upcycled feed.

That chicken feed was made in part by surplus food diverted from grocery stores. Do Good Foods started the program to provide consumers with high quality chicken while keeping otherwise-healthy grocery food from ending up in landfills.

"Food waste is a massive problem with approximately 40% of the food we grow in the U.S. going to waste. We believe this can be solved with what we are doing at Do Good Foods by upcycling surplus grocery food, creating a closed loop system, and providing accessible great tasting chicken to consumers. We are bringing real sustainability to scale and empowering everyone to be a part of the solution" explained Justin Kamine, co-CEO and co-founder of Do Good Foods. "We're thrilled to make our first retail market Philadelphia – also home to our very first production facility – giving everyone an easy way to Do Good and start making an immediate impact on our planet right from their own kitchen."

According to Do Good Foods, each Do Good Chicken product saves about 4 pounds of surplus groceries from being thrown away. That, in turn, prevents the emission of approximately three pounds of greenhouse gases.

In the Philadelphia market, shoppers can find the products in the poultry case at the Shaw’s, Safeway and Acme banners of Albertsons Cos. and at Giant stores. 

Lipari Foods, a Warren, Mich.-based specialty food distributor, has reached an agreement to acquire New York-based distributor Deli-Boy and its subsidiary Big Apple. The opportunity will expand Lipari’s distribution footprint throughout the adjacent markets of Pennsylvania, Virginia, New Jersey, Maryland, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Connecticut and New York.

Based in Syracuse and Rochester, N.Y., respectively, Deli-Boy and Big Apple have been servicing retailers along the East Coast for more than 60 years. The organizations supply a combined 1,000-plus retailers across eight states, with about 165 employees in total.

“We are excited to welcome Deli-Boy and Big Apple into our family, and will continue their commitment of providing quality products and great customer service to retailers and foodservice establishments in their marketing area,” said Lipari Foods CEO Thom Lipari. “Deli-Boy and Big Apple are trusted leaders in the industry, and adding their expertise to all that Lipari provides means greater opportunities for their customers.”

“In Lipari we found a partner we could trust with the company’s legacy of exceptional customer service and quality products,” noted John Petosa, CFO and general counsel of Deli-Boy, which began in 1960. “Our companies share similar values, with a strong focus on the customer, growing the business and focus on our teams.”

Added Steve Capizzi, VP at Big Apple, which was incorporated in 1975: “We are excited to join the Lipari Foods team, given their commitment to the customer and growth.” 

Petosa and Capizzi will join the Lipari team, continuing in their roles as leaders of Deli-Boy and Big Apple, respectively.

Founded in 1963, Lipari Foods is an independent “perimeter of the store” distributor, delivering a wide range of bakery, dairy, deli, packaging, seafood, meat, grocery, foodservice, confectionery, and convenience food and beverage products to 10,000-plus customers in 27 states. 

The American Frozen Food Institute’s (AFFI) held its annual Government Action Summit May 10-12, with industry executives gathering virtually to discuss frozen food contributions and promote science-based public policy solutions that will address issues facing the industry and its consumers.

AFFI members participated in 60 meetings with Congressional offices and key committees throughout the week and drove home the need for science- and risk-based approaches to food safety, shared the role of frozen food in tackling hunger, nutrition insecurity and food waste, and also shared their strategies for mitigating supply chain disruptions while keeping frozen foods on consumers’ tables.

“Frozen food provides millions of American families with abundant choices for safe, delicious, nutritious and convenient food year-round,” said Alison Bodor, president and CEO of Arlington, Va.-based AFFI.

“AFFI and our member organizations take that responsibility seriously. That’s why we came together this week to meet with policymakers and advocate for responsible solutions that embrace sound science and a transparent regulatory process, to fight food insecurity and to help ensure the continued availability of frozen food products that consumers trust and enjoy,” Bodor continued.

AFFI is the member-driven national trade association representing all segments of the frozen food supply chain from manufacturers to suppliers and distributors. The organization advocates on the industry’s behalf, serves as the voice for the industry and convenes industry leadership to create an environment where frozen foods are essential in a dynamic marketplace.

Coborn’s, Inc. has launched Four Brothers BBQ entrees exclusively sold in the Coborn’s, Cash Wise and Marketplace Foods banners. The new product assortment includes hardwood smoked pulled pork, chicken, ribs and brisket along with new chef-created sides available in the stores’ deli or meat departments.

The original recipes are branded with the company’s own Four Brothers label, paying tribute to the four Coborn Brothers: Bob, Dan, Bill and Ron — third-generation family members who worked at the flagship family grocery store in Sauk Rapids, Minn., and led the company’s rapid expansion. The company has increased the Four Brothers assortment considerably in recent years, expanding the product line to include unique offerings in bakery, grocery, deli and meats.

“This exciting, new assortment of fresh smoked meats and sides will provide our guests with delicious and craveable meal options,” said Marti Sunderlin, Coborn's VP of fresh merchandising. “This product assortment is exclusively ours and is created using our own Four Brothers BBQ sauces and made fresh daily.” 

The Four Brothers BBQ line will be available hot or cold, fresh or packaged. Many of the company’s stores even have an in-store smoker to add to the sensory experience for shoppers.

St. Cloud, Minn.-based Coborn's, Inc. is a 101-year-old employee-owned grocery retailer with nearly 10,000 employees and 66 grocery stores across Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin and Michigan under the Coborn’s, Cash Wise Foods, Marketplace Foods, Hornbacher’s and Tadych’s Marketplace Foods banners. Coborn’s also owns liquor, fuel and pharmacy locations. The company is No. 86 The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2021 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America.

No joke: Instant delivery app Jokr is launching another platform. Following a successful pilot program, the company is adding Jokr Media, a retail media arm of the business.

Designed for its CPG partners and now available in the U.S., Mexico, Columbia, Peru, Chile and Brazil, the retail media platform offers a variety of marketing placements to help companies plan, buy, measure and manage their ads. Ads can be placed in the app, through Jokr’s communication channels and in person through its integrated delivery. For more personalized and/or relevant placements, the startup is also teaming up with infrastructure provider Topsort to enable bidding and self-service.

“Retail media is a powerful new tool for CPGs to build their online presence and grow their sales, and Jokr is putting the development of a comprehensive ads offering at the heart of our strategy,” explained Benedict Counsell, Jokr’s VP of campaigns, onsite and Jokr Media.

According to Counsell, the pilot that began in November 2021 resulted in more than 100 successful paid campaigns for CPG companies, including Kellogg’s, Grupo Bimbo and Pernod Ricard México. 

As it expands its offerings, Jokr is also enhancing its team, hiring a dedicated executives to work with its CPG partners on campaigns.

The move to diversify into retail media platforms comes during a shaking-out period within the instant delivery space, which has largely come down from pandemic highs. Founded by Ralf Wenzel, the New York–based Jokr pledges 15-minute delivery with no order minimums and recently updated its app to customize the mobile shopping experience with more personalized and curated content. As the delivery service market evolves, the company has also added on-demand adult beverage sales and announced that it is seeking to become the world’s first climate-positive instant grocery platform.

Buehler’s Fresh Foods has released plans for a Liquor Agency in Galion, Ohio, with a scheduled opening date in late spring. The Galion Liquor Agency will be located in the Galion West Shopping Plaza, just one door down from a Buehler’s Fresh Foods grocery store that opened in October 2021.

In Ohio, liquor sales are handled by state-licensed “agents” that contract with public/private partnership Ohio Liquor (OHLQ)  to sell these products (this excludes beer and wine, which can be sold in supermarkets).

“We appreciate the opportunity to continue our investment in Galion and the surrounding communities, and look forward to bringing an additional service to our Buehler’s Galion supermarket customers,” said Mike Davidson, CEO and president of Wooster, Ohio-based Buehler’s Fresh Foods.

In addition to liquor, Buehler’s Galion Liquor Agency will include an assortment of more than 300 beers and 400 wines. Customers who mix and match six or more wines will receive a 10% discount.

“We are proud to offer our customers the convenience of one-stop shopping,” said Ron James, Buehler’s director of beer, wine and liquor. “In addition to liquor, we will also offer a selection of snacks, sodas and mixers, glassware, barware, and premium cigars.”

The hours of operation for Buehler’s Galion Liquor Agency will be Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. It will be closed on Sundays.

Buehler’s Fresh Foods was founded in 1929 by E.L. Buehler and his wife, Helen. In 2017, Buehler’s went through a management buyout and formed an employee stock ownership plan. Buehler’s operates 14 supermarkets, seven liquor agencies, outside catering, coffee shops and a Food Truck named Ferris.