FMI – The Food Industry Association has revealed the five recipients of its 2023 Store Manager Awards. From 175 nominations, 12 finalists were recognized in a live virtual awards ceremony hosted by Heather Garlich, SVP for communications, marketing and consumer/community affairs at FMI, and Brian Sappington, president of the retail portfolio North America at The Coca-Cola Co., the awards program sponsor. 

“The Store Manager Awards is one of FMI’s greatest achievements,” noted Leslie G. Sarasin, president and CEO of Arlington, Va.-based FMI. “Its expansion through the years is a testament to the talented and diverse individuals that make up the food industry. Our 2023 recipients are in a class of their own as they have maneuvered through post-pandemic challenges and shoppers’ changing behaviors, all while serving as pillars of their local communities and uplifting their workforce. It is an honor to recognize and celebrate them.” 

Award recipients were judged based on their ability to drive sales growth, effectively convey company and store goals and objectives, show team leadership in their store/company, provide superior customer service through in-store programs and improve community relations.

The 2023 Store Manager Award recipients were as follows:

• Category A (1-49 stores): Wander Rezende, Roche Bros.
•,Category B (50-199 stores): Sean Conlon, Giant Food
•,Category C (200-plus stores): Delton Schafer, Albertsons Cos.
•,Category D (International): John Fox, SPAR Northern Ireland/Henderson Group
•,People’s Pick Category: Joel White, The Kroger Co. (King Soopers-City Market)

Four grand-prize winners received a crystal award and $1,000 each, while the People’s Pick recipient was presented with a special trophy and $500 to celebrate his store employees.  

More Chef'Store locations are on the way in the Mid-Atlantic region. Parent company US Foods Holding Corp. announced that a trio of stores in Roanoke, Va., Greenville, N.C., and Fayetteville, N.C., are expected to open this fall.

As with other Chef'Store outlets around the country, these warehouse-style locations are designed to be a one-stop shop for food industry professionals as well as home chefs. The latest stores will span between 20,000 and 23,500 square feet and will be stocked with restaurant essentials and groceries including fresh produce, meat, dairy, deli products and beverages.

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“As part of the US Foods omnichannel strategy to provide enhanced delivery and retail options to foodservice operators, we are excited to continue to grow the Chef'Store footprint,” said Irfan Badibanga, president of the Rosemont, Ill.-based Chef'Store. “Our Chef'Store locations provide an unmatched solution for restaurateurs, smaller foodservice operators and price-conscious community members to get the products they need when they need it, and we look forward to serving new and existing customers.” 

The new stores will be open seven days a week. Memberships are not required.

With these additions, US Foods will operate more than 90 Chef'Store locations across 13 states. The company acquired several brick-and-mortar sites as part of its acquisition of Smart Foodservice Warehouse Stores in April 2020.

Vertical farm operation AeroFarms is expanding its business, set to roll out offerings in Amazon Fresh stores around the U.S. The Certified B corporation began selling products in Amazon-owned Whole Foods stores last year as the first indoor leafy greens grower to be part of that grocer’s global planogram.

Amazon Fresh stores will carry an assortment of AeroFarms items, including its Micro Spicy Mix, Micro Arugula and Micro Rainbow Mix. “AeroFarms is excited to continue to scale our national availability with Amazon Fresh to meet the growing consumer demand for our fresh, flavorful and delicious microgreens,” said David Rosenberg, AeroFarms co-founder and CEO.

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The collaboration with Amazon Fresh builds on AeroFarms’ current market penetration, which includes distribution in stores owned by Ahold Delhaize, Harris Teeter and The Fresh Market. In April, AeroFarms shared that it was widening its availability at H-E-B stores in Texas.

AeroFarms specialty greens are grown in commercial indoor farms using 95% less water and 99% less land than traditional field farming with no pesticides. Each package color is linked to a specific tasting note, with cool blue representing sweet and mellow flavors and intense reds identifying bold and zesty flavors, for example.

Amazon, for its part, is currently homing in on the best strategy to proceed with its physical stores. CEO Andy Jassy reiterated the company’s commitment to the brick-and-mortar grocery during the company’s latest financial results call in April, reporting that Amazon is working on various concepts and experiments across its stores while scaling back previous expansion plans. Currently, Amazon operates 44 Amazon Fresh stores around the U.S.

Seattle-based Amazon is No. 2 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2022 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America.

There are some waves of change at Lakeside Foods, a Manitowoc, Wis.-based manufacturer of frozen and canned foods. The company announced a series of executive-level appointments and promotions at a time of growth and the integration of its subsidiaries, Riverside Foods and Cher-Make Sausages.

Kevin Lien (pictured at bottom left) has been elevated to COO from VP of business development. As COO, he will oversee operations, quality assurance, supply chain, continuous improvement and sales/marketing functions. Prior to joining Lakeside Foods, he worked in various leadership roles at Welbilt/Manitowoc Foodservice.

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The company’s c-suite is getting another new addition as longtime CFO Denise Kitzerow retires in July. New CFO Mark Smith (pictured at top) will leverage his nearly 20 years of experience in corporate finance and business leadership as he spearheads accounting, legal and information technology functions. He comes to Lakeside Foods from Littelfuse, Inc. in Chicago. 

Lakeside Foods also shared that it promoted Nick Brisch (pictured at bottom right) to VP of supply chain. With nearly 17 years of experience at the company, Brisch steadily moved up from sales associate to positions in corporate operations, business analysis and supply chain.

Exemplifying the opportunity to move up through the ranks through hard work and innovation, a onetime factory tour guide is the new CEO at Ben & Jerry's. The South Burlington, Vt.-based ice cream manufacturer tapped Dave Stever to lead the organization that he joined in 1988. It is the first time since co-founder Ben Cohen stepped down in 1994 that an employee was appointed to the top job.

After starting as a tour guide at a site in Waterbury, Vt., Stever was steadily promoted to roles in marking and management functions, before and after Unilever acquired the company. He served as chief marketing officer for the past 12 years.

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"Ben and I have known Dave for over three decades and we are absolutely thrilled that he will be leading Ben & Jerry's into the next chapter of our company's history,” said co-founder Jerry Greenfield.

Added Cohen: “He knows Ben & Jerry's inside and out. He lives it and breathes it. We are psyched to have someone with Dave's talent, passion and demonstrated ability as our CEO.”

Stever assumed the CEO role on May 8.

Ben & Jerry’s continues to innovate in the ice cream and frozen dessert category. The company recently introduced a new Ice Cream Sammie flavor and is marking its 45th year with a new marketing campaign that includes giveaways like a tote bag and zipper pouch made from upcycled Ben & Jerry’s event banners and signs and coupons for free pints of ice cream.

A new Jimbo's Naturally store is coming to San Diego. Developer Sudberry Properties announced that the grocer will be part of the new mixed-use community called Civita built on a former sand and gravel quarry. The 25,000-squre-foot store is expected to open in mid-2026.

Although the store opening is a couple of years away, plans are proceeding and the groundbreaking is slated for early 2025, the developer reported.

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Jim “Jimbo” Someck, founder and owner of Jimbo’s Naturally told local media that the location was appealing. “For a number of years, we have looked for a location in Mission Valley for a new Jimbo’s store. And we’re certain we have found the perfect place at Civita,” he said.  "Not only will we be able to serve the Civita community but also the surrounding area since this site is conveniently located in the heart of Mission Valley. Our customers expect great things from us, and we will not disappoint them.

Jimbo’s currently operates four locations in San Diego county, including the first store in North Park. The grocer touts its healthy offerings and carries organic, non-GMO and other products geared around health and wellness.