SUMMER 2026
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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FEATURES 34 Supermarket News Top 50 Foodservice in Retail We rank the top retailers in foodservice 36 In fresh, grocers face pressure to better connect with today’s shoppers Survey shows purchasing behavior is “fine” but no one is really reaching the younger generation 42 Fiber moves from niche claim to everyday expectation It’s gaining fast as a trending ingredient COVER STORY 24 2026 Supermarket News Retailer of the Year Wakefern wins with blend of scale and adaptability INDUSTRY NEWS 08 Kroger’s traffic has been declining In July it ranked 13th among 16 retailers
08 C&S to buy majority stake in Winn-Dixie Wholesaler eyes further retail expansion “especially in the Southeast” 09 Grocery Outlet looks at fair quarter performance as just the beginning A three-pronged strategy is in place and already producing results 10 FTC seeks public comment on surveillance pricing Agency says the undisclosed collection or use of personal data for the use of pricing could be in violation of the FTC Act 12 Sprouts left confused about shopping behaviors What worked last year is not really producing this year, and a challenging macro environment is not helping TECH NEWS 14 Albertsons drives bigger baskets using AI Average tickets rise in double digits, boosting ROI on tech investments
14 Grocers want to use AI for anti-theft, worker abuse The tech is on the verge of exploding over the next year CATEGORY MANAGEMENT 46 BAKERY Fall bakery balances comfort with discovery 48 MEAT Shoppers become more open to meat department options 52 PRODUCE Produce sales grow in a pricey market IN EVERY ISSUE 2 Editor’s Letter 55 Checkout Will shoppers need ID for NYC city-run stores?
COVER IMAGES BY: DEAN VERNON; WAKEFERN
SUMMER 2026 SUPERMARKETNEWS.COM 3
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