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Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
California leads coalition suing Trump administration over SNAP data
This story was originally published on Grocery Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily Grocery Dive newsletter. Dive Brief: The office of California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced Monday that it is suing the USDA, arguing that the agency is illegally demanding that states provide personal and sensitive information about millions of SNAP participants. California is leading a coalition of attorneys general from 20 states and Washington, D.C., in filing the lawsuit. The lawsuit, which was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, claims that President Donald Trump's administration is trying to collect unrelated, protected data to fuel mass deportation efforts and says that the USDA has threatened to pull funding from states that do not comply with the data request. Dive Insight: The lawsuit comes after Bonta led a coalition of 14 attorneys general earlier this month criticizing the USDA's demand in May that states turn over information about SNAP participants. In the May letter, the USDA said it was trying to eliminate 'information silos' within the SNAP program, citing a recent executive order focused on stopping waste, fraud and abuse, according to the lawsuit. 'USDA claimed the agency would use this data to 'ensure program integrity,' including by verifying the eligibility of recipients, even though Congress has delegated that task to the States,' the lawsuit says. The USDA directed states to provide personally identifiable information, including names, dates of birth, personal addresses, Social Security numbers and the total amount of benefits received for all SNAP applicants and recipients since January 2020, according to the lawsuit. While the USDA says it wants this information to improve the SNAP program, the lawsuit claims that this request is part of 'a number of similar moves by federal agencies to obtain and disclose highly sensitive [personally identifiable information], not for program purposes, but for the creation of a surveillance system to advance the President's agenda, including by facilitating the President's mass deportation efforts.' The agency threatened to take action against states that didn't comply, such as potentially pulling SNAP funding, in the May letter and again in July, the lawsuit claims. 'Any delay in that funding could be catastrophic for the State and the residents who rely on SNAP to meet their basic nutritional needs,' the lawsuit says. The USDA said in early July that it wants states to provide the data no later than July 30 — just days after the July 23 deadline for public comments on the proposed action. The lawsuit said this quick turnaround made clear that the 'USDA had no intention of modifying the proposed data collection based on any public comments it received.' A USDA spokesperson told Grocery Dive the agency does not comment on pending litigation. The state attorneys general argue that the USDA's actions violate state and federal privacy and security laws, including the Privacy Act. Bonta and the coalition also argue that the USDA has failed to meet the public comment requirements for this type of action and exceeded the agency's statutory authority. The coalition is asking the court to declare the Trump administration's demands unlawful and seeking an injunction to block the USDA from initiating noncompliance procedures. Editor's note: This story has been updated with input from the USDA. Recommended Reading SNAP to drive growth in consumables throughout 2025: report
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Inside the store: PCC's 1st small-format store is an urban lunch stop
This story was originally published on Grocery Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily Grocery Dive newsletter. Pardon the Disruption is a column that looks at the forces shaping food retail. PCC Community Market's first foray into downtown Seattle did not go according to plan. The store it opened at the base of the Rainier Tower office complex in 2022 lasted just two years before closing — a casualty of the pandemic and the remote work trend that rattled so many urban retailers. But a lot has changed in the city center recently. Office workers and tourists have returned to downtown Seattle, boosting foot traffic closer to pre-pandemic levels. And PCC says it's learned a thing or two from its first venture about how to connect with urban shoppers. So the cooperative grocer is giving it another go with a reimagined store that opened earlier this month at the same site as its former downtown location. At 6,500 square feet, PCC Corner Market is less than a third the size of the previous store, but still able to meet the quick-shop needs of locals, office workers and tourists who don't have many other grocery options in the area, according to CEO Krish Srinivasan. 'It's a smaller version of your neighborhood co-op, serving a big need in downtown Seattle,' Srinivasan said in an April announcement. Half of PCC Corner Market is devoted to fresh meals, including a hot bar, salad bar and grab-and-go items, while the other half is dedicated to a curated selection of groceries. In the middle sits a bank of self-checkout machines overseen by one or two staffers. To save space, the store doesn't have any manned checkouts. Small-format retailing has proven challenging for grocers, with concepts from Kroger, Stop & Shop and Publix closing down in recent years. However, companies like Whole Foods Market and Target still see considerable promise in scaled-down locations. Whole Foods recently opened its third Daily Shop in New York City. Will PCC Corner Market succeed where its former location failed? It's only been a week in, but so far the reception has been encouraging, store manager Eli Dorr-Fay said earlier this month when Grocery Dive visited the location. 'People are really excited we're back,' he said. Here's a look inside PCC Corner Market. A strategic design PCC is hoping its new scaled-down store will prove more appealing to customers than its earlier, much larger iteration. PCC Corner Market includes a curated selection across the same core departments its full-size stores offer, Dorr-Fay said, including produce, dairy, frozen meals and beer and wine. That should help facilitate the sort of quick, low-frills shopping that apartment dwellers and harried office workers value. The store features two entrances: A street-facing one that's mainly used by residents and tourists and another that opens directly into the foodservice department via the Rainier Square office complex. The grocer is also hoping to solve another problem with its revamp of the space at the base of the 58-story Rainier Tower. In the coming months, PCC plans to relocate its headquarters to sit adjacent to PCC Corner Market, according to a company spokesperson. The move maximizes the space it's using on a 10-year lease and also addresses local criticism that the company's current headquarters is too large and pricey, according to The Seattle Times. Focusing on lunch PCC Corner Market's operating hours reflect a focus on local office workers. The store is open weekdays from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. and is closed on weekends. To maximize sales during those daytime hours, it offers a wide range of meal options, with a particular focus on the lunch crowd. Selections include fresh-made sushi, grab-and-go sandwiches, pizza and a full hot bar and salad bar. Customers who visit in the morning hours can fill up on self-service coffee, baked goods and breakfast sandwiches. To help move customers through the self-checkouts during busy periods, Dorr-Fay said workers will direct customers to a special queuing section near the payment terminals. An innovation hub Retailers like to test out their latest innovations close to headquarters. That's certainly the case with PCC Corner Market, which serves as a testing ground for the latest technology and meal innovations for the company, said Dorr-Fay. The small-format store is currently piloting digital shelf tags to see if they could work across the chain. It's also sizing up a new focaccia pizza in the foodservice department. Catering to tourists and residents alike With numerous hotels located nearby and a surge of cruise ship passengers flooding Seattle during the spring and summer months, PCC is hoping its new market will be a hit with tourists. In addition to its many grab-and-go items, the new store offers travel-size products like toothpaste, floss and lotion, as well as small collectibles like mugs and water bottles. For those looking for something a bit edgier, there's $45 vodka in a bottle shaped like the iconic Space Needle. PCC Corner Market is trying to offer an assortment that appeals to both consumers who are passing through the city and those who live there. Dorr-Fay said one of the store's most popular products so far is milk, indicating the new format has struck a chord with local residents. Recommended Reading PCC plans to debut first small-format store in July Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
The Friday Checkout: Could refreshed tech leadership put Albertsons on a path to success?
This story was originally published on Grocery Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily Grocery Dive newsletter. The Friday Checkout is a weekly column providing more insight on the news, rounding up the announcements you may have missed and sharing what's to come. As Albertsons works to regain its footing following the disintegration of its plan to merge with Kroger, the supermarket company has moved quickly to refresh its senior executive ranks — and it seems to be especially convinced that its technology units need new leadership Albertsons' disclosure Thursday that it has brought on a new head for its retail media business emphasizes the grocer's efforts to put a new stamp on its technology operations. Brian Monahan, who will run Albertsons Media Collective as a senior vice president, is the latest newly appointed Albertsons executive whose portfolios include retail media, e-commerce or both. In the time since Susan Morris took over as CEO in May, Albertsons has named multiple new top-level executives in a bid to 'accelerate delivery of our strategy to earn customers for life in this bold new era for our company,' including a tech-focused chief commercial officer, and a chief technology and transformation officer. The changes at Albertsons come as the company faces intense pressure to stand out on the digital front as other retailers — particularly Walmart — continue to stride ahead with technology. The grocer announced Monahan's arrival just a week after announcing that its e-commerce sales soared 25% during the first fiscal quarter of 2025 and that it is moving toward breaking even with its delivery and pickup business. Speaking during an earnings call on July 15, Albertsons President and CFO Sharon McCollam noted that the company does not consider its retail media operations when it computes the profitability of its e-commerce businesses, unlike competitors. Still, while Albertsons certainly stands to gain if it can build a pure-play online business that is profitable, it's clear the company sees a tight connection between its efforts to sharpen its digital capabilities and its ability to build the durable customer relationships it will need to succeed in an era increasingly defined by technology. In case you missed it C&S seeks $400 million loan sale for SpartanNash purchase The wholesaler is looking to raise the money to help finance its nearly $2 billion acquisition of the food distributor, Bloomberg reported on Wednesday. Orders for the five-year loan offering kicked off this week and will close on Aug. 5, according to the report. C&S and SpartanNash in late June announced the deal to create a combined company with almost 60 distribution centers and more than 200 grocery stores. Hannaford taps into feel-good marketing The Ahold Delhaize banner's newly announced campaign 'All for Good' wants to let customers know what the grocer is doing to help its customers and communities where it operates. Through television, radio, social media, digital and out-of-home platforms, Hannaford will share examples of how the grocer provides 'everyday care,' such as helping customers make healthy meals on a budget, supporting local farmers and investing in food access and sustainability initiatives, according to a press release. Publix ramps up expansion in North Carolina The grocer is expanding in the Charlotte region with plans to open a 50,000-square-foot store in Matthews, local developer Pappas Properties told The Charlotte Observer. Publix told the paper that the store is slated to open by late 2027. The grocer has several stores in the metropolitan area and has been steadily growing its store fleet across the Southeast. Impulse find They found love in an Aldi place A grocery cart collision recently turned into a love story at an Aldi in Minnesota. After Mark Haen accidentally banged his cart into the cart of Julie Quackenbusch, he remarked to his granddaughter how cute Quackenbusch seemed, he told the West Central Tribune. The three of them discovered their cars were parked next to each other, giving Haen and Quackenbusch time to chat. Haen then called Quackenbusch to ask her out, but she said she would be watching a parade on the suggested date. So Haen decided to do a 'crazy thing' and join the parade, he told the outlet. The two eventually went on a date, and the couple got married in St. Paul, Minnesota, in June. Their love story is just another reason to add 'find your true love' to your grocery list — and a reminder to grocers that their aisles could be a great place to host speed dating or a 'pineapple in the cart' event. Recommended Reading Albertsons looks to tried-and-true methods to bolster e-commerce Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
16-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Kroger gives its Boost membership program a temporary lift
This story was originally published on Grocery Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily Grocery Dive newsletter. Kroger is adding an extra jolt to its Boost membership program as summer wears on, offering members additional savings for a two-week period. The 'Boost Bonus Days' promotion, which begins Wednesday and extends through July 29, includes the opportunity for shoppers to save more than $100 through a variety of deals on an unspecified assortment of grocery items. Customers will be able to redeem most of the offers up to five times during the promotion. Kroger is also offering $10 off a delivery order of at least $75 as well as a 50% discount on the cost of a new or renewed Boost membership during the promotion. The limited-time benefits apply to both Kroger Boost tiers, which are distinguished from one another by the type of delivery benefit they provide. The base level, which costs $69 per year or $8.99 per month, provides free next-day delivery, while the premium tier provides free same-day delivery at an annual cost of $99 per year or $12.99 a month. Both Kroger Boost levels require a minimum purchase of $35 for free delivery. In April, Kroger raised the annual cost of the lower-priced version of Boost by $10 per year and increased the monthly fee by $1. Kroger Boost benefits augment the features of the grocer's standard loyalty program, Kroger Plus. Kroger offers free pickup on orders that meet a $35 threshold for all loyalty program members. The Boost Bonus Days program reprises a similar promotion Kroger ran for two weeks last July, but comes with a different package of discounts. In 2024, Kroger's Boost Bonus Days initiative offered Boost members over $60 in savings that encompassed free private label goods including cookies, bacon and pasta in addition to price reductions on other products carrying the grocer's brands. Kroger said earlier this year that it would focus on boosting customer loyalty as it looked to juice growth following its unsuccessful effort to merge with Albertsons. 'Looking to 2025, we have aggressive plans to build more stores and improve our share results, attract new households and increase loyalty, which will accelerate growth and create shareholder value,' Kroger interim CEO Ron Sargent said during the supermarket company's fourth-quarter earnings call in March. Recommended Reading Kroger is striving for e-commerce profitability. What will it take to get there?
Yahoo
15-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
H Mart readies arrival in Florida
This story was originally published on Grocery Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily Grocery Dive newsletter. Asian supermarket chain H Mart is planning to arrive in Florida with an upcoming store in Orlando, according to the grocer's website. While the store has been in the works for several years, the grocer posted part- and full-time associate roles for the Orlando store in early July, signalling the location is getting ready to open. Florida will be the third new state H Mart has entered in the past year as the chain expands its U.S. presence. H Mart is ramping up its presence in new and existing markets. Earlier this year, H Mart made its debut in Nevada with the opening of a Las Vegas location, Eater reported. In June 2024, the grocer opened its first store in Utah, according to The Salt Lake Tribune. Located at 7501 W. Colonial Drive, the upcoming Orlando H Mart will occupy a spot that formerly housed a Target and sits across the street from a Sam's Club. H Mart's website does not include details on the opening date for the store. Along with the Florida store, H Mart has four other locations listed as 'coming soon' on its website, with two each in California and Texas. H Mart, which has 18 stores in California, is planning to open in Dublin and Westminster. In Texas, where the grocer currently has six stores, the chain's upcoming locations are set for Dallas and Austin. According to local news reports, H Mart has plans for a store in Sugar Land in the greater Houston area. Founded in 1982 in New York City, H Mart has over a hundred stores across the U.S. Along with its store fleet expansion efforts, H Mart has also recently grown its grocery e-commerce presence, adding Uber and DoorDash as delivery partners last summer. Recommended Reading H Mart links with DoorDash Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
