Retail & Distribution
Resources that explain how supermarkets, specialty retailers, and distributors operate, buy, and merchandise food, so producers can better align production, contracts, and quality with downstream market needs.
Category Strategy
Building a Category Management Capability (UPS White Paper)
Explains how retailers manage categories, space, and promotions. Helps producers understand how buyers judge performance, making it easier to position products and negotiate programs.
Retail Media & News
Convenience Store News
Trade news for multi-store convenience chains. Useful for producers supplying single-serve, grab-and-go, and fuel-station formats that need specific packaging sizes and delivery patterns.
Deli Business
Focuses on supermarket deli operations and prepared foods, giving producers insight into demand for meats, cheeses, salads, and value-added ingredients for the fresh perimeter.
FreshPlaza.com
Global fresh produce news and market signals that help growers and shippers track prices, supply conditions, and buyer requirements across regions and crops.
Gourmet News
Coverage of specialty and gourmet retail, useful for producers targeting niche, premium, and artisanal channels with differentiated products and origin stories.
Mass Market Retailers
News on large-scale grocery, discount, and drug chains. Helps producers understand how big-box formats plan assortments, promotions, and vendor programs that can drive volume.
New York Times – Supermarkets Topic Page
General media coverage of supermarket business, consolidation, and policy issues that influence bargaining power and consumer expectations across the supply chain.
Supermarket News
Comprehensive coverage of supermarket operations, technology, and merchandising. A key source for producers wanting to see how retailers respond to trends and supply disruptions.
Retail Trade Associations
FMI – The Food Industry Association
Represents major food retailers and wholesalers. Useful for tracking priority issues around traceability, safety, and supplier expectations that flow back to producers.
National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS)
Trade group for convenience and fuel retailers, providing insight into the needs of this channel for packaged foods, hot case items, and beverages sourced from producers and processors.
National Grocers Association (NGA)
Represents independent grocers and wholesalers, a key outlet for regional producers and cooperatives seeking differentiated, local, or specialty programs.
Specialty Food Association
Association behind the Fancy Food Shows, connecting specialty buyers and producers. Useful if you are developing premium or value-added farm and fishery products.