Gourmet News

Laura Chenel Goat Yogurt Line Discontinued Due to Rising Costs

Published September 21, 2022

Laura Chenel is discontinuing production of its award-winning probiotic goat yogurt because the recent rising costs of milk and other materials, which means that the company can no longer produce this product at an affordable price, according to a letter sent to customers from National Sales Director BJ Frank.

Effective Sept. 30, Laura Chenel will discontinue the Laura Chenel Probiotic Goat Yogurt line (Plain & Vanilla 4.75 ounces and Plain 23 ounces.).

“We are committed to bringing good, wholesome food to home cooks and chefs across the nation,” Frank wrote. “With this in mind, for the last few years, we’ve made delicious, award-winning, gut-friendly probiotic goat yogurt that was well received by our consumers.

“Other than freeing up resources, this change does not impact any of our other product lines at Laura Chenel or within our family of brands, St. Benoit Creamery and Marin French Cheese Co.,” Frank wrote.

Laura Chenel introduced a new chapter in American cheese in 1979 when she started making farmstead goat cheese with milk from her goats and techniques she learned in France. Today, Laura Chenel still embodies its founding namesake’s trailblazing spirit as a leading producer of fresh and aged goat cheeses crafted with fresh goat’s milk from family-owned farms in California, Oregon, Nevada and Idaho. Located in the heart of Sonoma County,

Laura Chenel is the first creamery in the United States to be awarded the prestigious LEED Gold certification for achievement in green building sustainability. Its commitment to environmental practices, such as solar energy and water recycling, helps preserve the terroir for generations to come.

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Grocer Survey: Retailers Prioritize Unified Commerce Platforms

Published September 21, 2022

As shopper habits return somewhat to pre-pandemic patterns, several behaviors learned over the last two and a half years leave retailers looking to offer a more cohesive shopping experience, according to a new grocer survey, “State of the Industry: Unified Commerce in Food & Grocery Retail,” from Incisiv and Toshiba Global Commerce Solutions.

While this is evidenced by the priority they are placing on providing a more consolidated online and in-store experience, a majority of grocers (77%) still do not have a unified commerce platform in place and remain dissatisfied with their current ability to quickly deploy new experiences (e.g., curbside returns, online chat,). In addition, most retailers feel current systems lack the ability to offer shoppers a seamless omnichannel experience, according to the grocer survey.

“These findings show that the industry is ready to deliver experiences that truly unify the physical and digital, meeting customers where they are so they can drive their own journey to create memorable experiences for shoppers across channels,” said Fredrik Carlegren, VP Marketing & Communications, Toshiba Global Commerce Solutions.

“With investments in our ELERA commerce platform, we are driving the digital transformation of retail by seamlessly connecting retail touchpoints to deliver the personalized shopping experience that consumers expect, with the agility and scalability retailers demand, to accelerate the future of retail.”

Read more about the grocer survey in the November issue of Gourmet News. Subscribe now so you don’t miss anything!

Market Basket, Aldi, Winco Rank Highest in Grocery Index

Published September 21, 2022

Customer data science consultant dunnhumby released a special edition of its Retailer Preference Index, a comprehensive nationwide study of the $1 trillion U.S. grocery market, examining which grocers are winning customers as the economy falters. Market Basket bested Aldi and third-placed Winco as the top-ranked grocer during inflationary times.

Grocery Outlet and Save A Lot rounded out the top five due to their superior ability to save customers money at a time when this matters more than ever. The next five retailers in the top ten are Lidl (6), Dollar General (7), Food4LessFoodsCo (8), Family Dollar (9), and Military Commissaries (10). The dunnhumby RPI: Special Inflation Edition was released today as part of The dunnhumby Quarterly: a strategic market analysis of key retail themes, with the latest edition focused on consumers’ reaction to rising grocery prices.

While Amazon is better positioned than any retailer for long-term success in grocery, their value proposition for inflationary times is no better than the average grocer. As a result, Amazon dropped out of the first quartile as their web traffic declined -6.5% so far this year. H-E-B, the top-ranked eCommerce retailer in the dunnhumby eCommerce RPI, finished 12^th.

“Market Basket has shown itself to be the best performing retailer in these times of economic uncertainty, by being the best in the country at saving customers money while simultaneously building stronger emotional connections with their shoppers and thereby increasing their shopper visits faster than most other retailers,” said Grant Steadman, president, North America, for dunnhumby. “Retailers who are focusing their customer value proposition on saving customers money are best positioned to meet the challenges of this prolonged period of inflation and economic uncertainty.”

For more information on this, read the November issue of Gourmet News. Subscribe now so you don’t miss out!