The Retail Rundown: Focus Shifts to Next Big Cookout Event

Shoppers welcomed the unofficial start of summer over the Memorial Day weekend with grilling go-tos including hamburgers, ribs, and chicken parts. Circana data indicates ground beef sales totaled nearly $82.9 million last week, up from $68.4 million the week prior and outpacing $77.1 million during the same week in 2023. Beef ribeye also saw increased sales week-over-week, earning $32.3 million with distribution (the number of UPCs selling within the given aggregate) totaling 90,781—up from 87,175 the week prior...

The Retail Rundown: Ads Centered on Get Grillin’ Themes

This week's retail ads are centered on get grillin' themes as consumers stock up on burgers, hot dogs, and other barbeque staples for the upcoming Memorial Day holiday. 

For the holiday weekend, seafood features take the cake with 28.8% of total protein ad volume. Pork climbed to second with 23.7%, followed by chicken with 20%. Beef features eased to 19.3% of the mix, down about three points from the week prior.

Looking at seafood, fresh/frozen filets make up 31% of retail buying...

Kroger Celebrates Memorial Day with Backyard Grilling Bundle for as Little as $4 per Person

The Kroger Co. today shared it is celebrating Memorial Day with Locked-in-Low prices on grilling essentials as families gather in a day of remembrance. For as little as $4 per person, the barbeque bundle includes all the staples to commemorate the holiday.

"At Kroger, we are exceedingly grateful for the sacrifice, devotion and bravery of our armed forces who unselfishly gave their lives for the fundamental promise of American freedom," said Rodney McMullen, Kroger's chairman and CEO...

The Retail Rundown: Memorial Day Promotions; Latest CPI Data

Spring is in the air… and the first inklings of summer are making a reappearance too. Memorial Day is less than two weeks out and grocers are enthusiastically preparing for the official start of the grilling season.

Cookout staples like charcoal, outdoor serving ware, grilling cuts, and all things barbeque are migrating toward the front page of circulars, bringing increased visibility to the meat case, deli counter, and prepared foods sections of the store. 

In the week leading up to Memorial Day weekend last year, 78-84% lean ground beef was...

ANALYSIS: Impacts of Prop 12 Shape Memorial Day Outlook for Pork Ribs, Bacon and Butts

Memorial Day is traditionally celebrated as one of the major pork holidays each year. Ribs, bacon, and butts are all beloved staples of this popular weekend that marks the official start of summer. However, this year presents a unique situation due to rebounding cold storage levels post prop 12 proclamation, sow liquidations, and economic uncertainty, unlike the past few years.

The current values for bone-in butts show an increase of 3.9% compared to this time last year, and they are also 10.4% above the...

The Retail Rundown: Abundance of Springtime Eating Occasions

There is an abundance of springtime eating occasions and grocers are gearing up for a triathlon of sorts with Cinco De Mayo, Mother’s Day, and Memorial Day fast approaching.

The produce section and the meat case are expected to benefit from Cinco de Mayo as those celebrating load up on beef, pork, and chicken for a variety of dishes like tacos, fajitas, burritos, and carnitas. These dishes are often accompanied by fixings like guacamole and salsa, boosting sales of avocadoes, mangoes, and more...