Independent Grocers Recharge at Symposium

Posted on January 14, 2025January 14, 2025 by Grace Becker

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Following the busy holiday season, the independent grocery community kicked off 2025 with CGA at the Independent Operators Symposium. This week-long retreat on Maui allowed operators to step away from the everyday to reset, recharge, and refocus on the future success of their business.

With a blend of thought-provoking speakers, practical discussions, and a serene environment, grocers had the opportunity to recharge their energy and reignite their vision for the future.

Insightful education sessions helped attendees gain fresh perspectives to drive future success. T-shirt company founder Johnny “Cupcakes” Earle spoke about building brand loyalty; author Mike Lee discussed the future of food; President and CEO of the National Grocers Association Greg Ferrara reviewed the national political and regulatory state of play; and business leadership author David Mead shared how to create high performance through humanity.

Thank you to attendees and event sponsors for starting your year with us! Check out event photos below.

Southern California Fire Disaster Resources

Posted on January 14, 2025January 14, 2025 by Nate Rose

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A series of historic wildfires have scorched the Greater Los Angeles region, damaging more than 9,000 structures, burning through tens of thousands of acres, and leading to the evacuation of nearly 100,000 area residents. As the voice of California’s grocery industry, CGA is in close contact with State of California, Los Angeles elected officials, and disaster-relief organizations.

Find resources related to everything from SNAP waivers to employer guidance in the Association’s “Emergency Operations” hub.

LEARN MORE

Michel LeClerc to Chair CGA Board

Posted on December 17, 2024December 18, 2024 by Grace Becker

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North State Grocery Executive Elected Chair of CGA Board of Directors

SACRAMENTO, CA (Dec. 18, 2024) – Michel LeClerc, Chief Administrative Officer, North State Grocery, Inc., was elected the 2024-2025 California Grocers Association (CGA) Chair of the Board of Directors at the Association’s Annual Meeting on Dec. 6, 2024.

As Chair, LeClerc will lead the Board’s strategy regarding CGA’s numerous legislative, educational, and industry-related programs. CGA is comprised of more than 350 retail companies, operating more than 6,000 stores in the west. The chair serves for one year. LeClerc succeeds Lynn Melillo, Vice President of Asset Management, Bristol Farms.

“Michel has long been committed to the Association and will make a fantastic Board Chair,” CGA President and CEO Ron Fong. “His experience leading our Government Relations Committee over many years has made him intimately familiar with California’s political environment and the challenges and opportunities impacting the grocery industry and will be of great benefit to our members.”

In his current role, LeClerc oversees North State’s strategic planning, human resources, real estate, legal, compliance, government relations, and Employee Stock Ownership Plan. LeClerc joined North State in 2011 as General Counsel and later served as the company’s Chief Financial Officer. He holds a Doctor of Jurisprudence from University of Oregon School of Law. LeClerc has served on the CGA Board of Directors since 2011 and has been Chair of the Government Relations Committee since 2014.

In addition to LeClerc, the following individuals were elected to the 2024-2025 CGA Board of Directors Executive Committee: First Vice Chair, Richard Wardwell, Superior Grocers; Second Vice Chair, Jonson Chen, Tawa Supermarket Inc.; Treasurer, Pam Burke, Grocery Outlet; Secretary, Bertha Luna, State Bros. Markets; Immediate Past Chair, Lynn Melillo, Bristol Farms.

Directors elected to their first full three-year team include: Steve Brancamp, UNFI; Dorothy Carlow, Mother’s Market & Kitchen; Justin Hyer, Molson Coors Beverage Company; Brady Matoian, OK Produce; Candance Minton, PepsiCo; Chris Richmond, Post Consumer Brands; Amber Hammond, KeHe Distributors.

Directors elected to their second full three-year term include: Joe Angulo, Chedauri USA, Inc.; Jon Gianinni, Nutricion Fundamental; Brandon Lombardi, Sprouts Farmers Markets; Andrew Nodes, Instacart; Bethany Pautsch, Tyson Foods, Inc.; Eric Pearlman, C&S Wholesale Grocers; Marc Swisher, Mondelez International, Inc.

Elliott Stone, Mollie Stone’s Markets was re-elected Executive Committee-IOC Chair. Former CGA Chair Dennis Darling, Foods Etc. IGA was elected an honorary board member.

SB 54 FAQs for 2025

Posted on December 2, 2024December 2, 2024 by Grace Becker

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Foam Food Service Ware Prohibition

The passage of SB 54 ushered in a new era for packaging in California by requiring 100 percent of plastic packaging to be recyclable or compostable by 2032. Included in the legislation, however, is a provision restricting the sale and distribution of expanded polystyrene food service ware (Public Resources Code 42057(i)).

Ahead of the new year, CGA addressed frequently asked questions about the requirements of SB 54 pertaining to expanded polystyrene food service ware impacting grocery retailers effective January 1, 2025.

Click the link below to access the members-only SB 54 FAQ.

SB 54 FAQ

2025 New Laws Webinar

Posted on November 13, 2024November 13, 2024 by Nate Rose

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CGA understands the challenges members face when impacted by new legislation and strives to provide educational resources to address those challenges.

On Tuesday, November 12 from 10:00 – 11:30 am PST, the CGA Educational Foundation hosted a webinar to help companies learn more about the requirements of upcoming laws that will affect the grocery industry. Topics for the webinar include, but are not limited to, the list of bills below.

The 2025 New Laws webinar is now available on-demand for member companies.

ACCESS WEBINAR

Topics:

AB 98 – Warehouses & Logistic Centers

Establishes requirements for the building of new or expansion of existing logistics centers near sensitive sites.

SB 1046 – Compostable Produce Bags

Requires pre-checkout bags to be compostable beginning January 1, 2025.

SB 399 – Captive Audience Meetings – Employer Restrictions

Prohibits an employer from punishing an employee that chooses not to participate in certain employer sponsored meetings.

SB 428 – Employee Harassment – Protective Orders

Allows an employer to seek a TRO on behalf of an employee that has suffered harassment.

SB 1053 – Plastic Checkout Bags

Restricts retailers to provide only paper bags at the point of sale for a charge beginning January 1, 2026.

Register Today: Annual Government Relations Meeting

Posted on November 1, 2024November 1, 2024 by Grace Becker

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Join CGA’s Government Relations Team in Los Angeles

The grocery industry had a banner year at the Capitol in 2024, and the Association is gearing up for even bolder actions in 2025.

Join CGA’s government relations team in Los Angeles for its annual in-person meeting to strategize priorities for the year ahead and discuss key initiatives. Together, we’ll explore next steps for CRV recycling, unpack SB 54 and its implications for the industry, and recap outcomes from 2024.

We hope you’ll join us at 1 p.m. on November 14 at the West Hollywood Aquatics and Recreation Center. Afterwards, stick around for drinks and bites at one of West Hollywood’s hottest spots, Catch LA to celebrate the year’s wins.

Don’t wait to save your spot! Click the link below to register.

Please direct your questions to Daniel Conway.

CGA Explores AI at 2024 Strategic Conference

Posted on October 8, 2024October 8, 2024 by Grace Becker

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Each year, CGA brings the California grocery industry together for three days of networking and education to strengthen business connections and explore timely topics and challenges facing the industry. In late September, the grocery community reunited in Palm Springs for the 2024 CGA Strategic Conference: Accelerating Impact. With emerging technologies transforming retail and the way we do business, this year’s conference centered on the impacts of artificial intelligence and new technology to help the grocery industry prepare.

A high-powered panel of AI and supply chain experts took the main stage to break down the implications of AI for the value chain. MIT professor Vivek Farias led a deep dive presentation on AI, then joined a panel discussion featuring Mario Adamy (UNFI), Miguel Paredes (Silicon Foundry), and Craig Rosenblum (Columbus Consulting).

In addition to our signature retailer-supplier business meetings and networking opportunities, this year’s event featured several new sessions and social events. Comedian Jake Johanssen kicked off the event with a hilarious stand-up routine, and attendees decompressed after a day of meetings and education at the CGA Silent Disco. To help attendees navigate California’s unique customers and retail environment, we introduced the first Golden State Summit. Led by subject experts, these TED-talk style presentations unpacked the state’s population and demographic shifts (Hans Johnson, PPIC), the evolving retail environment and store formats (Caroline Wu, Placer.ai), attitudes toward new technology (Jeremy S. Thompson, Edelman Global Advisory), and emerging consumer trends and preferences (Dan Frommer, The New Consumer).

The popular Emerging Brands Pitch Contest was back this year and bigger than ever. Six hand-selected emerging companies took the main stafe to pitch their product to a panel of judges representing Bristol Farms, Gelson’s Markets, Safeway Northern California, Costco Wholesale, and Sprouts Farmers Market. Myles Comfort Food took home first place and the people’s choice award, followed Top Fox Snacks in second place and Fresh Fizz Sodas in third.

Thank you to our speakers, sponsors, partners, and attendees, for contributing to the success of this year’s conference. We hope you left our event with strong connections and valuable takeaways to accelerate your business into the food industry’s fast-paced future.

Save the date for next year’s Strategic Conference on September 21—23, 2025 at The Westin Mission Hills, Rancho Mirage.

CGAEF Reaches $10 Million Scholarship Milestone

Posted on September 5, 2024September 5, 2024 by Grace Becker

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The California Grocers Association Educational Foundation (CGAEF) is thrilled to announce it has reached a significant milestone of awarding $10 million in college scholarships to grocery industry employees and their dependents.

Thanks to the grocery industry’s incredible generosity and commitment to education, CGAEF has awarded 6,571 scholarships to California Grocers Association member company employees and their dependents since the Foundation’s inception in 1998. This exciting achievement reflects the grocery industry’s investment in the future of its workforce.

Through our scholarship program, CGAEF helps nurture and retain industry talent to shape the next generation of grocery leaders. This $10 million landmark has already made a lasting impact on thousands of industry employees striving to achieve their dreams.

On behalf of the CGAEF Board of Trustees and staff, we extend our gratitude to the hundreds of individuals and companies who have contributed to this milestone. Your support has made all the difference in molding our industry’s future leadership. CGAEF is proud to support the personal and professional ambitions of hardworking grocery employees.

CGAEF scholarships are open to high school seniors, college undergraduate and graduate students who are employees of, or the dependent sons or daughters of employees of, a CGA member company. For more information on the CGAEF scholarship program, click here.

Newsom Signs Retail Theft Bill Package

Posted on August 16, 2024August 16, 2024 by Nate Rose

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On Friday morning CGA President and CEO Ron Fong joined Gov. Gavin Newsom, legislative leaders, and law enforcement in San Jose as the Governor signed the Legislature’s signature retail theft bill package into law.

Totaling 10 bills, the retail theft package is notable for its focus on aggregation, multi-jurisdictional prosecution, and re-sellers running stolen goods storefronts. Here are the bills included:

AB 2943 allows felony charges on the third theft offense, aggregates dollar amounts and expands drug diversion programs.

AB 3209 allows a court to impose a restraining order for up to two years against a person who has stolen, vandalized or committed battery against an employee. It would also require the court to consider whether a person lives in a “food desert” and whether the store is the only location for necessities.

AB 1779 allows prosecutors to charge several offenses that took place across counties and handle them in a single court.

AB 1802 makes permanent the California Highway Patrol property crimes task force.

AB 1972 expands the California Highway Patrol’s property crimes task force program to include cargo theft and railroad police.

SB 905 creates two new “wobbler” offenses that can be charged as felonies or misdemeanors: breaking into a car with the intent to steal, and possessing property stolen from a car worth at least $950 with the intent to sell it.

SB 1242 gives a stiffer sentence to people convicted of setting a fire on a retailer’s property to commit organized theft.

SB 1416 creates a sentencing enhancement for selling, exchanging, or returning for value an item acquired through shoplifting, burglary, or theft.

SB 1144 requires online marketplaces to collect information from high-volume third-party sellers and grants authority to district attorneys to bring civil actions to enforce violations.

SB 982 eliminates an end date on the crime of organized retail theft, allowing prosecution to occur indefinitely.

The New Food Frontier: California Grocer Magazine

Posted on August 13, 2024August 13, 2024 by Grace Becker

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How Will GLP-1 Drugs Impact the Grocery Industry?

According to recent projections from FMI, nearly a third of U.S. consumers could begin using GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy, reshaping the food landscape as we know it. In the latest issue of California Grocer magazine, CGA explores what’s in store for “The New Food Frontier” amid the rise of GLP-1 drugs and health-conscious consumers.

This issue takes a holistic view of health and wellness to unpack implications for the grocery industry and consumers. In a state that drives national standards, Tim Townsend delves into California food safety laws that shape the grocery industry beyond the state’s borders. As inflation strains shoppers’ wallets, our “Consumer Financial Health Report” projects what lies ahead for grocery spending and prices. Spend “15 Minutes With” Julie Chapon, co-founder of Yuka, an app that analyzes products for impacts on health and the environment. Nutritionist and wellness expert Katie Bressack discusses the grocery store as a destination for personalized wellness, and Kevin Coupe muses about the wellness paradox.

Don’t miss the following must-read sections from Issue 2:

GLP-1 Drugs and the Rise of Health-Conscious Consumers
- Pg 16 | Michele Fuller
The California Consumers’ Financial Health
- Pg 26 | Nate Rose
The California Health Laws that Shape the Landscape for Grocers
- Pg 22 | Tim Townsend
The Wellness Paradox
- Pg 8 | Kevin Coupe

READ ISSUE 2