Schnuck Markets, Hy-Vee, Walmart top the week’s headlines

In this week’s recap of the Top 10 most popular Supermarket News articles, Schnuck Markets’ closing another converted Shop ’n Save store ranked as the week’s top story. Plans called for the location, in Shrewsbury, Mo., to close permanently earlier this month. Among other stories in this week’s gallery:

• Hy-Vee taps Google’s digital expertise in sweeping partnership
• Albertsons eyes more customer engagement via Fetch Rewards
• California city becomes first in nation to use American Rescue Plan funds for grocery worker COVID pay

Walmart and rival Amazon are squaring off in the pharmacy arena by using their customer benefit programs to serve up prescription drug savings. Walmart also has partnered with vitamins and supplements chain GNC to roll out curated product assortments to more than 4,000 Walmart stores and on Walmart.com.

The Kroger Co. opened its newest Customer Fulfillment Center (CFC) in Groveland, Fla., powered by Ocado Group. Also, Cincinnati-based Kroger held its first nationwide “hybrid” hiring event — encompassing online and in-store interviews — with the company looking to fill positions in retail, e-commerce, pharmacy, manufacturing and logistics.

In other news, Instacart has partnered with the ButcherBox brand of high-quality protein to make grass-fed beef and other meats more accessible to Americans across the U.S. Instacart also kicked off a $1 million advertising drive to spotlight Black-owned consumer packaged goods (CPG) brands in its online marketplace.