Welcome to Blue Book!
Are you ready to join the thousands of companies who rely on Blue Book to drive smarter decisions? View our plans and get started today!
Still have questions? We’d love to show you what Blue Book can do for you. Drop us a line– we’ve been waiting for you.

Trade with confidence... every time.
Blue Book’s real-time alerts help you stay up to speed with everything in the produce industry

Trade with confidence... every time.
Blue Book’s real-time alerts help you stay up to speed with everything in the produce industry

Trade with confidence... every time.
Blue Book’s real-time alerts help you stay up to speed with everything in the produce industry
Midwest Confidential
Expansion from national heavyweights, the strength of regional chains and independents, and continued consumer price-consciousness are all major components of the retail scene. Whether located in the city proper...
Expansion from national heavyweights, the strength of regional chains and independents, and continued consumer price-consciousness are all major components of the retail scene. Whether located in the city proper or in the surrounding suburbs, the result over the last several years is the creation of an extremely competitive food retail environment.
In St. Louis, Aldi stores move produce labeled by repackers from Produce Row.
To Maglio, price is the decider in his neck of the woods. “Price points are extremely low, as Milwaukee residents are very value conscious. We see much greater spending on groceries in markets such as Minneapolis and Chicago,” he explains.
Another facet of the grocery shopping experience is convenience. Midwestern retailers have also expanded their online formats, offering dedicated pickup spots and delivery services.
“Hy-Vee has ‘Aisles Online’ and you can buy your groceries online and they’ll deliver to your home,” praises Comito.
He believes the new service is a “fantastic innovation” for retailers to head off competition from behemoth Amazon, which is putting its might behind fresh grocery delivery. Hy-Vee’s competitor, Fareway, has featured online ordering for its popular meat counter.
Specialty and ‘cash & carry’ outlets
Smaller and specialty retail formats, like Lucky’s and Fresh Thyme, continue expansion into the Midwest, crowding the region’s already tight market.
Matthew Ernst has written about agriculture for 15 years. Based near St. Louis, he specializes in writing and reporting about farm business management.

News you need.
Join Blue Book today!
Get access to all the news and analysis you need to make the right decision --- delivered to your inbox.
What to read next
A Produce Blueprints Glimpse at 2025: Fraud on the Rise
Executives in all segments of fresh produce continue to grapple with changes in the industry, including more frequent extreme weather events, high prices impacting suppliers and consumers, an evolving labor pool, and the integration of artificial intelligence, among other trends. Here’s what they’re thinking at the start of 2025 and a look at the months […]
A Produce Blueprints Glimpse at 2025: Expanding Produce Access
Executives in all segments of fresh produce continue to grapple with changes in the industry, including more frequent extreme weather events, high prices impacting suppliers and consumers, an evolving labor pool, and the integration of artificial intelligence, among other trends. Here’s what they’re thinking at the start of 2025 and a look at the months […]
A Produce Blueprints Glimpse at 2025: Marketing Trends
Executives in all segments of fresh produce continue to grapple with changes in the industry, including more frequent extreme weather events, high prices impacting suppliers and consumers, an evolving labor pool, and the integration of artificial intelligence, among other trends. Here’s what they’re thinking at the start of 2025 and a look at the months […]
USDA restricts PACA violators in California and Florida
WASHINGTON, May 9, 2022 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has imposed sanctions on four produce businesses for failing to meet contractual obligations to the sellers of produce they purchased and failing to pay reparation awards issued under the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (PACA). These sanctions include suspending the businesses’ PACA licenses and barring […]
USDA restricts five PACA violators
WASHINGTON, April 22, 2022 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has imposed sanctions on five produce businesses for failing to meet contractual obligations to the sellers of produce they purchased and failing to pay reparation awards issued under the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (PACA). These sanctions include suspending the businesses’ PACA licenses and barring […]
USDA restricts PACA violators in Florida and Texas
WASHINGTON, April 22, 2022 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has imposed sanctions on two produce businesses for failing to meet contractual obligations to the sellers of produce they purchased and failing to pay reparation awards issued under the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (PACA). These sanctions include suspending the businesses’ PACA licenses and barring […]
Subscribe to our newsletter
© 2025 Blue Book Services. All Rights Reserved