Walmart is launching a pilot program with Nuro to test grocery delivery using autonomous vehicles in Houston. The retailer has undertaken similar tests with Gatik in Arkansas and Udelv in Arizona, among others.

Food blogger/influencer Meg Quinn crafts mouthwatering, eye-catching cheese boards for her Instagram posts, and she shares some of the kitchen items she says are must-haves for an excellent spread. As her canvas, she favors J.K. Adams' and Sur La Table's cutting boards and serving boards, among a few others -- and then she uses products such as a handmade juniper wood butter knife, Freehawk's four-piece set of cheese knives, Mr.Art Wood's mini wooden appetizer tongs and Formaticum's special cheese storage bags.

FedEx says it wants to help make the returns process more efficient for retailers by expanding the number of pickup and drop-off locations at sites including Dollar General and Walgreens stores. The company sees reverse logistics as one area it can focus on after ending its contracts with Amazon earlier this year.

Five years ago, a plant-based eater would only have a small selection offered on grocery shelves and would never think they could walk into a fast-food restaurant to enjoy a satisfying meal. Today in the food industry, though, there are thousands of companies riding the wave of the plant-based protein trend. Read more.

Collectively, statistics on the number of SKUs per store and number of weekly transactions per store tell a story about the food retail industry's ability to succeed in any environment and the quest to stay agile. Read more.

Significant consumer interest in CBD, or cannabidiol, has resulted in many companies considering whether and how to enter this space. However, the absence of comprehensive federal guidance, coupled with a developing patchwork of state regulatory laws, has created a lack of clarity. FMI, in partnership with law firm Baker Hostetler, has developed a guide including useful background information and general recommendations to help ensure food retailers and suppliers understand key regulatory issues about CBD products. Download now.

According to the 2019 Power of Meat report, eating meat is still the norm, with 86% of shoppers classifying themselves as meat eaters, 5% following a vegetarian or vegan diet and 10% describing their eating style as flexitarian (mostly vegetarian with some animal protein). However, the report finds consumers are becoming conscious of the effects their diet has on the environment. Learn more.

New Seasons Market and New Leaf Community Markets are set to be acquired by Good Food Holdings. The companies will keep current leadership and continue to operate independently under their existing banners.

Grocers should watch out for temperature fluctuations, worn gaskets and compressor damage on refrigeration equipment to mitigate costly repairs and improve food safety, said Kaivac's Mike Perazzo. Customer returns caused by spoiled food and a spike in energy costs can also alert businesses to equipment issues.

Retail and food industry leaders have reacted positively to news that the US, Mexico and Canada have come to a trade agreement. "This new North American trade agreement maintains and secures the existing supply chain, resulting in continued growth in US food and beverage exports," FMI's Andy Harig said in a statement.