Latest news with #GroceryOutlet
Daily Mail
24-07-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
FDA issues urgent recall for fruit contaminated with toxin linked to autism and cancer
An urgent recall has been issued for a fruit product contaminated with a toxin linked to autism. New York-based W.W. Industrial Group, which is a manufacturer and exporter of canned goods, has recalled its Parashore Pear Slices in juice in 15 oz cans, because they have the potential to be contaminated with elevated levels of lead and cadmium. The product was distributed to Grocery Outlet stores in multiple states across the US. Although it is unclear how the product became contaminated, canned products can contain lead and cadmium due to migration from the can's materials, especially if the coating is damaged or corroded. Some research has linked prolonged exposure to these metals with learning disabilities and autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Beyond neurological effects, exposure to heavy metals has also been associated with cancer, kidney disease, birth defects, and cardiovascular dysfunction. The FDA notes that symptoms of lead and cadmium poisoning can include abdominal pain, vomiting, lethargy, irritability, weakness, behavior or mood changes, delirium, seizures, and coma. However, infants, young children and a developing fetus can be affected by chronic exposure to amounts of heavy metals that may not result in obvious symptoms of lead poisoning. Health experts add: 'A child with heavy metal poisoning may not look or act sick. 'Heavy metal poisoning in children can cause: learning disabilities, developmental delays, and lower IQ scores.' Lead can be present in the can's coating or solder, and cadmium can also leach from the can's materials, particularly under acidic conditions or when the packaging is damaged. In the US, the FDA has determined that there is no safe level of lead exposure in adults or children. The recalled pear slices was distributed to grocery stores across the US. No illnesses have been reported in relation to the recall. The recalled product is packaged in a 15oz can and labeled as Parashore Pear Slices in Juice, 15oz (425 g) with the universal product code (UPC) #704817164237. The specific lot found positive for heavy metals was 3700/01172 6122J, with the production date listed as 02/19/2024 and the use by date of 2/19/2027. The heavy metal contamination was discovered by the Maryland Department of Health, which conducts routine food sampling as part of its efforts to ensure food safety and protect public health. Many children with lead poisoning have no symptoms but even low levels of the metal in their blood can lead to learning and behavior problems, such as trouble paying attention. Numerous studies have shown that children with ASD exhibit these, as well as other, behaviors. Additionally, lead exposure in adults can also lead to high blood pressure, kidney damage, increase the risk of cancer, reduce fertility and neurological issues. Studies have shown that lead exposure either through paint, dust or food can increase risk of lung, kidney and brain cancer in those exposed - particularly workers. Following the discovery, W.W. Industrial Group has recalled the products and is continuing an investigation to determine the cause. Consumers who have purchased the pear slices should not consume the products and are urged to discard in the trash or return them to the place of purchase for a full refund. Consumers with questions may contact the company at 516-676-9188 Monday to Friday 10am - 4pm EST.
San Francisco Chronicle
22-07-2025
- Entertainment
- San Francisco Chronicle
The crazy true love story behind one of my favorite S.F. lunch spots
Last weekend I performed at Story Fest, a live storytelling event where journalists from local news organizations bring their reporting to life onstage. When the organizers told me the evening's theme would be 'migration,' I knew immediately which story I wanted to tell — the romance of Mohammad and Rabia Waqar, the owners of Mashaallah Halal Pakistani Food Restaurant. When I interviewed Mohammad for my review of Mashaallah Halal last year, I asked him how he came to open a restaurant in the basement of a struggling mall. He said it was all Rabia's idea, describing her as his 'fortune cookie.' I asked Mohammad about his chicken biryani. 'That's Rabia's invention,' he told me. 'I give this credit to my wife. She's so creative.' I asked him if he wanted to be identified as 'chef-owner' in the review. 'Chef-owner is fine,' he said. 'Also, I highly, highly, highly give the credit to my wife, to my partner, to my love, to my everything, Rabia.' Finally I was like, you know what? It kind of seems like you want to talk about your wife more than you want to talk about your restaurant. I asked if Rabia was there and could join the call. She was. They're always together. What emerged from the conversation was the contours of an epic love story, one which I highlighted in a video that accompanied the Mashaallah Halal review. Rabia told me that she came from a strict, conservative family in Pakistan. When she married Mohammad, who is 21 years her senior, she wasn't sure what she had signed up for. Would he be controlling and domineering? Instead, she found him to be supportive of her ambitions and independence, 'polishing' her as she studied English, got her first job at Grocery Outlet and learned to drive a car. I wrote my first draft for Story Fest, but there were lots of holes in my narrative. I had only interviewed Rabia and Mohammad once for the review, mostly about the restaurant and their food. In order to flesh out their love story, I needed to know about the first time they met and the early days of their marriage. So I called them again. Two hours later, I deleted almost all of my draft and started fresh. What Rabia and Mohammad had told me of their courtship was astounding, the stuff of Lollywood epics. In 2007, Mohammad is preparing to return home to Sahiwal, a city in the Punjab province of Pakistan, for a niece's wedding. He's been living in the Bay Area and working in restaurants for some 20 years. He's divorced and in his 40's, and he's thinking that maybe he'd be open to getting remarried. A friend from his local mosque mentions that he knows a family in Sahiwal with a lovely, educated daughter and encourages Mohammad to meet her. He'll arrange a dinner. Despite his reservations about their difference in ages, Mohammad agrees. When Rabia receives this invitation, her life is at a crossroads. When I say Rabia's family is strict and conservative, I mean you-must-marry-within-your-extended-family strict and conservative. She's the first woman in her family who's been allowed to go to college, but now that she's graduated, she can feel the walls closing in. She's in her early 20's and will be married off soon, and her ambitions will be ground to dust. So when she hears about this American guy who wants to meet her, she's eager. She fantasizes about what he might be like, imagining, she told me, that he'll arrive with a guitar, wearing pants, a shirt and 'long shoes.' (Although I'm not quite sure what she means by this, I envision cowboy boots with pointy toes.) Instead, Mohammad shows up in traditional dress: shalwar kameez, no long shoes — and no hair either. 'What the hell is this, man?' she told me she said to herself. She's not interested. But Mohammad makes an effort over the course of the evening, telling jokes — he came to America hoping to become an actor, like Al Pacino — and trying to catch her eye. By the time Rabia gets home, she's made up her mind. She doesn't know much about Mohammad, but she knows he lives in America, and this is her chance to write her own future. Rabia approaches one of her four older brothers and tells him she's been introduced to a family friend and that she wants to marry him. He's livid. His younger sister married to some old guy? No way. But Rabia convinces him to go meet with Mohammad, and some hours later, her brother returns to the family home, charmed. Okay, he tells her. I'll be your advocate. He gathers Rabia's three other older brothers and their father and says, 'Rabia wants to marry this guy, and I've told her she has my permission.' All hell breaks loose. Rabia's father and three brothers fly into a rage, rejecting the marriage. Threats are made, and a gun is produced. Rabia's brother, the one who supports her, is like a mountain. 'He's standing in front of me,' she told me. ''Anybody have a problem, deal with me.'' Rabia doesn't sleep that night. She knows that if she closes her eyes and drifts off, there's a real risk that she will be killed for dishonoring her family. The next morning, she's more resolved than ever to escape, and that's when her father announces that he has news. Overnight, he has arranged her marriage. To his sister's son. Rabia's sister, mother and the brother who is on her side immediately go to Mohammad, telling him that all is not well back at the ranch. Rabia is languishing at home, steeped in misery, when her sister suddenly reappears. 'Go to your cabinet, get your one dress, and come with me,' she tells Rabia. Then, they run, hand-in-hand, to a car that's parked around the corner, and they drive directly to the courthouse, where Mohammad is waiting. And just like that, Rabia and Mohammad get married. They're basically strangers — Rabia doesn't even know his full name — but as she signs the marriage certificate, Rabia feels lightness. 'I feel like, 'I got it,'' she told me. 'Now I feel freedom.' She returns home, goes to her room and finally sleeps. The next morning, when the fighting starts again, she says to her father, calmly, firmly, 'Enough. I already married him.' She packs up all her belongings and meets Mohammad at the marriage hall, where she has her makeup done, puts on beautiful clothes and has her wedding photos taken. After all the strife of the past few days, she allows herself to relish the moment. 'Allah made something beautiful for me, something nice for me,' she said. She was no longer scared. I wish I could say that it was all smooth sailing from here on out, but there is so much more tumult to Rabia and Mohammad's story. They're essentially in a long-distance marriage for eight years before her visa situation is sorted out and Rabia can, finally, join Mohammad in the Bay Area. And when she gets here, there's still one problem, in her mind — she never gets to see her husband. Mohammad goes to work early in the morning, they see each other for a few hours before bed and then repeat the same thing all over again. Rabia tells Mohammad that she's done spending time apart. She thinks they should start a business so they can be together every day. This is why Mohammad calls Rabia his fortune cookie. Their restaurant, Mashaallah Halal, was her idea. First she convinced him to buy a food truck, then they expanded into the basement of the mall, which is where I found them together, behind the counter, dishing up plates of palak paneer and lamb korma. Soon they'll open another location a few blocks away. I asked Mohammad if it ever felt like too much, working side-by-side seven days a week. 'We enjoy each other's company,' he said. 'We love each other. Rabia does not let me go even to the bathroom for 10 minutes peacefully. Five minutes will have gone by and she'll say, 'Waqar? ' 'Yes? ' 'Are you okay? ' 'I'm in the restroom.' So that's life.'
Yahoo
11-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
New Grocery Outlet opening in NE Ohio
[WATCH: The video above takes a look at the most popular grocery store chains.] CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, Ohio (WJW) — A new Grocery Outlet is opening in Northeast Ohio. According to a press release, the retailer known for 'extreme value' has more than 540 stores in 16 states. In Ohio, there are nine locations with nearby stores in Boardman, Brooklyn, Canton, Parma, and Ontario. Local mall pushing inventory to sidewalk sale The newest location is now opening in Cleveland Heights on Thursday, July 10, at 10 a.m. The new location is on Cedar Road. To celebrate the location's grand-opening, a press release said, the first 100 customers will receive a 'Bliss Buck' gift card for mystery amounts of cash ranging from $5 to $500. Shoppers will also receive a free reusable bag with their purchase through opening week, while supplies last, and customers can enter to win $1,000 in free groceries from July 10 through August 8. To learn more about Grocery Outlet, CLICK HERE. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
18-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
GO or KMB: Which Is the Better Value Stock Right Now?
Investors looking for stocks in the Consumer Products - Staples sector might want to consider either Grocery Outlet Holding Corp. (GO) or Kimberly-Clark (KMB). But which of these two stocks is more attractive to value investors? We'll need to take a closer look to find out. The best way to find great value stocks is to pair a strong Zacks Rank with an impressive grade in the Value category of our Style Scores system. The Zacks Rank favors stocks with strong earnings estimate revision trends, and our Style Scores highlight companies with specific traits. Grocery Outlet Holding Corp. has a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy), while Kimberly-Clark has a Zacks Rank of #4 (Sell) right now. The Zacks Rank favors stocks that have recently seen positive revisions to their earnings estimates, so investors should rest assured that GO has an improving earnings outlook. But this is just one piece of the puzzle for value investors. Value investors also try to analyze a wide range of traditional figures and metrics to help determine whether a company is undervalued at its current share price levels. The Style Score Value grade factors in a variety of key fundamental metrics, including the popular P/E ratio, P/S ratio, earnings yield, cash flow per share, and a number of other key stats that are commonly used by value investors. GO currently has a forward P/E ratio of 17.47, while KMB has a forward P/E of 18.20. We also note that GO has a PEG ratio of 3.53. This popular metric is similar to the widely-known P/E ratio, with the difference being that the PEG ratio also takes into account the company's expected earnings growth rate. KMB currently has a PEG ratio of 4.37. Another notable valuation metric for GO is its P/B ratio of 1.07. The P/B is a method of comparing a stock's market value to its book value, which is defined as total assets minus total liabilities. By comparison, KMB has a P/B of 34.95. Based on these metrics and many more, GO holds a Value grade of B, while KMB has a Value grade of C. GO stands above KMB thanks to its solid earnings outlook, and based on these valuation figures, we also feel that GO is the superior value option right now. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Grocery Outlet Holding Corp. (GO) : Free Stock Analysis Report Walmart Inc. (WMT) : Free Stock Analysis Report Kimberly-Clark Corporation (KMB) : Free Stock Analysis Report Kellanova (K) : Free Stock Analysis Report Stevanato Group S.p.A. (STVN) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research ( Zacks Investment Research
Miami Herald
18-06-2025
- Business
- Miami Herald
Grocery Outlet's CMO wants to challenge people's perception of the discounter
Grocery Outlet is known for low prices - maybe a little too well known. The company's stores are filled with a wide assortment of low-price items and signage touting all the money shoppers can save. The exteriors of its stores are emblazoned with the phrase "Grocery Outlet Bargain Market." But sometimes that reputation can have its drawbacks, according to the discounter's top marketing executive. "It's not always a blessing to have 'bargain' and 'outlet' in a grocery store name," Layla Kasha, Grocery Outlet's chief marketing officer, said in an interview. "Some people are like, 'I don't know what's going to be in there.' To get them to even try shopping at Grocery Outlet is a hurdle." Even as many consumers are focused on keeping their grocery bills down, quality and assortment are still top of mind, and Grocery Outlet is looking to leverage its private label, unique assortment and fresh offerings as it markets the value of its treasure hunt experience. Kasha, who has spent nearly a decade at the discounter in top marketing roles, said she remembers seeing the rise of portfolio shopping - visiting multiple retailers in search of low prices and deals - during the 2008 recession. The COVID-19 pandemic served as another catalyst for people to shop multiple retailers in search of deals, she said. That cross-shopping has further propelled shopper interest in discounters, like Grocery Outlet. Kasha's "zigzaggy road" to Grocery Outlet started with working for her father, who owned a bodega-style store along with a few restaurants, she said. She went on to work in sales and marketing positions at Stone Creamery and Arby's. "I grew up in the restaurant business. … I did kind of everything in the restaurant you could imagine: I worked in the kitchen, I worked in the front, I managed. I did all that, and then when I owned my own restaurant, I started marketing [to bring in customers]," she said. Kasha landed at Grocery Outlet in 2017 after a friend connected her to an open marketing role at the discounter. Kasha spoke with Grocery Dive about how consumer trends have shifted recently, how the discounter approaches marketing to new and existing consumers and what role the discounter's nascent private label plays in its strategy to entice shoppers. Editor's note: This interview has been edited for length and clarity. GROCERY DIVE: Recently, there seems to be a shift with consumers moving away from traditional grocers to buy groceries from two ends of the spectrum: low-price retailers and specialty grocers. Are you seeing a similar pattern? What changes in consumer habits is Grocery Outlet noticing? LAYLA KASHA: We are absolutely seeing that. COVID-19 changed shopping behaviors radically. Like every recession, everything in the environment tweaks people's shopping a little bit. So a lot of people changed their shopping habits during the recession, and then once you get through the recession, you're still like, "I'm still not going to pay full price for something I know I can get if I just make one more stop, right?" It's a really interesting time to be an extreme retailer and a marketer. What we're seeing in the store is a lot of different customers. We have to be able to serve somebody that shops us twice a week, and serve somebody that shops us once a week, and serve somebody that shops us once a month. There's those folks that stock up on a budget and then there's people going in to see what's in there. Grocery Outlet's reputation is built around low prices and the treasure hunt. Can you speak to how the discounter approaches marketing to its customers? We're not the chore. We are the fun shop that people get to do and want to do. So we lean into the fun. The item you don't expect you're gonna find, the organic, the high-end brands - we're super proud of that. You might find OPI nail polish. It's my favorite find: OPI nail polish for $1.99. I think for us, we really focus on "What are you going to find?" I've heard Grocery Outlet executives on earnings calls talk about the "treasure hunt experience." How much of that treasure hunt experience are you pointing people to versus letting them discover those deals on their own? A lot of that is organic. Once you find the one thing that you're like, "I did not know I could get this for that price," then in your brain it triggers the thought, "I wonder, what else is in here?" Then you go up and down every aisle. When you get a couple really good deals in your cart, you're sold. That is the magic. I had a friend of mine that would say to me - and this is not somebody that needed a bargain - "I can never drive past one of your stores, because it haunts me to know: What did I drive past? What's in there that I missed this week?" She would hit all three Modesto, California, stores weekly, because she was like, "I just know there's something in there." The treasure finds tend to happen a lot in the wine department, the beauty aisle and the natural, organic, specialty and healthy department. When you find an item you didn't expect to see, it creates a tremendous amount of excitement. What is the company's messaging for people who might not be familiar with Grocery Outlet? It's definitely more challenging in new markets. We are part of the community, so every store is locally owned and operated. The person that's going to own that store and be in that store lives there, so they know their communities. We do a tremendous amount of marketing, billboards, TV, radio, but one of the ways we do it, too, is we tap into local influencers and really use the digital space to get an organic shop. The key is getting more people organically talking about the store: "I went to the store. This is my haul. Oh my gosh. The store was gorgeous. The people were friendly. The produce was really fresh." People get really excited about things like fresh salmon, because they don't expect it. They don't expect to see organic produce. A lot of times, people put it on their page, and we didn't even ask them to go in. What we'll often do is called user-generated content, so we'll send them a note and say, "Hey, can we share this?" And people are thrilled to have that happen. What marketing opportunities are you currently excited about? I would say the really exciting thing right now is really digging back into the customer themselves. We're going through that work. COVID, inflation, everything's changed. What are [consumers] doing now? And how are we going to stay relevant? We're really playing with this idea of … crafting the message to specifically speak to each person. What we say and how we say it might change depending on who I'm talking to. A Gen Xer is going to hear something a certain way, where a millennial or a Gen Zer is going to hear it in a different way. What's always fun is to craft messages and do A/B testing to see what's landing. How do you factor private label into marketing? What has the reception been like to the private label? It's early days. We've got a few hundred SKUs. It's going really well. Second Cheapest Wine is a really big hit. It's a clever name, and people really are like, "I gotta try it." We have other categories: deli, baking, sugar, all that kind of stuff. We've got some staples coming through. We've got butter, sugar, mustard, cheese, wine, ketchup and condiments. There's a lot of SKUs in the deli area. We're going to launch more SKUs this year. Something we heard from customers was, "Man, I love shopping there, but it's really hard when I get there and I need butter, and you guys don't have it," because we source opportunistically. The operators can order whatever they want and feel the community needs, but private label tends to be pretty much in all the stores. We're being strategic about what we're putting out. We're not putting out SKUs just to put out SKUs. We're putting out thoughtful SKUs that our customers are looking for, that is going to be a value add for them. Copyright 2025 Industry Dive. All rights reserved.
