 Even before the pandemic roared onto the scene, 2020 was shaping up to be a big year for the grocery industry. But in what was perhaps an ominous sign, once-soaring upstarts Lucky’s Market, Earth Fare and Fairway Market quickly found themselves in bankruptcy court, their ambitions downed just weeks into the year. Shortly afterward, the first effects of the coronavirus turned what might otherwise have been a defining moment for the industry into just another significant story in a year overflowing with big news. From the appearance of plexiglass at cash registers and mask mandates across the country to heated disputes about hazard pay for grocery store workers, once-unimaginable developments have earned their place among the year’s most significant events. Add in Amazon’s incursion into the physical grocery space, Albertsons’ return to Wall Street and Ahold Delhaize’s announcement just before Thanksgiving that it was buying FreshDirect, and you truly have a year like no other. With all the news that broke in 2020, it wasn’t easy to come up with an all-encompassing list of top stories, but we’ve done our best to select what we think is some of our most enduring coverage of a truly indelible year for the grocery industry. We hope you’ll find the list below helpful as you prepare for everything that 2021 promises to bring. This year showed the true value of consistent, reliable, objective and timely information. If you found that value in Grocery Dive, we hope you’ll take a moment and encourage your team members and colleagues to also subscribe to Grocery Dive or any of our other industry newsletters: www.grocerydive.com/signup/mobile-weekly/signup/?signup_referred_by=5f93078d7aa51972095c9316 Grocery Dive is taking a publishing break until Jan. 4, when our next daily newsletter will appear in your inbox. In the meantime, we’ll update our site if any major news arrives. Thanks for being a reader in 2020. We look forward to once again serving up the latest news for you during the year to come. Happy Holidays!
 Sam Silverstein
Reporter, Grocery Dive
Twitter | Email Meijer, Schnucks, Publix and Target will require customers to cover their faces while shopping to prevent the spread of COVID-19. |
Access to the long-awaited conventional supermarket in California will initially be limited to invited customers, with an opening to the public set for an unannounced date. |
The "sneezeguards" are meant to protect cashiers and shoppers from direct exposure to COVID-19 and help with social distancing. |
The grocer's announcement follows a firestorm of criticism about its decision to end the $2-per-hour wage boost it has provided since late March. |
The grocer has mounted its latest push for an IPO, registering an S-1 form with the Securities and Exchange Commission on Friday. |
The company says it's piloting the Cincinnati-area supermarket's switch as it sees growing demand for click-and-collect and "alternative ways to shop for groceries." |
The Dutch grocery company gets additional e-commerce expertise and access to the lucrative New York City market, while FreshDirect gains purchasing heft and the potential to scale faster. |
The company expanded rapidly under private equity ownership but struggled to compete with conventional chains and the rising crop of specialty grocers. | | 
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