5 things: Take a look at what executive level grocers made in 2022…

Executive grocery salaries: What did the guy (or gal) sitting next to you make last year? Take a read through our latest Executive Grocery Salary Report to find out. While base salaries were relatively unchanged in 2022, top executives still found a way to be compensated. Many earned significant bonuses based on their performance in what was another strong year for grocery industry sales, even if those sales were largely driven by inflation. —Chloe Riley

Baked, mashed, or sealed in plastic: Potatoes…individually wrapped to keep in the freshness. Wait, what? Russet potatoes individually wrapped in plastic? The process went viral on social media when somebody on Reddit posted a photo of a tub of potatoes holding in that freshness with plastic wrap. It does look a little goofy, but technically the spuds are wrapped that way for ease of microwave cooking. But people on the internet still find a way to be outraged. The biggest concerns were the plastic waste and the seal being bad for the environment. Some of the comments said the reason for the wrap was for cooking purposes, but again why change what has been working for generations? Well, at least each potato comes with its own barcode for easy scanning. —Bill Wilson

San Francisco sticker shock: We all know that food prices have shot up the last few years on the heels of a global pandemic, but the residents of San Francisco are feeling the pinch even more as their groceries are the priciest in town, according to local publication SFGATE. While inflation has come down from last year thanks to a host of reasons, including the Federal Reserve’s aggressive increase in interest rates and the resolution of pandemic-related supply chain issues, food prices still remain pricey — especially for those in the Bay Area. Part of it has to do with what is happening in Ukraine, but additionally, California tends to have a higher level of food requirements (and thus costs) and high prices for real estate. Analysts don’t know if grocery prices will ever come down, but San Franciscans continue to stomach the costs for now. —Alarice Rajagopal

And things aren’t much better in Alaska: San Francisco grocery prices may be up there, but prices are also high in, for instance…Kodiak, Alaska. State economists studied survey data from last year that compared the costs of living in 265 communities across the country, and Kodiak fared among the highest for healthcare and, you guessed it, grocery. The city — like many other places in the state — has a relatively small population and has to ship in nearly all its food. Add in COVID-19-related supply chain problems and inflation (which reached a 41-year high in the state last year) and prices have soared even higher. —CR 

Take it all away: “Make sure you leave nothing behind.” That is the plea of residents of a neighborhood in Chicago who aren’t happy about the decrepit state of a store recently purchased by developer Yellow Banana and now being run as a Save-A-Lot. Yellow Banana informed the neighborhood the building would indeed be refreshed: replacing toilet fixtures, refinishing walls and floors, and constructing a new exterior entry. Shoppers say that is not nearly enough. They want the whole building taken down and replaced with a brand new shiny structure…one that is clean. Before Yellow Banana took over the building, city records show there were multiple rat infestations which forced the store to close down. Yellow Banana will have to roll up its sleeves and rebuild, not only the store, but also trust with the community. —BW

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According to Supermarket News' Executive Grocery Salary Report, executives cashed in big time in terms of bonuses even though inflation continues to produce high revenue numbers. Do you think executives should be able to cash in on inflation? 
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Let us know in the comments below, or email your thoughts to the SN staff at [email protected].