Grocery News Archives

“We may get a buy-in from the industry”

As Earth Day approached this year, Whole Foods Market in Palo Alto decided to short itself on plastic bags. via Inside Bay Area

If you believe that people who break the law in a political context get special, lenient treatment, keep your eye on the case of Meijer Inc. via Detroit Free Press

“I have not spent anything there since”

A feud in northern Michigan over the proposed construction of a big-box superstore has led to a state investigation of possible election misconduct by a retail chain with more than 180 stores in Michigan, ... via WBNS-TV Columbus

“The company continues to make progress on its turnaround plan. However, over one year into our turnaround we are not where we need to be”

- Loblaw Companies Ltd.'s (TSX:L) first-quarter earnings rose almost 15 per cent to $62 million from $54 million in the same quarter last year as sales rose and restructuring charges fell off significantly.

Earnings per share amounted to 23 cents, up from 20 cents in the first quarter last year as sales increased to $6.5 billion from $6.35 billion in the year-ago period.

But adjusting for restructuring costs of $3 million in the prior-year period - down from $89 million in restructuring charges in 2007 - Loblaw earnings fell, dropping to 34 cents per share from 46 cents per share in the comparable period of 2007. Read more

“We like to locate near Whole Foods because they've educated the shoppers and we can sell to them at lower prices”

By MARIA HALKIAS / The Dallas Morning News mhalkias@dallasnews.com Undeterred by a growing list of grocery competitors in the Dallas area, Sunflower Farmers Market, a Colorado-based organic and natural ... via Denton Record-Chronicle

“The simultaneous boom for global economies is over”

Mitsubishi Corp, Japan's top trading house, posted an 11% gain in annual profit and predicted a 25% rise this business year as it cashes in on the global commodities boom. via Budapest Business Journal

Tim Hammonds, president and chief executive officer of the Food Marketing Institute, is retiring. via Meat & Poultry

“People want to see nutrition information at the point of sale.”

We Americans spend more than $30 billion a year to control our weight. We buy into gimmicks and fads to help us eat less, weigh less and lead healthier lives. via KGW-TV Portland

Whole Foods Markets said federal securities regulators recommend no action against the Austin-based supermarket chain over its chief executive's anonymous postings on financial news Web sites. via News 8 Austin

I am addicted to Whole Foods Market . I confess. A day of relaxation for me is a stroll through the Whole, admiring all the choices and enjoying a slice of pizza. via Seattle Post-Intelligencer

“Mark, Bill and Pietro have made substantial contributions over their respective tenures and I wish them well”

Canada's largest supermarket chain, Brampton-based Loblaw Co., has been quick to replenish its stock of senior management after three key administrators resigned from the ailing company on Monday. via The Brampton Guardian

An appeals court panel of three judges appeared split Wednesday on federal regulators' persistent effort to halt Whole Foods Market Inc.'s takeover of a rival. via Theeagle.com

As more Americans elect to have medical procedures performed at lower cost outside the U.S., Hannaford Bros. via The Associated Press

“Colleagues who are either doing the same kind of research or something slightly different, and meet with them and talk with them ask them direct questions and answers, not just read their papers but get into a direct dialogue.”

Reported by: Tanya O'Rourke Photographed by: Sean Dunster Web produced by: Laura Hornsby It wasn't that long ago that having a BlackBerry, high speed internet or even the internet on your phone seemed ... via WCPO

“Through this investment, Marubeni will be able to make a significant contribution toward securing copper resources for the national interest of Japan”

Japanese trading house Marubeni Corp. announced Friday plans to acquire stakes in two mining projects in Chile from Antofagasta PLC amid booming demand for copper. via Mining News

Whole Foods Market Inc. said late Friday the staff of the Securities and Exchange Commission has concluded its inquiry into online financial message board postings related to Wild Oats Markets. via Quamnet

Interview with Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Co. CEO Eric Claus: Rising Oil Prices Have Broad Impact on Overall Food Busines via ClipSyndicate

“It is an excellent corporation, and very diversified”

Courtesy of the Jasper Herald JASPER - Buehler Foods will be sold to a company in Bowling Green, Ky. via Washington Times-Herald

“The first quarter was certainly a surprise.”

Supermarket operator Safeway Inc. reported Thursday that its profit rose 11% in the first quarter amid slowing sales growth, results that were boosted by the Easter holiday, a weak dollar and higher gasoline ... via KCPQ

“In his new role, [Colon] will help us improve our efforts in this important area as we develop even better ways to tailor products and services for our customers.”

The Kroger Co. has named Angel Colon to lead its multi-cultural business development. via VMSD

Safeway Inc. said Thursday its first-quarter profit rose 11 percent, beating analyst expectations on sales from its Lifestyle format stores and the stronger Canadian dollar.

The grocery-store operator earned $193.4 million, or 44 cents per share, from $174.4 million, or 39 cents per share last year. Thomson Financial says analysts expected a profit of 42 cents per share.

Its revenue rose 7 percent to $10 billion from $9.32 billion last year. Analysts expected sales of $9.73 billion. Read more

Pleasanton, Calif.-based Safeway Inc. unveiled its newest solar-powered grocery stores in Northern California, kicking off a week of Earth Day activities and programs focused on the company's commitment to the ... via Display & Design Ideas

“Virtually everyone will continue their employment with Ralphs”

Bernie Darms has shopped at the Ralphs supermarket on Citrus Avenue for 10 years. via Pasadena Star-News

An appeals court panel of 3 judges appeared split today on federal regulators' persistent effort to halt Whole Foods Market's takeover of a rival. via KSWO

“We believe Cadbury is the most strategically advantaged confectionery major and therefore the most attractive takeout/merger target”

The global commodity market continues to worry confectionery and sugar firms, as AB Foods profit is dented by sugar reforms, Nestle combats costs with price hikes, and Cadbury may be ripe for takeover. via FoodNavigator

“These good results demonstrate that the group remains on track, with strong growth from Grocery, Ingredients and Agriculture and another excellent performance from Primark”

Associated British Foods, the owner of Primark discount clothes stores and the Silver Spoon sugar refiner, posted a 5 per cent rise in first-half profit today but said economic conditions were difficult. via The Irish Times

Whole Foods Market marked Earth Day Tuesday by ending the use of disposable plastic grocery bags at its U.S., Canadian and British stores. via 98.9 KKZX

“So, in overall consideration of the situation, we have decided not to approve the tender offer as the offered price of wheat was found to be little bit higher”

The Advisers Committee on Public Procurement yesterday rejected a tender proposal of Food Directorate for procuring 43,000 metric tons of wheat, saying that the government stock of wheat is good. via The Daily Star

“We had talked about this after the holidays, that we needed to come up with a mesh bag or canvas bag and then recycle. They kind of beat us to it”

In light of Earth Day, we want to celebrate by helping you and your family get in the mood to recycle! An easy first step is changing the way you shop. via KVII-TV Amarillo

Hannaford Bros. Co. says it's taking steps to enhance the security of its data network following a massive breach that compromised up to 4.2 million credit and debit card numbers. via WCSH-TV Portland

Ohio ranks 5th for Fortune 500 companies, with 28 on Fortune magazine's new list of the nation's largest publicly traded firms. via WXIX-TV Cincinnati

“Allan Leighton is a highly experienced food retail executive and I look forward to working closely with him to complete the turnaround”

Loblaw Companies Ltd. is reorganizing its top positions as CFO Bill Wells departs to head up drug company Biovail Corp. via MyTELUS

“Turn your 1040 into a Sony 1080p”

The government won't start mailing them out until next month, but already the federal rebate checks -- intended to stimulate the economy -- have stimulated some pretty good incentives from retailers fighting ... via The Post and Courier

“One of the best kept secrets in Middletown. If you want some of the Best food and a reasonable, no cheap price, this is the place to go. The friendly...”

Some nine lawsuits are seeking consolidation into a federal class-action lawsuit against Hannaford Bros. via Recordonline.com - The Times Herald-R...

“Butter is increasingly used in the new bakery products and cheese is also popular now. Consumers typically buy mozzarella first as they know it is used on pizzas”

The Irish Dairy Board is eyeing China's foodservice market as an opportunity to add volumes to its growing retail business. via Food Production Daily

Safeway Inc. has launched a month-long fundraising and awareness campaign that will bring new hope and opportunities to thousands of people who live with disabilities. via Earth Times

“We are happy to partner with Sandvine to bring solutions to the Japanese market that enhance the Internet experience for broadband subscribers.”

Sandvine, a leading provider of intelligent broadband network solutions for DSL, cable, FTTx, fixed wireless and mobile operators, today announced a reseller agreement with Mitsubishi Corporation and the ... via Monitor Today

Nash Finch Company a leading national food distributor, announced today that it has entered into a $300 million revolving credit facility with various lenders including Bank of America, N.A.. Nash Finch also ... via Earth Times

Och-Ziff Capital Management Group LLC , the hedge-fund firm run by Daniel Och that went public in November, lost money in an alleged investment fraud that also ensnared Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. via Bloomberg.com - Asia

“Grocery bills represent a significant expenditure for the average American family. In fact, the average family of four spends between $105 and $235 per week* on food purchased at a store and prepared at home”

Free groceries. Two words that sound great with the rising cost of food. That's what Kroger plans to offer, if you choose to exchange your tax rebate or refund check for a Kroger gift card. via WSLS-TV Roanoke

Supervalu, one of the nation's largest grocers, said fourth-quarter profits jumped 30 percent as it paid down debt and cut administrative expenses. via KARE 11 TV

“We anticipate there will be some cost increases and we expect that we will be able to pass those increases on at retail”

- Grocery chain Metro Inc. (TSX:MRU.A) reported disappointing second-quarter profits Tuesday and warned consumers they would no longer be sheltered from rising global food prices.

Sales were up a meagre 0.7 per cent to $2.37 billion as the company announced net earnings of $58.1 million, or 51 cents per share on a diluted basis - down from $61.8 million, 53 cents per share, in the comparable period a year before.

"The market place continued to be challenging in Q2," said Eric Richer La Fleche, the company's new president and chief executive. Read more

“I do think you're going to see a lot of retailers that focus on necessities follow suit”

You may have to wait until May to see your economic stimulus check, but some retailers already have their sights set on how you will spend it. via Arizona Republic

Kroger Co. wants a share of the tax rebates going out in the next few weeks. The Cincinnati-based grocery chain is offering gift cards with an extra $30, $60 or $120 added to them if taxpayers exchange their ... via Cincypost.Com

“The removal of EU export refunds now means that Ireland is no longer insulated from the vagaries of international dairy markets”

The Irish dairy industry must step up innovation if it is to remain competitive in a changing European market place, according to one of the country's leading processors and ingredient suppliers. via NutraIngredients

“Although lower than last year due to the competitive environment that still prevails in Ontario, these results are an improvement over those of the first quarter of the current fiscal year”

Grocery chain Metro Inc reported a 6 percent dip in second-quarter profit on Tuesday, as competition in the key province of Ontario hurt results. via Globeinvestor.com

Inter-American Products, Inc., a division of The Kroger Co., today announced a recall on two codes of Private Selection Light Churned Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream in 1.75-quart containers with a "Sell By" date ... via KAKE

RHJ International and Mitsubishi Corporation announced a definitive agreement to form a joint venture aimed at creating a leading consulting company in Management and Information Communication Technology in ... via Earth Times

The founders of the Wild Oats organic grocery chain are returning to the Boulder retail market this week when they open a Sunflower Farmers Market store. via KRDO

“Generally, in the past when we've had a weaker economy, we do not see a downturn in our sales”

For the last few years, one of the few certain trends for American grocers has been the growing popularity of organic food. via Denton Record-Chronicle

“We are grateful for the court decision. I understand the court may not have agreed with the law but he did what was honorable and followed the law”

A judge today ruled a county prosecutor does not have jurisdiction to conduct an criminal investigation into Meijer Inc.'s involvement in a recall campaign for Acme Township officials opposed to a new store by ... via Kalamazoo Gazette

“They didn't present anything that caught my eye yet. I think they are all going through the motions right now. I'd like to see them say something about fuel, you know, the cost of fuel.”

Campaign '08 Complete Coverage PITTSBURGH Teamsters General President Jimmy Hoffa Jr. via WBZ-TV

Blue Square Israel is mounting a bid to salvage the pre-Passover shopping season. via Jewish Community Voice

SMART Papers has announced it has acquired seven premium writing paper brands from Domtar Corp. via MiddletownJournal

Supervalu Inc. will launch a line of organic and natural products called Wild Harvest . via Portland Business Journal

The Hannaford supermarket chain says it's pulling advertising from WGME-TV. The Scarborough-based company says it's doing that for what it calls "aggressive" reporting of a security breach that put the credit ... via The Citizen

The local class-action lawsuit filed against Hannaford Bros. now includes two people who say their debit or credit cards were fraudulently charged following the grocery store's security breach. via Concord Monitor

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Malt-0-Meal is voluntarily recalling unsweetened puffed rice and unsweetened puffed wheat cereals after it found salmonella in a product produced on March 24, 2008, it said in a weekend statement.

The company on Saturday said it had no reports of resulting illnesses but was recalling all unsweetened puffed rice and puffed wheat cereals with use-by dates ranging from April 8, 2008, to March 18, 2009, as it found that other products may have been exposed.

The recalled product is distributed nationally under the Malt-O-Meal brand as well as private-label brands including Acme, America's Choice, Food Club, Giant, Hannaford, Jewel, Laura Lynn, Pathmark, Shaw's, ShopRite, Tops and Weis Quality, the company said. Read more

“He comes to Duane Reade with a proven track record of driving innovation and operating excellence”

John Lederer, a former president of Loblaw Companies Ltd., is taking the top job at a major U.S. drug store chain. via Globeinvestor.com

“We have to create whole communities of acceptance.”

Timothy Shriver, brother of California first lady Maria Shriver, urged a crowd here of Safeway workers, shoppers and supporters of people with disabilities to ditch the term "disability" and start using ... via Inside Bay Area

Wi-LAN Inc. , a leading technology innovation and licensing company, announced today that the Company has filed a motion to dismiss the Complaint for Declaratory Judgment action filed by Marvell Semiconductor, ... via Monitor Today

Ralphs, a unit of grocery chain company Kroger Co., said Friday it will start offering generic drugs that cost $4 a prescription at its southern California stores. via BusinessWeek

“The general consensus is that it has affected business”

Mall settles suit with Wild Oats, Whole Foods It's unclear what might fill the empty space at Twenty Ninth Street By Alicia Wallace Friday, April 4, 2008 The unopened Wild Oats flagship store at the Twenty ... via Daily Camera

Major Japanese trading house Marubeni Corp. said Friday that it has discovered crude oil deposits in a Gulf of Mexico field being developed jointly with two other companies. via JCN Network

The parent of a Japanese health care company linked to fraud alleged by Lehman Brothers said Friday about $1 million of its money has vanished, adding to a growing list of companies claiming to be victims.

The fraud allegations came to light last weekend, and on Monday, investment bank Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. sued Marubeni Corp. for $350 million in damages. Lehman says employees of the Japanese trading company helped arrange dubious funding for Asclepius, the since-failed company at the center of the case. Read more

“The transaction also provides The Pharm associates with good employment opportunities within Rite Aid.”

Spartan Stores Inc. is getting out of the stand-alone drug-store business by selling The Pharm. via Ann Arbor News

“We are very glad to enhance JSI's pioneering imagery service with GeoEye-1, the highest resolution commercial earth observation satellite in the world”

GeoEye, Inc. , a premier provider of satellite and aerial imagery and geospatial information, announced today that it has signed a multi-year agreement with Mitsubishi Corporation to allow its Regional ... via GISUser.com

“It was the beginning of our vision, and also the first place I tasted Planet's famous chocolate-chip banana bread.”

The store started out at 4,000 sq. ft., doubled to 8,000 sq. ft., morphed into its current footprint of 10,400 sq. via Snack Food/Wholesale Bakery

“It was a software problem and it took a software fix”

The theft of an estimated 4.2 million credit and debit card numbers from Hannaford Bros. via Imaging Magazine