Mergers & Acquisitions

Candy producer Brach's Confections Inc.is starting the phased shutdown of its Chicagomanufacturing plant, sending pink slips to 29workers who must leave the company by Oct. 20.

McCain Foods Limited will acquire the production facilities and food service business of Anchor Food Products Inc. in a three-party transaction. H.J. Heinz Company will purchase the company's branded products sold to retail outlets, including supermarkets and club stores.

Kmart Corporation's (NYSE:KM) Bluelight.com subsidiarytoday announced that they have signed an e-commerce agreement with Global Sports(NASDAQ:GSPT) to provide services for the company's online shopping site.

Retalix Ltd. (Nasdaq: RTLX - news), today announced the signing of a memorandum of understanding to acquire all the outstanding shares of capital stock of privately held BASS Inc. of Dayton, Ohio. BASS is a market-leading provider of retail automation technology, primarily to tier-two grocery operators.

Liquidation specialists have gotten fat selling the assets of dead dot-coms, but there is one type of asset they may have overlooked. Website Recycling Company, or Webreco, an online spinoff of the nearly 100-year-oldliquidation company Gordon Brothers, intends to resell or license software mostly from defuncttechnology companies.

Fleming on Monday announced that the company is affirming its previously announced guidance for 2001 adjusted earnings of $1.96 per share, as well as its 2002 and 2003 guidance of $2.50 per share and $3.30 per share, respectively.

Longs Drug Stores Corporation (NYSE: LDG - news) today announced that it is exercising an option to purchase the interest of Albertson's Inc. (NYSE: ABS - news) in its joint venture, RxAmerica.

Dutch supermarkets group Koninklijke Ahold NV said on Friday it had agreed to settle a lawsuit brought against it by U.S. shareholders in its Internet grocery unit Peapod (NasdaqNM:PPOD - news).