Strategy

Acirca Inc., maker of Walnut Acres ready-to-eat organic soup, announced on Thursday it has acquired ShariAnn's Organics, the second largest ready-to-eat certified organic soup company in the United States.

Spartan Stores Inc. on Thursday reported financial results for its fiscal 2002 second quarter, which ended September 15, 2001. Sales increased 7.5 percent to $841.1 million from $782.3 million for fiscal 2001's 12-week second quarter.

Winn-Dixie Stores Inc. on Wednesday announced sales and results of operations for its first quarter of fiscal 2002. Earnings for the 12 weeks ended September 19, 2001 were $22.4 million, an increase of $13.0 million or 138.1% when compared with the same quarter last year.

Fleming has launched a major new National Selling Event for independent retail customers, leveraging Fleming's centralized procurement operation to provide customers bonus deals that provide lower prices on leading national brand products.

In testimony before the U.S. Senate on Wednesday, C. Manly Molpus, president and CEO of the Grocery Manufacturers of America, outlined a four-point plan to strengthen the current food safety regulatory structure rather than embarking upon a "radical restructuring" of the agencies charged with overseeing the U.S. food supply.

GlobalNetXchange, the leading global business-to-business online marketplace for the retail industry, on Wednesday announced that members of the exchange have conducted 580 auctions worth $500 million in the third quarter alone.

Starbucks Coffee International, a wholly owned subsidiary of Starbucks Coffee Company, has signed a joint-venture agreement with two leading retail companies in Madrid and Barcelona to enter the Spanish market.

McLane Company Inc., a Temple, Texas-based grocery and food distributor, and Marsh Supermarkets Inc, a leading regional grocery chain, announced on Friday the completion of McLane Company's acquisition of the assets of Convenience Store Distributing Company (CSDC), including the company's Richmond, Indiana distribution center.