Center Store

NASHVILLE - The Kroger Co. revealed plans this week to spend $120 million over the next two years opening new stores or remodeling and expanding existing locations in Middle Tennessee, the The Tennessean reports.

TUCSON, Ariz. - Natural food retailer Earth Fare Inc. has purchased RetailSuite foundation enterprise solutions from Tucson, Ariz.-based TCI Solutions Inc.

PITTSBURGH - The H. J. Heinz Company on Tuesday announced plans to make a number of changes in its U.S. business structure as part of the company's transformation of its North America operations following the recently completed transaction with Del Monte.

WASHINGTON - The backers of the 5 A Day for Better Health program, which advocates produce consumption, is at odds with the dairy industry over a new 3-A-Day for Stronger Bones campaign the diary group is launching this month, the Atlanta Journal and Constitution reports.

DALLAS - Dean Foods' Morningstar Foods division has received aseptic approval from the FDA for beverages produced on the company's Stork filler line in Mt. Crawford, Va. The Stork bottle filling technology extends the shelf life of dairy-based beverages processed on this line to 180 days and allows these products to be stored and shipped at ambient temperatures.

SCHAUMBURG, Ill. - Time-pressured consumers are making convenience-oriented food and cleaning items some of the fastest-growing consumer packaged goods (CPG) products on the market, according to the most recent ACNielsen Consumer Pre*View survey of consumer attitudes and behaviors.

SCHAUMBURG, Ill. - ACNielsen U.S., an operating unit of ACNielsen, a VNU company, on Monday announced that it has been named Mrs. Smith's Bakeries' new provider of syndicated sales information and consumer insights.

LONDON - Wal-Mart-owned Asda said Friday that it had an "excellent" Christmas with its biggest-ever trading day on Dec. 23.