Center Store

The fourth annual Progressive Grocer ProGro and Cannondale Associates PowerRanking Awards banquet, celebrating the "best of the best" in retailing and manufacturing, is scheduled for Nov. 1 at the Intercontinental Hotel in Chicago.

PepsiCo said today it has completed its merger with The Quaker Oats Company, creating a $25 billion food and beverage company sharply focused on the rapidly growing consumer demand for convenience.

Fenway Partners, a private investment firm, announced today that The H. J. Heinz Company has purchased Delimex, a rapidly growing producer and distributor of branded, high-quality frozen Mexican foods. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

While some retailers have yet to embrace 3-D CAD technology, others are quickly becoming dependent on its ability to review colors, materials, fixtures, lighting programs, and even merchandising plans.

Jack H. Brown, chairman, president and CEO of Stater Bros. Holdings Inc. announced financial results for the 13-week third quarter and 39 weeks year to date period ended on June 24, 2001. Sales for the third quarter ended June 24, 2001 increased 5.4% to $639.9 million compared to $607.3 million for the 13 weeks ended June 25, 2000.

In an unprecedented cooperative effort in health-care, 10 leading pharmacy provider companies have formed a new venture, named ArcLight Systems, LLC, that collects and reports up-to-the-minute information on pharmaceutical prescription trends in America. ArcLight ( www.arclightsystems.com ) is based in Dublin, Ohio and Paradise Valley, Nev.

Fleming today announced the company has been selected by L&L Food Centers to serve its 10 Lansing, Michigan area stores and Rochester Hills location. The supply arrangement is for all grocery, frozen, dairy, and general merchandise products. L&L F

(Reuters) - Chiquita Brands International Inc., the No. 1 banana producer, on Tuesday reported a second-quarter loss due to weak European currencies, higher production costs and lower canned vegetable prices.