Ahold Delhaize

LANHAM, Md. -- Shoppers Food & Pharmacy has created two new s.v.p. positions, in addition to promoting four other company executives.

SALISBURY, N.C. -- Food Lion's Bloom concept is moving beyond its testing ground of Charlotte, N.C., and into two major markets: Washington, D.C. with as many as 40 stores; and in Greenville, S.C.

AMSTERDAM -- Ahold here said yesterday that its executive board has named Jose Alvarez to the position of president and c.e.o. of the Stop & Shop/Giant-Landover arena. He succeeds Marc Smith, who in February said he planned to retire. Smith will work closely with Alvarez for the next month as he transitions into his new role, the company said.

SALISBURY, N.C. -- Now through April 30, all 1,215 Food Lion stores are conducting the "Food Lion for the Children" campaign to raise money for the Children's Miracle Network (CMN). Food Lion customers can participate by purchasing paper CMN balloons for $1 each.

AMSTERDAM -- The Road to Recovery is throwing some definite hazards in the way of international grocer Ahold. The Dutch company, based here, has had to cut its financial performance forecasts for retail operations in 2006, bemoaning brutal competition and steep operating costs in a press conference held here early today.

AMSTERDAM -- A former executive board member of retail conglomerate Royal Ahold, based here, said in a Dutch publication that a breakup of the company was inevitable because of a lack of cohesion among its units, according to published reports.

NEW YORK -- Wal-Mart was the top traditional retailer of any kind on Fortune Magazine's annual list of Most Admired Companies, but a number of other retail food merchants made the grade on various specialty sub-lists as the business magazine recognized hundreds of firms for being named companies worth admiring by businesspeople.

LANDOVER, Md. -- Ahold USA Giant Food here called in the U.S. Food & Drug Administration to investigate a case of apparent food tampering after a manager at a store in Dundalk, Md. discovered two pins in a loaf of raisin bread.