Food

QUINCY, Mass. - Rising costs are prompting the Stop & Shop Supermarket Co. here to switch some of its seafood sections from service to self-service in the course of this year. Further details of the planned changeover, including how many departments are converting and when, are still pending, according to the retailer.

AUSTIN, Texas -- Whole Foods Market, Inc. said yesterday that it had extended the expiration date for its tender offer to purchase outstanding shares of Wild Oats Markets, Inc. to 5:00 p.m., Eastern time, on Tuesday, April 24, 2007, a move prompted by a second request for information on the proposed transaction from the Federal Trade Commission.

ST. LOUIS - Wal-Mart, Target, and Meijer are among a growing list of retailers that will offer biodegradable dinnerware made from corn, potatoes, and limestone in time for the 2007 picnic season.

NEWARK, Del. -- The Produce Marketing Association (PMA) endorsed the Equitable Agriculture Today for a Healthy America Act (EAT Healthy America Act), a bill that will provide significant federal attention to specialty crops and that was introduced in the House of Representatives Tuesday by five lawmakers.

ST. LOUIS -- On the heels of the Produce for Better Health Foundation¿s launch of its new "Fruits & Veggies-More Matters" health initiative, Mike O'Brien, new PBH chairman and the v.p./produce for Schnuck Markets, Inc. here, plans to waste little time promoting the new campaign in his fleet of supermarkets in Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, Iowa, Tennessee, and Mississippi.

WASHINGTON -- Easter spending is expected to increase this year, with the average shopper planning to invest the most on food for the Easter meal ($37.56) and a new spring outfit ($26.03), according to the National Retail Federation's 2007 Easter Consumer Intentions and Actions Survey.

EDMONTON, Alta. -- Canadian natural and organic foods retailer Planet Organic Health Corp. will make its first venture into the United States with its largest purchase so far: The company signed an agreement yesterday to buy Mrs. Green's Natural Market, Inc., and independently owned operator of 11 stores in the New York/Connecticut area.

LAS VEGAS -- Community-based independent Longo Brothers Fruit Markets, Inc., headquartered in Mississauga, Ont., took the grand prize for grocery design at the National Association of Store Fixture Manufacturers (NASFM) 26th annual Retail Design Awards, which were presented here earlier this month during an awards ceremony at the Venetian Hotel, following the end of the first day of Nielsen-owned design event GlobalShop.