Perimeter

Call it aisle management, trip management, store optimization -- the future of merchandising will be built not around products, but around consumers.

PLEASANTON, Calif. - Safeway, Inc. has begun separating the nonperishables side of its marketing function into five distinct business groups, in a move designed to further strengthen its centralized marketing organization while retaining retail division flexibility.

PITTSBURGH ¿ Even if the Pittsburgh Steelers are defeated by their cross-state NFL rivals the Philadelphia Eagles this weekend, Steel City residents could still walk away winners as a result of a new price reduction strategy rolled out by the market leading supermarket chain Giant Eagle.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - Regional grocery and general merchandise retailer Meijer will be giving away thousands of diabetes education kits this weekend, as the company kicks off a month-long focus on the chronic disease that affects at least 17 million Americans.

WHEELING, W.V. - Blaming adverse publicity from a salmonella outbreak this past summer that sickened more than 400 people, Coronet Foods has pulled the plug on its operations.

NEW YORK - The All Asia Food Expo, which exclusively features Asian food and beverage products sold to both retail and foodservice outlets, will make its national debut at New York City's Jacob K. Javits Center on Tuesday and Wednesday of this week.

AUSTIN, Texas - More than one-quarter of Americans (27 percent) are eating more organic products than just one year ago. Just two years after the U.S., according to the 2004 Whole Foods Market Organic Foods Trend Tracker survey.

El PASO, Texas - Big 8 Food Stores is participating in a one-year pilot that will test the use of new smart cards on IBM point-of-sale systems to conduct electronic benefits transactions for participants in the U. S. Department of Agriculture's Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Program.