Produce / Floral

Bottled water's getting an injection of additives -- and consumers are drinking it up.

IRVINE and LOS ALAMITOS, Calif. -- Two of the produce industry's top marketing organizations -- the California Avocado Commission (CAC) and Frieda's Inc., respectively based here -- have teamed up for their first-ever joint promotion.

MINNEAPOLIS -- Seeking to raise the beauty bar, Target based here has introduced a proprietary bath and body department that will feature 20 "exclusive and luxurious" brands.

LANDOVER, Md. -- After a five-month overhaul, Giant Food, LLC here reopened a new replacement store in the Van Ness shopping center in Washington, D.C. late last week. The retailer enlarged the store from 18,345 square feet to 33,576 square feet, expanding the produce, meat, seafood, flower, bakery, and deli departments.

MADISON, Wis. -- City officials here said five grocery stores here -- including Whole Foods and four stores owned by Roundy's Supermarkets -- have allegedly overcharged consumers by adding the weight of packaging to the price of deli and bread products.

COPPELL, Texas -- Minyard Food Stores, Inc. here expects to debut its new Hispanic-centric Carnival flagship store in mid-summer, s.v.p. of strategy and marketing Poul Heilmann told Progressive Grocer yesterday. The ground-up store, to be located in the Oaklawn section of southwest Dallas, will incorporate the many new ideas Minyards has implemented in four recent Carnival remodels.

BOULDER, Colo. -- Natural and organic foods chain Wild Oats Markets, Inc. here is gearing up to enter the Tampa, Fla. market with its latest prototype, which offers its signature perishables, an extensive organic and natural product selection, and energy-conserving equipment. The 37,000-square-foot store, located in Walters Crossing at 1548 N. Dale Mabry Highway (Dale Mabry at I-275), above a Target store, will open April 5.

Some supermarket operators are gaining the expertise needed to make their stores more health-minded destinations -- but there's no miracle diet plan.