Research & Analysis

ST. LOUIS, Mo. - On the heels of last week's unveiling of its first Collierville, Tenn. store built from the ground up, Schnuck Markets, Inc. is aggressively embarking on Phase II of its Mid-South expansion plans.

NEWTON, Mass - Now that its software solution has fully integrated with StoreNext's latest ISS45 Version 8 point-of-sale (POS) system, MobileLime, a service of Vayusa, Inc., says shoppers will have the convenience of paying for groceries using their mobile phones while grocers build customer loyalty and a stronger bottom line.

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - In an effort to attract more customers to its already loyal base, Farm Fresh Supermarkets based here is brewing up plans to add additional Starbucks coffee shops to 12 of its stores in the Hampton Roads area of southeastern Virginia.

LOS ANGELES - West Coast warehouse store operator Smart & Final Inc. on Friday said income from continuing operations was $8.3 million for its second quarter, which was an increase from the same period last year. In addition, its same-store sales increased 16.3 percent.

ROCHESTER, N.Y. - Wegmans Food Markets recently began shipping its first deliveries of fresh produce from its new distribution center located near Pottsville, Pa., according to a story posted on the Rochester, N.Y.-based retailer's Web site.

INDIANAPOLIS - A new line of bacon and smoked sausage products linked to basketball legend Oscar (The Big O) Robertson will launch in Marsh Supermarkets this weekend. The items join several locally produced products sold exclusively by the Indianapolis-based retailer.

LONDON - Britain's Tesco on Wednesday announced its first expansion into China via the purchase of a 50 percent stake in the Hymall chain of hypermarkets. Tesco joins other global retail contenders--including Wal-Mart, Metro, and Carrefour--seeking to capitalize on the sixth largest economy in the world.

EDMONTON, Alta. - Planet Organic Health Corp., which runs large natural food supermarkets in the Canadian provinces of Alberta and British Columbia, will pay CAN$4 million (US$3.034 million) in cash and stock for Sangster's, a 35-store national chain that sells vitamins and supplements.