Research & Analysis

AUSTIN, Texas - Whole Foods Market announced today it is the first national grocer to have its retail operations designated as "Certified Organic" by Quality Assurance International (QAI), a federally recognized independent third-party certification organization.

CINNCINATI - Food banks - and the local supermarket - should see a boost today as Federated Department Stores here asked its employees to bring a brown bag lunch to work today and donate the money saved to its Bag Hunger program, which primarily benefits the Free Store/Food Bank.

MINNEAPOLIS - Roundy's has emerged as the winner of an auction to acquire 31 Rainbow Foods supermarkets in the Twin Cities area from bankrupt Fleming Cos.

ATLANTA - Coca-Cola Co. named Daniel P. Palumbo its new chief marketing officer on Tuesday, four days after he resigned as an executive at Eastman Kodak Co.

BOSTON - Bread & Circus, a natural-food chain in Massachusetts, is dropping its name and adopting the identity of its parent company, Whole Foods Markets, the Boston Globe reports.

LUTZ, Fla. - A Publix supermarket in Lutz, Fla., was evacuated on Monday after customers complained of breathing difficulties, according to a report in the St. Petersburg Times. No one was seriously hurt, and no cause was determined.

ZAANDAM, Netherlands - Troubled global retailer Ahold today announced the divestment of its Dutch candy store chain Jamin Winkelbedrijf B.V. Through a management buy-out, Jamin's current executive team will continue to run the company as an independent entity.

CANANDAIGUA, N.Y. - An animal-rights advocate was asked to leave a Wegmans supermarket in upstate New York after he dumped a pound of scallops into a lobster tank to protest the way the lobsters were being treated.