Supermarket & Grocery Industry News

DES PLAINES, Ill. -- Executives from Ahold USA and General Mills will lead an interactive discussion about Sarbanes-Oxley compliance, at the first annual Coupon Industry Conference, to be held March 27-29 in Washington, DC.

SCHAUMBURG, Ill. -- ACNielsen U.S., a subsidiary of VNU, parent company of Progressive Grocer, said yesterday that it has acquired the assets of Fairfield, N.J.-based Beverage Data Network (BDN), the leading supplier of wholesaler sales data to the wine and spirits industry.

TORRANCE, Calif. -- First the British, via Tesco, and now the Japanese; actually the Japanese were here first. Famima Corp., a subsidiary of Tokyo-based convenience store chain FamilyMart Co., Ltd., said yesterday it would launch the third of 20-plus high-end specialty stores in the Los Angeles area in 2006, as part of a planned major U.S. rollout.

QUINCY, Mass. -- In celebration of Black History Month, Ahold USA and the Stop & Shop Supermarket Co./Giant Food, LLC will be hosting their inaugural Supplier Diversity Luncheon at the Quincy Marriott here on Feb. 22. More than 150 minority and women-owned Enterprises will be represented.

MINNEAPOLIS -- Allister P. Graham, currently chairman of the board of Nash Finch here, has been named the company's interim c.e.o..

QUINCY, Mass. -- The Stop & Shop Supermarket Co. here has teamed with Omron, a manufacturer of home blood pressure kits, and pharmaceutical manufacturer Novartis, for "Know Your Numbers" campaign, which provides consumers with information on the importance of controlling and monitoring their blood pressure. The program will take place at all Stop & Shop pharmacies throughout February, which is Heart Health Month.

CINCINNATI -- The Procter & Gamble Co. here has filed a lawsuit against Vi-Jon Industries, a private label manufacturer of health and beauty products, alleging that Vi-Jon infringed and diluted the unique trade dress of P&G's Crest Pro-Health antiplaque/antigingivitis oral rinse, and also engaged in false advertising of its mouthwash product. The Vi-Jon product is sold in retail stores under store brand names.

HONG KONG and GAITHERSBURG, Md. -- GS1 Hong Kong and GXS yesterday launched the GS1 HK Data Pool, which will enable enterprises in Hong Kong and the Pan Pearl River Delta (PPRD) region to exchange GS1 standards-compliant product information with their global trading partners.