Supermarket & Grocery Industry News

DANBURY, Ct. - Bristol Technology is once again working with Progressive Grocer as sponsor of the 2004 Category Captains awards program. The program honors CPG companies whose innovation, commitment, and leadership in category management raise the bar for all supermarket industry suppliers.

NEDERLAND, Texas - Market Basket, a privately held supermarket chain with stores in Texas and Louisiana, has completed the rollout of Retalix's DemandAnalytx store forecasting and ordering system after a pilot showed substantial improvements in out of stocks and inventory.

MIAMI BEACH, Fla. - Food, beverage, and consumer products manufacturers reported that the cost of unsaleable products declined to 1.11 percent in 2003, compared with a record high of 1.18 percent in 2002, according to the Grocery Manufacturers of America-Food Marketing Institute 2004 Unsaleables Benchmark Report.

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.

PITTSBURGH - Up to 70 cases of salmonella poisoning throughout Pennsylvania had been linked to a deli product sold at Sheetz convenience stores by Friday afternoon, and the Pennsylvania Department of Health said it expected the number to continue to increase throughout the weekend.

MINNEAPOLIS - National food distributor and retailer Nash Finch Company said yesterday that it experienced a $15.6 million net loss for the second quarter ended June 19, due in part to a charge of $24.3 million, or $1.96 a share, from closing 18 of its stores, including three under its now-defunct Avanza banner.

NORTHBROOK, Ill. - Retailers have a new month of recognition to add to their merchandising calendars, as the Low Carb Manufacturers Alliance (LCMA) kicks off its first-ever "Low Carb Month" promotion in January 2005.

MILWAUKEE - Roundy's, Inc. here said yesterday it will close its Eldorado, Ill. and Evansville, Ind. distribution centers, both of which service independent grocery operators in the southern half of those states as well as in Kentucky, Tennessee, and Missouri. The closures will reportedly result in the loss of 252 jobs.