Supermarket & Grocery Industry News

It's lately been a barren landscape for supermarket nonfoods. But smart ideas at retail are nourishing robust growth in some categories.

WASHINGTON, DC -- Ron Pearson, chairman of Hy-Vee, Inc., Des Moines, Iowa, was elected chairman of The Food Marketing Institute Foundation (FMIF), succeeding Jim Ukrop, chairman of Ukrop's Super Markets, Inc.

RICHMOND, Va. -- Ukrop's Super Markets here will host the first-ever Ukrop's Richmond Race Fest this week to celebrate the Chevy American Revolution 400 NASCAR race at Richmond International Raceway.

ABINGDON, Va. -- Jessie Lewis, s.v.p. and c.o.o. for Food City, was named Grocer of the Year by the Tennessee Grocers Association during its annual convention held late April.

BOSTON -- Oldways, a nonprofit food issues think tank here, has formed a Latino Nutrition Coalition in response to concerns that were voiced last week during the second Oldways Preservation Trust Latin American Diet Summit in Mexico City.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- With Wal-Mart looking to expand its supercenter concept into northern California, locally based Raley's launched a new everyday low price (EDLP) strategy yesterday on a significant selection of products in its 125 Raley's, Bel Air Markets, and Nob Hill Foods stores.

LANDOVER, Md. -- The management of Stop & Shop and Giant Food have announced several major changes that will take place at Giant for the remainder of 2005 and 2006, including selling Giant's headquarters here, and selling or closing several manufacturing operations and distribution centers, which will impact about 500 jobs.

SARASOTA, Fla. -- Joseph R. Heinen, who helped run the regional 15-store Heinen's Fine Foods supermarket chain begun by his father, died April 30 at his home here at the age of 70, the Cleveland Plain Dealer reported. He suffered from a chronic respiratory illness.