Supermarket & Grocery Industry News

MINNEAPOLIS -- The Nash Finch Co. yesterday said it will expand its service to commissaries at five additional bases in two additional states, Colorado and Wyoming, effective April 1, 2005.

ASHEVILLE, N.C. -- Regional chain Ingles Markets, Inc. yesterday said that based on its preliminary financial results, fiscal 2004 was the first year the company has exceeded the $2 billion sales level.

AUSTIN, Minn. -- Hormel Foods Corp. has acquired Arriba Foods, Inc., a manufacturer and marketer of Mexican food products, for $47 million in cash. The company was purchased from Chicago- based Arbor Private Investment Co.

WASHINGTON -- Technology, e-prescribing, the new Medicare drug benefit, and business-building opportunities are just a few of the topics that will be covered at the 18th Annual Supermarket Pharmacy Conference, to be held April 9 to April 12 in New Orleans. Hosted by the Food Marketing Institute, the conference will offer pharmacy representatives a global look at current health care issues, as well as an opportunity to review future challenges.

Smart operators are pulling out all the stops to offer catering programs, cooking classes, and other tactics to excite shoppers and sell more perishables.

REDDING, Pa. ¿ Redner's Warehouse Markets plans to implement a store forecasting and ordering solution next month to increase order efficiency and reduce out of stocks at its stores.

Retail digital-photo processing is finally stealing ground from at-home printing -- but the competitive picture keeps changing.

ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. -- Specialty distributor and marketer Tree of Life, Inc. is in the final stages of its reorganization and is introducing new service capabilities that it said will enhance its position as a "superior source of supply" for organic, natural, and specialty food products throughout North America.