Supermarket & Grocery Industry News

NEWARK, Del. -- The Produce Marketing Association (PMA) here is working with the Food Marketing Institute (FMI), the International Foodservice Distributors Association (IFDA), and GS1-US to implement a four-month-long pilot program with select buyers and sellers to gauge the impact of employing the Global Trade Item Number (GTIN) to improve supply chain efficiency and profitability.

ASHEVILLE, N.C. -- Southeastern organic and natural foods chain Earth Fare here recently celebrated its newest store in South Asheville, N.C. by hosting a benefit party that raised $10,000 for Quality Forward, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to enhance the environment and lives of the citizens of Asheville and Buncombe County.

ASHEVILLE, N.C. -- Southeastern organic and natural foods chain Earth Fare here recently celebrated its newest store in South Asheville, N.C. by hosting a benefit party that raised $10,000 for Quality Forward, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to enhance the environment and lives of the citizens of Asheville and Buncombe County.

ATLANTA ¿ AmeriCold, a third-party supplier of temperature-controlled supply chain solutions based here, is opening its second Charlotte, N.C. facility in a former Winn-Dixie distribution center. AmeriCold has invested close to $4 million in this 400,000-square-foot facility, which has more than 6.6 million cubic feet of freezer capacity (equating to 20,250 pallet positions) and over 4.5 million cubic feet of cooler space (9,500 pallet positions).

CINCINNATI-- Carver L. Johnson has joined The Kroger Co. here as its first chief diversity officer. Johnson has been with Kroger since 1999, serving as group v.p./MIS. He will remain an officer of the company in his new role.

PARIS, France -- CIES -- The Food Business Forum has named Roger Corbett, the c.e.o. of Woolworths Australia, as its new chairman. He will hold the position for the next two years.

WASHINGTON -- The Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) yesterday expressed support for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) new guidance for the early food safety evaluation of biotech foods. However, the trade group urged FDA to consider how the guidance might apply to plant-made pharmaceuticals (PMPs) and plant-made industrial products (PMIPs) in particular.

WASHINGTON -- The Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) yesterday expressed support for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) new guidance for the early food safety evaluation of biotech foods. However, the trade group urged FDA to consider how the guidance might apply to plant-made pharmaceuticals (PMPs) and plant-made industrial products (PMIPs) in particular.