Produce / Floral

DAYVILLE, Conn. -- Albert's Organics, Inc., a subsidiary of natural foods and supplements distributor United Natural Foods, Inc. (UNFI) has completed the acquisition of Roots & Fruits Cooperative, a Minnesota-based organic wholesale distributor of fresh produce and other perishables.

NEW YORK -- This is a tough town for c-store retailers, as Dallas-based 7-Eleven Inc. learned a long time ago. The company left the Manhattan market in 1982 and abandoned plans for a Times Square location in 2002. But now, after testing an urban format in Boston, Philadelphia and Chicago, president and CEO Jim Keyes thinks his company has it right, and opened a new store in Manhattan yesterday.

BENTONVILLE, Ark. -- It's a good thing for Wal-Mart that people have to eat. The latest figures from ACNielsen's Wal-Mart Channel Service for the 52-weeks ended May 14, show that growth in food and beverage sales more than offset an actual decline in sales of UPC-coded general merchandise at Wal-Mart supercenters and discount stores over the past year.

QUINCY, Mass. -- As the July 4 three-day weekend approaches, Stop & Shop Supermarkets said it is expecting huge demand for barbeque-related items as grills are fired up across the Northeast.

LANDOVER, Md. -- Giant Food LLC, this morning christened a new full-service food and pharmacy combination store at the historic Tivoli Theatre site at 1345 Park Road, N.W. in Washington, D.C.

NEW YORK -- Such value-added products as mixed-vegetable side dishes, frozen fruit salads, and packaged ethnic rice dishes are providing retailers with the biggest growth opportunities in the $45.6 billion market for private label foods and beverages, according to "The U.S. Market for Private Label Foods and Beverages," a new report from market research publisher Packaged Facts.

WILMINGTON, Del. --Timed to coincide with the release of the Fantastic Four's first movie in July, a collaboration between the Produce for Better Health Foundation and Wal-Mart Stores hopes to find families flying the produce departments at over 1,700 Wal-Mart Supercenters and Neighborhood Markets on June 25 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. to "Build a Fantastic You with 5 A Day The Color Way."

GARDINER, Maine -- Associated Grocers of Maine, the biggest private employer here, said last week that it would proceed with a $5 million expansion of its warehouse, according to published reports.