Market Trends

BOULDER, Colo. - Natural and organic foods retailer Wild Oats Markets Inc. on Thursday reported record net sales for the year at $893.2 million.

NEW YORK - Carbonated soft drink sales increased a mere 0.5 percent in the United States in 2001, an increase of about 54 million cases over 2000, based on preliminary statistics released today from Beverage Marketing Corporation.

MINNEAPOLIS - As the mass-merchandising industry begins to mature, the channel's focus on food as a vehicle for growth is resulting in supercenters that are beginning to look like conventional grocery stores, says U.S. Bancorp Piper Jaffray Senior Food Processing and Distribution Analyst George Dahlman.

TORONTO - U.S. organic and natural foods grocer Whole Foods Market has picked Toronto for its first foreign store and is considering opening another in Vancouver, British Columbia, Reuters reports.

TOKYO - Japan's largest meat dealer said today it repackaged inexpensive beef and pork as top-quality brands for sale to supermarkets, The Associated Press reports. The food-labeling scandal is the second to hit the country in just over a month.

ATLANTA - Hurry Inc., formerly known as Harry's Farmers Market Inc., has reported it plans to close its remaining stores in the Atlanta market on or about March 4.

PARIS - Local food shops or "epiceries" in France have decreased by more than 70 percent over the past 30 years after supermarket chains made their debut, according to a report released today by the government statistics agency, INSEE, The Associated Press reports.

SMITHFIELD, Va. - U.S. pork producer Smithfield Foods Inc. on Tuesday announced it has formed a new unit, the Smithfield Deli Group, to market to the retail deli trade. The company named Richard T. Goodman president of the unit.