Market Trends

Rice Epicurean Markets is planning a multimillion-dollar remodel of the store located in the West University/Medical Center at Kirby in the company’s headquarters city of Houston.

As part of the launch at Natural Products Expo East 2010 of initiatives aiming to bolster buyer-seller relationships, natural and organic product distributor United Natural Foods, Inc. (UNFI) will be the official distributor partner of the show.

Private label grocery items have become increasingly popular across many product categories, and the trend isn’t likely to diminish in the future, according to Bill Pecoriello, president of Stamford, Conn.-based Consumer Edge Research.

The National Grocers Association (N.G.A.) has appointed Van Sapp, SVP at PepsiCo, Inc. in Chicago, as its newest board member, replacing Ted Herrod, SVP of the grocery channel for PepsiCo.

Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. yesterday reported record first-quarter fiscal 2011 sales and earnings for the period ended April 30, 2010, with net sales of $99.1 billion, an increase of 6.0 percent from the $93.5 billion logged last year.

The International Association for Food Protection (IAFP) has bestowed upon Chiquita Brands’ Fresh Express subsidiary the prestigious Black Pearl Award for Corporate Excellence in Food Protection and Quality.

To position its latest product, GoChuJang Korean Sweet & Spicy Sauce, as a flavorful alternative to traditional toppings like ketchup, Annie Chun’s, Inc. is offering consumers the chance to win a trip for two to Seoul, South Korea, by submitting a burger recipe including the fiery condiment to the pan-Asian food purveyor’s Spicy Korean Burger Contest at www.MyGoChuJang.com by Sept. 30, 2010.

The Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation (HWCF) has further joined forces with First Lady Michelle Obama and the Partnership for a Healthier America by a pledge to reduce 1.5 trillion calories by the end of 2015 — a decrease HWCF member companies plan to keep up in subsequent years.