Market Trends

Sprouts Farmers Market’s Centennial, Colo., store, slated to open Feb. 26, will be the Phoenix-based grocer’s seventh in the state, joining others in Aurora, Boulder, Castle Rock, Fort Collins, Parker, and Westminster.

Target Corp. posted a better-than-expected 55 percent increase in profits for the fourth-quarter, thanks to improved food, apparel and other nonessential product sales.

Members of the Pennsylvania Food Merchants Association (PFMA) and the Pennsylvania Convenience Store Council (PCSC) are vigorously supporting legislation introduced by State Sen. John Rafferty (R-Montgomery) to dramatically overhaul the state’s beer laws.

A New Brand Trial survey conducted by Market Force Information, Inc. among its network of 300,000 independent mystery shoppers and merchandisers found that Starbucks coffee was the No. 1 brand tried by consumers in the coffee/tea category in January, earning twice as many mentions as the No. 2 item, Dunkin’ Donuts coffee, or third-ranked Celestial Seasonings tea.

The Obama administration has revealed specifics of its over $400 million Healthy Food Financing Initiative, which aims to open healthy-food retailers in underserved urban and rural communities, also known as “food deserts,” across the United States.

The Veal Go To Market Strategy team at the Centennial, Colo.-based National Cattleman’s Beef Association (NCBA) has rolled out a marketing campaign targeting home cooks interested in healthy eating.

Supervalu’s St. Louis-based Save-A-Lot division is expanding its presence in the Dallas-Fort Worth area with the opening of a new store at 2627 W. Jefferson Blvd in the historic community of Oak Cliff.

CoverMate Food Covers, now available nationally in a new Variety Pack at supermarkets and mass merchant retailers, provide an ingenious solution to common food storage, preparation and serving problems.