Supermarket & Grocery Industry News

CHICAGO -- IGA said late last week that it appointed James J. Walz senior director of branding and business development. Walz, who began his appointment immediately, reports directly to Doug Fritsch, IGA's v.p., U.S. chief growth officer.

GREEN BAY, Wis. -- ShopKo Stores, Inc., a multi-department retailer with 363 stores in the Western and Pacific states, yesterday completed the rollout of a direct store delivery (DSD) solution across its 140-store ShopKo Stores Division.

NEWARK, Del. -- Citing growing member concerns regarding transportation challenges, the Produce Marketing Association has established a transportation task force that will examine, and when possible, propose solutions for critical produce industry transportation issues.

WASHINGTON -- A group of doctors that has sued several dairy product manufacturers, claiming their weight loss claims are untrue, said this week that it has dropped Kraft Foods from the suit.

HARRISBURG, Pa. -- As fall approaches and families get back to hectic school schedules, the frozen and refrigerated foods industry will offer convenient solutions to fuel busy school days. The National Frozen & Refrigerated Foods Association (NFRA) here and its partnering manufacturers will promote October "Fuel for School" Frozen & Refrigerated Foods Festival with a sweepstakes and retail merchandising contest to build excitement with consumers.

NATICK, Mass. -- Due in large part to robust private label and high-margin fresh food sales, BJ's Wholesale Club, Inc. yesterday posted a positive second quarter performance, although tempered on the income side by lower than anticipated profits on fuel.

WESTPORT, Conn. -- After focusing for the last decade on cost-cutting, productivity enhancements, and mergers and acquisitions to help spur growth, retailers and marketers now agree they need to make top-line sales growth the top priority in order to build profits, according to a recent study from the GMDC Educational Foundation.

ASHEVILLE, N.C. -- Earth Fare has committed to selling only fresh eggs from cageless hens, the chain said yesterday. The natural foods supermarket chain's decision will freeze out the only supplier of "caged-hen" eggs it had: a local Abbey.