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The fourth annual Progressive Grocer ProGro and Cannondale Associates PowerRanking Awards banquet, celebrating the "best of the best" in retailing and manufacturing, is scheduled for Nov. 1 at the Intercontinental Hotel in Chicago.

PepsiCo said today it has completed its merger with The Quaker Oats Company, creating a $25 billion food and beverage company sharply focused on the rapidly growing consumer demand for convenience.

Fenway Partners, a private investment firm, announced today that The H. J. Heinz Company has purchased Delimex, a rapidly growing producer and distributor of branded, high-quality frozen Mexican foods. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Jack H. Brown, chairman, president and CEO of Stater Bros. Holdings Inc. announced financial results for the 13-week third quarter and 39 weeks year to date period ended on June 24, 2001. Sales for the third quarter ended June 24, 2001 increased 5.4% to $639.9 million compared to $607.3 million for the 13 weeks ended June 25, 2000.

While some retailers have yet to embrace 3-D CAD technology, others are quickly becoming dependent on its ability to review colors, materials, fixtures, lighting programs, and even merchandising plans.

In an unprecedented cooperative effort in health-care, 10 leading pharmacy provider companies have formed a new venture, named ArcLight Systems, LLC, that collects and reports up-to-the-minute information on pharmaceutical prescription trends in America. ArcLight ( www.arclightsystems.com ) is based in Dublin, Ohio and Paradise Valley, Nev.

Fleming today announced the company has been selected by L&L Food Centers to serve its 10 Lansing, Michigan area stores and Rochester Hills location. The supply arrangement is for all grocery, frozen, dairy, and general merchandise products. L&L F

(Reuters) - Chiquita Brands International Inc., the No. 1 banana producer, on Tuesday reported a second-quarter loss due to weak European currencies, higher production costs and lower canned vegetable prices.