Trading Partners

MINNEAPOLIS -- More than 3,300 grocery stores operated by chains including Kroger, Giant Foods, HEB, Whole Foods, and Wild Oats, are joining forces with 45 organic product manufacturers to present "Go Organic! for Earth Day," the second annual national educational and promotional campaign to encourage people to learn about and try organic products.

LAWRENCEVILLE, N.J. -- Associated Food Stores, Associated Wholesale Grocers, Supervalu, Unified Western Grocers, Wal-Mart, and Wegmans Food Markets combined their voices in a chorus to urge suppliers to adopt a number of strategic activities to expand data synchronization.

CHICAGO -- ACNielsen and Spectra, companies of VNU, Inc., are preparing for an even bigger and better Consumer 360 2006 conference, the companies said yesterday. Consumer 360 will be held May 16-18 at the Desert Springs Marriott in Palm Desert, Calif., featuring the theme, "What's Next? in the Fast-Moving Consumer Packaged Goods Industry (FMCG)."

MINNEAPOLIS -- Supervalu here was recently honored by Chattem -- a leading manufacturer of health and beauty products, toiletries, proprietary drugs, fragrances, and dietary supplements -- as a winner of its 2005 Pyramid Award, which recognizes Chattem's most valuable and supportive customer partners.

DENVER, Colo. -- Twelve lucky Wal-Mart suppliers are going to get a big cash break, thanks to a special offer from radio frequency identification (RFID) consulting firm RFID, Ltd., based here, which said yesterday that it will offer its exclusive Black Box compliance service for $25,000 to the first dozen who sign up.

MANCHESTER, N.H. -- Associated Grocers of New England here said it has expanded and sharpened its C-store program, under the direction of C-store sales manager Steve Felton, to become more competitive and on trend.

Pasta's rebound from its Atkins-era slump makes the category just right for full-meal merchandising.

CHICAGO -- RFID reality may be further off than most retailers think, according to the results of a recent study conducted by global management consulting firm DiamondCluster International.