Trading Partners

More retailers are taking a leading category management role to drive some growth once again into the center store.

Call it aisle management, trip management, store optimization -- the future of merchandising will be built not around products, but around consumers.

TORONTO - At a ceremony last week at Grocery Innovations Canada, the Canadian Federation of Independent Grocers (CFIG) presented three sets of annual awards for retail excellence among independent and franchised stores: Canadian Independent Grocer of the Year Awards, CFIG Master Merchandising Awards, and the Arnold Rands Heritage Award.

SAN ANTONIO - H-E-B Grocery Co. and Southwest Airlines joined forces yesterday to celebrate H-E-B's 100th anniversary by delivering the largest food bank donation ever made in a single day.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Robert Stiles, president of Gelson's Markets, was elected chairman of the board for the California Grocers Association (CGA) for 2004-2005. Stiles won the post in a unanimous vote during the association's annual meeting, which was held in conjunction with the 2004 Western Food Industry Exposition in Las Vegas.

FAIRFIELD, Conn. - Leading U.S. sales and marketing consultancy Cannondale Associates may soon be catapulted into the global arena, under a new owner, the Kantar Group, which is a division of London-based WPP Group.

PITTSBURGH ¿ Even if the Pittsburgh Steelers are defeated by their cross-state NFL rivals the Philadelphia Eagles this weekend, Steel City residents could still walk away winners as a result of a new price reduction strategy rolled out by the market leading supermarket chain Giant Eagle.

ISSAQUAH, Wash; NATICK, Mass.; and MATHEWS, S.C. - Costco Wholesale Corp., BJ's Wholesale Club, Inc. and Family Dollar Stores, Inc, yesterday issued their October sales results, and the news from all three companies was positive.