Trading Partners

Bi-Lo, LLC has named Mike Mannion director of grocery merchandising, effective immediately.

A group of top executives from some of the world's leading companies — including PepsiCo Americas Foods, Wal-Mart, Nestlé, Kimberly-Clark and The Walt Disney Co. — gathered at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, earlier this month to help the College of Business Administration launch its inaugural Shopper Marketing Forum.

Packed with information, retailer and expert insights, and exclusive PG research, the expanded "Opportunity Knocking" offers in-depth analysis of such crucial issues as shopper traffic, Supplier relationships, merchandiser/marketing strategies, operational trends and competitive threats and retailers' expectations for the balance of 2009. Exclusive Web-only sidebars include pieces on specialty food categories, Internet coupons and how consumers are coping with the economic downturn. Click here for more information

GoodGuide, a San Francisco-based mobile application development vendor, has launched a new iPhone application designed to scan bar codes and provide health, environment and social responsibility ratings of products and companies.

In these tough economic times, consumers are pleased with their comfort foods, according to the latest American Consumer Satisfaction Index (ASCI). The quarterly report that measures customer satisfaction across 10 economic sectors found that satisfaction was particularly high among beer and candy companies.

Tesco Bank, a fully owned subsidiary of U.K. grocer Tesco, plans to deploy a new banking technology infrastructure to support new products and services it has in development.

The Food Marketing Institute (FMI) has presented Food Industry Association Executives (FIAE) president Barbara McConnell with an award for her leadership in promoting the food industry via state associations.

Tops Markets, LLC plans to open its first new store since it reverted to being to a locally operated company.