Center Store

THOMASVILLE, Ga. - Flowers Foods Inc. has received antitrust approval for the $240 million sale of its Mrs. Smith's frozen-dessert business to Schwan Food Co., the company announced on Monday.

NEW YORK - 7-Eleven Inc. said on Thursday it would sell its own beer, Santiago, in U.S. stores starting in June. A Chardonnay and a Pinot Grigio under the new Regions brand will likely be available in August, the convenience store chain said.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Inner-city supermarkets can improve their profit margins and the health of the communities they serve by offering shoppers free transportation, according to a report released yesterday by researchers at the UC Davis Center for Advanced Studies in Nutrition and Social Marketing.

RACINE, Wisc. - The doors open today at Uncommon Shop Girls' Atypical Market, a small gourmet grocery store concept developed by Jeanne Dillon and Roberta Schulz, co-owners of Out of the Pan restaurant and catering, next door.

Newark, Del. -- The Produce Marketing Association stated a preference for an industry-driven, voluntarysystem for country of origin labeling (COOL) in its comments offered yesterday to the USDA.

ST. LOUIS - As part of its ongoing strategy to streamline operations and improve profitability, food marketer Aurora Foods Inc. has reduced its corporate staff by 25 percent.

NEW YORK - A number of produce and packaged food providers to Fleming Cos Inc. on Thursday said the bankrupt grocery distributor could not use the money they are owed, citing a Depression-era law.

NEW YORK - At least four major foodmakers -- Kraft Foods, Tyson Foods, General Mills and H.J. Heinz -- have acknowledged that they are cooperating with federal investigations into possible accounting fraud at U.S. Foodservice, Ahold's food distribution business.