Nonfoods

PITTSBURGH -- Giant Eagle here has set the bait for customers two weeks in advance of the arrival of the Wild Alaskan Copper River salmon selling season, set to begin May 20.

WILMINGTON, Del. -- The Produce for Better Health Foundation (PBH) here said yesterday it was launching an in-store event, "Go Over the Hedge for Good Health" in more than 2,000 Wal-Mart Supercenters and Neighborhood Markets across the country May 21. The promotion ties into the opening of the DreamWorks movie "Over the Hedge," by encouraging families with children to eat a colorful variety of fruits and vegetables daily for good health.

LONDON -- In a move similar to efforts being made by Wal-Mart, Britain's largest supermarket operator Tesco Plc has said it plans to implement a 10-point Community Plan in an attempt to improve its image as it continues to grow globally.

CHICAGO -- The Food Marketing Institute (FMI) yesterday announced the winners of the 2006 Retailers' Choice Awards, a global competition recognizing some of the grocery industry's most dynamic and innovative new food, beverage, and consumer products. The awards were presented during a special ceremony at the 2006 FMI Show in Chicago.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- Spartan Stores here posted lower net profit and sales for the fourth quarter, which it said was due in part to the timing of Easter, which fell in fiscal 2007 this year.

QUINCY, Mass. -- Ahold USA here, together with Cleveland, Ohio-based business-planning company Efficient Collaborative Retail Marketing (ECRM), will host the Ahold Supplier Diversity Trade Fair next month for women and minority-owned businesses in the consumer packaged goods industry.

CHICAGO -- Retailers may be doing a bang-up job with their private label programs, but if they're not marketing these products, they won't get the true value these programs can deliver, according to Todd Maute, v.p. of Daymon Worldwide, who spoke during the company's biannual event last week.

SAN ANTONIO, Texas -- H.E. Butt Grocery Co. and ConAgra Foods, Inc. are teaming up to help celebrate Mother's Day this weekend with free cooking camps.