Nonfoods

LONG ISLAND CITY, N.Y. -- With Easter and Passover fast approaching in mid-April, FreshDirect, based here, plans to roll out special holiday fresh meal menus to allow its customers "stress-free" eating and entertaining.

NORWALK, Conn. -- Stew Leonard's here has received the final go-ahead to build a standalone pharmacy in the parking lot of its existing store in Danbury, Conn. Although the plan was first approved in 2002, it was revised to include handicapped parking, and that revision received approval just last week from the city's planning commission.

GREENFIELD, Mass. -- The 2006 All Things Organic Conference and Trade Show, presented by the Organic Trade Association (OTA) here in partnership with Diversified Business Communications, will include two new features: an "Organic for Kids" product showcase and "The Corner Store...Organic and more, for every lifestyle," which will focus on nonfoods.

IRVINE and LOS ALAMITOS, Calif. -- Two of the produce industry's top marketing organizations -- the California Avocado Commission (CAC) and Frieda's Inc., respectively based here -- have teamed up for their first-ever joint promotion.

Wawa, Pa. -- Convenience store pioneer Wawa, Inc. based here, selected Merrychef USA to be its supplier of choice for accelerated cooking ovens.

STILLWATER, Minn. -- CUB Foods here and Red Baron pizza celebrated what the partners termed a highly successful "Salute to Hockey Moms," which enlisted kids to write essays about why their mom should be the Red Baron Hockey Mom of the Year.

OMAHA -- For the second consecutive year, ConAgra Foods here is sponsoring the World's Championship Chili Cookoff -- bringing the event to ConAgra's headquarters on Oct. 6-8, 2006. Thousands of cooks will compete at the Cookoff to create a "super bowl" of chili, with up to $30,000 in prize money up for grabs.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- It's official: Spartan Stores here yesterday completed its acquisition of D&W Food Centers, Inc.--a fixture in the west Michigan market since 1943--and now assumes operations of 16 D&W stores in west Michigan.