Nonfoods

LONG ISLAND CITY, N.Y. - Just a few weeks old, FreshDirect's "Montauk Dayboat" fresh seafood program is now a permanent part of the online grocer's offering.

At Bloom, Food Lion's new concept for the future, putting customers first means turning several retail rules upside down.

CHICAGO - Recent consumer research, media reports, and food industry watchers have been questioning the longevity of the low-carb trend, but new sales data reported in Information Resources, Inc.'s latest Times & Trends report, "Carb-Cutting Shoppers," suggest that the popularity of cutting carbs has not yet waned.

SKOKIE, Ill. - Topco Associates, LLC, a member-owned cooperative based here, has appointed Rob O'Rourke as its new v.p. - produce. In this role, O'Rourke will oversee the development, management, and growth of Topco's produce program and will report directly to Jeff Posner, Topco's e.v.p. and chief procurement officer.

WASHINGTON - The government-appointed Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee on Friday proposed its new federal dietary guidelines, which are issued every five years and form the basis of the food pyramid.

WASHINGTON - Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry has pledged to ensure that country of origin labeling "is implemented as Congress intended," according to a position paper on the Kerry-Edwards 2004 Campaign Web site.

HOUSTON - The Grocers Supply Co., Inc., a regional distributor based here, announced yesterday that it has entered into an agreement to acquire all of the outstanding stock of Fiesta Mart, Inc., a Texas chain that it has supplied since 1972.

TORONTO - Longo Brothers Fruit Markets, Inc. (Longo's), an Ontario, Canada-based family-run independent grocer, has taken over operations of online grocer Grocery Gateway, Inc., and plans to acquire its retail grocery business.