Research & Analysis

PLYMOUTH MEETING, Pa. -- Hundreds of unionized supermarket workers from as far away as Chicago today attended a rally in support of the right for the workers at Genuardi's Supermarkets to join the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) union. Genuardi's is owned by Safeway, one of the largest supermarket companies in the nation.

AUSTIN, Texas, -- Whole Foods Market celebrated the grand opening of its new 40,000 square foot store in Midtown Atlanta today with a Bread-Breaking ceremony featuring celebrity chef Alton Brown, star of The Food Network's popular "Good Eats."

MINNEAPOLIS - Monrovia, Calif.-based Trader Joe's Co. is looking for up to 10 locations as it prepares to enter the Twin Cities, according to real-estate sources cited by the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal.

AMSTERDAM - Ahold USA Inc., the parent company of six U.S. supermarket chains, has mounted a campaign to reassure suppliers and customers in the wake of a major accounting scandal at parent company Royal Ahold NV, according to an article in the Washington Post.

WASHINGTON - Reflecting continuing concerns over the direction of the U.S. economy, consumers are twice as likely to consider price as a reason for purchasing a brand-name product as they were a year ago, according to a survey released Friday by the Grocery Manufacturers of America.

CINCINNATI - Leading supermarket chain Kroger Co. on Tuesday reported higher quarterly earnings although holiday sales were soft, and said 2003 earnings would be a few cents lower than analysts' average estimate.

Continued popularity of organic foods could bring glad tidings to Whole Foods Market, Inc.

AMSTERDAM, The Netherlands - Royal Ahold NV told federal regulators on Thursday that its accountant, Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu, no longer stands behind its audits for 2000 and 2001. The latest announcement raises questions about whether problems with the company's financial statements began earlier than had been acknowledged.