Supermarket & Grocery Industry News

CHESHIRE, Conn. -- Bozzuto, Inc., a wholesale distributor of food and household products here, has presented Presto Products, a division of Appleton, Wis.-based Alcoa, its Store Brands Supplier of the Year Award.

WASHINGTON -- The Grocery Manufacturers Association said yesterday that Caroline Silveira would join its staff as the trade group's new director of state affairs for the western region of the United States. Based in Sacramento, Silveira will start May 8.

BOULDER, Colo. -- Wild Oats here recently named Kettle Cuisine, Inc. as its "2005 Foodservice Vendor of the Year" award.

WASHINGTON -- The Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Health and Human Services yesterday released a report recommending concrete steps that industry can take to change their marketing and other practices to make progress against childhood obesity. The Grocery Manufacturers of America praised the guidelines, but noted that many food companies are already taking steps in the right direction.

ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- Wegmans Food Markets, Inc. here introduced its own brand of organic milk late last month, making it one of the first retailers in the United States to offer shoppers pasteurized fresh organic milk under its own label.

Marketing strategies are simultaneously becoming more high-tech and customer-focused, which might be the perfect formula to reach 21st century shoppers.

ASHEVILLE, N.C. -- Southeastern chain Ingles Markets, Inc. said late last week that its net income jumped 72.5 percent to $9.4 million for the three months of its second quarter. Net sales were up 8.9 percent, while comparable store sales grew a healthy 8.0 percent.

WASHINGTON -- The board of directors of the Food Products Association (FPA) and the executive committee of the Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) said Friday that they have agreed in principle to merge the two organizations as of Jan. 1, 2007.