Supermarket & Grocery Industry News

WASHINGTON, DC -- In recognition of National Food Safety Education Month in September, the Food Marketing Institute distributed a bulletin yesterday to remind consumers of the many easy ways to prevent foodborne illnesses.

CHICAGO -- The impact of rising gas prices seems to be finally taking its toll on consumer restaurant spending. Roughly 18 percent of consumers polled by foodservice consultancy Technomic here said they have reduced their spending in quick-service restaurants because of higher fuel costs. Meanwhile 19 percent said they are cutting back spending at full-service restaurants.

BENTONVILLE, Ark. -- Putting action behind its statement earlier this year that organics and other healthy foods will play a bigger part in its stores, Wal-Mart Stores here is conducting a limited test market of Chicago-based Lifeway Foods, Inc.'s kefir product in up to 17 of its Chicago-land stores. The news, which came late Thursday, sent shares of Lifeway Foods soaring more than 20 percent early Friday.

SALT LAKE CITY -- Associated Food Stores, Inc. here has made the move to data synchronization, in a bid to clean up the data pool its shares with hundreds of independent retail accounts.

FARMINGTON, Conn. -- The Connecticut Food Association (CFA) and West Hartford-based Wittman Specialty Foods have teamed up to launch the Connecticut Food Trail, described as "the gateway to New England's finest specialty foods," at www.ctfoodtrail.com. The site is scheduled to go live in January.

NEW YORK -- Larry Johnston, c.e.o. of Boise-based Albertsons Inc. supermarket chain, was named one of the five "most outrageously overpaid CEOs" in an article Wednesday on MSN's Web site.

SPRINGDALE, Ark. -- For the third consecutive year, foodservice operators have named Tyson Foods, Inc. as the top manufacturer, according to the benchmarking survey report FoodservicElite "Leadership Through Innovative Solutions," released this month by Cannondale Associates, Inc. and Cognitio, LLC.

LAKELAND, Fla. -- Publix plans to join the University of Florida IFAS's Center for Food Distribution and Retailing (CFDR), and electronic trading solutions provider RedTail Solutions, Inc., in a research pilot featuring RFID technology and network-based information exchange to improve the distribution of fresh produce.