Supermarket & Grocery Industry News

ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. -- Specialty distributor and marketer Tree of Life, Inc. is in the final stages of its reorganization and is introducing new service capabilities that it said will enhance its position as a "superior source of supply" for organic, natural, and specialty food products throughout North America.

WASHINGTON -- In appreciation of their exceptional service to the community, consumers and the industry, Jack Brown, chairman and c.e.o. of Colton, Calif.-based Stater Brothers Markets, and William J. Grize, president and c.e.o. of Qunicy, Mass.-based Ahold USA, were awarded the Sydney R. Rabb Award. Food Marketing Institute Board Chair Liz Minyard presented the awards during FMI's 2005 Midwinter Executive Conference in Boca Raton, Fla.

WASHINGTON -- The Grocery Manufacturers of America welcomed four new members to its board of directors.

ITHACA, N.Y. -- The Cornell Food Executive Program, known as the food industry's premier executive training program, is set to take place July 11 to July 22 on the Cornell University campus here, the program's organizers said yesterday.

WASHINGTON -- The Grocery Manufacturers of America (GMA) today completed the first phase of its initiative to revitalize center store performance.

GREENSBORO, N.C. -- Specialty retailer Fresh Market, which builds food stores to resemble European markets, is expanding into two more states north of its traditional operating area in the Southeast. The Greensboro, N.C.-based retailer will open its first Ohio store this week at the site of a former Big Bear storefront in Columbus, followed by a new store that will open in Geneva, Ill. in early March. Fresh Market announced last week that it will enter the Indiana market on Feb. 2 with a new location in Carmel.

Amid a rising death toll from last month's Indian Ocean tsunami disaster that rose toward a quarter of a million this week, the U.S. supermarket industry continues to step up with much needed relief funds to bring relief to those stricken by the recent disaster.

COLTON, Calif. -- A letter of intent has been entered into by Stater Bros. and its partners, Pepsi, Frito-Lay, Gatorade, and Tropicana, to sponsor the Stater Bros. 300 NASCAR Busch Series race at California Speedway in Fontana, Calif. on Saturday, Feb. 26. The sponsorship agreement will run through 2009.