Supermarket & Grocery Industry News

WASHINGTON - American food shoppers are increasingly focusing on their diets as a way to achieve good health, according to a new report released today by the Food Marketing Institute and Prevention magazine.

SEATTLE - In the wake of national headlines about flu vaccine shortages, PCC Natural Markets here is joining forces with several natural food and health product manufacturers to donate "Wellness Baskets" containing natural flu prevention and treatment alternatives to fire stations and food banks throughout the greater Seattle area today.

WASHINGTON - New government limits on the sales of hundreds of cough and cold remedies could cause big problems for the food industry, Marsh Supermarkets s.v.p. of government affairs Joseph Heerens testified today before the House Government Reform Subcommittee on Criminal Justice, Drug Policy and Human Resources.

CINCINNATI - The Procter & Gamble Co. has granted an exclusive license of its proprietary "Gen-3" consumer behavior model and "Virtual Launch" new-product testing method to BASES, a unit of VNU Marketing Information and a global provider of simulated test results.

DENVER - Greenmont Capital Partners, a new private equity fund established by well-known natural and organic food industry leaders, together with prominent Colorado-based investors, yesterday said it has raised more than $15 million to begin operations. Greenmont will focus on emerging companies in the fast-growing natural and organic food, as well as related products, industries.

WASHINGTON - Ann Veneman, the United States' first female Agriculture Secretary, resigned after four years on a job during which she earned high marks for the handling of the first reported case of mad cow disease on American soil last winter.

SALISBURY, N.C. - Food Lion yesterday joined the ONE Retail Network -- an Internet-based supply network with many-to-many connectivity developed by Dallas-based One Network Enterprises, Inc. (ONE).

CHICAGO - The Wm. Wrigley Jr. Co., the world's largest chewing gum maker, is poised to acquire Kraft Foods, Inc.'s sugar confectionery business -- which includes the large manufacturer's popular Life Savers, Creme Savers, and Altoids brands and comprises roughly 1.5 percent of Kraft's global revenues -- for $1.48 billion.