Supermarket & Grocery Industry News

NEW YORK -- According to double-blind taste tests conducted in 10 locations across the country by Meyers Research Center for the Private Label Manufacturers Association (PLMA), consumers by a 51-percent-to-49-percent say the prefer the taste of private label items over their national brand counterparts in 12 popular categories.

WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W. Va. -- The Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) announced this weekend that Richard H. Lenny, chairman, president and c.e.o. of the Hershey Co., has been elected as the new chairman of the GMA board of directors for a two-year term. The announcement came during GMA's Executive Conference here.

WILMINGTON, Del. --Timed to coincide with the release of the Fantastic Four's first movie in July, a collaboration between the Produce for Better Health Foundation and Wal-Mart Stores hopes to find families flying the produce departments at over 1,700 Wal-Mart Supercenters and Neighborhood Markets on June 25 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. to "Build a Fantastic You with 5 A Day The Color Way."

ALBANY, N.Y. -- Kroger led all retail banners last year in frequency and page participation of co-marketing promotions with CPG companies, according to a new white paper from marketing information company Marx Promotion Intelligence/TNS Media Intelligence.

ABILENE, Texas -- AutoGas Systems, Inc. said yesterday that it has acquired the assets of Dallas-based Centego Marketing, Inc., a leader in loyalty reward marketing and the pioneer of the Fuel Rewards program. AutoGas and Centego will pool their resources to grow cross-marketing loyalty solutions in the grocery, convenience, and other channels of trade.

BOISE, Idaho -- The acquisition of Shaw's, recovery of market share in Southern California, continued cost-cutting, and new national merchandising programs launched across the company's banners were behind Albertsons Inc.'s successful first quarter, reported yesterday.

NEW ORLEANS -- An extensive study of sales trends in Oklahoma and Illinois -- states in which meth legislation has been in effect long enough to measure an impact pre- and post-legislation -- do not bode well for the supermarket industry.

TORONTO -- Intev Productions, Inc., on Friday launched Sweets Expo, a three-city consumer candy show that "promises to stimulate and promote the candy business both for the retailer and the supplier by bringing together all constituents in the confectionary industry together under one roof."