Convenience Stores

LAKELAND, Fla. -- Publix Super Markets announced that it has established a program to offer its customers and associates a way to directly assist those areas in the South affected by recent tornadoes and severe weather. Customers may donate any amount by adding it to their grocery totals when checking out at Publix registers. Collected money will be channeled through the American Red Cross and designated specifically for the Southern Storms disaster relief efforts. The program will continue for a few weeks, based on customer response.

Asheville, N.C. — Net sales and net income for Ingles Markets realized a 4% and 38% increase, respectively, during the second quarter ended March 26, the retailer announced Friday.

Ingles reported that second-quarter net sales rose $33.4 million to $870.4 million, while second-quarter net income increased from $5.6 million to $7.7 million.

ASHEVILLE, N.C. — Net sales and net income for Ingles Markets realized a 4% and 38% increase, respectively, during the second quarter ended March 26, the retailer announced Friday.

Ingles reported that second-quarter net sales rose $33.4 million to $870.4 million, while second-quarter net income increased from $5.6 million to $7.7 million.

New York City -- SuperValu plans to increase the footprint of its value division Save-A-Lot by 160 new stores this year, GlobeSt.com reported.

“This past year we added 92 net Save-A-Lot stores, and this fiscal year we’re looking to add another 160 net stores,” a spokesman said in the report.

WALTHAM, Mass.  -- Kroger is now offering its shoppers the ability to redeem SavingStar e-coupons when they use their Kroger Plus Card at checkout. According to a press release from SavingStar, it is the only national paperless grocery coupon service, and the addition of Kroger to the SavingStar network of retailers increases the number of grocery and drug stores offering their customers digital coupons through SavingStar to more than 24,000 stores nationwide. 

Pleasanton, Calif. -- Taxes related to Safeway's effort to pay down debt reduced its first-quarter net income, but the company's adjusted results beat Wall Street's expectations as its revenue rose, the Associated Press reported.

The company earned $25.1 million for the quarter, compared with $96 million a year earlier. This includes a tax charge related to a plan to pay down its U.S. debt with part of a $1.1 billion dividend in cash and debt from its Canadian operations.

Seattle -- Starbucks on Wednesday reported that its second-quarter profit rose 20% as more customers visited its stores, and it raised its earnings forecast for the year.

The company said it earned $261.6 million for the quarter ended April 3, up from $217.3 million a year earlier. Revenue rose nearly 10% to $2.79 billion.

Dallas -- 7-Eleven has signed an agreement to purchase Wilson Farms, a Buffalo-based convenience store chain with 188 locations in New York State, with an expected closing in the second quarter. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.