Foodservice

A 38-year Kroger employee who started out in the company bagging groceries at a Cincinnati area store has been promoted to president.

Vancouver, Wash. – Pizza retailer Papa Murphy's Holdings Inc. plans to strengthen and grow its presence in the Southeast.

The company, which currently has more than 1,400 locations in 38 states, recently completed acquisitions of existing Papa Murphy's franchise stores in Jacksonville, Forida, as a springboard for further expansion throughout the Southeast.

As burgeoning food retailer Haggen charts a path of expansion across the West Coast, the company is also making some key executive moves to support its growth in the Southwest.

The grocery chain Haggen named the first five senior members of its Pacific Southwest leadership team this week:

Regional grocery chain Roundy’s Inc. is heading out of a “transition year,” according to CEO Robert Mariano, with lackluster same store sales growth.

Roundy’s reported a same-store sales decline of 2.3% for the fourth quarter. In 2014 overall, same-store sales dipped 2.9%. For the year, net sales reached $3.86 billion, up from $3.35 billion in 2013. 

Jackson, Miss. – Fast-casual restaurant chain Newk's Eatery is expanding to Columbia, South Carolina, as part of growth plans that include nearly 30 new corporate and franchised stores in 2015. The Columbia expansion is in partnership with its newest franchisees, Chris and Pam Corn.

The Corns will open their first Newk's in City Market in the Vista in late 2015 and have plans to open two additional locations in Columbia and the surrounding area.

Washington, D.C. -- The JCR Companies has acquired Manokeek Village Shopping Center in Accokeek, Maryland, just 10 minutes from the Washington, D.C. Beltway, for $22 million. The seller was Klaff Realty.

The 90,172-sq.-ft. grocery-anchored shopping center is located at the intersection of Manny and Berry Roads in Prince George’s County.

Anchored by Giant Food, Manokeek Village is more than 90% leased to a lineup of retailers including Starbucks, Wendy’s Advance Auto, SunTrust Bank, and 7-Eleven.

The Kroger Co. is getting more accolades from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, this time for its efforts to reduce food waste.  

An extra week of sales and accelerating food inflation helped Delhaize Group, the owner of Food Lion stores, post profits that beat analyst estimates.

The company reported that fourth quarter U.S. revenues were $5.23 billion, a 12% increase from $4.67 billion the same period a year earlier. Same-store sales rose 3.6% in the U.S., but fell 6.9% in Belgium and 2.2% in Southeastern Europe.

Brussels, Belgium – The addition of a 53rd week in fiscal 2014 for its U.S. operations helped global grocery conglomerate Delhaize Group make up for disappointing results from its Belgium stores. Including the extra week and benefiting from retail inflation, fourth quarter U.S. revenues were $5.23 billion, a 12% increase from $4.67 billion the same period a year earlier.

  Dallas - Corner Bakery Cafe has signed a five-restaurant deal in Virginia with franchise partner Shahid Ali and operating partner Ibo Pinar. The stores will open throughout Richmond and Fredericksburg.   Corner Bakery Cafe plans on doubling its national footprint of more than 180 stores in the next two years. To accomplish this goal, the retailer is adding new multi-unit franchise partners and currently has franchise agreements representing commitments for an additional 340 units.