Foodservice

CINCINNATI — Kroger has announced the promotion of Joe Fey as president of the Quality Food Centers (QFC) division.

Fey, 57, has been VP merchandising for the company's Michigan division. He succeeds Donna Giordano, who was recently promoted to president of the Ralphs division in California.

Memphis -- The Kroger Co. said Friday that its Kroger Delta Division, based in Memphis, has acquired eight Memphis-area Schnucks grocery stores that the company will convert and re-open under the Kroger banner over the next few weeks.

Currently, Kroger operates 37 stores in the Memphis metropolitan area, and the acquisition ups the area store count to 43, with two of the acquired Schnucks locations replacing two smaller existing Kroger locations.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Fresh & Easy is slated to open its first six stores in the Sacramento region in 2012.

The stores will include three in Sacramento, one in Lincoln, one in Elk Grove and one in Folsom. The chain, which has opened 13 stores in northern California this year, opened a store in the Bayview-Hunters Point neighborhood of San Francisco last week.

Greensboro, N.C. -- Specialty grocer The Fresh Market reported Wednesday that net income for the second quarter rose to $10.5 million from $6.9 million a year earlier.

Sales rose 13.6% to $259.5 million and same-store sales increased 4.6%, marking the seventh consecutive quarter of comps growth of 4% or greater.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Inflationary increases, sales growth at remodeled stores and a boost from fuelperks! helped drive up Winn-Dixie's second quarter identical-store sales, while net sales dipped.

According to Winn-Dixie's chief Peter Lynch, Winn-Dixie is riding a strong headwind into fiscal 2012 powered by a number of influencers — a marketing program that better sustains margins, its loyalty program Fuelperks!, an improved stocking system and a significant focus on improving the customer experience.

Boulder, Colo. -- Organic grocer Sunflower Farmers Market said Monday that it will open a second location in San Jose in 2012, the company’s fourth in the Bay Area.

Sunflower said it will anchor West Valley Shopping Center, and is slated to open the 32,000-sq.-ft. store in second quarter 2012.

Jacksonville, Fla. -- Regency Centers said Monday it has acquired Rockridge Center, a 125,213-sq.-ft. grocery-anchored neighborhood center in Plymouth, Minn.

The property was purchased in an off-market transaction for $20.5 million from private real estate development company Hempel Properties.

This is the second grocery-anchored shopping center acquisition by Regency within 45 days.

Austin, Texas -- Whole Foods Market announced Monday it is launching a charitable organization with a goal to provide children access to healthy foods.

Whole Kids Foundation, said the grocer, will work with schools, educators and other organizations to help improve children's food choices.

The foundation's first initiative is a program to help put in place or expand teaching gardens to help build children's relationships with food through the power of gardening.

Pleasanton, Calif. -- Safeway reported Thursday that net income for the second quarter rose to $145.8 million from $141.3 million in the year-ago period, helped by rising prices and gas sales.

Total sales increased 7.1% to $10.2 billion from $9.5 billion.

SALISBURY, N.C. — Food Lion unveiled Wednesday six new stores in the Greenville, S.C., area market.