Independents

Chicago — Suitors are lining up to carve out divisions of Supervalu following the company's announcement last month that strategic divestitures were on the table as the Eden Prairie, Minn.-based grocer seeks to turn around its business performance. A Crain's report published Monday identified Klaff Realty as one of the first companies to express an interest, in this case the Jewel-Osco piece of the business.

MINNEAPOLIS — Supervalu on Monday announced Robert Bly will join the company as president of Shoppers, a 56-store division in the Baltimore/Washington, D.C., market.

Bly is expected to begin his new role on Aug. 22 and will report to Chuck Elias, SVP retail operations. Bly replaces Tim Lowe, who recently accepted a new leadership role in Supervalu's merchandising organization.

Parsippany, N.J. -- Kings Food Markets announced that the company has expanded into Connecticut with the acquisition of a Porricelli's Market location in Old Greenwich. 

Kings, with 24 stores in New Jersey and New York, recently completed a brand relaunch that included grand reopenings of its Bedminster and Livingston, N.J., stores, with additional reopenings slated to take place throughout 2012 and 2013.
 

Minneapolis -- Supervalu announced that Robert Bly will join the company as president of Shoppers Food and Pharmacy, a 56-store chain in the Baltimore, and Washington, D.C., market.

Bly, 49, most recently served as VP of Kmart and Sears divisions for the Sears Holdings Co. He is expected to begin his new role on Aug. 22 and will report to Chuck Elias, senior VP retail operations.

Bly replaces Tim Lowe, who recently accepted a new leadership role in Supervalu's merchandising organization.
 

Costa Mesa, Calif. -- Donahue Schriber announced the acquisition of its third grocery-anchored shopping center in the last two months. The company reported the close of escrow on Del Mar Heights Village Center in San Diego County, Calif., which follows the acquisitions of Four Corners Shopping Center in Washington State and Bonita Centre, also in San Diego County.

MINNEAPOLIS — Supervalu on Monday named Wayne Sales, a Canadian hall-of-fame-caliber retailer, as the company's president and CEO, replacing Craig Herkert.

“In my new role, I will work closely with our leadership team to improve our sales and earnings trajectory and generate long-term shareholder value, focusing relentlessly on identifying factors that will drive meaningful improvements in our strategy execution and overall performance,” Sales stated.

LOS ANGELES — Supervalu is making the mobile couponing app, Yowza!! available to more than 1900 independent stores. The new alliance means independent retailers supplied by Supervalu have the opportunity to offer the free Yowza!! app to their shoppers to receive real-time savings on in-store purchases.

Williamsville, N.Y. -- Tops Friendly Markets has entered an agreement with C&S Wholesale Grocers affiliate GU Markets to acquire 21 supermarkets located in upstate New York and Vermont.

Tops said the acquisition will bring its number of operating stores to 153 and will expand Tops' footprint further into areas of northern and eastern New York State and neighboring northern Vermont. For the time being, 20 of the stores will continue to operate under the Grand Union banner, while the other store will continue to operate under the Bryant's banner.

Pleasanton, Calif. -- Safeway Inc. reported Thursday that profit for the second quarter dropped to $121.7 million from $146 million in the same period last year.

Sales inched up 1.9% to $10.4 billion, and same-store sales rose 0.8%.

For the year, Safeway said it expects to invest $900 million in capital expenditures to open approximately 10 new Lifestyle stores, complete 10 Lifestyle remodels, refurbish in-store pharmacies and develop properties through its Property Development Centers subsidiary.
 

San Bernardino, Calif. -- Grocery chain Stater Bros. Markets said Tuesday it has promoted David Harris to the position of senior VP finance, CFO and principal accounting officer.

Harris joined Stater Bros. in 2009 as VP finance. In June 2011, he was promoted to his most recent position of senior VP finance.

Harris reports to Jack H. Brown, chairman and CEO.