Large Chains

Ahold USA has become the first major grocery retailer to join an initiative requiring Florida tomato suppliers to increase farmworker pay and protect workers from forced labor and sexual assault.

The Coalition of Immokalee Workers announced Wednesday that Ahold USA is America's first major grocer to join the group's Fair Food Program. Ahold USA is the parent company of Stop & Shop, Giant Foods of Landover, Giant Foods of Carlisle, Martin's and online grocer Peapod.

Minneapolis – Supervalu Inc. beat Wall Street expectations for profit in the first quarter of fiscal 2016 and also announced it is considering spinning off its Save-A-Lot grocery banner. Net earnings soared 42% to $61 million, from $43 million in the same quarter the prior fiscal year.

Cost of sales rose at a slower pace than net sales, aiding profit growth. Net sales rose 3% to $5.41 billion, from $5.26 billion.

Supervalu Inc. said it is considering spinning off its Sav-A-Lot stores into a separate business as the discount chain reported a big earnings increase for the first quarter.

Net earnings soared 42% to $61 million, from $43 million in the same quarter the prior fiscal year. Cost of sales rose at a slower pace than net sales, aiding profit growth. Net sales rose 3% to $5.41 billion, from $5.26 billion.

City of Commerce, Calif. - 99 Cents Only Stores LLC has named Jack L. Sinclair as chief merchandising officer. Sinclair will be responsible for merchandising and marketing functions.

Growth prospects for the food and consumables business at 99 Cents Only just improved considerably following the appointment of a former Walmart EVP of merchandising to a key role.

As more shoppers increasingly shop online for a wider array of items, there's a new player in the online grocery delivery game.

Birmingham-based Shipt.com is looking to get a piece of the grocery delivery pie in cities not already served by Instacart, Deliv or other services. Shipt announced this week that it will begin grocery delivery from Publix in the Tampa Bay area in August.

A Food City supermarket in Bristol, Va., has given new meaning to that old merchandising adage, “stack it high and let it fly,” by creating the world’s largest pineapple display.

Abingdon, Va. - K-VA-T Food Stores Inc. is expanding in Tennessee and Georgia. K-VA-T, parent company of the Food City supermarket chain, will acquire 29 Bi-Lo stores located in Chattanooga, Tennessee and Northwest Georgia from Southeastern Grocers.    K-VA-T intends to continue to operate all of these stores under the Food City banner and hire the vast majority of their store associates.  

Brampton, Canada – Loblaw Companies Ltd. swung from loss to profit in the second quarter of fiscal 2015, but still plans to improve profitability even more. Loblaw reported net income of $185 million, compared to a net loss of $456 million the same period a year earlier.  

Canada's biggest food retailer Loblaw announced it plans to close 52 unprofitable stores over the next year at the same time the company reported lackluster second quarter financial results.

Loblaw Companies has more than 2,300 stores, including Loblaws, Provigo, and Extra Foods. It also owns Shoppers Drug Mart.