Large Chains

Publix Super Markets and Weis Markets reported respectable second quarter sales growth, but profits were harder to come by.

Publix, the nation’s fifth largest supermarket chain, said sales for its second quarter increased 6.6% to $7.5 billion, with 1.3% of the gain related to the timing of Easter. Same store sales increased 6.3%. Despite the top line improvement, Publix said profits increased slightly less than 1% to $404.1 million from $400.9 million while earnings per share increased by a penny to 52 cents.

Meijer is generating traffic to its stores with weekly promotions and price drops on more than 300 of back-to-school items, which it plans to continue offering into September. In the past few weeks alone, customer traffic has consistently doubled, according to the retailer.

Cincinnati - The Kroger Co. Cincinnati/Dayton Division associates working at Kroger stores in metro and surrounding areas have ratified a new labor agreement with UFCW Local 75. It merges the formerly separate Cincinnati and Dayton contracts.

The contract covers 12,766 associates working in 76 stores in Cincinnati, and 4,945 associates working in 32 stores in Dayton.

Rochester, N.Y. – Wegmans Food Markets Inc. plans to open 10 new stores in the Northeast and mid-Atlantic regions. The stores include one in Maryland, two in Massachusetts, two in New Jersey, one in Pennsylvania, and four in Virginia.

The International Dairy-Deli-Bakery Association (IDDBA) has named former HEB executive Michael J. Eardley as its new president and CEO. Eardley succeeds Carol Christison, who passed away in March, after leading the association for 31 years.

Eardley will join the IDDBA on August 25 from HEB Grocery Company in San Antonio, Texas, where he has worked for the past 13 years in various roles with increasing responsibility, becoming the director of deli, cheese and prepared foods in 2009.

Same-store sales continue to decelerate at Whole Foods as the nation’s leading natural and organic grocer continues to face traffic and ticket pressures caused by upstart rivals and established competitors.

Deerfield, Ill. -- Jerry Stephens has joined collaborative supply chain planning technology provider Market6 as VP, responsible for Market6's business with Kroger and their suppliers. Stephens joins Market6 from Dr. Pepper Snapple Group (DPGS) where he led DPSG's Kroger account team since 2011 and oversaw all aspects of sales, business development and strategic account planning.

Tewskbury, Mass. – The unfolding saga at the Market Basket grocery chain continues to take unexpected twists and turns. According to the Boston Globe, the board of directors of Market Basket parent company Demoulas Super Markets has said it will consider a purchase offer from former CEO Arthur T. Demoulas, and the company also faces a lawsuit from several employees.

Milwaukee – The board of directors of Roundy’s Inc. has named Michael Turzenski, currently Roundy’s group VP and chief accounting officer, as group VP, CFO. Turzenski replaces Darren Karst, who is leaving the company to become CFO of Rite Aid Corp. as of Aug. 10.

Turzenski has served in his current role since February 2012. Turzenski joined Roundy’s in 2007 as VP, controller.

Camp Hill, Pa. -- Rite Aid Corporation announced that Darren Karst is joining Rite Aid as executive VP and CFO, effective Aug. 20.

Karst succeeds Frank Vitrano, who has announced he will retire in September, 2015. Until then, Vitrano retains the chief administrative officer responsibilities for the company’s information technology, real estate and indirect procurement functions. He will also serve as a key resource in the development and execution of new business and growth initiatives.