Large Chains

CINCINNATI -- The Kroger Co. announced the establishment of two new supermarket divisions, a Nashville division and a Louisville division.

"Opportunities for growth in Tennessee, northern Alabama, Kentucky, and Southern Illinois and Indiana inspired us to take this path," said Rodney McMullen, Kroger's president and chief operating officer. "We believe this move will enable our associates to do what they do best – meet the needs of our local customers and neighbors, our communities, and each other."
   

Snyder, Texas -- United Supermarkets’ store in Snyder, Texas, is set to unveil a fresh new look along with added services resulting from a store remodeling effort now under way.  Snyder will be the first store to receive the new décor – as well as the new United logo.

“We are excited about the new look we are introducing this year for our United brand, and we are thrilled to be rolling it out first in our Snyder store,” Monica Schierbaum, senior director of marketing for United Supermarkets.

Growth opportunities in new geographies prompted Kroger to realign its organizational structure and place four executive in new roles.

Just two days after reporting strong first quarter results, the nation’s second largest food retailer established two new supermarket divisions in Nashville and Louisville.

New York -- Loblaw Cos., Canada's largest grocer, is testing a small-store discount under the Box by No Frills banner. 

The company debuted the concept in Calgary, in a 10,000-sq.-ft. store. The store everyday low price" on groceries and other merchandise, Sarah Davis, Loblaw's CFO said in a conference call Wednesday, The Canadian Press reported.
 

Cincinnati -- The Kroger Company reported better-than-expected net income of $481 million during the first quarter of this year, up nearly 10% from $439 million in the first quarter of 2012. The company also raised its forecast for annual earnings.

Total sales increased 3.4% from $29.1 billion to $30 billion and a 3.3% increase in same-store sales beat analyst projections of a 2.8% increase.

Cicero, Ill. -- The town of Cicero, Ill., and Wal-Mart Stores announced an agreement on Tuesday to build a Walmart Supercenter on a portion of a former racetrack site.

Under the contract, Wal-Mart will pay $7.5 million for 24.67 acres of land at the long-vacant and dilapidated Sportsman’s racetrack to construct a 190,000-sq.-ft. store.

Cicero will continue to own 10 acres of the remaining Sportsman's property, which is reserved for future retail expansion and development.

Woodbury, N.Y. -- SoulCycle has taken 3,000 sq. ft. of new space at the expanding Woodbury Common Shopping Center in Woodbury on Long Island, said Charter Realty & Development Corp., who represented SoulCycle.

Owned and managed by Kabro Associates, the 85,000-sq.-ft. Woodbury Common is undergoing a 30,000-sq.-ft. expansion that will add parking, amenities and new facades.

Fresh Market will take 20,000 sq. ft. of the new space.

Brussels, Belgium -- Jean-Pierre Hansen is resigning from the board of directors of The Delhaize Group effective June 30. Hansen, who initially joined in 2011, said the position required more time than he anticipated and he needed to attend to commitments in the energy sector and other unspecified duties.

“I have very much enjoyed working with great colleagues on the Board and wish the company well in its future growth," said Hansen.

Food Lion store manager Charles Inman got a big surprise on Monday when some folks from the Brussels-based home office of parent company Delhaize Group showed up at his store.
 
Inman was selected from more than 3,400 Delhaize Group store managers to receive the company’s Store Manager of the Year award and company officials decided to surprise Inman with a ceremony at his store in Clayton, N.C.

Toronto -- Canada’s second-biggest supermarket operator has acquired Safeway’s Canadian portfolio of stores in a $5.7 billion deal that pulls the Pleasanton, Calif., chain completely out of the country.

Sobeys, a unit of Empire Co. Lt., has acquired 213 grocery stores, 62 fuel stations, 10 liquor stores, 12 manufacturing facilities and four DCs, leaving Safeway with 1,400 stores in the U.S. after the deal.