Large Chains

Greensboro, N.C. -- Fresh Market reported Wednesday that profit for the first quarter climbed 43% to $19.3 million, from $13.5 million in the year-ago period.

Revenue rose 23% to $324.8 million, compared with $264.5 million in the previous year and surpassing Wall Street’s expected $310.6 million in revenue.  Same-store sales increased 8.2%. The strong performance across the board prompted the grocer to bump its outlook for the year.

CINCINNATI — Kroger has launched a new campaign to generate $4 million in cash and good donations to assist 80 local food banks in the communities it serves.

Austin, Texas -- Whole Foods Market has named Scott Allshouse, Omar Gaye and Rob Twyman as regional presidents following the promotion of David Lannon and Kenneth Meyer to executive VPs of operations.

Allshouse fills Meyer's former role as president of the company's Mid-Atlantic Region. He moves from his position as president of the South Region.

Gaye takes the South Region president position vacated by Allshouse, moving from his position as the South Region's VP.

ISSAQUAH, Wash. — Costco reported net sales of $21.85 billion for the third quarter, an 8% increase over sales of $20.19 billion for the same period last year. Comparable-club sales for the quarter increased 5%, which consisted of a 5% increase in the United States and a 5% increase internationally. Excluding the impact of fuel, total comps were still up 5%, however U.S. comps were 4% and international comps were 8% when adjusted for gasoline inflation.

WEST DES MOINES, Iowa — Randy Edeker, has been named chairman and CEO of Hy-Vee. Edeker will be only the fourth person in the company's 82-year history to be elected to this position. He will succeed Ric Jurgens, who is retiring June 1 following a 43-year caeer with the company.

Edeker most recently served as President and Chief Operating Officer, and will now hold the offices of chairman, CEO and president of Hy-Vee.

Milwaukee -- The Milwaukee office of Opus Development Corp. said that Hallmark Gold Crown will occupy the final space of its Shoppes at Fox River Phase I retail development in Waukesha, Wis.

The addition of Hallmark makes the 273,000-sq.-ft. Phase I 100% occupied, including a 132,000-sq.-ft. Target and a 60,000-sq.-ft. LEED-Silver certified Pick ‘n Save grocery store.

Tucson, Ariz. -- Commercial Retail Advisors said that Tuesday Morning will be relocating a store to the neighborhood center Ventana Village.

The new, 10,000-sq.-ft. Tuesday Morning store is slated to open on Aug. 1.

Ventana Village is anchored by Bashas' Marketplace.
 

Paris -- The world’s second largest retailer behind Wal-Mart said Thursday that its leadership will change hands earlier than planned. France's Carrefour said that current CEO Lars Olofsson had retired at a board meeting on Wednesday, and that incoming chief Georges Plassat will take over as chief executive immediately.

Plassat joined Carrefour last month as COO. He was supposed to make his CEO transition effective June 18. He will take charge of an aggressive turnaround effort intended to reverse years of underperformance.
 

SALISBURY, N.C. — Food Lion announced the results of its two-week Hunger Has a Cure campaign.

The campaign, which ran April 4 to April 17, raised more than $500,000, which will support Feeding America's network of local food banks. Feeding America will use the funds to provide 3.7 million meals to those in need. As part of the campaign, customers were given the opportunity to donate $1, $3 or any other amount of their choice at checkout.

Boulder, Colo. — Giant-Landover and ShopRite are shoppers' two favorite supermarkets, according to results of a survey released Tuesday.