Large Chains

Roseville, Calif. -- Revionics, a provider of retail life cycle price optimization solutions, announced that Big Y Foods has renewed its price optimization software agreement with Revionics.

Big Y leverages the solution for its base price planning and optimization throughout all of its supermarkets.

WABAN, Mass. — Publix earned top marks for customer service in a new survey by Temkin Group. The firm rated the customer experience of 206 large companies across 18 industries. 

In the grocery industry, Publix earned the top spot and is the second overall company across all 206 companies in the study. Aldi, H.E.B., and Winn-Dixie also scored very well. These four grocery chains received "excellent" customer experience ratings, a level that was only earned by eight companies across all 18 industries, Temkin Group reported.

PLEASANTON, Calif. — After stepping into the role on an interim basis, Safeway has named Brian Baer president of its Dominick's Finer Foods banner.

Baer, who has served as acting president of Dominick's since July 2011 after the exit of Don Keprta, has been part of Dominick's parent Safeway since 2001. Prior to his role as president, Baer served as Dominick's CFO and VP finance.

Cambridge, Mass. -- For the second consecutive time, Walmart’s overall branded basket registered as less expensive than Target’s, according to Kantar Retail’s semi-annual pricing study.

New York City -- Royal Ahold NV has agreed to acquire bol.com, the Netherlands’ largest online retailer, for about $470 million in cash.

Pleasanton, Calif. -- Safeway has named Brian Baer president of its Dominick’s Finer Foods division in the Chicago area.

Baer had been acting president of Dominick’s since last July when the previous president, Don Kperta, resigned.

Baer joined Safeway in 2001 as VP finance for the company’s Phoenix division. In 2008, he was appointed CFO at Dominick’s.

Waban, Mass. -- Research released Monday by Temkin Group, which ranked the customer experience at 206 large companies across 18 industries, found that several grocers are offering excellent customer service.

PLEASANTON, Calif. — Safeway posted a drop in quarterly net income amid higher commodity costs.

The company reported net income of $215.6 million (67 cents per diluted share) for the fourth quarter of 2011. In the fourth quarter of 2010, Safeway reported net income of $229.6 million (62 cents per diluted share).

Total sales increased 6.2% to $13.6 billion in the fourth quarter of 2011 from $12.8 billion in the fourth quarter of 2010, helped by higher fuel sales and a 1.5% increase in identical-store sales (excluding fuel).

Walmart’s U.S. stores regained customer traffic during the fourth quarter and president and CEO Mike Duke said the company had a great Christmas, but it didn’t feel that way to investors who couldn’t dump shares of the company fast enough after earnings were released on Tuesday.

Total company sales for the quarter increase by 5.8% to $122.3 billion and profits from continuing operations increased 3.4% to nearly $5.2 billion while earnings per share increased 7.5% to $1.44 from $1.34 if one time gains are excluded from both reporting periods.

St. Louis -- HBD Construction said Thursday that it teamed with grocer Dierbergs to build a freestanding store in St. Louis that features an underground parking garage.

The 80,000-sq.-ft. store, located on 6.5 acres, is the first St. Louis-area supermarket to offer covered parking, with 42% of its parking spaces planned for a brightly lit lower-level garage. The construction completion date is estimated to be July 31.