Large Chains

CINCINNATI — Kroger CEO David Dillon said the company will continue to focus on customer loyalty, after reporting last week that it saw identical-store sales increase for 30 consecutive quarters.

During its shareholders meeting on Thursday, Dillon said the company will build its future growth around its Customer 1st strategy, which emphasizes "[our] people, products, prices and the shopping experience."

SAN FRANCISCO  — Fresh & Easy today opened its San Francisco store. San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee, U.S. Health and Human Services Regional Director Herb Schultz, executives from Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market and dozens of neighborhood leaders were on hand to celebrate the event. The store, is located in the Outer Richmond District at 32nd Avenue & Clement Street.

Austin -- Whole Foods Market co-CEO Walter Robb told investors at a Jefferies Global Consumer Conference that the now-300-store chain is expected to grow to 1,000 stores in the United States.

The organic grocer sees opportunity in Canada as well, and Robb said it expects to grow its store count there from six to 35.

Orlando, Fla. -- Cuhaci & Peterson Architects LLC said Thursday it has been awarded contracts to remodel three Winn-Dixie Supermarkets in the Orlando, Fla. area.

The projects include a 35,000-sq.-ft. supermarket in Key West, a 45,000-sq.-ft. store in Pembroke Pines and a 45,000-sq.-ft. store in Apopka.
 

LAKELAND, Fla. — Publix Super Markets announced that it will make its Knoxville, Tenn. debut in in the Northshore Town Center at Northshore Drive and Pellissippi Pkwy.

“We are proud to offer our unique shopping experience to customers in Knoxville,” said Todd Jones, president of Publix Super Markets. “We are committed to providing premier customer service and look forward to supporting the Knoxville community as early as third quarter 2012.”

Cincinnati -- In its fifth annual sustainability report, released Tuesday, The Kroger Co. said it continues to meet its benchmarks, including reducing in-store energy consumption by 30%.

"In 2010, Kroger stores saved enough energy to power the city of Fort Worth for a full year,” said Rodney McMullen, president and COO of Kroger. “We sent less waste to landfills, recycled more plastic, and provided our customers with five million more reusable bags.”

Paris -- The Carrefour SA board of directors on Tuesday approved a plan for its CEO Lars Olofsson to also assume the role of chairman. According to a report by the Wall Street Journal, Olofsson will take over as current chairman Amaury de Seze announced Tuesday that he would step down.

"The time has come to reunite the two functions," De Seze said. He will remain on Carrefour's board.

Tokyo -- A Monday report by the Financial Times said that Walmart’s chief executive in Japan has resigned suddenly, just over a year after he assumed the position.

Toru Noda became CEO of Walmart Japan and Seiyu, its Japanese supermarket chain, in February 2010. He has cited personal reasons for the unexpected departure.

Noda will be replaced by Steve Dacus, former COO of both Walmart Japan and Seiyu.

London -- A Tuesday report by Bloomberg said that the COO of Wal-Mart’s Asda supermarket unit has quit after just six months in the position.

Bloomberg, which sourced a report in the Daily Telegraph, said that Simon King, a former head of Tesco PLC’s Turkish operations, left immediately. No successor has yet been named.

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Wal-Mart Stores announced that it has completed its investment for a 51% stake in South African-based Massmart Holdings Limited for ZAR148 per Massmart ordinary share.

Massmart will continue to trade on the JSE Limited to provide Massmart shareholders with the ability to participate in the growth opportunity of the combined entity.