Large Chains

SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. -- Stater Bros. chairman and CEO Jack Brown has joined the likes of Bob Hope, Will Rogers and Ronal Reagan as a recipient of the prestigious Patriot Award, the company announced. 

The Congressional Medal of Honor Society presented Brown with the award on Feb. 26 at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, Calif., where 45 Medal of Honor recipients and other notable guests were gathered, the company reported.

LAKELAND, Fla. -- Publix Tuesday reported fourth-quarter sales of $6.4 billion, a 4.4% increase from last year’s $6.1 billion. Comparable-store sales for the fourth quarter of 2010 increased 3.2%.

Net earnings for the fourth quarter of 2010 were $342.1 million, compared with $284.2 million in 2009, an increase of 20.4%. Earnings per share for the fourth quarter increased to 44 cents for 2010, up from 36 cents per share in 2009.

SALISBURY, N.C. -- Food Lion is promoting its private labels by offering its loyalty club members the opportunity to earn up to $10 in free groceries when they buy private brand products through March 29. 

Atlanta -- Columbia, S.C.-based Edens & Avant said that Seed Kitchen & Bar will open at its Merchant’s Walk retail redevelopment, located in the East Cobb area of Atlanta.

BETHPAGE, N.Y. — New York-based supermarket retailer King Kullen announced that it is partnering with NuVal to provide customers with better insight of what foods they should be eating.

NuVal's nutrition scoring system — in which store items receive a NuVal score from 1 to 100, making it easy for consumers to compare the overall nutrition of the foods they buy at a glance — will be implemented in all of King Kullen's stores, which are located throughout Long Island and Staten Island.

CINCINNATI — Kroger has announced the appointment of Cindy Holmes to director of investor relations and Carin Fike to director and assistant treasurer. Both changes will be effective March 6.

Fike will report to Kroger's treasurer, Scott Henderson; Holmes will report to Kroger's CFO, Michael Schlotman.

Holmes, 42, began her career with Kroger in 1990 in the information systems and services department, and for the past 10 years, she has served as the company's assistant treasurer.

Alexandria, Va. -- Buchanan Partners of Gaithersburg, Md., announced it has teamed with The Pinkard Group of Bethesda, Md., to develop a 51,500-sq.-ft. full-service Harris Teeter grocery store, as well as 175 rental apartment homes for the Old Town North section of Alexandria, Va.

Buvermo Properties of Bethesda is an equity partner in the $74 million, mixed-use development, scheduled to break ground in second quarter 2012.

The Harris Teeter store is slated to open in 2014.

Ventura, Calif. -- Jacksonville, Fla.-based Regency Centers said that Freeb!rds World Burrito has leased retail space in Ventura, Calif., at Ventura Village shopping center.

The fast casual-style Mexican restaurant has leased 2,808 sq. ft., bringing the center to 98% leased. The tenant is slated to open in June.

The Ventura Village location will be the first in Ventura County and one of the first five Freeb!rds restaurants to open in California. 

Allen, Texas -- The Weitzman Group announced that Edwin Watts Golf Shop has leased 4,125 sq. ft. of retail space in Twin Creeks Village, located in Allen, Texas, north of Dallas.

At Twin Creeks Village, Edwin Watts Golf joins a line-up that includes Tom Thumb, Staples, Hobby Lobby, Petco, 24 Hour Fitness, Stacy Furniture and many more.

New York City -- Wal-Mart de Mexico SAB (Walmex) plans to increase investment by 45% in 2011 from last year as it expands its business in Mexico and Central America, Bloomberg reported.

Capital expenditures will increase to 18.97 billion pesos ($1.56 billion) this year, CEO Scot Rank said in remarks broadcast on the company’s website.