Large Chains

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Operations at Winn-Dixie Stores continued to improve across the second quarter, helping to drive shares up by 11 cents to $6.92 per share in mid-day trading.

“Overall I feel good about our progress this quarter,” Peter Lynch, Winn-Dixie chairman, CEO and president, told analysts Tuesday morning during a conference call. “[We] continued to improve sales through strategic adjustments to our promotional activity.”

MONTVALE, N.J. -- A&P announced that it has filed a motion seeking approval to close 32 stores in six states as the company continues to fully implement its comprehensive financial and operational restructuring. The store closures are expected to be completed in the company’s fiscal first quarter, subject to court approval.

New York City -- A&P plans to close 32 stores in six states, including four in the New York City area, Crain’s New York reported.

Among the stores slated to close are 14 Pathmarks, seven Super Fresh shops, four A&Ps and three Waldbaums, according to the report.

A&P operates 395 stores in eight states and the District of Columbia under the banners A&P, Waldbaum's, Pathmark, Best Cellars, The Food Emporium, Super Fresh and Food Basics. The company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in December.

Jacksonville, Fla. -- Winn-Dixie Stores reported Tuesday that it lost $24 million in the quarter ended Jan. 12, compared with a profit of $2.1 million in the year-ago period.

Sales were flat at $2.1 billion, and same-store sales fell 0.3%.

Analysts expected sales of $2.05 billion, according to FactSet.

MONTVALE, N.J. — Bankrupt grocer A&P reported in a recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission that Brenda Galgano, SVP, CFO and treasurer, will resign, effective March 27.

According to the filing, Galgano gave her notice on Feb. 10. No additional details on her departure were disclosed.

New York City -- Supermarket veteran Mike Gilliland, the founder, chairman and CEO of Sunflower Farmers Markets, was arrested after being charged in an undercover child-prostitution sting and has resigned, according to reports. Gilliland also was a founder of Wild Oats Market.

Chris Sherrell was named acting CEO following Gilliland’s resignation on Saturday, Sunflower Farmers Market said on its website. Gilliland also quit his post on the Phoenix-based Sunflower’s company's board of directors.’

New York City -- South Africa’s competition watchdog has recommended that Wal-Mart Stores’ proposed takeover of the country’s retail chain Massmart be unconditionally approved without conditions.

Wal-Mart made a $2.4 billion bid for Massmart in November, and a vast majority of the target company’s shareholders voted to approve the deal last month.

The deal now needs final approval from South Africa’s competition tribunal. A date for the hearing and subsequent ruling has yet to be set.

SMYRNA, Ga. — Tri-Land Properties has broken ground for the redevelopment of The Crossings at Four Corners here in Smyrna, Ga. The 8-acre site will be home to Kroger’s largest supermarket in the Atlanta area: a 96,000-sq.-ft. grocer replete with fuel station, a wine shop and drive-through pharmacy.

SALISBURY, N.C. — The Food Lion Family and Bloom has recognized Scott Brinson as the recipient of the 2010 store manager excellence award. Brinson, who is the store manager of Food Lion in Jacksonville, N.C., was selected from a group of seven other market/banner winners.

The store manager excellence awards are a key part of Food Lion Family's and Bloom's efforts to acknowledge the leadership role store managers play. Food Lion Family president Cathy Green Burns presented Brinson with the award earlier this week during the company's Leadership Summit.

QUINCY, Mass. -- The Stop & Shop Supermarket Company announced the special dedication of a 400 kilowatt fuel cell at its Torringford Street store in East Torrington, Conn. 

According to the company, the fuel cell, a UTC Power PureCell System Model 400, was supported with a grant from the Connecticut Clean Energy Fund's On-Site Renewable Distributed Generation Program and is the first fuel cell utilized by the Stop & Shop Supermarket Company. It is expected to generate over 90% of the store's electric energy.