Supermarket/Grocery

Jacksonville, Fla. -- Bi-Lo has announced that it has successfully completed its merger with Winn-Dixie Stores. The two banners now will be subsidiaries of privately held parent company Bi-Lo Holding. Bi-Lo and Winn-Dixie will continue to operate under the same banners, and the company said it does not expect any store closures as a result of the merger.

Cincinnati -- Kroger announced Tuesday that it has named Suzanne Lindsay as its director of sustainability.

In the newly created position, Lindsay — who previously created and led sustainability initiatives at PetSmart — will lead Kroger's internal sustainability initiatives and will lead the company's sustainability leadership team.

Washington, D.C. -- The National Retail Federation released information on Tuesday that showed a year-over-year retail sales rise of 8.6% in February, marking 20 consecutive months of sustained growth.

The seasonally adjusted increase -- stronger than expected -- was 0.5%, which excludes automobiles, gas stations and restaurants.

QUINCY, Mass. — A Northeastern supermarket chain has made a business magazine's list of the top 10 most innovative companies in the food industry.

Washington, D.C. -- A report released Tuesday by the Commerce Department said that retail sales in the United States rose 1.1% in February, the most in five months.

The advance matched Bloomberg estimates and followed on the heels of a 0.6% increase in January that was larger than anticipated.

Indianapolis -- Kite Realty Group announced that Subway has leased 1,600 sq. ft. at Traders Point II, located in Indianapolis.

Traders Point is a 395,435-sq.-ft. shopping center anchored by Bed Bath & Beyond, Books-A-Million, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Marsh Supermarket, Michael’s, Old Navy, PetSmart and AMC Theatre.

New York -- Sprouts Farmers Market, a Phoenix-based natural-foods supermarket chain, has reached an agreement to merge with competitor, Sunflower Farmers Market, based in Boulder, Col. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

The combined company will operate 139 stores in eight states under the Sprouts banner, with annual sales of approximately $2 billion. It will open about 12 new stores this year.

“Our operations are very similar," said Sprouts president Doug Sanders, who will lead the combined supermarket company.

Well, 2012 is certainly off to a wild start. While there’s been nothing quite as dramatic and earth shattering as last year’s tsunami in Japan, there are plenty of global events and outside influences affecting our industry. I’m talking about the increases we’re seeing at the gas pumps and the warmer-than-average winter we’ve been experiencing throughout the country.