Supermarket/Grocery

Walmart’s goal of making food healthier and healthier food more affordable is a noble undertaking that has favorably affected the company’s reputation and put it in good stead with the Obama administration. The question that remains, as the company begins affixing to products and packaging its new “Great For You” food label unveiled this week in Washington D.C., is whether shoppers will behave in a manner consistent with their stated intentions.

New York City -- The latest jewel in the portfolio of Mexican department store operator Liverpool took top honors in Chain Store Age’s 30th annual Retail Store of the Year design competition. The company’s 319,000-sq.-ft. store in the Mexico City suburb of Interlomas was named Store of the Year and was also the winning entry in the Department Store category.

Here is a complete list of the winning projects, all of which will be featured in the March issue of Chain Store Age and reviewed at its annual SPECS Conference:

Austin, Texas -- Whole Foods Market Inc. reported Wednesday that profit for the first quarter rose a better-than-expected 33% to $118.3 million amid increased customer visits and higher prices on select items. On a follow-up conference call with analysts, the chain revealed it has 69 new stores in development, or 2.4 million square feet, in development.

New York City -- San Francisco’s Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved a proposal to expand the city’s bag on plastic bags from grocery stores and pharmacies to all retailers, including restaurants.

The expanded regulations also call for customers to pay a 10-cent surcharge for paper bags at the point of purchase. The businesses charging the fee will keep the money to use how they see fit.

Minneapolis -- Supervalu said Tuesday that will reduce its national work force by approximately 800 positions as part of its long-term turn-around strategy and ongoing efforts to reduce costs. The reductions include both current positions and open jobs that will not be filled.

Hong Kong -- Wal-Mart Stores Inc. said Tuesday it has named Greg Foran as president and CEO of Walmart China. Foran, who joined Walmart last October, is a long-time veteran of Australian retailing group Woolworths, where his areas of experience included operations, merchandising, marketing and replenishment.

Foran succeeds Ed Chan, who resigned last year after a food scandal that involved mislabeled pork and the forced temporary closures of a dozen stores in central China.

New York -- H. E. Butt Grocery Co. plans to spend about $100 million to expand, remodel and relocate several of its stores in Austin, Texas, during 2012, the  Austin American-Statesman reported. The move is part of a larger, statewide expansion and price-cutting campaign. 

New York City -- Kohl’s Department Stores and Walmart rank among the nation’s top purchasers of power according to the EPA’s most recent Green Power Partnership report. Kohl’s placed second in the ranking, while Walmart came in at third, followed by Whole Foods Market. Intel Corp. maintained its long-held top spot. Other retailers in the top 10 included Starbucks (No. 7) and Staples (No.9).