Supermarket/Grocery

LOS GATOS, Calif. — FoodLink, an online network for fresh food retailers, wholesalers and suppliers, on Tuesday announced its status as a certified partner to Giant Eagle. With 228 supermarket locations, Giant Eagle is one of the largest produce buyers in the country, FoodLink stated.

Rogers, Ark. -- Wal-Mart Stores had positive news for analysts and investors gathered for the retailer’s annual meeting on Wednesday in Rogers, Ark. The chain said its same-store sales rose in July, August and September, reversing a two –year slump.  It also announced that it plans to cut its capital spending in the United States, even as it increased cap spending abroad,  as it continues to shift toward building smaller stores.  

CHICAGO — The Network of Executive Women has elected five new members at large to its board of directors.

New board members are Mike Byron, president of supplier diversity for Supervalu; Sarah Chartrand, SVP diversity, talent management and organizational development for Ahold USA; Marnette Perry, SVP Kroger; Suzanne Sears, VP global market development at Kimberly-Clark; and Karen Stuckey, SVP merchandising and general merchandise manager of the home division for Walmart Stores.

Bentonville, Ark. -- Wal-Mart Stores will hold its annual meeting in Rogers, Ark., near its Bentonville, Ark., headquarters on Wednesday, and said the meeting focus will be on reversing the decline in its U.S. Walmart stores’ business.

The retailer is also expected to share information about its upcoming holiday strategies and discuss capital spending plans.

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Two years of declining same-store sales at Walmart are poised to end next month when the retailer reports third quarter results that reflect positive momentum from a wide range of initiatives put in place during the past 12 months, judging from comments made by senior executives during an all day meeting with analysts on Wednesday.

SUNBURY, Pa. — Weis Markets reported its third quarter sales increased 6% to $678.6 million and that its comparable-store sales increased 6.5% during the thirteen-week period ending Sept. 24 compared with the same period a year ago.

During the period, the company's net income increased 4.1% to $17 million compared with the same period a year ago.  The company's third quarter earnings per share increased to 63 cents compared with 61 cents per share in 2010.

New York City -- Gov. Jerry Brown of California vetoed a bill that would have required comprehensive economic-impact reports before big-box superstores could begin construction.

The bill, the Small and Neighborhood Business Protection Act, would have required supercenters to address more than a dozen possible economic side-effects, including job losses if competitors faltered.

New York City -- The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Co. has awarded a three-year contract to USM Services, a division of Emcor Group, Norwalk, Conn., to provide facilities management services to the chain’s 336 stores in the Northeast.