Supermarket/Grocery

MONTVALE, N.J. — Grocer A&P officially opened on Friday its new Superfresh store, featuring a full-service pharmacy and expanded international offerings, in Philadelphia’s Northern Liberties neighborhood.

The 51,000-sq.-ft. neighborhood store marks A&P’s first new store in Pennsylvania in more than 10 years, and brings nearly 120 new jobs to the community.

New York City -- Shoppers are crowding hardware stores, supermarkets and big-box retailers up and down the Northeast to pick up generators, bottled water, batteries and flashlights in preparation for Hurricane Irene. Experts say that demand for hurricane-related supplies is giving some retailers a boost that is likely to continue as people clean up in the storm’s wake.

Suppliers to Walmart will have plenty of opportunities to hear from Walmart EVP merchandising Duncan Mac Naughton in the months ahead.

First up is Walmart’s annual meeting for financial analysts held each fall and slated for Oct. 11 to 12 this year. An agenda isn’t yet available, but Mac Naughton presumably will be a featured participant, or at least he should be considering Walmart’s ongoing efforts to revive U.S. sales and recent moves Mac Naughton has made to the structure and leadership of the merchandising organization.

Phoenix -- Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market said Thursday it has turned on 11 rooftop solar installations in Phoenix and Los Angeles. The panels, installed by REC Solar, will provide 536 kW of power and supply 20% of each store’s energy needs.

Picture this setting. The neatly manicured grounds of the spectacular Broadmoor resort are underfoot, the Rocky Mountains are in the background, and the sky above Colorado Springs is a crisp blue. Hundreds of dark-suited senior executives are milling about an early evening reception, sipping wine as white-gloved waiters offer curious looking hors d'oeuvres.

Amsterdam -- Royal Ahold NV reported Thursday that net income in the second quarter declined to $287 million from $290 million a year earlier, dragged down by performance of its U.S.-based Stop & Shop grocery stores.

The company cited increased competition in the U.S. for its lackluster quarter. Ahold said it will seek to limit price increases and cut costs in the United States, particularly at its Giant-Carlisle chain, which competes with Wal-Mart Stores.

Second-quarter sales declined 3.5% to $9.9 billion.

 

NEW YORK — A recent consumer survey released by AlixPartners found that a little more than half of all consumers (51%) identify a traditional grocery retailer as their point of destination when making a grocery trip. Such mass merchants as Walmart are capturing 30% of those trips, and the continued emphasis on fresh in the drug channel has drawn 5% of those trips into the mainstream pharmacy.

Dollar stores, another channel that has in the past few years made a significant push into food items, also draws 5% of all grocery trips.

By Howard Paster, [email protected]