Supermarket/Grocery

By Michael Havdala, [email protected]

When the Circuit City and Linens N’ Things spaces began to go dark in 2008, many landlords wondered who would step up to take their places. These concerns only deepened as the economic downturn cast doubt over retail leasing prospects.

American consumers may not like inflation, but retailers are enjoying the favorable impact rising prices have on their same-store sales calculations. It was evident last month when most retailers reported healthy comp increases, and more of the same could be in store for July as it appears retailers are effectively passing through increased prices to shoppers.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia — PNI Digital Media on Monday announced an agreement with Walgreens to provide and operate an online stationery service for the Chicago-based pharmacy.

The service will allow Walgreens customers to create and customize unique cards, invitations and other printed material, including personalized photo books and photo calendars, wedding invitations and business cards.

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — Fresh & Easy is adding a dozen dishes to its gourmet line.

The line of restaurant-quality products, launched in February, now will include 12 new items, including pizza, Hawaiian pork and more, in addition to "Gourmet for Two" meals, which provide customers with a restaurant-quality meal for two for under $10.

MINNEAPOLIS — Supervalu announced that it has named Leon Bergmann as president of its independent business organization, reporting to Craig Herkert, CEO and president. He replaces Mark Anderson, who will be retiring from Supervalu later this summer.

Walmart is among a group of retailers who further aligned themselves with a key Obama administration initiative this week by committing to open more than 1,500 stores in urban and rural markets defined as food deserts. The initiative is part of the Obama administration’s Let’s Move! campaign designed to address the nation’s weight problem by improving access to fresh foods.

Here are the facts:

• Walmart will open between 275 and 300 stores in food deserts by 2016.

Salisbury, N.C. -- Discount grocer Bottom Dollar Food plans to enter the greater Pittsburgh, and Youngstown, Ohio, markets, starting with 14 locations.

Most of the locations are expected to open in early 2012.
 

It is logical that Wal-Mart Stores Inc. president and CEO Mike Duke would top Supermarket News’ Power 50 list of the food industry’s most influential executives. The company sells more food, by a large margin, than anyone else, therefore a case could be made that Duke, or whoever is CEO of Walmart, should top the publication’s list each year.