Supermarket/Grocery

WASHINGTON — Walmart announced that, through its charitable arm the Walmart Foundation, it has launched a $25 million giving campaign aimed at filling the gaps created when schools close for the summer. Funding to more than 350 local nonprofit organizations will help expand nutrition, learning and employment services for elementary, middle and high school students throughout the 2011 summer months, the company reported.

Walmart said it would address the achievement gap between higher- and lower-income youth by focusing on three key areas:

LAKELAND, Fla. — Publix Super Markets announced that it will make its Knoxville, Tenn. debut in in the Northshore Town Center at Northshore Drive and Pellissippi Pkwy.

“We are proud to offer our unique shopping experience to customers in Knoxville,” said Todd Jones, president of Publix Super Markets. “We are committed to providing premier customer service and look forward to supporting the Knoxville community as early as third quarter 2012.”

Milwaukee -- A Wednesday report by the Milwaukee Business Report said that the Village of Greendale (Wis.) has approved a Walmart and garnered one of several approvals needed for a Macy's at the village’s board meeting held Tuesday.

The board approved rezoning, a special use permit and other plans needed for a 92,000-sq.-ft. Walmart slated to include a pharmacy and grocery with two out-lots for future developments.

London -- A Tuesday report by Bloomberg said that the COO of Wal-Mart’s Asda supermarket unit has quit after just six months in the position.

Bloomberg, which sourced a report in the Daily Telegraph, said that Simon King, a former head of Tesco PLC’s Turkish operations, left immediately. No successor has yet been named.

PLEASANTON, Calif. — Safeway celebrated National Picnic Day on Monday by breaking the Guinness World Record for longest picnic table and debuting its new private-label brand.

The record-setting picnic, held at the Marina Green in San Francisco, featured Safeway's Open Nature, a newly launched line of all-natural foods that includes meat and poultry, bread, yogurt, ice cream and salad dressing products, that were prepared by Food Network chef Tyler Florence. Safeway also succeeded at building a table exceeding 305 ft.

Paris -- The Carrefour SA board of directors on Tuesday approved a plan for its CEO Lars Olofsson to also assume the role of chairman. According to a report by the Wall Street Journal, Olofsson will take over as current chairman Amaury de Seze announced Tuesday that he would step down.

"The time has come to reunite the two functions," De Seze said. He will remain on Carrefour's board.

New York City -- Discount grocer Aldi has made its U.S. mall debut, opening in Westfield Chicago Ridge, an 800,000-sq.-ft. enclosed shopping center in Chicago Ridge, Ill. The mall is a property of The Westfield Group.

The 20,000-sq.-ft. store offers the same prices and products as other Aldi stores, and also features the retailer’s current interior prototype elements. The store is entered through the mall entrances.

CINCINNATI — Kroger has released its fifth annual sustainability report.

 Some of the highlights noted in the report include:

• Kroger stores reduced overall energy consumption by 30% since 2000. 

• Company-wide, including all facilities, Kroger has saved more than 2.2 billion kilowatt hours.