Supermarket/Grocery

MINNEAPOLIS — February same-store sales at Target advanced 1.8%, thanks to the addition of fresh food and consumables that are part of an aggressive remodeling program causing more people to shop its stores. The company said more than half of its February same store-sales gain was driven by an increase in transactions combined with a small increase in the average transaction size. The 1.8% gain comes on top of a 2.4% increase in February 2010.

Old Bridge, N.J. -- R.J. Brunelli & Co. said Thursday that it has completed a series of leases that will bring major retailers, restaurants, recreational facilities and personal services to sites in Middlesex, Monmouth, Ocean, Mercer, Union, Essex, and Bergen counties in central and northern New Jersey.

Thanks to the Internet, a lot of what passes for news these days is a report based on a report based on a report with few if any filters in place to verify the accuracy of information. With that qualification in mind, Bloomberg this week reported that Walmart’s market share in China declined to 7.5% in the fourth quarter of 2010 compared to 8.2% in the second quarter. The news agency said its report was based on a report in the English language Shanghai Daily newspaper whose report was based on a report from a market research company identified as CTR.

GREENVILLE, S.C. -- Bi-Lo has developed and launched its own nutritional tagging system that identifies healthful attributes in particular foods.

The retailer said the system features a wide range of categories established by Bi-Lo’s registered dietitian, Monica Amburn. Amburn said the system allows customers to create positive attitudes about healthy eating.

The tags highlight such benefits as "low sodium" or "an excellent source of vitamin C," as well as gluten-free and organic products.

CINCINNATI — Kroger on Thursday beat analysts’ quarterly consensus, posting 46 cents in earnings per share (adjusted for a goodwill impairment charge) that exceeded consensus by 2 cents EPS with higher-than-expected identical-store sales lift of 3.8% (excluding fuel).

Same-store sales were particularly strong across natural food, bakery and deli/meat, Kroger chairman and CEO David Dillion told analysts during a conference call. “We were particularly pleased by sales growth in our drug and merchandise departments,” Dillon said.

San Jose, Calif. -- Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market on Wednesday celebrated the opening of its first locations in Northern California, in San Jose, and Danville.

The openings are the first of more than a dozen Fresh & Easy stores set to open early this year in Northern California. The chain, which opened its first stores in 2007, currently has 166 locations.
 

SAN JOSE, Calif. -- Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market has entered Northern California with the opening of its first store in San Jose. The grocer also opened another Bay Area store in Danville today.

West Chester, Ohio -- Jacksonville, Fla.-based Regency Centers said it has begun construction to renovate Beckett Commons shopping center, located in West Chester, Ohio.

The center remodel will include demising vacant space into six additional side shop spaces, new exterior façade and awnings, upgraded signage, new roof and HVAC units.