Supermarket/Grocery

A new retailer aimed at Hispanic customers is expanding its footprint in South Florida.    Fresco y Más on March 8 opened five stores in Miami, and Hialeah, Florida, bringing its total store count to 11 locations. The banner is the latest concept from Southeastern Grocers, parent company of Bi-Lo, Harveys and Winn-Dixie.  

Supermarkets and fast-casual restaurant brands took the top positions in an annual ranking of customer experience. Publix, Chick-fil-A, and H-E-B earned top three positions in Temkin Group’s 2017 Temkin Experience Ratings, a cross-industry benchmark of customer experience. Publix had a score of 84%, closely followed by Chick-fil-A and H-E-B, which both scored 83% in the seventh annual rating.

Brixmor Property Group has purchased Arborland Center, a 404,000-sq.-ft. center in Ann Arbor, Michigan, for $102 million. The center is anchored by Kroger and Nordstrom Rack and is situated between the University of Michigan and Eastern Michigan University.

Brixmor Property Group has purchased Arborland Center, a 404,000-sq.-ft. center in Ann Arbor, Michigan, for $102 million. The center is anchored by Kroger and Nordstrom Rack and is situated between the University of Michigan and Eastern Michigan University.  

Vestar has been retained as the property manager for Plaza Paseo Real, a grocery-anchored property in Carlsbad, California. With the addition of the 147,848-sq.-ft. center, Vestar will be managing more than 2 million sq. ft. or retail space in the San Diego area.   The center off Interstate 5 is anchored by Von's Pavilion and Cinépolis Luxury Cinemas and also houses Wells Fargo, Supercuts, GNC, Laseraway, and Tin Leaf Fresh Kitchen.   

Aldi is ready to introduce its brand to price-sensitive Chinese shoppers.   The German discount supermarket chain plans to start selling online in China this month, a move that will expose Chinese consumers to a selection of German wine, snacks and breakfast products, Reuters reported.    

Amazon’s drive-through grocery store in Seattle is beginning to come more into view.    USA Today reported that Amazon has applied for a liquor license for the store, which the Internet giant has yet to comment on.   

The Kroger Co. has broken its impressive record of 52 consecutive quarters of same-store sales growth.    The supermarket giant on Thursday posted an unexpected decline in fourth-quarter same-store sales on Thursday amid ongoing food price deflation and increased competition.   Kroger’s net income fell to $506 million, or 53 cents per share, for the quarter ended Jan. 28, in line with estimates, and down from $559 million, or 57 cents per share, a year earlier.