Supermarket/Grocery

Tyler, Texas -- Brookshire Grocery Co. recently became one of a select number of grocery retailers nation-wide to join the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s GreenChill partnership, which works with supermarkets to reduce refrigerant emissions and decrease their impact on the ozone layer and climate change.

Ridgefield, Conn. -- Schimenti Construction has added new employees to their staff.

“Our recent growth, and our planning for the future, has resulted in the need to expand our team of construction professionals,” stated Matthew Schimenti, company president.
 
The company has hired Edward Sheeran, project manager; Ryan Lumpuy, superintendent; and Kevin Hanley, estimating coordinator.

Grand Rapids, Mich. -- Meijer is investing more than $160 million in new store construction and remodeling.

The investment includes the construction of six new Meijer supercenters, and five major remodel projects.  Michigan, Indiana and Illinois will each welcome two new Meijer supercenters. The remodels planned at an additional four Michigan stores and one Meijer location in Illinois.

Raleigh, N.C. -- Apple, Costco and The Container Store top the “2012 100 Best Retailers To Work For” list compiled by The Retail Life online retail community, which was developed by Headway Workforce Solutions. DSW and American Eagle outfitters round out the top five.

The list, derived from The Retail Life members, was based on a variety of criteria, such as: competitive salaries, employee reviews, company pride, organizational values and culture, socialization opportunities, and career advancement opportunities.

Ann Arbor, Mich. -- Amazon has extended its domination of e-retail into the mobile platform, according to the ForeSee Mobile Satisfaction Index: Holiday Retail Edition, released on Tuesday by ForeSee.

In a survey of more than 6,200 consumers collected during the peak holiday shopping season between Thanksgiving and Christmas, Amazon scored highest among 25 of the top mobile commerce companies.

New York -- A Tuesday report by the Wall Street Journal said that Harris Teeter Supermarkets is considering putting itself up for sale.

Citing unnamed sources, WSJ reported that the grocer is working with J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. to pursue strategic options.

No one from Harris Teeter has commented yet.

Atlanta -- A report released Tuesday by First Data Corp. found that dollar volume growth rebounded in January, improving to 6.2% versus 4% in December despite the payroll tax increase.

The First Data SpendTrend report, which tracks same-store consumer spending by credit, signature debit, PIN debit, EBT, closed-loop prepaid cards and checks at U.S. merchant locations, found that improved retail spending was a large contributor to the January growth.   

Chicago -- A new Symphony Consulting survey found that the new 2% increase in payroll tax is causing a major shopping behavioral change among lower-income families.

A division of SymphonyIRI Group, Symphony Consulting revealed Monday that dollar stores may be the biggest winners in the battle for the lower-income spenders’ purchasing power.