Supermarket/Grocery

When brand marketers and agency executives gathered in Chicago recently for the annual Shopper Marketing Summit there was plenty of talk about mobile, social and digital, but there was one thing no one talked about.

Mobile is the hottest thing going right now so hardly surprising there was plenty of discussion about myriad ways apps can be used to engage, influence and activate shoppers on the path to purchase. Mobile continues to transform the path to purchase, overlooked in discussions of the shoppers’ evolving journey was the role of packaging.

Matthews, N.C. -- Family Dollar is expanding its food assortment with the introduction of more than 400 new food items in each of its more than 8,000 stores across the country.

"At Family Dollar our focus is on our customer," said Jason Reiser, Family Dollar executive VP and chief merchandising officer, in a statement. “It’s important for us to constantly evaluate our assortment, making sure that we have the products and national brands that are relevant to her and her family, always at a great everyday value."

Cincinnati -- The Kroger Co. announced that senior VP Robert "Pete" Williams plans to retire in May after 37 years with the company.

Williams, who began his Kroger career in 1977 as a management trainee, has served in his current role since 2007. Currently, he leads seven supermarket divisions. His replacement will be named.

Brussels, Belgium -- Delhaize Group has signed an agreement with Tropic Group B.V. to divest all of its 39 Bosnian & Herzegovinian stores. Tropic Group B.V. is an entrepreneurial organization founded by retail executive Bojan Risović.

The transaction is expected to complete in third quarter 2014, subject to regulatory approval and working capital adjustments. Terms were not disclosed. Delhaize originally purchased the stores from Serbian retailer Delta Maxi in 2011.

After 37 years with Kroger, Robert Williams is stepping down from his role as SVP of operations in May.

Williams has served in his current role since 2007 and oversees seven of Kroger’s supermarket divisions. His successor was not immediately named.

Austin, Texas -- Whole Food Market will purchase four stores from New Frontiers Natural Marketplace. The stores, which average 22,000 sq. ft., are located in Flagstaff, Prescott and Sedona, Ariz.; and San Luis Obispo, Calif. The two companies expect the transaction to be finalized in the next few weeks.

The stores will continue to operate under the New Frontiers Natural Marketplace banner until they are re-signed as Whole Foods Market stores.

Pacoima, Calif. — A new Vallarta Supermarket will open in Oxnard, Calif., on April 2. It will be Oxnard’s second Vallarta. The 64,000-sq.-ft. location will house a bakery, full-service meat counter, fresh produce, and a hot food deli with in-store dining.

Founded in 1985, Vallarta Supermarkets is an independent chain with 43 locations throughout California.

New York -- Pinterest, more than Facebook or YouTube, is supplying the greatest percentage of downstream traffic to retail sites, according to new research from Experian Marketing Services. The company’s 2014 “Digital Marketer: Benchmark and Trend Report” also reveals that after visiting Facebook, YouTube or Pinterest, consumers go to Amazon.com more frequently than any other retailer website.

Here’s how the downstream traffic from social media sites to retail sites shapes up in the Experian report:

Baldwin Park, Calif. — The Los Angeles Business Journal has awarded NewMark Merrill Companies the Gold level “Best 2013 Retail Project in Los Angeles” for Park Plaza on Maine in Baldwin Park, Calif.

NewMark Merrill carried out a major $2.5 million renovation on the 165,000-sq.-ft. shopping center.

Westmont, Ill. — Tri-Land Properties has announced that it expects to complete a $21 million renovation of its 20-acre Fridley Market community center by September. Fridley Market is located at the intersection of I-694 and University Avenue, the main north/south spine through Minneapolis-St. Paul.

The renovation of the 165,000-sq.-ft. center includes building, infrastructure, lighting and pavement improvements as well as new construction.