Supermarket/Grocery

Mississauga, Ontario -- Walmart Canada has appointed an executive from Delhaize Group, Dirk Van den Berghe, as president and CEO, effective Aug. 1.

Van den Berghe, who has 30 years of international business experience, most recently served as CEO of Delhaize’s Belgium and Luxembourg operations. His appointment at Walmart was seen as a way for the discounter to strengthen its grocery business in Canada.

Mark Phillips was elevated to the role of VP of pharmaceutical merchandising at Walmart after previously serving as the retailer’s senior director of merchandising for small formats.

London – Three-quarters of online shoppers have shopped online for groceries and 40% of these do so on a regular basis, but only one-third of grocery shoppers rate their experience as “easy.” And only one-in-five (19%) of those surveyed by EDigitalResearch are delighted with their online grocery experience.

Cincinnati – Kroger Co. reported a 4% increase in its first-quarter profit, helped by the addition of Harris-Teeter, which the grocery giant acquired in January 2014. Kroger raised its net earnings and same-store sales forecast for the fiscal year.
   
The company earned $501 million in the quarter, up from $481 million in the year-ago period. The payment of $56 million to withdraw from two pension funds negatively impacted Kroger’s net earnings.

Fresh & Easy has launched a full-scale marketing campaign inviting customers to discover the company’s new image.

Since transferring to new ownership in November, the company said, it has reinvigorated the brand and its stores with the aim of being the anytime, anyway, anywhere solution for getting healthy, convenient and affordable food.

Oakbrook Terrace, Ill. — Mid-America Asset Management Inc. has announced that the firm recently secured new retail leases on behalf of three shopping centers in Chicago’s northwest suburbs.

Fruitful Yield has taken 6,630 sq. ft. in North Tower Plaza in Elmwood Park, Illinois. The 26,088-sq.-ft. center features Super Cuts, Great American Bagel and Subway. Mid-America represented the landlord, while JLL represented the tenant.

Peoria, Ill. — Cullinan Properties has promoted Kathleen Cullinan Brill to VP, director of leasing. In her new role, Brill will direct the leasing, sales and marketing functions of Cullinan Properties while managing third party broker relationships.

Since joining Cullinan in 2006, Brill has completed over 1,000,000 sq. ft. of transactions, including big-box and junior anchor retailers such as Target, Costco, Gordmans and Hy-Vee as well as numerous national and regional small shop tenants and restaurants.

Washington, D.C. — Regency Centers plans to redevelop Kings Park Shopping Center in the Northern Virginia town of Burke. The work will include a facelift, enhanced common areas and structural expansion.