Supermarket/Grocery

Chicago, Ill. — Whole Foods Market has signed a 45,150-sq.-ft. lease to anchor the second phase of The Mayfair Collection, a large-scale, mixed-use development in Wauwatosa, Wis. It will be the specialty grocer’s second store in the Milwaukee metropolitan area.

Plans for the second phase of the center also include approximately 50,000 sq. ft. of junior anchor retail space, a mix of upscale bars and restaurants, a bank branch and a 140-room hotel.

Weis Markets has named Jonathan Weis as president and CEO. Weis will retain his role as company vice chairman.

Weis has been serving as the company's interim CEO. In his new role, Weis will oversee all aspects of the company's retail, supply chain, merchandising, human resources, information technology, finance, real estate and manufacturing operations.

Pittsburgh — GNC Holdings Inc. reported positive financial performance during the fourth quarter and fiscal year 2013. For the quarter, net income slightly rose to $47.7 million from $47.4 million in the same period the prior year.

In addition, the chain reported consolidated revenue of $613.7 million for the quarter, an increase of 8.6% from $565 million from the year-ago period. Same-store sales increased 5% in domestic corporate stores and 3.3% in domestic franchise stores.

Stellarton, Canada — Sobey’s Inc. has entered binding purchase and sale agreements with Overwaitea Food Group and Federated Co-operatives Limited that will see Sobeys sell 22 of the 23 stores it is required to divest as part of its consent agreement with the Competition Bureau related to its purchase of Canada Safeway.

 In addition, Sobeys has signed a binding letter of intent with Federated for the sale of its Price Chopper location in Winnipeg, which the company is also required to divest as part of its October consent agreement.

Consumers leveled off post-holiday shopping and spending in the beginning of the year due in part to severe winter weather in much of the country. According to the National Retail Federation (NRF), January 2014 retail sales, excluding automobiles, gas stations and restaurants, were flat seasonally adjusted month-to-month, yet increased 3% unadjusted year-over-year.

Acosta Sales & Marketing acquired Anderson Daymon Worldwide, a sales and marketing agency focused exclusively on Costco.

Anderson Daymon Worldwide has had a relationship with Costco since 1983 and currently has 200 employees and 11 regional offices in the United States and the United Kingdom. The company exclusively serves Costco. As part of the transaction, Daymon Worldwide, which operates a product demonstration division called Interactions, will no longer hold an interest in the Costco business and will not be affiliated with the newly created Acosta division.

Washington, D.C. — Consumers leveled off post-holiday shopping and spending in the beginning of the year due in part to severe winter weather in much of the country. According to the National Retail Federation (NRF), January 2014 retail sales, excluding automobiles, gas stations and restaurants, were flat seasonally adjusted month-to-month, yet increased 3% unadjusted year-over-year.

Whole Foods Market said total sales for the first quarter ended Jan. 19 climbed 10% to a record $4.2 billion. But those results reportedly missed analysts’ expectations, and the company has lowered its earnings outlook for 2014 as a result.

Momentum at Whole Foods — as well as shares — slipped. Comparable store sales for the quarter increased 5.4%, compared to a 7.2% increase in the prior year.