Supermarket/Grocery

MINNEAPOLIS — Supervalu has named Kathy Persian as SVP and chief information officer. Persian joined the company in February 2010 in the role of group VP retail and merchandising systems, and later moved to group VP corporate planning, analysis and business process. Persian was named to the CIO post following the decision by Wayne Shurts to accept a position with another company. Shurts joined Supervalu in April 2010.

BALTIMORE — Sprout Foods is adding new toddler puree snacks to its portfolio and also will introduce more convenient product packaging, the company announced at the Natural Products Expo East in Baltimore.

QUINCY, Mass. — Stop & Shop customers and associates helped abate hunger by donating nearly $400,000 through the company’s first ever Healthy Ideas Food for Friends program. As part of the company’s hunger relief efforts, Stop & Shop will donate 100% of the funds to regional hunger relief agencies across the Northeast.

Talk about an uphill battle. Walmart is trying to educate shoppers about eating healthy on a limited budget and the importance of understanding unit prices when evaluating purchase decisions.

Eighty percent of smarthphone users access retail content on their devices and Walmart is the third most popular destination, according to research from comScore Mobile Metrix 2.0.

The firm’s study found that 4 in every 5 smartphone users – 85.9 million in total – accessed retail content on their device in July. That figure is only going to increase, especially in the coming months as this year promises to be the most mobile Christmas yet.

Arlington, Va. -- Retailers are up in arms over the proposed settlement filed in July of antitrust lawsuits filed by merchants against Visa, MasterCard and the nation's largest banks. A total of nine associations representing a broad swath of the retail industry expressed their reservations to members of Congress on Thursday, charging that their interests were not represented and asking Congress to reject that settlement.

Minneapolis -- Supervalu on Thursday announced the appointment of Kathy Persian as senior VP and chief information officer of the company.  

Persian joined Supervalu in 2010 as group VP retail and merchandising systems, and later moved to group VP corporate planning, analysis and business process.

She replaces Wayne Shurts, who resigned to accept a position with another company.

Prior to Supervalu, Persian served as senior VP international business process and operations for Best Buy Co.

Publix is making its North Carolina debut with the planned opening of a new store in the greater Charlotte area.

The company has signed a lease for a store at Providence Road West and Johnston Road in Ballantyne. The store will be part of a new division based in Charlotte.

While Ballantyne marks Publix’s long awaited entry into North Carolina, the company is looking ahead to continued growth within the state and in its current operating areas of Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Alabama and Tennessee.

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Regional supermarket chain Big Y is catering to customers' bundles of joy with the launch of a new loyalty program.

MINNEAPOLIS — Target is opening its first store in East Peoria, Ill. in March 2013. The 135,000 sq. ft. store, located at Clock Tower Drive and West Washington Street, will be part of the 86-acre East Peoria Downtown development.

According to Target, the new store will feature the typical Target assortment along with a selection of fresh produce, fresh packaged meat and pre-packaged baked goods as well as a Starbucks and a Target Pharmacy to further enhance guests’ experience. The store will employ approximately 150 to 200 team members.