Supermarket/Grocery

New York City -- Leonard Green & Partners and CVC Capital Partners said Friday they are making a joint buyout bid worth an undisclosed amount for BJ's Wholesale Club. The two private equity firms revealed their plans in a Securities and Exchange Commission filing on Friday. The bid price was not disclosed.

In February, BJ's announced it was exploring a sale. In March, Leonard Green is already the chain's larger shareholder, with a 9.3% stake.

CINCINNATI — Kroger reported solid first-quarter results and marked 30 consecutive quarters in which identical-store sales increased, the supermarket retailer announced Thursday.

Kroger said that identical-store sales rose 4.6%, excluding fuel, to about $20.8 billion. Identical stores are defined as supermarkets open at least five quarters.

The company said its first-quarter revenue for the period ended May 21, including fuel, rose 11% to about $27.5 billion, compared with the year-ago period. Excluding fuel, total sales were 4.8% above last year.

SCARSDALE, N.Y. — Natural food retailer Mrs. Green's Natural Market confirmed its acquisition of seven Superfresh grocery locations in Maryland and one Superfresh location in Washington, D.C., from the Great Atlantic and Pacific Tea Co.

CHICAGO — The private-label trend at retail continues to gain steam as Supervalu CEO Craig Herkert shared plans last month at its annual shareholders meeting to expand Supervalu's private-label program now through February 2012.

Walmart Canada president and CEO David Cheesewright is scheduled to speak next week at the Jefferies 2011 Global Consumer Conference near Boston. Walmart doesn’t typically push country presidents on stage at investor conferences except at its own analysts’ meetings when it has hosted events overseas in such places as China earlier this year or prior years in Brazil and the United Kingdom. However there are some interesting things going on in Canada these days, and the Jefferies event is an opportunity for Walmart to showcase some of its management talent.

Walmart is moving forward with what could be characterized as a roll out of its Neighborhood Market format nearly 13 years after the first unit opened in the fall of 1998. Just don’t call it a Neighborhood Market.

Walmart executive were said to be among a group of major retailers who met with Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel on Wednesday to discuss the elimination of the city’s “food deserts,” essentially areas where roughly 450,000 residents don’t have convenient access to fresh food.

According to an AP report, representatives from Walmart, Walgreen, Aldi and three other chains who were not identified met with Emanuel who reportedly showed a detailed map of the city’s food deserts and made an appeal for projects in specific areas.

Washington, D.C. -- A report released Thursday by the National Retail Federation and Hackett Associates said that import cargo volume at the nation’s major retail container ports is expected to remain at about the same levels as last year through July before starting to resume increases later this summer.

Tukwila, Wash. -- Jacksonville, Fla.-based Regency Centers said it has leased retail space in Tukwila, Wash., at Southcenter Plaza to Jos. A. Bank.

Jos. A. Bank has leased 4,075 sq. ft., bringing the center to 97% leased, and is currently open for business.

The 170,000-sq.-ft. shopping center is anchored by a 112,000-sq.-ft. Target alongside national retailers such as Performance Bicycle, Super Cuts, Starbucks, Burger King and Quiznos.
 

Chicago -- Oakbrook Terrace, Ill.-based Mid-America Asset Management said that Chipotle Mexican Grill, along with Clearly Cares Dental, have recently signed leases at Elston Plaza in Chicago.

Denver-based Chipotle Mexican Grill, which leased 2,405 sq. ft., plans to open a restaurant in third quarter 2011. Clearly Cares Dental signed a lease for 1,500 sq. ft. with plans to open this summer.

Elston Plaza is a 91,713-sq.-ft. Jewel/Osco-anchored shopping center in northwest Chicago.