Supermarket/Grocery

GREEN BAY, Wis. — Shopko has completed the conversion of 163 Pamida stores. The move makes Shopko one of the largest U.S. retailers to serve smaller and rural communities. The merger was first announced one year ago this month.  

New York -- A report released Thursday by PwC found that U.S. retail and consumer merger & acquisition activity in 2012 drove both deal volume and value up from the prior year as the number of larger deals over $1 billion almost doubled.

According to PwC’s U.S. retail and consumer M&A insights “2012 Year in Review and 2013 Outlook” report, private equity activity in the retail sector comprised nearly 40% of deal volume and 55% of deal value, and IPO volume increased 38%.

Green Bay, Wis. -- Shopko announced it has completed the conversion of 163 Pamida stores making it one of the largest U.S. retailers focused on serving smaller and rural communities. It was a year ago that Shopko and Pamida first announced their intent to merge the two companies and convert the existing Pamida locations to the Shopko Hometown store format. One year later, the conversion of the last group of Pamida stores is now complete with the final 36 stores celebrating their official grand openings as Shopko Hometown.

Washington -- Despite some groups’ claims, the National Retail Federation said that few, if any, merchants are expected to surcharge customers for using a credit card as theoretically allowed under a controversial proposed lawsuit settlement with Visa and MasterCard being debated in the courts.

 

NEW YORK — Limited access to healthy, affordable food choices, is an oft-cited reason for poor food habits among the nation's less fortunate. In order to address this issue, hunger relief organization Philabundance has teamed up with retail design consultancy CBX to create a prototype for a not-for-profit grocery store.

PLEASANTON, Calif. — Safeway is offering its customers the ability to earn reward points redeemable at participating Exxon or Mobil gas stations.

"Safeway listens to its shoppers, and we understand the importance of stretching grocery dollars," said Mir Aamir, president of customer loyalty and digital technologies at Safeway. "By teaming up with ExxonMobil, we're able to thank our customers with a loyalty program that makes two frequent and critical purchases lead to real savings."

Hyannis, Mass. -- Boston-based The Wilder Cos. said Tuesday that, as part of its major remerchandising of Southwind Plaza shopping center in Hyannis, Mass., Kohl’s and Whole Foods Market will be opening new stores at the Cape Cod property.

Kohl’s will begin construction of a nearly 55,000-sq.-ft. space in February with an opening planned for early October.  

Also joining the center with its first Cape location is Whole Foods Market, which will open a 26,000-sq.-ft. store in early 2014.
     

SALISBURY, N.C. — The future grocers of America will get a taste of what its like to work in the industry, thanks to a new, interactive exhibit by Food Lion on display at the Children's Museum in Winston-Salem, N.C.

Children will be able to go behind miniature-sized counters and cash registers and pretend they are checking out customers. They will also be able to experience three preparation areas to further allow them to imagine they are Food Lion associates.