Supply Chain & Merchandising

EDLP (every day low price) and EDLC (every day low cost) are the most familiar acronyms at Walmart, but FCPA (Foreign Corrupt Practices Act) is giving them a run for their money these days.

Union, N.J. -- Bed Bath & Beyond Inc. bought textile distributor Linen Holdings LLC in an all-cash transaction for approximately $105 million to boost its sourcing capabilities and gain access to new customers.

Based in Gibbsboro, N.J., Linen Holdings is a privately held distributor of bath, bed and table linens and other textile products to customers in the hospitality, cruise line, food service, health care and other industries.

Bowling Green, Ky. -- Pan-Oston was awarded the Domino’s Pizza Teamwork Award for 2011 at its annual Supplier Summit. The award was in recognition of Pan-Oston’s  teamwork and execution of the New Image Counters, which the supplier engineered, manufactured and delivered within 90 days to six stores.

This is the second award given to Pan-Oston by Domino’s Pizza, the first award being the prestigious Partner Award for 2007.

New York -- Dollar General Corp. on Monday reported a 36% jump in quarterly profit and raised its expectations for the year as its momentum continued.

Dollar General earned $213.4 million in the fiscal first quarter ended on May 4, up from $157.0 million a year earlier. Sales rose 13% to $3.9 billion. Same-store sales increased 6.7%.

CINCINNATI — Kroger has joined other food retailers in moving towards a policy of only offering products made from gestation-crate-free pigs. The company announced that it has begun informing suppliers of a new policy statement regarding gestation crates that are used to house pregnant sows.

Walmart’s strategy of every day low prices underpinned by an every day low cost operating model will work everywhere in the world, according to international division president and CEO Doug McMillon.

Responding to a question about improving international financial returns, McMillon weighed in on the need to deliver on the strategy of every day low prices on a broad assortment and how that is the right approach internationally in large format stores.

Strong performance of the fresh department at Sam’s Club and exceptional leadership earned SVP Shawn Baldwin the highest honor Walmart can bestow on one of its employees.

Bensalem, Pa. -- Charming Shoppes reported Friday that net income for the first quarter plummeted 31.7% to $17.8 million, from $26 million in the year-ago period.

Sales dropped 4.6% to $481.3 million, largely due to the shuttering of 157 stores. E-commerce was a strength in the quarter, up 18% over the prior-year period. Same-store sales were flat in the first quarter, including a 1% comparable-store sales increase for Lane Bryant, a 5% comparable-store sales increase for Catherines, and a 3% comparable-store sales decrease for Fashion Bug.