Supply Chain & Merchandising

BELLEVUE, Wash. — Supervalu customers that cash in their coins at in-store Coinstar kiosks can do so for free when they select the Supervalu gift card option, Coinstar announced.

The no-fee option will be available in about 1,000 stores that operate under the Supervalu banner, including such chains as Acme, Albertsons, Jewel-Osco and more, by next month.

Supervalu and Coinstar began their collaboration on the gift card project last January in approximately 78 Albertsons stores located in Washington and Oregon.

Granada Hills, Calif. -- Jacksonville, Fla.-based Regency Centers announced that it has leased nearly 39,000 sq. ft. of retail space in Granada Hills, Calif., at Granada Village to two additional anchors, HomeGoods and Petco.

HomeGoods has leased 27,500 sq. ft. and is slated to open in spring 2012. This is the first store in the market for this home furnishings retailer with the next closest location eight miles away.

Petco is scheduled to open in 11,350 sq. ft. this fall.

Lakeland, Fla. -- Publix Supermarkets said Monday that sales and earnings rose in the first quarter. Net earnings rose 9.3% to $398.2 million, compared with $364.4 million in 2010.

Sales for the first quarter totaled $6.8 billion, and same-store sales rose 2.8%.

“Although the economy continues to be weak, I’m pleased our strong operating performance resulted in another increase in our stock price,” said Ed Crenshaw, Publix’s CEO, said in a statement.

PLANO, Texas -- JCPenney has completed a new five-year $1.25 billion bank credit facility.

The new facility replaces a $750 million credit facility that was scheduled to mature in April 2012 and provides further strength to the company's liquidity position. The facility may be used for general corporate purposes and will mature in April 2016.

New York City -- Borders on Friday reported a loss of $24.3 million for the month ended March 26, according to court papers, Bloomberg said.

The company’s most recent financial report filed before Friday showed a loss of $479.9 million for the year ended Jan. 29, on revenue of $1.67 billion.

The current report shows revenue of $165.2 million for the month ended March 26 and total assets of $942.2 million. Cash and equivalents are $80.9 million.

Plano, Texas -- J. C. Penney Corp. has completed a new five-year $1.25 billion bank credit facility.

The new facility replaces a $750 million credit facility that was scheduled to mature in April 2012 and provides further strength to the company's liquidity position. The facility may be used for general corporate purposes and will mature in April 2016.
 

Bernardino, Calif.  -- Three new Stater Bros. a that three supermarkets have earned the prestigious EPA GreenChill Gold Certification for meeting tough standards and using refrigerants that do not harm the earth's ozone layer.

Stater Bros. is the only Southern California grocer to have three stores that are certified at the Gold Level, which is the second highest award from GreenChill.

EPA's GreenChill Partnership works with supermarkets to reduce refrigerant emissions and decrease their impact on the ozone layer and climate change.

Target is the newest member of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s GreenChill organization. The decision to join the group comes as Target has been expanding the frozen and refrigerated capacity in its stores at a breakneck pace as part of the PFresh remodeling program. Greenchill is an EPA partnership with food retailers to help them reduce refrigerant emissions and decrease their impact on the ozone layer and climate change.