Supply Chain & Merchandising

The nation’s leading retail and restaurant chains came together to share ideas, discuss opportunities and find new solutions at Chain Store Age’s 47th annual SPECS conference, in Grapevine, Texas. Reflecting a renewed sense of optimism in the industry, overall attendance was up significantly, among retailers as well as exhibitors. All segments of the industry were in attendance, from discounters and specialty stores to supermarkets and home-improvement outlets to casual-dining restaurants.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla.  -- HSN announced that Betsy Olum has been appointed general manager beauty and merchandising strategy.  She will report directly to Lynne Ronon, HSN EVP merchandising.

Dallas -- Finance solution-provider Trintech announced that international food retailer Delhaize Group has implemented its AssureNET GL software for financial process compliance.

AssureNET GL is a component of Trintech's Unity platform, a suite of modular software that empowers companies to automate their Last Mile of Finance to increase efficiency, improve visibility, shorten cycle times, lower costs, and reduce risk.

MINNEAPOLIS -- Supervalu reported net sales of $8.7 billion for the fiscal 2011 fourth quarter, compared with sales of $9.2 billion for the same period last year. Supervalu's fourth-quarter net earnings were $95 million, or 44 cents per diluted share, compared with net earning of $97 million, or 46 cents per diluted share the company reported last year. 

Salisbury, N.C. -- Bottom Dollar, a division of Delhaize American, has entered the Philadelphia market, opening a 17,000 sq.-ft. store.

“While we have opened 18 stores in the greater metropolitan area, this is our first store in the heart of Philadelphia, and we are truly ecstatic,” said Meg Ham, president, Bottom Dollar Food, said in a statement.

Minneapolis -- Supervalu reported Thursday that net income for the quarter ended Feb. 26 slipped 2% to $95 million, compared with $97 million in the year-ago period, but results still beat Wall Street expectations.

Performance was impacted by softer sales, which dropped 6% to $8.66 billion, missing Wall Street's estimate of $8.73 billion. Same-store sales fell 5%.

Supervalu, which operates Albertsons, Jewel-Osco and Save-A-Lot chains, launched a turnaround plan more than a year ago.

TARRYTOWN, N.Y. -- Kraft Foods announced that its premium coffee brand, Gevalia, will be available for purchase in supermarkets, mass merchandisers and other retail outlets across the United States beginning in August.  

BOCA RATON, Fla. -- Office Depot announced that, from April 17 through April 23, it is inviting customers to trade in their used writing instruments regardless of brand to any of its retail stores nationwide. In exchange for ten pens, pencils or markers, customers will receive a coupon toward a new product from Newell Rubbermaid Office Products. The collected instruments will be sent to TerraCycle to be turned into new office supply products ranging from trash cans to desk organizers.