Distribution

Cincinnati — To supply families in need with fresh food this holiday season, Kroger customers and associates will be able to purchase pre-filled bags and boxes of food to be added to collection barrels.

HARRISBURG, Pa. — The Environmental Protection Agency has recognized Ahold USA for its efforts to reduce food waste, the agency said.

The EPA said it recognized Ahold for its contributions to the Food Recovery Challenge, which encourages organizations to donate and divert as much of their excess food as possible, which the agency said helps protect the environment and feed needy people. Ahold USA owns the Giant Food Stores of Carlisle, Pa., Giant Food of Landover, Md., and Stop & Shop supermarket banners, as well as the online grocer Peapod.

Houston – Susser has signed a definitive agreement to acquire substantially all of the convenience store assets and fuel distribution contracts of Sac-N-Pac Stores, Inc. and 3W Warren Fuels, Ltd.

New York -- Transportation logistics services provider XPO Logistics has acquired Optima Service Solutions, a non-asset provider of last-mile logistics services for major retailers and manufacturers in the United States.

The cash purchase price was $26.6 million, excluding any working capital adjustments, with no assumption of debt.

Walmart said sales of its Global eCommerce business unit grew by 40% during the third quarter as it increased investments, expanded assortments and included results from a Chinese acquisition.

XPO Logistics, a transportation logistics services provider in North America, has acquired Optima Service Solutions, a leading non-asset provider of last-mile logistics services for major retailers and manufacturers in the United States.

Kid Brands has entered into an agreement with National Distribution Centers — a warehousing and distribution division of NFI, which is a fully integrated supply chain solutions provider — to address certain third-party logistics for the company's warehousing and distribution operations.

Food Holdings, a leading nationwide provider of specialty foods, healthcare foods, gluten-free foods and direct-from-source artisanal foods to the professional foodservice market, has elected Justin Wiernasz, president of Innovative Food Holdings, to its board of directors.

By Stephen Springham, senior retail analyst at Planet Retail

Three quarters of results and a hat-trick of disappointments — Walmart U.S. again failed to achieve its guidance of flat comps in Q3, reporting a decline of 0.3%. This was not entirely unexpected as an already fragile consumer environment has not been helped by the government shutdown.

Colorado Springs, Colo. -- Accellos, a provider of supply chain execution software solutions, announced its acquisition of PROFITsystems, a provider of  software as a service (SaaS) solutions for small and medium sized home goods retailers.