News

San Francisco -- A survey released Monday by online reservation firm OpenTable found that, when Valentine’s Day bookends a weekend, it tends to benefit restaurants.

Valentine’s Day, which falls on a Thursday this year, will likely be celebrated beyond the official day, as diners continue to celebrate over the following weekend.

The Valentine’s Day survey also found that the projected check average this year is $139, which is 63% higher than the typical OpenTable check average of $85 per couple. 

PLEASANTON, Calif. — Safeway on Monday announced the appointment of Peter Bocian as its new executive vice president and CFO. Bocian, 58, will oversee the company's financial functions including accounting, tax, audit, treasury, investor relations, planning and business development. He will report directly to Robert Edwards, Safeway's president, and will assume his new responsibilities on Feb. 19.

Higher prices for chicken and beef enabled Tyson Foods to offset reduced volumes during its first quarter and that has the company off to what president and CEO Donnie Smith called a good start to the fiscal year.

The nation’s largest protein producer said sales increased less than 1% to $8.4 billion from $8.3 billion, but profits grew nearly 11% to $173 million from $156 million and earnings per share increased 14.3% to 48 cents from 42 cents.

Former converse executive Jack Boys is the new CEO of Cole Haan following Nike’s recent sale of the brand to a private equity firm.

Apax Partners completed the previously announced acquisition of Cole Haan from Nike and named Boy’s to the role of CEO effective immediately. Boys became CEO of Converse in 2001 and remained in that roles following Nike’s acquisition of Converse in 2003 through 2010. Prior to Converse, he was vp of global marketing at The North Face and has previously held positions with Avia, LeCoq Sportif and CVEO Corporation.

Matthews, N.C. -- Harris Teeter Supermarkets Inc. reported that its fiscal first-quarter net income rose nearly 67%. The company earned $22.8 million for the quarter that ended Jan. 1, up from $13.7 million in the same quarter last year. The prior year's results included an $18 million cost to settle some pension liabilities and employee benefits in connection with the sale of its industrial thread manufacturing company.
    

NEW YORK — Saks has introduced its Saks Love Your Cause Initiative, which will give 5% of all registered purchases to the American Red Cross and select local organizations, during February.

“Saks Fifth Avenue is committed to our local communities. We appreciate our customers’ charitable involvement and look forward to giving back locally for a second year with this exciting and newly implemented national program,” Steve Sadove, chairman and CEO, Saks Inc., said.

MATTHEWS, N.C. — Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic supermarket chain, Harris Teeter, reported that sales for the first quarter of fiscal 2013 increased by 3.7% to $1.16 billion from $1.12 billion in the first quarter of fiscal 2012. The increase in sales was driven by an increase in comparable-store sales of 2.53% and sales from new stores, partially offset by store closings.

Walmart’s efforts to gain share in California’s grocery market continued this week with the opening of another Neighborhood Market in San Jose.

The 41,000-sq.-ft. store is Walmart’s second Neighborhood Market in San Jose and third in the San Francisco area and could be a sign of more to come. Since opening it first Neighborhood Market in California last summer, the format has quickly grown to approximately 20 locations. And there are likely more to come as Walmart looks to accelerated expansion of smaller format stores nationwide in the coming years.