Personnel Updates:
Ahold USA named Don Sussman president of the New York Metro division of Stop & Shop, effective immediately. Ron Onorato, current New York Metro Division President, will be moving to Ahold USA in a new role of Senior Vice President, Operational Initiatives.
Delhaize-owned Hannaford Supermarkets announced that Rudy DiPietro, the company’s Director of fresh merchandising, has been promoted to the position of VP of Retail Pperations for the western division, based in Schodack, New York. He succeeds Kevin Hill, who moved to the company’s Food Lion division.
Sobeys said that it would split its organization into two separate business units, each led by a president of operations. The company also said that it had named Francois Vimard, its CFO to a new role as Exec VP and promoted Paul Jewer as its new CFO.

Wakefern Food Corp. announced that Dean Janeway is retiring as President/COO of the company, to be succeeded by Joseph Sheridan, a 35-year veteran of the company who has held the position of Exec VP since 1996. Janeway will remain as president emeritus through January 2012.
Weigel Stores Inc. announced that Douglas Yawberry, currently director of operations, has been promoted to VP of Operations.

Financial Focus:
Harris Teeter reported fiscal 2011 sales of $4.285 billion.
Wakefern Food Corp. said that retail sales for the fiscal year that ended 10/1/2011 were up 8.5%, to $12.8 billion, vs. year-ago results, and that warehouse sales totaled $9.5 billion.
Whole Foods Market reported fiscal 2011 sales of $10.1 billion.

Mergers and Acquisitions:
Circle K is growing with the acquisition of 26 convenience stores in three states from Chico Enterprises Inc. to add to the 22 locations that it operates from Erie, PA to Washington.
Dead River Co. is getting out of the convenience store business after about 40 years. Company officials have reached an agreement to sell its 19 stores in Maineto Circle K, said the report.
A Macey’s Grocery Store location in Clearfield, Utah, was purchased and became the fifth store in family-owned regional chain Kent‘s Market.

Industry Insight:
A&P has reached an agreement with Yucaipa Cos., Mount Kellett Capital Management and Goldman Sachs on a $490 million investment that would allow the company to emerge from bankruptcy as a privately held company early next year.
Associated Food Stores has consolidated its company-owned stores under a new division called Associated Retail Organization.

The Green Frog Market store in Bakersfield, CA went out of business, though the Alta Vista location remains open announced Scott Hair, owner of Green Frog, which dates to 1934.
People’s Food Co-op of La Crosse, Minn., plans to merge with Good Food Co-op of Rochester, Minn. Both stores will use the People’s name. The Rochesterstore will move to a larger location to anchor a mixed-use building under development downtown.
Real Estate:

7-Eleven is
expected to reveal that it will open up to 200 new corporate stores in Ontariobetween 2012 and 2016, with a major focus on Toronto. The move would boost 7-Eleven’s stable of stores by almost 50% in Canada, where it now has 467 locations.
Kum & Go is looking to open at least five new locations in the Pikes Peak region. The company is also considering opening five or more locations in Colorado Springs according to proposals Kum & Go submitted to Colorado Springs and Monument officials.

Giant Eagle, Inc is seeking growth opportunities are sought throughout MD, OH, PA and WV during the coming 18 months.  Typical leases run 20 years with options.  Preferred cotenants include Home Depot, Barnes & Noble, Kohl’s, Lowe’s Home Improvement and Target. 

Giant Food Stores, LLC plans to open four to six new stores throughout its existing markets during the coming 18 months.  Typical leases run 20 years.  

Fairway, which has gone from being a New York City-based specialty grocery store to a company fast expanding into the surrounding suburbs, is scheduled to open a new store next week in Douglaston, Queens. The 56,000 square foot unit is slated to open on 11-16-2011.  The company says it expects to have 11 stores open by the end of the year, driven largely by investment capital from Sterling Investment Partners, which took a majority ownership position in the company in 2007, pledging to open as many as two stores a year.

Metropolitan Market is planning for a new store opening in Seattle, WA during the coming 18 months.  Preferred demographics include a population of 30,000 within two miles.  The company prefers to locate in areas with high vehicle and foot traffic counts. 

Foodmaster Super Markets is seeking growth opportunities throughout the greater Boston, MA area during the coming 18 months. 

J.H. Harvey Co. is seeking growth opportunities throughout its existing markets during the coming 18 months. 

King Kullen Grocery Co. Inc. is seeking growth opportunities throughout NJ and NY during the coming 18 months.  Preferred demographics include a population of 60,000 within three miles earning $80,000 as the average household income.  The company will also consider 10,000 sq. ft. in urban markets for its Wild By Nature concept. 

Spartan Stores is planning for two to four openings throughout MI during the coming 18 months.  Typical leases run 15 to 20 years.  Specific improvements are required.  A land area of seven to 10 acres is required for freestanding locations.   

Wakefern Food Corp. is seeking growth opportunities throughout VA during the coming 18 months.  Typical leases run 10 years with four, five- to six- year options.  The company requires a land area of at least three acres for ground-up locations and prefers to locate second-generation spaces. Preferred cotenants include A.J. Wright, Home Depot, Lowe’s Home Improvement, T.J. Maxx, Aaron’s and Family Dollar.  Preferred demographics include a population of 70,000 within five miles earning $25,000 to $50,000 as the median household income. 

Green Initiatives:

Hannaford Bros. announced that the new demonstration test of 15 stationary electric-powered refrigerator trailers will take place on of its warehouses.
Love’s Travel Stops & Country Stores plans to add 10 publicly accessible compressed natural gas (CNG) fueling stations at existing locations across Oklahoma.

Market of Choice has taken measures to cut energy use and protect the environment, including installation of a rooftop solar system and air curtains on doorways. The family-owned organic and natural grocer is also switching to LED lighting, both overhead and in reach-in coolers and freezers.