Personnel Updates:
A&P announced that Raymond Silcock has been promoted to the role of CFO reporting to president and CEO Sam Martin.
FMI announced that Hannah Walker, previously Florida‘s federal policy adviser, is joining FMI as Director of Government Relations.
Kings Super Markets promoted Jessica Gasser to vice president of human resources and labor relations, a newly created position at the chain.
Kroger Co. promoted Tim Brown to President of the company’s Delta Division. Brown, 52, has been vice president of operations in the company’s Mid-Atlantic division, based in Roanoke, Va., since 2011; before that he served as the Mid-Atlantic Division’s vice president of merchandising since 2009. In his new position, Brown succeeds Mark Prestidge.
K-VA-T Food Stores has named Michael T. Lockard Senior VP and CFO.
Safeway promoted Robert Edwards to president of the company. Edwards had served as Safeway’s EVP and CFO since 2004.
Weigel’s has hired Chris Ooten as its new Director of Real Estate to expand the company’s retail footprint through new store site acquisition and the selling and leasing of company-owned property.
Weis Markets said it has promoted Brian Holt to VP, Marketing, and Jack O’Hara to VP legal affairs and real estate.
Financial Focus:
SUPERVALU Inc. reported fiscal 2011 sales of $36.1 billion.
Mergers and Acquisitions:
Acosta Sales & Marketing has acquired Venture Sales Group, a foodservice sales agency in the Northeast. Terms were not disclosed.
Cloutier Oil has exited the c-store and gas station business with the sale of its 11 Gas Lane stores and nine “consigned” or dealer locations in MS to Victory Marketing. The new owner will convert the acquired locations to its Sprint Mart brand “over time,” said spokesperson Charles Morris.
Industry Insight:
Best Yet Marketsopened its first store under banner Best Market in Holmdel, N.J.The company plans to open two more and convert stores in New York City and Long Island to Best Market locations.

Zupan’s Markets’ fourth store is scheduled to open April 18, 2012 in Lake Oswego, OR. The 20,000-square-foot store replaces Wizer’s Lake Grove Market, which closed in 2010.
Real Estate:
7-Eleven plans to open 15 to 20 c-stores this year in the Jacksonville, FL market and 80 stores by 2015.
7-Eleven, which has been expanding in Maryland for several years, could open as many as 50 new stores during the next several months.
Fresh Encounter, Inc. is seeking new site locations throughout its existing markets of OH and IN during the next 18 months. The supermarkets occupy spaces of 9,000 sq. ft. to 36,000 sq. ft. in freestanding locations, strip centers and downtown areas.
Roundy’s Supermarkets, Inc.’s Copps Food Store locations occupy spaces of 45,000 sq. ft. to 70,000 sq. ft. in freestanding locations and strip centers.  Roundy’s is looking for new site locations throughout the existing market of WI during the coming 18 months.  Typical leases run 20 years.  Specific improvements are required.  Preferred cotenants include general merchandise retailers.  Major competitors include Walmart.  A land area of six acres is required for freestanding locations.  
Thorntons Inc. announced its expansion into the Florida regional metro market of Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater. The first location is set to open spring of 2013 in Clearwater. Thorntons‘ strategic plan for the region is to add 15 to 20 Tampa-St. Petersburg Clearwater area stores in the next three years.
Green Initiatives:


7-Eleven Inc. opened fast-charging electric vehicle (EV) charging stations at four Illinois Tollway Oasis locations yesterday – the largest network of fast-charging EV stations in the nation. The convenience store chain expects to add three more fast-charging EV locations at Tollway Oasis sites in the near future.

Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market has received the platinum-level Store Certification Award from the Environmental Protection Agency’s GreenChill Partnership for the green refrigeration technology at the store it opened last week in Folsom, CA.
Jewel-Osco has increased its sustainability efforts at Jewel-Osco locations to increase its ‘zero waste’ classifications.   
Kwik Trip has 15 certified LEED stores and 24 in the process. In addition the c-store chain is building ‘green’ while saving energy and money.  

Supervalu-owned Albertsons announced that 30 stores located in the greater Las Vegas area, Henderson, Nev., and Boulder City, Nev., have diverted more than 90% of all store waste from local landfills.