ROUND LAKE, Minn. -- The candy market is growing. For the most part, however, the supermarket industry's role in the growth has lately been that of a bit player.So say the top executives at Sathers Inc. here, the country's third-largest general...
Imagine some future historian of the grocery industry opening a time capsule from the waning years of the 20th century. Inside are three objects: a box of Nabisco's SnackWell's fat-free chocolate cookies, a can of Sam's Choice cola and a piece of...
Kroger's Debt Rating Upgradedestors Service upgraded the ratings on the long-term debt of Kroger Co. here last month.The upgrade reflects Kroger's "strong and geographically diversified customer franchise, its improving debt-coverage ratios and...
SAN ANTONIO -- In acknowledgment that its low-price operation could not jump the competitive wall put up by H-E-B Grocery Co., Megafoods Stores has decided to abandon its price-impact format here.In a major shift in strategy -- a strategy that was...
ORLANDO, Fla. -- The customer is king. And until retailers and manufacturers place the consumer first on their list of business priorities, Efficient Consumer Response will never succeed.That was the message delivered during a panel discussion...
SAN FRANCISCO -- Partnering isn't just for the big boys.Independent supermarket operators and the wholesalers who service them can, and must, also forge strategic sales alliances to improve their lot, especially in the face of competition from...
HOUSTON -- The Kroger division here has added a new line of branded fresh chicken to its poultry product mix.The 21-item Butterball Fresh Chicken line, a product of the ConAgra Poultry Co., El Dorado, Ark., was made available last month to...
This is the era of re-engineering and new alliances, so business strategies pivoting on such considerations often capture the limelight. Perhaps for that very reason, it's good to step back from time to time and take a look at a company that's...
Who will win the battle for the consumer?National brands, with their rich tradition and marketing savvy, or store brands, with their checkered past and street smarts? The latest statistics from the front lines show that private-label sales in...
ORLANDO, Fla. -- The customer is king. And until retailers and manufacturers place the consumer first on their list of business priorities, Efficient Consumer Response will never succeed.That was the message delivered during a panel discussion...