Associations

Local 1564 of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union today announced that it had negotiatedto retain nine former Furr's supermarkets under union contract. Union President Diane Vigil-Kimberle said that Smith's Food and Drug had agreed to union contracts for seven former Furr's stores. Raley's markets has agreed to twostores under contract.

Food Distributors International (FDI) and National Grocers Association (N.G.A.) announced today that they are partnering with AmeriQuest, the transportation and logistics company based here, to launch a new buying service that will save member companies that operate truck fleets millions of dollars in lower prices and new efficiencies. The new service, www.foodfleetxchange.com, opened for business today.