Ahold Delhaize

BOULDER, Colo. and SKOKIE, Ill. -- Natural and organic foods retailer Wild Oats Markets, Inc. and Ahold-owned online grocer Peapod yesterday expanded their partnership into the Washington, D.C.; Virginia; and Maryland markets, with more than 120 Wild Oats branded products available on the Peapod online grocery site.

QUINCY, Mass. and SCARBOROUGH, Maine - Two supermarket operators in New England -- Ahold USA banners Stop & Shop and Giant Food, and Delhaize's Hannaford Bros. Co. are vying to be at the head of the class in health-and-wellness education, with two new nutrition initiatives.

QUINCY, Mass. and SCARBOROUGH, Maine - Two supermarket operators in New England -- Ahold USA banners Stop & Shop and Giant Food, and Delhaize's Hannaford Bros. Co. are vying to be at the head of the class in health-and-wellness education, with two new nutrition initiatives.

TAMPA, Fla. - Sweetbay Supermarket, a member of the Delhaize America group, said yesterday that several of its executives are shifting their roles to better reflect their specific skills and interests.

AMSTERDAM -- Although Royal Ahold here says while it has 'taken notice' of two institutional shareholders' attempts to discuss restructuring the company, it would rather focus its energies on its current retail review, a report of which is due this fall.

TAMPA, Fla. - Sweetbay Supermarket, a member of the Delhaize America group, said yesterday that several of its executives are shifting their roles to better reflect their specific skills and interests.

AMSTERDAM -- On the heels of Ahold's flat second-quarter sales growth overall and particularly disappointing results for its American divisions, Centaurus Capital, Ltd., based in London and New York's Paulson & Co., shareholders of Royal Ahold here, issued a statement calling for the retail conglomerate to sell its U.S. businesses and "become a pure-play European player," noting that Ahold "needs drastic strategic action to deliver shareholder value." The two hedge funds own a combined 6.4 percent stake in Ahold.

BELGIUM -- Global retailer Delhaize Group, the parent company of U.S. banners including Food Lion, Sweetbay, and Hannaford, said yesterday that its U.S. stores experienced a 3.4 percent comparable store sales growth in the second quarter -- the best performance in five years. The company also saw a 6.8 percent increase in total sales and a 23.1 percent boost in profit.