Ahold Delhaize

AMSTERDAM -- Cees van der Hoeven, the ex-c.e.o. of retail conglomerate Ahold here, and the company's former c.f.o., Michiel Meurs, were found guilty of fraud by a Dutch court and both sentenced to nine-month suspended jail terms yesterday after a nine-week trial, according to published reports. The fraud was in connection with an accounting scandal that came to light in 2003 and subsequently hurled Ahold into financial disarray, from which it has gradually been emerging.

SALISBURY, N.C. -- Delhaize Group subsidiary Food Lion LLC said yesterday that it's gearing up to open 14 of its new no-frills Bottom Dollar Food stores by summer's end in the Washington, D.C., area. The stores will be remodels of existing Food Lion units.

It pays to check whether ethics policies are ingrained in your culture, day in and day out.

BRUSSELS -- Salisbury, N.C.-based regional chain Food Lion continues to be the star performer for Delhaize Group, based here. The global retailer said on Friday that Food Lion contributed heavily to an 11.3 percent jump in net sales and other revenues, as well as a 19.7 percent increase in group share of net profit in the first quarter.

LONDON -- Already accounting for more than 32 percent of the global market, the world's largest 30 grocery retailers continue to grow at a faster rate than the modern grocery market as a whole, according to Planet Retail's Top 30 Grocery Retailers Worldwide report.

AMSTERDAM -- Ahold said yesterday that Dick Boer, president and c.e.o. of the retail conglomerate's Albert Heijn Arena, has been nominated for appointment by the supervisory board to the company's corporate executive board, effective immediately, according to published reports.

COPPELL, Texas -- Minyard Food Stores, Inc. here said Friday that Michael D. Byars has been promoted to president and c.e.o. from his prior position as e.v.p. of operations. The company didn't say why former c.e.o. Ron Johnson is stepping aside. However, it said that Johnson will focus his efforts on "broad strategic opportunities" as chairman of the Minyard Group, in keeping with the company succession plan.

SCARBOROUGH, Maine -- Hannaford Bros. Co. here has entered into a partnership with FoodPlay Productions to promote healthy eating and exercise habits to 40,000 children in 100 elementary schools throughout Hannaford's five-state marketing area.