Walmart

Wolfgang Puck Coffee, a licensed product from Beverly Hills, Calif.-based Wolfgang Puck Worldwide, Inc., has begun its retail launch by rolling out to 2,700 Walmart stores across the country.

The recession is taking a bite out of the once-hot 100-calorie pack business.

Sam’s Club is supporting independent convenience store owners during their busiest time of year through its launch of the “100 Days of Summer” program and a special membership offer, designed to help c-store owners make a profit, the warehouse club said.

Sam Qureshi has joined Williamsville, N.Y.-based Tops Markets, LLC as its new director of produce and floral marketing. In the newly created management post, Qureshi is responsible for the functions of the produce and floral departments relative to procurement, pricing, merchandising, marketing and advertising.

Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. reported a flat first-quarter profit due to its international operations being hurt by the stronger dollar. Its revenue fell 0.6 percent to $93.47 billion, from $94.04 billion a year earlier; it earned $3.02 billion, or 77 cents per share, for the period ended April 30, which was flat from a year earlier.

The top executive from Wal-Mart’s international division is leaving the world’s largest retailer to sign on with Supervalu as its new CEO, replacing the latter’s longtime, well-respected chief executive, Jeff Noddle, in the top spot at the nation’s No. 3 food retailer.

While big-box retailers BJ’s and Costco had a tough time in April as net and comparable-store sales tumbled during a time of economic recession and plummeting gasoline sales, Target managed to stem its recent sales declines and Wal-Mart actually saw higher sales during the month, driven by increased traffic and a strong showing in seasonal and discretionary items.

Wal-Mart Stores Inc.’s U.S. customers are spending more on discretionary items as payroll taxes decrease and gasoline prices plummet, Reuters reported last week.