Walmart

As the devastation grows in Hurricane Katrina's wake, grocers in the South and beyond do their best to cope, and to help. Here are some of the latest developments.

LOS ANGELES -- After three years of weathering protests by local officials, labor unions, and community activists, Wal-Mart Stores yesterday opened its first supercenter in Los Angeles County in Palmdale.

The Roundy's/Supervalu deal brings to light the challenges and anxieties of being a retail account in the middle.

BENTONVILLE, Ark. -- Wal-Mart continues to rebuild its marketing executive suite, this time luring a veteran marketer away from PepsiCo's Frito-Lay division.

TAMPA, Fla. -- A group of approximately 100 Wal-Mart employees who work in Florida stores from Melbourne to Crystal River have scheduled a news conference here today to air complaints about working conditions at the state's largest private employer.

LITTLE FALLS, N.J. -- In mature categories that has evidenced little growth over the past five years, the traditional sales channels for cosmetics and toiletries -- especially food and department stores -- have experienced declining growth rates and market share, while other channels are gaining, according to a study conducted by international business consulting and market research firm Kline & Co., based here.

BENTONVILLE, Ark. -- As a company that has been accused of muscling out its competition here in the States, it's almost shocking to hear Wal-Mart c.e.o. Lee Scott complaining about another retailer having too much market share.

BENTONVILLE, Ark. -- Putting action behind its statement earlier this year that organics and other healthy foods will play a bigger part in its stores, Wal-Mart Stores here is conducting a limited test market of Chicago-based Lifeway Foods, Inc.'s kefir product in up to 17 of its Chicago-land stores. The news, which came late Thursday, sent shares of Lifeway Foods soaring more than 20 percent early Friday.