Frozen Foods

Helped in no small measure by its still-burgeoning food sales, particularly in the perimeter, BJ's Wholesale Club, Inc. said yesterday that June 2008 sales soared by 18.8 percent to $1.05 billion, from $887 million in the year-ago period. June 2008 comparable-club sales jumped by 16.5 percent, including a contribution from sales of gas worth 8.2 percent. The company attributed merchandise comparable-club sales growth of 8.3 percent to a higher-than-expected mix of low-margin consumable items such as paper products, HBC, and household chemicals.

In addition to its partnership with commercial refrigeration systems manufacturer Hill Phoenix on the design and installation of the first next-generation CO2 refrigeration system in North America at a newly remodeled store in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., Price Chopper has other environmentally friendly irons in the fire.