Market Trends

Swiss food and beverages giant Nestle SA today expressed interest in taking full control of the Haagen-Dazs ice cream business by buying the 50 percent stake owned by its partner in the venture, Pillsbury Co., the Associated Press reported.

Supervalu Inc. today announced advances in its extreme value retail strategy in its Southeast market with the acquisition of nine Save-A-Lot stores from former licensee Super Discount Markets Inc.

Britain's Safeway Plc reported strong second quarter sales on Thursday with like-for-like sales rising 5.4 percent, keeping the country's fourth biggest food retailer in the running among its top competitors.

Andy Small, senior vice president, Northern California Supermarkets for Ralphs Grocery Company, was recently elected California Grocers Association Chairman of the Board.

Kmart has been pressuring some of its suppliers to give it cash back and make other concessions to help its own bottom line, according to The New York Times.

Fleming Cos. Inc., the No. 2 U.S. wholesale food supplier behind Supervalu Inc., today reported a 52 percent increase in third quarter 2001 net earnings to $22.8 million, or $0.47 per share, after adjustments to exclude strategic plan charges and one-time items, compared to $15.0 million, or $0.37 per share, in the third quarter of 2000.

Food distributors are being squeezed by three powerful trends that are pressing the industry to further increase efficiencies in distribution centers (DCs) and try even harder to meet customers' logistics needs, according to the 2001 Food Industry Distribution Center Benchmarking Report, recently released by FDI and FMI.

Vitasoy USA, producer and marketer of soy beverages and tofu, has announced the appointment of Thomas Osetek to president and CEO.