Nonfoods

A joint promotion from Wegmans Food Markets and Driscoll's Berries aims to help some at-risk Rochester and Syracuse, N.Y. high school students graduate, according to a published account. For every package of Driscoll’s strawberries sold at Wegmans stores from July 13 through July 20, the supplier will donate 50 cents, up to a maximum of $15,000, to Hillside Work-Scholarship Connection.

Natural Marketing Institute (NMI) said Friday that retail sales within the U.S. consumer packaged goods health and wellness industry reached $102.75 billion in 2007, representing growth of 15 percent over 2006.

In connection with the widening recall of product from Nebraska Beef, Ltd., Giant Food Stores and Martin's Food Markets said they had taken private label Nature's Promise 90 percent lean fresh ground beef patties from the meat case, due to potential E. coli contamination.

An immediate suspension of the duty and quotas on imported ethanol would  lessen economic pressure on livestock and poultry producers, and ultimately, consumers, said the food industry groups.

TNS Retail Forward predicted that alternative gasoline retailers such as supermarkets will capture up to 17 percent of U.S. gasoline sales by 2012 thanks to the fuel-reward programs that are a major driver of growth outside the c-store industry.

Campbell's acquisition of the high profile gourmet brand bolsters both its organic and premium soup offerings.

The "Override" program from Shaw's and Irving runs through September, while ShopRite's initiative wraps up July 5.

The Supercenter giant is boasting that its partnerships with local farmers have grown by 50 percent over the past two years.