Nonfoods

ST. LOUIS -- Schnucks Markets here will give the traditional prepared foods department in its Arsenal supermarket "the boot," so to speak, with a specialty concept called "A Taste of Italy."

LAWRENCEVILLE, N.J. -- Associated Food Stores, Associated Wholesale Grocers, Supervalu, Unified Western Grocers, Wal-Mart, and Wegmans Food Markets combined their voices in a chorus to urge suppliers to adopt a number of strategic activities to expand data synchronization.

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The American Meat Institute Foundation held a teleconference briefing yesterday to try to blunt further controversy surrounding modified atmosphere packaging technology that uses carbon monoxide to help maintain meat's natural red color.

Some supermarket operators are gaining the expertise needed to make their stores more health-minded destinations -- but there's no miracle diet plan.

Pasta's rebound from its Atkins-era slump makes the category just right for full-meal merchandising.

HARLEYSVILLE, Pa. -- The Natural Marketing Institute (NMI) said yesterday that retail sales in the U.S. consumer packaged goods health and wellness industry reached $79 billion in 2005, accounting for total growth of 15 percent over 2004.

Retailers at a PG roundtable debate the pros and cons of loyalty programs.

NATICK, Mass. -- Thanks in large part to spectacular growth in comparable sales of private brands and perishables, BJ's Wholesale Club, Inc., based here, yesterday reported net income for the fourth quarter of 2005 of $51.6 million, or 76 cents per share, vs. $47.0 million, or 67 cents per share for the fourth quarter of 2004, a 13.4 percent rise in EPS.