Nonfoods

MINNEAPOLIS -- Denny Werner of Arden Hills, Minn., was awarded the grand prize for his grocery-bag artwork in Cub Foods' "Create Your Community Contest" held at the Silver Lake Cub Foods store in St. Anthony, Minn., June 28.

PHOENIX, Ariz. -- Publix is not the only grocer giving the Hispanic segment of its shoppers a store to call their own. Pro & Sons Ranch Market yesterday celebrated the grand opening of its latest Hispanic specialty prototype here, a 103,140-square-foot Phoenix Ranch Market.

WASHINGTON -- Dairy industry representatives leapt to the defense of the safety and security of the nation's milk supply yesterday, in the wake of a study published by the National Academy of Sciences suggesting that the industry is vulnerable to terrorist attacks, detailing how the milk supply is vulnerable, and theorizing that hundreds of thousands of citizens could be poisoned.

BENTONVILLE, Ark. -- It's a good thing for Wal-Mart that people have to eat. The latest figures from ACNielsen's Wal-Mart Channel Service for the 52-weeks ended May 14, show that growth in food and beverage sales more than offset an actual decline in sales of UPC-coded general merchandise at Wal-Mart supercenters and discount stores over the past year.

CHESTERFIELD, Mo. -- St. Louis consumers definitely want their Dierbergs TV.

WEST BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- Shaw's Supermarkets here is installing 15-inch video monitors at checkout counters, in addition to 42-inch plasma TV screens, at 93 Shaw's and Star Market stores in the Boston area, as part of a chainwide media network, according to a report in the city's Herald newspaper.

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Sprouts Farmers Market, a natural foods chain with 13 locations in California and Arizona, said it is embarking on an aggressive expansion plan for Arizona and Texas in the next five years.

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Trade association leaders praised legislation introduced last week by Sen. Rick Santorum (R-Pa.) to replace the mandatory country of origin labeling law with a voluntary program for produce, meat, seafood and peanuts.