Nonfoods

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. -- Sears, Roebuck, and Co. here yesterday announced the launch of its newest off-mall format, Sears Essentials, which will leverage the best of Sears along with convenience-inspired goods such as pantry items, health and beauty supplies, pet food, and toys, plus pharmacy and other services.

MINNEAPOLIS -- Supervalu, Inc. said yesterday that it had completed its cash tender offer for all outstanding shares of common stock of Milwaukee-based Total Logistics, Inc., a national provider of integrated third-party logistics services and manufacturer of refrigeration systems. The tender offer began Jan. 7 and expired at midnight EST on Feb. 4.

NEW YORK -- With Super Bowl XXXIX just days away, several VNU businesses yesterday released a marketing guide based on in-depth analysis of trends related to the big game, combining data from numerous sources including television ratings, advertising expenditures, Internet measurement, album sales, box-office, consumer and lifestyle information, merchandise sales, consumer segmentation and targeting, comprehensive market research, and retail consumer sales for of the event.

GILBERT, Ariz. -- Henry's Farmers Market, Wild Oats' fresh foods grocery store, plans to hire up to 220 full- and part-time employees for its new stores here in the Gilbert Commons shopping center and Mirador Square shopping center. Both stores are scheduled to open in late March.

NEW YORK -- The Grain Foods Foundation yesterday launched a multimillion-dollar public education campaign to highlight the beneficial role that grain products, particularly bread, play in a healthy, balanced diet. The campaign, launched here and Washington, D.C., is the foundation's first effort to publicize the nutritional benefits of breads and grains.

BENTONVILLE, Ark. ¿ Wal-Mart and Sam's Club pharmacies will offer complimentary cholesterol and blood pressure screenings as part of two Healthy Heart Community Events this month to raise awareness of the nation's No. 1 killer -- heart disease.

Smart operators are pulling out all the stops to offer catering programs, cooking classes, and other tactics to excite shoppers and sell more perishables.

Carbonated soft drink supermarket growth is being fueled by diets and flavors.