Supermarket & Grocery Industry News

TORONTO - CoolBrands International Inc., a leader in the consumer products and franchising segments of the frozen dessert industry, said yesterday that it had acquired from Parmalat the Kinnet Dairy DSD ice cream distribution business located mainly in Georgia, with additional distribution coverage in parts of Alabama and South Carolina.

BOISE, Idaho - Albertsons, Inc. said yesterday that it has completed the rollout of a new dollar zone concept in all 2,500 of its food and drug stores in 37 states, covering all banners, among them Jewel-Osco, Acme, Albertsons-Osco, Albertsons-Sav-on, Sav-on Drugs, Osco Drug, Super Saver, Shaw's, and Star Market.

MEXICO CITY - The Federal Competition Commission, Mexico's antitrust agency, gave its conditional approval late last week for three of the nation's biggest retailers to merge some operations in their battle to wrest profits from mighty Wal-Mart de Mexico (Walmex).

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. - Altoona, Pa.-based convenience store chain Sheetz, Inc. has entered into a licensing agreement with KSS Ltd., a global supplier of pricing systems, for KSS' PriceStrat merchandise pricing and promotions solution.

WASHINGTON - Stiff tariffs imposed on imported shrimp by the Bush administration this week may lead to higher prices on imported product, but it may also open up some opportunities at retail for alternative domestic sources, industry observers have told Progressive Grocer.

PLEASANTON, Calif. - Safeway, Inc. has completed a successful Global Data Synchronization (GDS) initiative with Unilever, an international producer and marketer of food and home and personal care products.

PLANO, Texas - In a move designed to reinforce its position as the "brother-in-arms" to the independent grocer, StoreNext Retail Technologies LLC this month launched its Declaration for Independents campaign.

Sales and merchandising may center on the winter holidays, but the time is always right for an exciting hors d'oeuvres assortment.