Trading Partners

BOISE, Idaho -- Albertsons, Inc. has elevated Duncan Mac Naughton, who most recently served as group v.p./grocery merchandising, to s.v.p. of merchandising. In his new post Mac Naughton will lead Albertsons merchandising efforts across food, general merchandise, health and beauty care, fuel, and alcohol.

DALLAS - Wal-Mart Stores Inc. announced today that it will widen its trial of radio frequency identification tags in northern Texas to several more products, among them large items like bicycles and lawnmowers, according to the Dallas Morning News and other published reports.

HOMEWOOD, Ill. - Carl Buddig & Co., based here, one of the country's leading suppliers of private label, thin-sliced meats, has been named Supervalu's 2004 "Supplier of the Year." The Minneapolis-based supermarket retailer presents the award annually for outstanding performance.

WASHINGTON - Jennifer Tong will join the United Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Association (UFFVA) here July 1 as director of food safety and nutrition outreach. She brings an extensive background in food safety and nutrition within the restaurant industry.

MADISON HEIGHTS, Mich. - Approximately 8,500 members of the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Union, Local 876 -- working at 86 Michigan Kroger stores -- are now covered by a grocery contract in the Midwest.

WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W.Va. - Joseph A. Pichler, who will retire later this month as chairman of The Kroger Co., was the recipient of the 2004 Hall of Achievement Award by the Grocery Manufacturers of America (GMA).

WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W.Va. - The CPG industry's financial performance in 2003 continued to rebound as median net sales rose nearly two percentage points to 6.5 percent from 4.6 percent in 2002, and returns on sales and assets continued to climb for most companies, according to a study released during GMA's Executive Conference here.

INDIANAPOLIS - A continuing weak local economy, high unemployment, and competitive new supermarket square footage were the reasons cited for Marsh Supermarkets' net loss, the company announced yesterday.