Trading Partners

CHICAGO - McDonald's Corp. on Thursday became the first major fast-food chain to ask its meat suppliers to phase out the routine use of growth-promoting antibiotics in animals.

INDIANAPOLIS - Marsh Supermarkets has begun offering online coupons at its Web site, www.marsh.net. The coupons are being provided through SmartSource Interactive Group.

MILAN, Ill. - Eagle Food Centers Inc., which owns and operates 59 supermarkets in Illinois and Iowa, announced today that it will commence a sale of substantially all of the assets of its operating units through competitive bidding procedures under Section 363 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code.

MINNEAPOLIS - Grocery distributor Supervalu on Friday confirmed it now supplies 31 SuperTarget stores located in Texas, Oklahoma and Louisiana. Target recently canceled a distribution deal with one of its former food suppliers, Fleming Cos., which in April filed for bankruptcy.

WASHINGTON - The Securities and Exchange Commission has requested information from top supermarket chains on how they account for payments from vendors, according to published reports.

SYRACUSE, N.Y - The Penn Traffic Company and its U.S. subsidiaries on Friday filed voluntary petitions for reorganization under chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code.

Sugar-free candies, gums, and mints are addressing a major market as diabetics, dieters, and the health-conscious provide a ready-made consumer base.

It could be higher profits and a competitive advantage, if a supermarket is putting its own moniker on over-the-counter products.