Trading Partners

AMSTERDAM - Consumer products maker Unilever NV said Monday it disagrees with a decision by supermarket chain Albert Heijn to pay its suppliers late, according to a Dow Jones news report.

AMSTERDAM - Dutch retailer Ahold, embroiled in an accounting scandal, said on Friday it would ask for permission to postpone publication of its disputed 2002 results until the end of November at the latest.

DALLAS -- Fleming Cos. has delayed supplies to customers, and more delays could be forthcoming as suppliers postpone shipments following the grocery distributor's bankruptcy filing last week, according to the company's interim c.e.o. Pete Willmott.

MILAN, Ill. - Eagle Food Centers, Inc., which owns and operates 61 supermarkets in Illinois and Iowa, announced today that it and four of its wholly-owned subsidiaries have filed voluntary petitions for reorganization under Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code.

LAWRENCEVILLE, N.J. and CHICAGO - UCCnet and Transora announced separately today that The Kroger Co. will participate in their services as part of its latest technology initiatives to improve its supply chain.

SYRACUSE, N.Y. - Penn Traffic is bringing thousands of hard-to-find foods, personal care products and baby supplies to customers of its 212 supermarkets, thanks to a new partnership with neXpansion.

NEW YORK - At least four major foodmakers -- Kraft Foods, Tyson Foods, General Mills and H.J. Heinz -- have acknowledged that they are cooperating with federal investigations into possible accounting fraud at U.S. Foodservice, Ahold's food distribution business.

NEW YORK - A number of produce and packaged food providers to Fleming Cos Inc. on Thursday said the bankrupt grocery distributor could not use the money they are owed, citing a Depression-era law.