Trading Partners

NEW YORK -- In an apparent bid to prevent three drug makers from postponing the release of Plavix into the lower-price world of generics, Kroger Co. here filed a civil antitrust lawsuit last Thursday to the trio alleging they've entered into an illegal settlement of a patent lawsuit involving the popular Plavix blood thinner.

PLOVER, Wisc. -- The National Association for Retail Marketing Services (NARMS) here said it is expecting nearly 500 attendees from around the world at its 11th annual spring conference and business meeting, to be held April 1-4 at Amelia Island Plantation in northeast Florida.

CHICAGO -- Global voluntary supermarket network IGA has named its 2006 President's Cup Award winners, honoring four licensed grocery distribution centers for their gains in IGA retail sales from the prior year, net increase in total IGA retail square footage, the number of supermarkets added to the IGA system, the IGA Operational Assessment rating, IGA brand support, Hometown Proud involvement, and participation in IGA events.

KALAMAZOO -- How to survive in an increasingly competitive environment, dealing with workforce challenges and appealing to a growing Hispanic population are among the topics to be addressed at Western Michigan University's 41st Food Marketing Conference to be held here March 27-28.

SCARBOROUGH, Maine -- Hannaford Supermarkets here said yesterday it was taking part in Upromise, a free Needham, Mass.-based service that helps families earn money back for college when they buy hundreds of products made by from participating manufacturers. Shoppers at any Hannaford location will now be able to benefit from the program.

BATON ROUGE, La. -- Associated Grocers, Inc. of Baton Rouge, La., is on the trail to data synchronization, planning to connect its existing systems to the 1SYNC data pool.

BENTONVILLE, Ark. -- In celebration of National Frozen Food Month in March, Wal-Mart supercenters across the country shared the National Frozen Food Association's "Warm Up to Frozen" message on Saturday by offering a calendar, tied to the upcoming 20th Century Fox release "Ice Age: The Meltdown," that features frozen food tips and vendor information.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- National Beef Packing Co., LLC (National Beef) and its majority owner, U.S. Premium Beef, LLC (USPB), based here, have entered into a non-binding agreement to acquire Brawley Beef, LLC.