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10/17/2008
The natural/organic distributor will combine executive and administrative offices by transferring about 150 employees to the American Locomotive Works (ALCO) mixed-use development on Valley Street in Providence. UNFI's distribution facility in Dayville, meanwhile, will remain its third-largest facility on the East Coast and the sixth-largest in the United States. "In Providence, UNFI has found an ideal environment for our business and a solid platform to deliver on our vision to contribute positively to the environment and provide people with healthier food, grown and produced naturally," said v.p. of sustainable development Tom Dziki.
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Progressive Grocer
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10/17/2008
Lakewood, Colo.-based Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage plans to open its first Austin, Texas store in Jan. 2009. The 11,000-square-foot facility will be Natural Grocers' third in the state. The grocer currently owns 27 stores in New Mexico, Texas, and Colorado. Kemper Isley, co-president of Natural Grocers, said he believes Austin's demographics match the company's model of a traditional natural foods store. "We've always considered ourselves synergistic with Whole Foods, and I think we'll be the same way with Central Market," said Isely, alluding to another prominent Austin specialty banner, owned by HEB.
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Progressive Grocer
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10/17/2008
Giant Eagle, Inc. said it has received Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certification for its store near the Columbus, Ohio suburb of New Albany. The 75,000-square-foot unit, opened in August 2007, earned Gold LEED certification following an eight-month review process, the grocer said. The award "underscores Giant Eagle's commitment to environmental responsibility," said Robert Garrity, who is the chain's s.v.p. of sustainability. "It is a continuation of our work thus far, and a step toward future initiatives."
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Progressive Grocer
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10/17/2008
The Fresh Market has eliminated 18 positions at its corporate and field offices, the Greensboro, N.C.-based specialty grocer confirmed with Progressive Grocer on yesterday. The 83-unit grocer attributed the layoffs to the current economic downturn. "The Fresh Market has decided to take a number of measured, preventive steps to address today's economic climate and to ensure the continued success and growth of the business."
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Progressive Grocer
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10/17/2008
In an obvious bid to attract new members, warehouse club chain Sam's Club for the first time is offering a $10 membership good for 10 weeks, for families and businesses not currently members. The Wal-Mart subsidiary will hold two weekend events, Oct. 17-19 and Oct. 24-26, for consumers to sign up for the special membership during regular club hours.
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Progressive Grocer
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10/17/2008
SCHAUMBURG, Ill. — A new study of home and personal care shoppers across 22 categories hopes to show marketers how to keep consumers from trading down in their brand purchases, according to the Nielsen Co. here. “As a CPG marketer, you don’t want to get it wrong in the fleeting nanosecond of purchase decision,” said David Parma, global head of Nielsen Consumer Research.
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Supermarket News
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10/17/2008
KANSAS CITY, Kan. — At nine stores operated by Balls Food Stores here, between 9% and 19% of sales dollars are processed through self-checkout lanes, depending on the overall sales volume of the store, said Barb Ramsour, director of information systems for the 29-store, dual-banner chain. Ramsour spoke about Balls’ self-checkout program yesterday in an SN-hosted webinar, “How Self-Service Is Transforming Retail,” sponsored by NCR.
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Supermarket News
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10/17/2008
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The California Grocers Association here said it is one of four private-sector partners that has agreed to work with the California Office of Emergency Services in a new statewide disaster-response system designed to expedite relief efforts and maximize critical resources. The other private-sector partners are Wal-Mart Stores, Business Executives for National Security and the California Utilities Emergency Association. According to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, “Having the private sector side-by-side with state and federal emergency management personnel will expedite response activities and maximize resources.”
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Supermarket News
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10/17/2008
BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Sam’s Club here said yesterday it plans to hold in-store events over the next two weekends to sign up families and businesses for $10 memberships good for 10 weeks — the first time it has offered short-term memberships. According to Mike Turner, vice president, membership, for Sam’s, “We know we can easily demonstrate the value at Sam’s Club in just one shopping trip. With a temporary 10-week membership, we’ll be able to give those who sign up a good chance to see what we can do for them everyday and through the holidays.”
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Supermarket News
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10/17/2008
TORONTO — Citing “an unworkable union contract” that increased costs by more than 30%, Wal-Mart Canada on Thursday closed the Tire Lube Express automotive center at its discount store in Gatineau, Quebec. The center won certification with the United Food and Commercial Workers union in 2005, and a contract was imposed by the Quebec Labor Board in August. “For three years Wal-Mart Canada participated in the bargaining and arbitration process in good faith with the hope of achieving a reasonable contract that would keep the Gatineau TLE open,” Andrew Pelletier, a spokesman for Wal-Mart Canada.
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Supermarket News
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10/15/2008
California strawberry production is shifting from Salinas-Watsonville to Oxnard as the season changes. Southern growers say the warm weather has the crop ripening more quickly than anticipated, reported California Farm Bureau.
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IFDA Daily Update
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10/15/2008
A small-scale imaging system that inspects and sorts wheat samples and other grains at moderate speeds with 95% to 99% accuracy was developed by Agricultural Research Service scientists. In the new system, suitable for small-scale operations, a single camera captures color images of three sides of each kernel, and a personal computer processes the images. The system sorts 30 kernels per second, which equates to slightly more than 7.5-lbs. of wheat per hour.
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IFDA Daily Update
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10/15/2008
Scientists at the University of Florida and Florida International University are moving ahead with plans to build the Florida's first cellulosic ethanol plant on land belonging to sugar producer Florida Crystals. It would be the state's most ambitious biofuels project using technology that has only been used on a couple of small pilot projects around the country, according to Miami Herald.
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IFDA Daily Update
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10/15/2008
Several governments, scientists and conservationists are calling for a ban on fishing for the Mediterranean bluefin tuna, a species threatened with extinction. Members of the International Union for Conservation of Nature passed a resolution which urges a total ban on fishing the species and for the creation of a sanctuary for bluefin tuna around Spain's Balearic islands, reported Reuters.
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IFDA Daily Update
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10/15/2008
Organic apple production at Rainier Fruit Co. should increase 200% this year, claims marketing director Suzanne Wolter. Organic's share of total apple production for the company will increase from about 5% last year to close to 15% this year, reported The Packer Online.
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IFDA Daily Update
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10/15/2008
JC Produce LLC will shut down its operations by the end of the year, according to company official John Tedesco. Mr. Tedesco stated JC Produce was hurt by the weak economy, the high cost of fuel and a salmonella scare this summer that caused restaurants, distributors and supermarkets to dump tens of millions of dollars worth of tomatoes, reported The Sacramento Bee.
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IFDA Daily Update
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10/15/2008
Dole Food Company, Inc. intends to appeal this decision and the fine imposed.
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IFDA Daily Update
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10/15/2008
The European Union fined the importers of Dole and Del Monte bananas $82.9 million, claiming they operated an illegal banana cartel. The EU claimed Chiquita was a part of the cartel that fixed prices for bananas in eight EU nations, but was not fined after revealing the price-fixing scheme, reported The Associated Press.
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IFDA Daily Update
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10/15/2008
Many European consumers buy genetically modified (GM) foods when they are available in supermarkets despite claiming that they avoid products bearing a GM label, according to an EU survey. Public surveys generally indicate a consumer aversion to GM foods, but the same people who claimed they would not buy GM-labeled goods did not actively avoid them, reported Euractiv.
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IFDA Daily Update
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10/15/2008
Legislation being considered in Brussels may have an upward effect on the prices Europeans pay for food, according to a study by the European Center for Agriculture, Regional and Environmental Policy Research. The proposals will revise the authorization directive that regulates the agrochemical substances used by farmers in the EU. In the worst-case scenario, the research shows that prices for cereals and vegetables could rise by 73% and 104% respectively across the EU, reported The Herald.
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IFDA Daily Update
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10/15/2008
The cost of food in the UK is rising at a fast rate. A 12.7% increase in food prices in September from a year earlier helped to drive overall inflation last month to 5.2%, its highest level in 16 years. Because it has a small farming sector, Britain imports more of its food than other economies, reported The Wall Street Journal.
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IFDA Daily Update
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10/15/2008
Advertise in the IFDA updateConfectioners could see decreased prices in commodity exchanges as speculators leave the market. Between Sep. 30 and Oct. 7, the exchange saw a 73% fall in speculator positions in sugar, as the global credit crisis caused many positions to be sold, reported Food Navigator USA.
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IFDA Daily Update
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10/15/2008
Revolution Foods presents a new method of providing healthy, farm-fresh meals to California students. The meals meet the state's nutritional guidelines, are at least 60% organic, the meat and dairy are free of added hormones and antibiotics and every meal comes with a whole piece of fresh fruit or vegetable. The company makes more than 12,000 breakfasts, lunches and snacks each day for schools throughout the San Francisco Bay Area, reported California Farm Bureau.
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IFDA Daily Update
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10/15/2008
Some 26% of consumers plan to spend less on the holidays this year , according to a survey by The NPD Group. In the 2007 survey, only 18% stated they planned to spend less. About 63% of consumers plan to spend the same amount, whereas in 2007 some 70% reported expecting to do so. About 11% plan to spend more, the same as last year.
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IFDA Daily Update
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10/15/2008
The Coca-Cola Co. had a 5% increase in worldwide case volume in the third quarter of 2008, including 3% growth in carbonated drinks and 10% growth in uncarbonated drinks. Unit case volume in the North America Group, however, declined 2% in the quarter, reflecting the continuing difficult U.S. economic environment. Retail unit case volume declined 1% and foodservice and hospitality declined 3%. The continued successful execution of the three-cola strategy resulted in Coca-Cola Classic, Diet Coke and Coca-Cola Zero combined gaining volume and value share in the U.S. Coca-Cola Zero continued to deliver strong performance, increasing unit case volume 30% in the quarter, cycling strong double-digit growth in the prior year quarter.
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IFDA Daily Update
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