EQUITY RETAIL BLOG

USPS to deliver groceries for e-tailers

It was announced in October that the U.S. Postal Service has been granted permission to start a two-year test of a customized delivery program for grocery e-tailers. The approval follows the postal service’s test partnership with AmazonFresh in San Francisco. Despite protests from a group knows as the Taxpayers Protection Alliance, the Postal Regulatory Commission […]

Costco to Build a New Store in Lawrence, NJ

Say hello to a new Costco in Lawrence, NJ.  Construction could start in the Spring.  From Brendan McGrath of the Times of Trenton: Costco has closed a $9.4 million deal to purchase 17 acres in Lawrence for a new store near Quaker Bridge Mall, the seller of the property said Thursday. The site plan for […]

Bottom Dollar to sell its 66 stores to Aldi

Delhaize Group announced yesterday that it has reached an agreement to sell all 66 Bottom Dollar Food stores to Aldi for approximately $15 million. 46 of the stores are in the Philadelphia region. Bottom Dollar will continue to operate its stores until the end of the year, at which time all the stores will close. […]

Whole Foods launches first-ever national ad campaign

Reacting to competitors who are increasingly selling natural and organic foods, Whole Foods launched its first-ever national ad campaign to remind consumers of the company’s buying standards, the origins of its products and the Whole Foods’ pioneering role in the industry. In a campaign that kicked off in October, Whole Foods is calling itself “America’s […]

Perishables driving sales growth for Save-A-Lot

Supervalu reported last month that a focus on perishables is responsible for sales growth at Save-A-Lot, whose fiscal second quarter sales increased 8% (to $1 billion) from the same quarter last year. Overall sales at Supervalu totaled $4 billion, a 1.8% increase. Supervalu CEO Sam Duncan also reported that identical stores sales at Save-A-Lot improved […]

Costco to keep expanding as rival Sam's Club struggles

Costco announced last month that it plans to boost capital spending in fiscal 2015 by 25% – 35% in order to open 31 new warehouses and relocate four others, and increase spending on remodeling activities. Costco CFO Richard Galanti said capital spending for 2015 will total about $2.6 billion, compared with $2 billion in fiscal […]

Wakefern's fiscal 2014 sales rise 4%

Wakefern Food Corp. reported last week that retail sales improved by 4% to $14.7 billion in the fiscal year that ended on September 27, 2014. During the fiscal year store openings included six ShopRite, five PriceRite and six Fresh Grocer stores. In addition, the company expanded its ShopRite from Home services to 214 stores.

C&S Wholesale wins auction for AWI

As reported in the Food Trade News last week, a U.S. Bankruptcy judge declared C&S Wholesale Grocers the winner of the auction to acquire the assets of Associated Wholesalers, Inc. (AWI), the PA-based co-operative. The bid was valued at $288.1 million, about $3.5 million more than Supervalu’s runner-up bid. The acquisition is expected to close on […]

Kings and Balducci's leaving White Rose for Wakefern

Angelo Gordon Supermarkets, which operates the Kings Food Markets and Balducci’s banners in the Northeast, has begun the process of switching from White Rose to Wakefern, according to published reports. Associated Wholesalers, Inc. (AWI), White Rose’s parent company, filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy last month and is expected to be sold at auction to C&S […]

PriceRite opens in Camden today

Camden, NJ’s first new supermarket in nearly 40 years comes today as PriceRite opens it’s doors to the public at the site of a former Pathmark that closed last year. Ravitz Family Markets, which operates five ShopRite stores, is the owner/operator. They plan to open a sixth ShopRite in Camden in 2016.