INGLES MARKETS, Black Mountain, N.C., closed last week on its acquisition of two shopping centers (including two supermarkets) and 11 leased supermarket facilities in central and northern Georgia from Bruno's, Birmingham, Ala. Ingles said it has leased one site to another company and is still deciding what to do with the other locations. Ingles operates 201 supermarkets, including 79 in Georgia.
re certain assets of two Fairbanks, Alaska-based independent food retailers -- Market Basket Inc. and Gavora Inc. -- for an undisclosed purchase price. The acquisition would strengthen Carr Gottstein's position as the dominant food retailer in its home state, said officials.
PEAPOD, Skokie, Ill., and supply chain management company Exel Logistics America, Columbus, Ohio, entered into a strategic alliance last week to develop customized warehousing and transportation solutions for Peapod's Internet grocery-shopping and delivery service. Exel will help Peapod develop warehouse-based fulfillment operations. It is expected that Exel will acquire, configure and operate a Peapod warehouse during 1998, and the arrangement may eventually extend to multiple metropolitan markets.
THE CALIFORNIA GROCERS ASSOCIATION honored Charles "Chuck" Collings, retiring president and chief executive officer of Raley's Supermarkets & Drug Centers, West Sacramento, Calif., at last week's CGA Educational Foundation Hall of Achievement Awards Dinner. In addition to his 42 years with Raley's, Collings was a past chairman of the CGA.
