Jon Springer

NEW YORK — In the year since announcing a surprise move to consolidate and take over management of four ailing pension funds, Kroger has seen the condition of those accounts improve slightly and heard from more unions interested in making a similar deal, Kroger’s chief financial officer said in an investment conference here Tuesday.

Few stores can afford to be as spectacular as Wegmans. But the Rochester, N.Y.-based retailer, whose stores draw praise for their innovative merchandising, nevertheless can provide an education for peers with smaller stores and more modest ambitions.

While many supermarkets strive to keep within a few percentage points of Wal-Mart Stores’ prices, WinCo Foods often undersells the massive discount chain.

MONTREAL — The sale of its stake in the Alimentation Couche-Tard convenience chain helped boost profits during the second quarter for Metro Inc., but the top line was under pressure from competitive openings, a calendar shift and disruption from the implementation of a new warehouse-management system.

MINNEAPOLIS — In his first quarterly address since taking the reins at a slimmed-down Supervalu, Sam Duncan said the company would focus on decentralizing its retail banners, a new commitment to pricing at Save-A-Lot and recharging its wholesale business.

KEASBEY, N.J. — ShopRite will open a new store later this year at the site of a former Pathmark in Glasgow, Del., a spokeswoman for Wakefern Food Corp. told SN this week.

Randall Onstead, president and chief executive officer of Bi-Lo Holdings, in an interview with SN’s Jon Springer addresses the integration of Bi-Lo and Winn-Dixie and his strategy for the combined company.