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NEWSWATCH

BASHAS' TO HALT HOME DELIVERIES CHANDLER, Ariz. Bashas' last week said it would cease home delivery of groceries after May 31 as part of a plan to streamline operations. Any cutbacks in order-taking, selection and delivery personnel related to elimination of the chain's Groceries on the Go program were included earlier this month in the chain's announcement that it was eliminating more than 100 jobs.

BASHAS' TO HALT HOME DELIVERIES

CHANDLER, Ariz. — Bashas' last week said it would cease home delivery of groceries after May 31 as part of a plan to streamline operations. Any cutbacks in order-taking, selection and delivery personnel related to elimination of the chain's Groceries on the Go program were included earlier this month in the chain's announcement that it was eliminating more than 100 jobs. “Operating expenses for this [home-delivery] service, especially the cost of fuel, have increased dramatically, making it extremely difficult to offer this service at a reasonable fee,” said Mike Proulx, president and chief operating officer. Bashas' said it is sending customers who have used the service during the past six months a coupon for $5 off orders of $50 or more at the stores.

WAL-MART CANADA SELECTS AD AGENCY

MISSISSAUGA, Ontario — Wal-Mart Canada here said it had selected noted Canadian brand marketer J. Walter Thompson as its advertising agency of record in Canada. JWT replaces U.S.-based Publicis, except in Quebec, where Wal-Mart Canada continues to be represented by Allard-Johnson. Publicis had represented Wal-Mart since its arrival in Canada in 1994. “JWT will be a valuable partner in helping shape our future public and consumer image in Canada,” Vi Konkle, chief customer officer of Wal-Mart Canada, said in a statement.

ALDI PLANS TEXAS WAREHOUSE BY 2010

DENTON, Texas — Limited-assortment retailer Aldi plans to open its first Texas warehouse here within the next 18-24 months, a spokeswoman for the chain told SN last week. The Germany-based company, which has its U.S. headquarters in Batavia, Ill., has no stores in Texas yet, but plans to begin opening its compact, price-oriented outlets in the state as soon as the DC opens, the spokeswoman said. According to a report last week in the Dallas Morning News, the $40 million DC will encompass 500,000 square feet on 185 acres near Denton Municipal Airport. The paper said Aldi plans 25 stores in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, and said the DC will also serve Oklahoma, where Aldi has 13 stores. The news follows Aldi's pending expansion into the Florida.

A&P HEIR HARTFORD DEAD AT 97

NASSAU, Bahamas — Services were held here last week for Huntington Hartford II, the A&P heir noted for extravagantly spending a fortune on money-losing ventures and costly divorces. Hartford, the grandson and namesake of A&P's founder, died at age 97. He spent only a short time working for the family business, but inherited around $100 million in A&P stock, which he used to fund a series of failed ventures in the media, arts and entertainment fields. The Hartford family, which founded A&P in 1859, sold to Germany's Tengelmann Group in 1979. Tengelmann continues to be the retailer's largest holder.

UNION SEEKS BOYCOTT OF WOODMAN'S

MADISON, Wis. — Representatives of the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 1473 here last week urged a boycott of Woodman's Market, issuing pamphlets at Woodman's stores charging that the retailer had intimidated its union employees. As reported in SN earlier this year, Woodman's is seeking to decertify the union at five of its stores in response to employee petition. The National Labor Relations Board was considering the petition, reports said last week.