PIGGY WIGGLY CAROLINA CUTS 26 JOBS
CHARLESTON, S.C. — Piggly Wiggly Carolina here has laid off 26 workers at its offices and warehouse in response to the economic downturn, a spokeswoman for the chain told SN. According to a report in the Charleston Post and Courier newspaper, the chain said the layoffs would cut expenses and allow the chain to remain competitive. Piggy Wiggly Carolina employs about 5,000 workers among its offices, warehouses and 115 stores. Earlier this year, the company sold its truck fleet to a third party, then leased back the vehicles, reports added.
SPROUTS READIES COLORADO LAUNCH
PHOENIX — Sprouts Farmers Market will hold grand opening ceremonies for its first two stores in Colorado this week, the retailer here said. New store locations in the Denver suburbs of Westminster and Parker had soft openings late last week. Sprouts operates 28 stores featuring natural and organic foods and value pricing, the company said. The stores plan a variety of special events, including reusable shopping bag giveaways this week and during official grand opening ceremonies Oct. 22.
NGA TO INVITE SUPPLIERS TO BOARD
ARLINGTON, Va. — The National Grocers Association last week said that its board of directors approved an amendment to the current bylaws and approved four positions on its board to manufacturers and service suppliers for the first time. The NGA's executive committee is making nominations for the four positions. The nominations will go to the board and associate membership prior to the trade group's annual convention in February, NGA officials said. “Adding these new positions to the NGA board of directors will enable us to benefit from our suppliers' understanding of this industry, with its many challenges and opportunities. These leaders' knowledge and experience will be invaluable to the NGA as we move into the future,” said Mike Jackson, NGA chairman, and president and chief operating officer of Supervalu, in a statement.
N.Y. GROCER HIT WITH LABOR CHARGES
NEW YORK — Two owners of an Associated Supermarket here were arrested and charged with filing false documents with the state, defrauding employees and paying illegal wages. Mario Cuomo, attorney general of New York, also announced a lawsuit to recover over $600,000 in unpaid wages for the supermarket's 30 employees. According to Cuomo, baggers and packers at the store received only tips as compensation, often amounting to less than $30 a day, and that delivery workers logged more than 70 hours a week but received below-minimum-wage pay and no overtime in violation of state labor laws. Lawmakers also charged the executives, Bienvenido Nunez and Martin Duran, with falsifying records between 2004 and 2006.
SCHNUCK MARKETS BUYS TWO STORES
ST. LOUIS — Schnuck Markets here has acquired two independent supermarkets in Illinois and the lease to a third store, a company spokeswoman told SN last week. The privately owned chain bought a 60,000-square-foot Hart Food & Drug in O'Fallon and a 26,000-square-foot Park N Shop in Bethalto, both of which will be converted to the Schnucks banner as of Oct. 23. It also acquired the lease for a Park N Shop in Godfrey, which it will shutter today. Schnucks has a newly remodeled store in Godfrey. The Homer Group, a locally based operator, is the seller of the three stores.
‘DINNER FOR UNDER $10’ AT FOOD LION
SALISBURY, N.C. — Food Lion here is featuring “Dinner for Under $10,” a program that displays together all of the ingredients needed to make a meal for a family of four for less than $10. “We are focused on finding ways to help our customers save money in these tough economic times,” Gene Faller, Food Lion's vice president of dry category, said in a release. “Our goal is to provide our customers with low-cost, quick and easy meal solutions.” Featured meals change weekly, and include products from throughout the store. Last week's “Chili and Cornbread Dinner for 4” promotion, for example, included ground beef, canned kidney beans and canned diced tomatoes to mix with a chili seasoning, a corn muffin mix, and a Pillsbury Halloween cake mix with frosting for dessert. Food Lion's website currently offers shoppers an archived list of these meal ideas, including chicken pot pie dinners, spaghetti and meat sauce dinners, taco dinners and turkey tenderloin dinners, along with money-saving ideas for lunch, such as soup and grilled cheese sandwiches.
