Newswatch 2008-10-06

WEGMANS PHASING IN ‘RETRO’ LOGO

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Wegmans Food Markets here has begun introducing a new store logo that harks back to its logo of the 1930s and 1940s. The script logo, which appears on sales fliers and new employee uniforms arriving this week, conveys “warmth and personal attention to detail,” and the “family culture,” of the company, Colleen Wegman, president of the chain, said in a statement. “It was time to go back to a logo that is welcoming, because it is more like a family signature.” Wegmans said it would gradually phase out the current block-letter-style logo, first introduced in the 1970s, over several years.

FORMER CRISPERS CEO SENTENCED

TAMPA, Fla. — David Haas, the former interim chief executive officer of the Crispers restaurant chain owned by Publix, was sentenced to two years in prison Friday for embezzling more than $400,000 from the company. Haas was hired by Publix as a financial consultant to oversee its investment in Crispers, and was named interim CEO of the subsidiary when Publix acquired the chain outright in February 2007. Haas pleaded guilty to charges that on three occasions in August 2007 he ordered money to be transferred to accounts he controlled under the guise of making payments for new restaurant locations and to an executive search company.

KROGER, UNION AGREE ON DEAL

INDIANAPOLIS — More than 1,100 workers at Kroger stores in central Indiana voted to approve a new contract with the Cincinnati-based retailer, United Food and Commercial Workers Local 700 here said Monday. The deal includes “significant” wage increases and bonuses; improvements to the health and welfare program; and increases in paid vacation days, the local union said. The deal follows an agreement by meat and deli workers represented by Local 700 reached earlier this year with Kroger.

METRO INC. LANDS IN ONTARIO

MONTREAL — Ontario shoppers are dining at home more often and buying more private-label items in an effort to reduce expenses, according to a consumer survey conducted for Metro Inc. here, the retailer said. The survey results — along with a relaunching of the Metro website — coincided with the first unveiling of the Metro banner at stores in Ontario last week. The shopper survey, conducted by Ipsos Reid, said Ontario residents view value for money (46%), product quality (20%) and location (16%) as the main considerations for choosing a supermarket. Nearly 75% of shoppers surveyed said they believe private-label items help them keep costs down. Metro's relaunched consumer website features new content such as nutrition news and a catalog of 3,500 recipes.

HEINEN'S, GIANT EAGLE REACH DEAL

CLEVELAND — Union workers at Heinen's and Giant Eagle stores here have reportedly reached an agreement on a new contract. Published reports said United Food and Commercial Workers Local 880 here would vote on the deals, covering about 8,700 workers, later this month. As reported previously in SN, Local 880 workers agreed to extensions of a contract that was to have expired last month. Negotiations are continuing for union-represented grocery workers at Giant Eagle's Akron, Ohio-area stores, as well as for workers at Acme, Fishers Foods and Stop-n-Shop stores, the report said.