Newswatch 2010-03-22

FOOD LION TRIMS BLOOM EXPANSION

SALISBURY, N.C. — Four stores under development in the Raleigh, N.C., market will open under the Food Lion brand and not its more stylish sister banner Bloom, Food Lion here said last week. Food Lion spokeswoman Christy Phillips-Brown told SN that the company had decided to expand Bloom in existing markets rather than expand to new ones. The Raleigh expansion for Bloom was in the works for more than a year.

LOBLAW PILOTS SOLAR-POWER PROJECTS

BRAMPTON, Ontario — Loblaw Cos. here said it would install solar panels on four stores in Ontario as part of its commitment to reduce the environmental impact of its buildings. The retailer selected stores in Ajax, Orleans, Toronto and Whitby to receive photovoltaic panels as part of a pilot program. In all, the retailer said that the Ontario Power Authority had approved its applications for more than 100 rooftop solar installations through the Feed-in-Tariff program of Canada's Green Energy Act.

ROUNDY'S CHICAGO DEBUT DRAWS NEAR

MILWAUKEE — Roundy's Supermarkets' expansion to Chicago could begin with the opening of its first area store in Arlington Heights, Ill., in late spring or early summer, a spokeswoman for the chain here said. Roundy's, which previously has said it would open under a new trade name in Chicago as early as this spring, has revised its planned construction and opening schedules due to economic conditions, spokeswoman Vivian King added. She said Roundy's would provide a more specific opening date as well as a name and details of the new stores “sometime in the future.”

ONLINE ‘FOOD DESERT’ SOLUTION IN TEST

BALTIMORE — A new health department program announced here aims to serve food deserts — neighborhoods lacking supermarkets — through a free delivery system that operates in concert with local libraries, according to a report in the Baltimore Sun. The Virtual Supermarket Project offers library laptops where residents can order groceries online from Santoni's Super Market and pick them up at the Orleans Street library the next day, the report said. The program offers a second location at the Washington Village library in West Baltimore.

A&P LINKS SAVINGS TO CARDS VIA TEXT

MONTVALE, N.J. — A&P here has begun sending shoppers offers via text message and linking savings to their loyalty card when a reply message is received. Discounts are applied automatically when the card is swiped at the checkout, the retailer said. The text offer capability is provided by Zave Networks, the Kansas City, Kan.-based marketing company that also provides digital couponing for A&P.

BURD'S TOTAL PAY DOWN 19.5% IN '09

PLEASANTON, Calif. — The total compensation of Steve Burd, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Safeway, fell by 19.5% in 2009, to $10.89 million. In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, the company, based here, said Burd's compensation in all areas, including salary, stock-option awards, incentive bonuses, and pension value and deferred earnings, fell in 2009, relative to 2008 levels. For the first time, the total compensation value included the value of stock awards for the company's Blackhawk gift-card subsidiary. Burd's share totaled $491,611. The value of Blackhawk restricted stock — granted under a 2006 plan — was estimated to be $7.50 per Blackhawk share.