Dollar Tree to Accelerate Rollout of Coolers

CHESAPEAKE, Va. - Dollar Tree Stores here yesterday said it would accelerate its rollout of refrigerated and frozen foods at its stores, noting the additional products are increasing store traffic and average ticket, Bob Sasser, president and chief executive officer, said in a conference call. Dollar Tree added freezers and coolers to 170 stores during the fiscal third quarter ended Oct. 28 and expects to end the year with frozen and refrigerated products in about 640 stores, or 150 more than initially forecast. Dollar Tree said strong sales of Halloween goods helped boost quarterly sales by 14.3% to $910.4 million, with comparable-store sales increasing by 4%.