H-E-B HIGHLIGHTS NEW WAREHOUSE

HOUSTON -- H-E-B Grocery Co. told shoppers here to expect fresher produce and faster deliveries from the warehouse to the store as a result of its pending move into a local distribution facility.

"This center is another way we cut costs and pass those savings on to you."

H-E-B, which is based in San Antonio, acquired the former Safeway-AppleTree retail support complex here last summer from AppleTree and expects to have the facility operational by spring.

It will use the facility to supply its 30 H-E-B units and 62 Pantry Foods stores in southeast Texas. The majority of the Pantry Foods units are in the Houston area.

The newspaper ad included pictures of 16 members of the support center's executive staff, including Ken Allen, described as the leader of the Houston retail support team.