NEWS ROUNDUP 2001-06-25

U.K.'s Safeway Expands HMR Line

nced plans to nearly double the number of items in the retailer's premium line of fresh meals. The Best, launched last year, already includes 200 dishes, ranging from entree proteins to soups to desserts. Now, officials with the Great Britain's fourth-largest supermarket chain said they want to add another 150 products by the end of this year. This extension, however, will focus more on ethnic options, such as Chinese and Asian/Indian cuisine. Elsewhere within the company, Safeway recently opened a prototype superstore that highlights fresh foods, and includes a juice bar, a take-home food area and a bakery staffed by associates trained under the guidance of classical French bakers, they said.

Equipment Maker Welcomes Russians

TROY, Ohio -- A group of Russian food retailers touring Ohio companies as part of a business education exchange program visited the technology center at Hobart Corp. The food equipment manufacturer is part of the Productivity Enhancement Program, organized by the Center for Citizen Initiatives, which sponsors the tours. The mission of the PEP is to stimulate a country's manufacturing, production and services to bring about economic and political stability. At Hobart, staff were introduced to the 11-person group and will offer business expertise on specific topics related to the food business. Participants in the past have included Procter & Gamble, Coca-Cola and General Mills, officials said.