NEWS WATCH: TOPS TO SELL 12 STORES IN ADIRONDACKS TO C&S... D&W FOOD CENTERS ELIMINATES 150 JOBS: REPORT... KROGER, UNION REACH TENTATIVE PACT IN VIRGINIA...

TOPS TO SELL 12 STORES IN ADIRONDACKS TO C&S

last week that it would sell 12 stores located in the Adirondack region to C&S Wholesale Grocers, Keene, N.H. The 12 stores are among the 31 that Tops parent Ahold announced were for sale in July. Schenectady, N.Y.-based Price Chopper previously said it would purchase six of the 31 stores, and two other locations were sold back to landlords. Tops said C&S would assume control of the stores beginning in mid-February and that they would remain open and operate as usual in the interim. The stores to be sold were acquired by C&S from Grand Union when that chain liquidated early in 2001 and subsequently spun off to Tops. C&S officials were not available for comment.

D&W FOOD CENTERS ELIMINATES 150 JOBS: REPORT

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- D&W Food Centers reportedly has cut 150 jobs -- about 8% of the workforce -- of the 20-store chain here. According to the Grand Rapids Press, cuts made last week were immediate and involved hourly workers, middle management and department heads at corporate headquarters and at retail facilities. D&W officials were not available for comment.

KROGER, UNION REACH TENTATIVE PACT IN VIRGINIA

CINCINNATI -- Kroger here said it has reached a tentative agreement on a new contract with United Food and Commercial Workers Local 400, Roanoke, Va. The deal covers approximately 3,500 workers at 47 Kroger stores in Virginia, West Virginia and Tennessee. Details of the contract were not made public. Kroger and the union had been negotiating since February on a new contract. The previous deal, set to expire in April, was extended indefinitely as the sides negotiated and the union authorized a strike.

WEIS REPORTS SALES, EARNINGS RISE IN 3RD QUARTER

SUNBURY, Pa. -- Sales increased by 3.2% and earnings were up by 11.9% for Weis Markets here during the fiscal third quarter ending Sept. 24, the company said. Weis reported earnings of $13.7 million on sales of $535.3 million, with comparable-store sales increasing by 3.3%. Weis said sales improved in center store and produce, while higher fuel costs and credit and debit interchange fees also impacted results.

EXECUTIVES ON TAP FOR CANADIAN CONFERENCE

TORONTO -- Retail executives including Eric Richer LaFleche of Metro and Norman Mayne of Dorothy Lane Markets are scheduled to make presentations here this week at Grocery Innovations Canada 2005. LaFleche, executive vice president and chief operating officer of Metro, Montreal, will present perspectives on the industry in the wake of Metro's purchase of A&P's Canadian assets. Mayne, chief executive of Dayton, Ohio-based Dorothy Lane, will speak on creating promotions that connect with customers.

TREE OF LIFE, RALPHS TO END DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENT

ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. -- Natural and specialty food distributor Tree of Life here said last week that it could not come to terms with Ralphs Grocery Co., on a new distribution agreement and would stop supplying the Los Angeles-based retailer by the end of the year. "Ultimately we were unable to reach terms that would have been accretive to our strategic goals," Brian Evers, regional president of Tree of Life, said in a statement. Officials from Ralphs and its Cincinnati-based parent company Kroger, were not immediately available for comment.