RANDALLS NOW GETTING POULTRY FROM A TEXAS-BASED SUPPLIER

LAURA KLEPACKI

HOUSTON -- Randalls Food Markets here has replaced the fresh poultry line of an out-of-state supplier with the product of a Texas-based company.

Walt Frewin, meat director at Randalls, said the fact that its new supplier is from Texas is one of the reasons for the change.

Randalls announced the switch in a half-page newspaper ad last month, which noted the new supplier is "Texas-based." The chain is also using in-store signs to alert its customers.

"We've been carrying it for six weeks now," said Frewin. "It is doing very well."

He said prices of the new line are "pretty close, if not better than what we were carrying before." Randalls devotes between 12 and 16 feet to fresh poultry in its stores, said Frewin.

Randall's operates 110 stores under the Randalls and Tom Thumb banners.