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Archive for Week of Dec 1, 2009
 SUPERMARKET NEWS
Acme Local 1360 Workers Continue To Talk On New Contract
Acme Markets had made some progress with union workers on a new contract as both sides continue to talk and avert a threat of an immediate strike. United Food and Commercial Workers Local 1360 have authorized a strike for South Jersey ACME workers prior to Thanksgiving if a contract dispute is not resolved. The union has been without a contract since April 25.
A strike vote was taken on Nov. 10 with an overwhelming majority of union members voting a strike. Local 1360 represents about 2,500 ACME Market workers in 30 Acme stores in southern New Jersey.
The major dispute is health care and benefits. Both sides were waiting to see about information from Blue Cross/Blue Shield. According to a union announcement on its website, “as long as both parties are working together it is not in anyone’s best interest to have a work stoppage.”
Dietrich Coffee Terms Green Mountain Coffee Bid ‘Superior Proposal’
Just prior to Thanksgiving, Diedrich Coffee, announced that its Board of Directors has determined that the recently revised offer from Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, continues to be a “Superior Proposal” to the terms of the proposed merger agreement with Peet's Coffee & Tea,
Peet's had until 5:00 p.m. November 27, to negotiate with Diedrich Coffee to amend the current merger agreement.
Diedrich Coffee markets thre brands of specialty coffee including Diedrich Coffee, Cofe People and Gloria Jean’s Coffees, through office coffee service distributors, restaurants, and specialty retailers. Diedrich Coffee is one of four roasters under license to produce K-Cups for Keurig Coffee.
Last Minute Stop & Shop Donation Provides Relief For Local Food Banks
On Nov. 24, The Greater Boston Food Bank, Rhode Island Community Food Bank, and The Open Door Food Pantry received an unexpected donation from the Stop & Shop which included complete turkey dinners for more than 850 families. The donation is in addition to Stop & Shop's annual Turkey Express program which delivered 20,000 turkeys, nearly 280,000 pounds, to local hunger relief organizations in November.
Each turkey dinner serves six to eight people and includes a fully cooked 10-12 pound turkey with all the fixings, including mashed potatoes, stuffing, butternut squash, gravy and cranberry relish. Additional information about each donation is below:
In addition to its annual Turkey Express donation, Stop & Shop recently awarded a $1.5 million, three year grant to 17 local Feeding America food banks to support hunger relief efforts. The company also encourages customer involvement through its annual Food for Friends program.
Through in-store donations and a corporate matching program, Stop & Shop hopes to raise an additional $1 million dollars for local hunger relief organizations through Food for Friends. The company will match the first $500 raised by each store. Food for Friends ends Dec. 3.
Retail Latest Word…
The Awards and Recognition Department of Advantage Sales and Marketing (ASM) awarded Jerry Capaldi the Chairman’s Award for Superior results and achievements in the Northeast. Sonny King, chief executive officer of ASM said, “Jerry has 27 years of outstanding sales results. He is very well respected by customers, clients and associates.”
Acosta Sales & Marketing, Marlboro, Mass., has appointed Tom Hansen as a performance analyst and Josh Green as a sales support supervisor.
Food Lion remains strongly interested in acquiring some BI-LO assets even though the Southern grocer filed a new reorganization plan with the United States Bankruptcy Court.
Vestcom, a supplier of integrated shopper marketing solutions. named John Lawlor as chairman and chief executive officer. Mr. Lawlor succeeds the company’s founder Steve Bardwell who will remain as a member of the board of directors.
The Rhode Island Food Dealers Assn. will celebrate its annual meeting and 100th anniversary on Saturday, Dec. 5 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, Newport, R.I. beginning at 5:30 p.m.
   
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 FOODSERVICE NEWS
Boston Culinary Group Merges With Centerplate
Centerplate of Stamford, Conn., , a hospitality provider to many convention centers and sports venues, has signed a merger agreement with the Boston Culinary Group (BCG), and the transaction slated for early 2010.
Boston Culinary Group’s venue partners include Dolphin Stadium, the Bank Atlantic Center, home of the Florida Panthers; the Virginia Beach Convention Center; and 16 marquee ski resorts throughout the country,
With the addition of 12 premier university accounts, Centerplate will serve as hospitality partner to 29 universities including such pre-eminent schools as the University of Florida, University of Louisville, University of Alabama, Virginia Tech, Kansas State University, University of Mississippi, Yale University and Harvard University.
"We are thrilled to join Centerplate in continuing our legacy of combining culinary expertise with genuine customer service," said Joseph O'Donnell, founder and chairman of BCG. "Over the years, we have established a strong foundation based on hard work and dedication, and we are excited to continue building our business with Centerplate."
Additionally, Mr. O'Donnell will serve as chairman of Centerplate's Board of Directors and work with Des Hague (president and chief executive officer of Centerplate) to further the companies' history of outstanding client service and build additional long-term client relationships in the years ahead.
Epicurean Club of Boston Honors N.E Coffee’s Michael Kaloyanides and MRA’s Peter Christie
Michael Kaloyanides, vice president of product and business development at New England Coffee Company received the Purveyor of the Year Award from the Epicurean Club of Boston.
Peter Christie, CAE, president and chief executive officer of the Mass. Restaurant Assn. was awarded the Service to the Industry Award. Other awards handed out by the Epicurean Club at its Presidents Ball included the following: The Colonnade Hotel’s Executive Chef Nicholas Calias, CEC received the Special Recognition Award Recipient. Michael Ty, CEC, AAC received the Humanitarian Award. Jeffrey D. Barr was awarded the Chef Edward S. Daly Chef of the Year Award.
Common Man Celebrates National Award By Donating $45,000 to Five N.H. Charities
The Common Man family of restaurants in New Hampshire celebrated receiving a national humanitarian award by joining with local business partners in donating more than $45,000 to five Granite State charities.
Common Man owner Alex Ray was named the Cornerstone Humanitarian of the Year by the National Restaurant Association in a recent ceremony in Washington, D.C.. Mr. Ray said he wanted to continue the spirit of the award here at home by helping non-profits that make a difference in the state.
The New Hampshire Food Bank of Manchester, which received $15,345 from the Common Man was matched in full with a presentation by Judy Gove of the New Hampshire Electric Co-Op Foundation, bringing the total gifted to the food bank to $30,690. Other organizations receiving awards included: the Easter Seals Veterans Count Program in Manchester, The Nashua Soup Kitchen and Shelter in Nashua, Webster Place Recovery Center in Franklin, American Cancer Society Making Strikes Campaign of Concord.
New Hampshire Governor John Lynch congratulated Ray and the Common Man family with a proclamation, citing the good works the restaurant’s staff and employees do in local communities. “Alex understands he has a responsibility to the community, and I don’t know anyone in New Hampshire who takes that more seriously than Alex,” said Governor Lynch.
Food Service Latest Word…
The Mass. Convention Center Authority, in charge of the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center , is interested in expanding the convention center by adding exhibit space, an auditorium for special event and a 1,000 room hotel.
AGAR of Taunton, Mass., a wholesale food distributor was awarded the Int’l Food Manufacturers Assn. Distributor Sales and Marketing Performance Award for it sales and marketing programs.
Nathan’s Famous Hot Dogs appointed A.J. Letizio Sales & Marketing Food Service Division as its New England market representative.
Dunkin Donuts provided free coffee to all U.S. postal service letter carriers on Nov. 25.
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 C-STORE NEWS
U.S. Office Sounds The Alarm On Credit Card Interchange Fees
The National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS) and the Food Marketing Institute (FMI) both reacted to the late November release of the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) report, “Credit Cards: Rising Interchange Fees Have Increased Costs for Merchants but Options for Reducing Fees Pose Challenges.”
“The GAO confirmed key problems that we have raised about credit card interchange fees, also known as ‘swipe’ fees,” said Lyle Beckwith, NACS senior vice president of government relations. “They found that the 10 largest banks have a stranglehold on this market, have used it to raise their fees which all consumers pay and that small businesses and low-income, cash-paying consumers get the worst deal from this arrangement.”
FMI also issued the following statement from Leslie Sarasin, president and chief executive officer, on the report
“The GAO report confirms that credit card companies are increasing interchange fees, contrary to their claims — a trend they cleverly disguise by charging myriad rates for different industries and transactions. The GAO report recognizes that big banks benefit the most from rising interchange fees, while neighborhood supermarkets and other main street businesses struggle with swipe fee increases, forcing them to pass along the costs to consumers,” she said.
Key Pa. Court Case To Decide Beer Sales Next Year
Next year, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court will decide how beer can be sold in the state. Two food retailers with great interest are Wegmans and Sheets.
Retailers say selling beer in supermarkets under conditions approved by the state does not alter existing laws, but maybe brings some clarity to a set of alcohol regulations drafted immediately following the repeal of prohibition 76 years ago. For example, consumers must stop by separate stores to purchase a case of beer, a bottle of wine and a six-pack of beer.
Stan Sheetz, chief executive officer of Sheetz convenience stores, likens Pennsylvania’s alcohol laws to “a spider web,” he said. “It’s a mess.” Recently, Sheetz launched a petition campaign, Free My Beer, to change the state’s alcohol laws.
The current case centers around the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board (PLCB) giving Wegman’s a restaurant license transfer to allow on-site consumption of wine and beer. The Malt Beverage Distributors Association of Pennsylvania has issue with the fact that the license also give Wegmans the right to sell takeout six-packs of beer. In the spring, the Commonwealth Court ruled on the side of the PLCB, but the distributors appealed the decision. Now the state Supreme Court will decide this issue.
McLane Foodservice Appoints Scott Siers as VP of Business Development
McLane Foodservice of Carrollton, Texas, announced the appointment of Scott Siers as vice presaident of business development. His primary objective at McLane will be new business growth. Mr. Siers comes to McLane with more than 23 years of experience in sales development and marketing within the foodservice industry. The last seven years of his career have been with PepsiCo, where he held key roles in brand positioning, business development and general management. Most recently, as vice president of industry relations and business development, Mr. Siers led sales and marketing activities for all PepsiCo brands within the restaurant and hospitality industry.
C-Store Latest Word…
McLane Grocery and its Wa Wa New Jersey division received Food Logistics Golden Pallet award for food service distribution in the convenience store wholesaler category. The Golden Pallet Awards recognize excellence in warehousing.
Coca Cola announced plans to manufacture soft drink bottles from a material partially derived from plants. The new packaging will affect products in the U.S., Canada and Denmark. Coca Cola is targeting two billion bottles by the end of 2010.
Just in time for the holiday season, 7 UP is reintroducing Pomegranate 7Up, now with antioxidant Vitamin E in two liter bottles and 12 packs.
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 NEW CHANNELS
Private Equity Fund Acquires Balance Bar Co. From Kraft
Brynwood Partners has acquired the Balance Bar Co. from Kraft Foods. This transaction will mark Brynwood VI's first investment. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
Brynwood will base the company in the Northeast and has recruited a talented management team to operate the business. Balance Bar competes in the growing nutrition and energy bar segment. Brynwood Partners has a successful investment track record in the food industry having managed prior investments in Lincoln Snacks, Signature Snacks, DeMet's Candy Company and Richelieu Foods.
"Brynwood VI is pleased to announce this exciting transaction," said Hendrik J. Hartong III, senior managing partner of Brynwood VI. "Balance Bar is a great brand with a very loyal consumer following. We plan to increase the focus on the brand and expand the business through increased marketing and new product innovation." Mr. Hartong III will serve as chairman of the Balance Bar Company.
Whole Foods To Reward Workers Who Lose Weight
Whole Foods Market plans to increase store discounts for employees who lose weight and measurably improve their health.
As part of the incentive plan, workers will receive discounts from 20 to 30 percent based on improvements in blood pressure, cholesterol levels, body-mass index and whether they smoke. Whole Foods CEO John Mackey said, "We're making an investment and we expect a return referring to potential health care cost savings. Last year, the company spent $150 million on self-insured health care coverage. Whole Foods pays health care premiums for its 40,000 fulltime employees, which comprises more than 75 percent of its work force.
Mobile labs will travel to Whole Foods stores to perform health tests, Mackey said, and contests between stores and regions will foster competition.
"We make getting the 20 percent discount easy to encourage participation," Mackey said. "The discounts are on a sliding scale based on results."
Walmart Donates $85,000 Refrigerated Food Truck To Greater Boston Food Bank
Walmart recently donated a refrigerator truck to The Greater Boston Food Bank to help feed Boston area families in need. The truck is one of 35 that departed from Madison, Wis. headed to Feeding America food banks in local communities across the country.
Valued at $85,000, the new truck and 12 pallets of Great Value-branded products and fresh apples donated by the Walmart Foundation arrived in Boston in time for Thanksgiving.
Feeding America estimates the new trucks will help The Greater Boston Food Bank and 34 additional food banks provide an additional 2.4 million pounds of food or 1.8 million meals to families in need by the end of 2010.
The Walmart Foundation will donate $1.25 million to The Salvation Army and Red Kettles will fundraise at Walmart stores and Sam’s Club locations nationwide from Friday, Nov. 27 through Thursday, Dec. 24.
New Channels Latest Word…
Summit Spring of Harrison, Maine, has launched Raw Water. The company claims it is the first spring water to be bottled directly from the source without any filtration, treatment, or pumps. N. Bryan Pullen, president of Summit Spring Water said, “The fact that the State of Maine will allow this product on the market with absolutely no filtration, is unprecedented and speaks to the sanctity of our historic source.”
Emerson Climate Technologies has appointed Mark Dunson as president of its Retail Solutions Division.
BJ’s Wholesale Club collected 25 tons of food for 45 food bank members of Feeding America.
MinuteClinic has opened its first retail health care center in Washington D.C. inside a CVS/pharmacy.
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Copyright Griffin Publishing Co. 2009
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