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news ON OUR RADAR In a move aimed at improving fresh food selections in its US locations, Wal-Mart will create hundreds of fresh food management positions, according to a Reuters report. The company has hired 30 field managers and plans to hire hundreds more in the next three years, according to the report. These managers will train workers and take steps to improve fresh food offerings in the store. The move was first disclosed at an annual meeting of suppliers in Indianapolis, which was not open to the public. The report said the new managers will oversee fresh food operations at about 10 stores each. Wal-Mart spokesman Lorenzo Lopez told Reuters that the company was in the process of hiring managers "to ensure quality and consistency in our fresh operations." Under the head of its US operations, Greg Foran, Wal-Mart has ramped up its emphasis on fresh foods. Foran sees a better fresh food offering as the key to reviving sales growth as Wal-Mart faces growing competition for grocery shoppers. Wal-Mart has more than 4,600 stores across the United States. Employee owned and operated KeHE, a provider of natural, organic and specialty products to natural food stores and chain groceries, announced the acquisition of Monterrey Provision Company, a California-based distributor of products for the perimeter departments at retail grocery stores. "The acquisition of Monterrey expands our perimeter capabilities and further enables our growth plans." The joining of KeHE and Monterrey brings together two successful organizations with complementary assets and skills. It helps advance KeHE's strategic plan and aligns with its vision to be a trusted distributor for natural and organic products. 8 * MARCH 2016 * instore "We view the perimeter as an essential element of our growth strategy," says Brandon Barnholt, KeHE president and CEO. "The acquisition of Monterrey expands our perimeter capabilities and further enables our growth plans." In releasing the results of a survey detailing the sophistication of supermarket fresh prepared foods among 28 banners and representing 8,000 stores, Food Marketing Institute (FMI) substantiated the $15 billion growth of supermarket foodservice of the last eight years. FMI's study suggests that most stores (64 percent) witnessed 2014 prepared foods category growth of nine percent or higher. "It's clear that food retailers are differentiating their business by leveraging fresh food selections to meet shopper demands for convenience, all while counterbalancing declining center store sales," FMI vice president of fresh foods Rick Stein says. "This work aims to offer insights that will help understand the issues as retailers try to gain share of consumers' stomachs." Kroger announced that senior vice president for retail operations and strategic initiatives Marnette Perry, a longtime employee of the company, will retire in April. A successor will be named at a later date. Perry joined the Cincinnati-based chain as a part-time cashier in Portsmouth, Ohio, in 1972. She served in leadership positions with increasing responsibility before serving as director of produce merchandising and procurement at Kroger's general office. She was president of the Michigan and Columbus divisions and became vice president of perishables in 2003. A year later, she was named senior vice president of retail divisions, where she was responsible for eight supermarket operating divisions and more than $40 billion in annual revenue. She began her current role, overseeing strategic initiatives and operations, in 2012. Perry helped establish Kroger's now-ubiquitous natural foods centers and floral departments in the early 1980s. She also championed the teamwork that led to the company's innovative QueVision technology, which reduces customers' time waiting in line at checkout. According to a Virtual Builders Exchange report, H-E-B, a Texasbased grocery chain, is dipping its toes into the world of c-stores. The company is moving forward with plans to construct a 7,416-sq-ft c-store and fuel station in its home town of San Antonio. Including the fuelpump area, the site's total floor plan will cover 10,296 sq ft.

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of instore - March 2016

instore - March 2016
Editor's Note - Going Green
Table of Contents
News - On Our Radar
Cover Story - Efficient Equipment
Commissary Insider - Insight Insider: Hill Country Bakery builds a brand name
Food Safety: Monitoring cross-contamination
Equipment: Reducing Waste
Product Category Spotlight: Retailing Fresh Fruits
Technology: Inventory Tools
Research and Development: Cleaner Eating for the Mobile Consumer
Product Knowledge - Seasonal Salads
Merchandising - Summer Picnics
Specialty Insights - Imported Cheese
Equipment & Packaging - Bakery Packaging
Promotions - Ads on the Go
Product Trends
Product Showcase

instore - March 2016