• The Boston Globe reports that "Wegmans Food Markets is close to a deal to open its first Boston store in the Fenway neighborhood, in what could be the beginning of a battle with Whole Foods Market Inc. for supermarket supremacy in the city.
The story notes that Wegmans "launched its first Massachusetts store in Northborough in 2011. The 138,000-square-foot food emporium’s grand opening attracted huge crowds, setting a record for the company. Wegmans, which operates 81 stores in six states, plans to open a large supermarket in Burlington, and a scaled-back, 70,000-square-foot version in Chestnut Hill."
• The Tampa Bay Business Journal reports that Publix, having been the target of comparative item-price advertising by Walmart, now is fighting back with "billboard and radio ads to show that some items can be purchased cheaper at its stores. Its buy-one, get-one free deals are particularly emphasized."
The billboards are being used in Florida, Georgia, Alabama, South Carolina and Tennessee.
• WYFF-TV News in South Carolina reports that approximately 130 BI-LO employees are being laid off "due to the stores' recent merger with Winn-Dixie," which will centralize headquarters operations in Jacksonville, Florida. The company reportedly will continue to have offices in Mauldin, SC, where Bi-Lo has been based, but the staffing levels will be reduced.
• In Minnesota, the Star Tribune reports that "Roundy's, the parent company of Rainbow Foods, will close its Plymouth store on Rockford Road on May 8 ... his is in addition to the Robbinsdale store closing April 10 and The Forest Lake store that closed in January. Currently, the supermarket retailer has 31 locations in the Twin Cities area ... According to Roundy's director of public affairs, Vivian King, the Plymouth store was profitable, but they lost their lease and a Kohl's will replace the supermarket."
• In the UK, the Telegraph reports that Tesco is highly focused on its internet businesses: "The company is the largest online food retailer in the world and already has an internet business in most of the 14 countries where it has stores. In the next few months it will launch online businesses in Bangkok, Turkey, and Shanghai, where Tesco also has stores. Tesco will officially launch its online food business in Bangkok, Thailand, next month and start taking online food orders in Shanghai in June or July."
The story notes that Wegmans "launched its first Massachusetts store in Northborough in 2011. The 138,000-square-foot food emporium’s grand opening attracted huge crowds, setting a record for the company. Wegmans, which operates 81 stores in six states, plans to open a large supermarket in Burlington, and a scaled-back, 70,000-square-foot version in Chestnut Hill."
• The Tampa Bay Business Journal reports that Publix, having been the target of comparative item-price advertising by Walmart, now is fighting back with "billboard and radio ads to show that some items can be purchased cheaper at its stores. Its buy-one, get-one free deals are particularly emphasized."
The billboards are being used in Florida, Georgia, Alabama, South Carolina and Tennessee.
• WYFF-TV News in South Carolina reports that approximately 130 BI-LO employees are being laid off "due to the stores' recent merger with Winn-Dixie," which will centralize headquarters operations in Jacksonville, Florida. The company reportedly will continue to have offices in Mauldin, SC, where Bi-Lo has been based, but the staffing levels will be reduced.
• In Minnesota, the Star Tribune reports that "Roundy's, the parent company of Rainbow Foods, will close its Plymouth store on Rockford Road on May 8 ... his is in addition to the Robbinsdale store closing April 10 and The Forest Lake store that closed in January. Currently, the supermarket retailer has 31 locations in the Twin Cities area ... According to Roundy's director of public affairs, Vivian King, the Plymouth store was profitable, but they lost their lease and a Kohl's will replace the supermarket."
• In the UK, the Telegraph reports that Tesco is highly focused on its internet businesses: "The company is the largest online food retailer in the world and already has an internet business in most of the 14 countries where it has stores. In the next few months it will launch online businesses in Bangkok, Turkey, and Shanghai, where Tesco also has stores. Tesco will officially launch its online food business in Bangkok, Thailand, next month and start taking online food orders in Shanghai in June or July."
- KC's View:
