Content about 2nd millennium

AMSTERDAM — Royal Ahold has appointed Ben Wishart as group chief information officer, the Dutch supermarket operator said Tuesday.

In the newly created position, Wishart will report to CFO Jeff Carr and will work out of the company's Amsterdam headquarters. He previously worked at U.K. food retailer Morrisons as chief information officer. Ahold operates the Stop & Shop, Giant-Landover and Giant-Carlisle supermarket chains in the United States, as well as the Peapod online grocery service.

AMSTERDAM — Royal Ahold expects its deal to sell its share of the European supermarket chain ICA to Hakon Invest to be completed next Wednesday, the Dutch supermarket operator said Thursday.

Ahold said the conditions for the sale of its 60% stake in ICA to Swedish investor group Hakon Invest had been met.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — The Global Market Development Center on Friday announced five new member representatives to its board for a two-year term. 

As of Jan. 1, 2013, newly elected board officers include GMDC chairman Bill Anderson, group VP of drug store, beauty, general merchandise, floral and services for H-E-B; GMDC vice-chairman Dewayne Rabon, VP general merchandise/HBC/family care for BI-LO/Winn-Dixie; and GMDC secretary/treasurer Steve Davis, director of center store, GM/HBC and grocery nonfoods at Weis Markets.

NEW YORK — Sun Products' All Mighty Pacs laundry packs, Aquafresh Extreme Clean Pure Breath Action Paste, M&M's Brand Snack Mix, Reckitt Benckiser's Resolve All-Stains, Sun Products' Surf Liquid Laundry Detergent and GlaxoSmithKline's Tums Freshers were among the winners of Product of the Year USA's recently announced top products for 2013, the group said.

The named products were the result of a vote among 50,000 consumers.

DEERFIELD, Ill. — Walgreens on Thursday announced $100,000 in additional donations to Hurricane Sandy relief efforts. The company, which includes Duane Reade in New York and New Jersey, is making two $50,000 contributions, one to the Empire State Relief Fund announced by New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, and the other to the Hurricane Sandy New Jersey Relief Fund established by Gov. Chris Christie.

MINNEAPOLIS — Nash Finch, a Minneapolis-based food distributor, has announced that Kevin Elliott has been appointed EVP, president and COO of Nash Finch Wholesale/Retail.

Elliott previously served as SVP of merchandising, logistics and marketing at 7-Eleven. Elliott worked at 7-Eleven from 2001 to 2010, where he was responsible for overseeing the corporate store and franchise operations as well as 7-Eleven’s national distribution network comprised of 26 distribution centers.

DEERFIELD, Ill. — Walgreens and the American Red Cross on Thursday announced that more than $4 million was raised by Walgreens and Duane Reade customers nationwide for the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund since Nov. 5. 

“Hurricane Sandy resulted in so many people with needs," stated Mark Wagner, Walgreens president of operations and community management. "We’re very proud of the support Walgreens and Duane Reade customers showed and how that support will help those in need work through the many hardships they face."

WEST BRIDGEWATER, Mass. — Shaw's Supermarkets, a subsidiary of Supervalu, on Friday announced plans to reduce its store-level workforce by an estimated 700 positions. These reductions, which will occur across 169 Shaw's and Star Market stores in New England, and will be finalized by Nov. 3, the grocer stated. 

GREEN BAY, Wis. — Shopko announced Wednesday that Mike Bettiga has been named interim CEO to replace Paul Jones, who resigned to pursue another opportunity.

Bettiga is a 35-veteran of the company and most recently served as EVP and COO, a role he has held since April 2009. He began his career with Shopko as a pharmacist in 1977, and has held a number of positions during his tenure, including executive leadership of store, pharmacy and optical operations, retail health merchandising and responsibility for the Shopko Express stores.

AMSTERDAM — Royal Ahold's U.S. subsidiary saw net sales rise 3.4% in light of challenging market conditions, the retailer reported last week.

ALBERTA — The former Cromdale Hotel in Edmonton is being demolished to make way for the construction of a new Shoppers Drug Mart on the property, the Canadian retailer recently announced.

The demolition is expected to take just more than a month, and construction of the new store will begin in September.

PITTSBURGH — "Buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jacks," goes the line from the famous baseball anthem. For some people, however, that innocuous lyric is a ticket to the hospital, or worse.