Content about Grocery store

SAN ANTONIO — H. E. Butt Grocery has made a $100 million commitment to expand into the Austin market, according to an American-Statesman report published Saturday.

The capital expenditures will be used to remodel a number of stores throughout the market, as well as to build a new 75,000-sq.-ft. grocer in the area. The "Mi Tiendo" Latin format expansion, reported earlier this year by the American-Statesman, is a part of that push into the Austin market.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Harris Teeter has launched its Rx Punch Card promotion, which can help loyalty program customers save on groceries when they fill or transfer a prescription to one of the chain's pharmacy locations.

YOCUMTOWN, Pa. — Walmart featured this talking shelf touting the benefits of a quit-smoking program in the first week of 2012 in this new store just outside of York, Pa. The endcap, located in the pharmacy area, was facing the main aisle dividing the grocery sector from the rest of the store. Across the aisle, another shelf-cum-video featured the benefits of Quaker Oats for those resolving to eat better in 2012.

AUSTIN, Texas — H-E-B is bringing its "Mi Tiendo" Latin format to the Austin market, according to a report published last week by American-Statesman.

According to the report, H-E-B expanded one of its Austin locations by 6,000 sq. ft. of selling space to incorporate Latin-centric grocery fare, including a masa factory that grinds corn daily, a tortillas-producing machine and a butcher and deli featuring Latin cuisine.

The concept has been available in two locations in the Houston market, the report added.
 

Walmart’s first small-format Express stores have only been open about six months, but strong initial consumer acceptance, coupled with increasingly flexible real estate, points to the near certainty of an eventual rollout.


The stores range between 10,000 and 15,000 sq. ft., offer about 13,000 products and were developed so Walmart could tap potential growth opportunities in rural and urban markets. Walmart expects to end its current fiscal year in late January 2012 with 11 Walmart Express stores following the opening of the first units in northwest Arkansas.


QUINCY, Mass. — Stop & Shop announced that it is debuting a new store format in Chelmsford, Mass.

According to the company, the 72,000-sq.-ft. store will replace the former 38,500-sq.-ft. location in Chelmsford.

GREENSBORO, N.C. — South of France Natural Body Care is launching a social media campaign anchored by its new blog, TheSoapDishMagazine.com, which went live Friday.

Drug stores continue to offer more fresh grocery items. “Fresh fruit and vegetables are top grocery categories. There’s high demand for the products, and the size of the market is huge. So it makes sense that the drug channel is going after that business,” said Harry Balzer, chief industry analyst and VP of the NPD Group.

Greg Tradup, category manager of perishable, supplies and foodservice at McLane Co., said that drug stores are seeing a jump in sales of fresh fruits, juices and thaw-and-serve sandwiches.

NEW YORK — Supermarket chain Stop & Shop will work with Foodshare to sponsor events at its stores in Hartford, Conn., to help qualifying residents access the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefit.

About 70% of Connecticut residents who qualify for SNAP, formerly known as the food stamp program, actually receive the benefit, Stop & Shop said. This is because of such issues as language barriers, lack of transportation or lack of knowledge of the program.

TORONTO — Safeway and Wegmans ranked highest across all customer service elements, according to a survey by Empathica.

Empathica, a customer experience management solution-provider, polled more than 16,000 consumers, and found that operations and merchandise were the two most important elements in grocery shopping versus other elements, such as promotions, people and technology.

MIDWEST CITY, Okla. — Walmart is gearing up to open a Neighborhood Market store this month in Midwest City, Okla.

The 40,000-sq.-ft. format will offer customers quick access to low-cost groceries, prescriptions and household products. The store officially will open its doors on Sept. 21.

As previously reported, Walmart president and CEO Bill Simon said that the Neighborhood Market format is being rebranded as Walmart Market.

NEW YORK — Latinos spend more than any other population segment on laundry and household cleaning supplies, according to the latest market research from Packaged Facts.