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GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Mass merchandise chain Meijer has acquired a Michigan-based dairy, the company said.

Meijer announced the purchase of Bareman's Dairy, a family-owned company based in Holland, Mich., and the intention of investing more than $8 million into expansion of the plant.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Two Feeding America food banks and a Macomb County, Mich., resident were named winners of Meijer's "Get Gifted" online holiday contest.

The retailer said it donated $10,000 to Gleaners Community Food Bank and Forgotten Harvest last week and named Vickie Spokes its grand prize winner of $10,000 in Meijer gift cards.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Meijer's stores in Michigan will "prominently" feature 49 products made in the state as part of a program to promote local businesses, the mass merchandise retailer said.

The chain is partnering with the Michigan State University Product Center for Agriculture and Natural Resources to launch the "Made in Michigan" initiative, whereby 33 stores will feature 49 such grocery items as marinara sauce, blueberry butter, gluten-free baking mixes and gourmet seasonings in specially designated areas of the store starting on Sunday.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Frederik Meijer, the founder of the supercenter retail chain of the same name, died Nov. 25. He was 91.

A Michigan native, Meijer first entered the grocery business as a bagger in his father's store. By 1962, Meijer opened its first “Thrifty Acres” supercenter in Grand Rapids, a food and general merchandise store that touted one-stop shopping for customers. The chain now operates 197 supercenters and grocery stores throughout Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Kentucky. The company also celebrated its 75th anniversary in 2009.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Spartan Stores has announced that its Spartan brand packaging now will include front of packaging nutrition icons to help busy consumers make informed decisions when they shop. The new labels support the voluntary Facts Up Front nutrition labeling system designed by the Food Marketing Institute and the Grocery Manufacturing Association.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — After exceeding more than $2 million in food and donations, Meijer announced that it once again has launched the Simply Give campaign throughout its stores.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — In an effort to spread awareness about the abundance of food products made in Michigan, and to help stimulate the state's economy, Michigan-based Spartan Stores announced that it has kicked off its expanded "Michigan's Best" campaign in its 97 D&W Fresh Market, Family Fare, Glen's Markets and VG's, as well as 250 independent grocery stores.

According to the company, more than 3,000 Michigan-made products will carry the eye-catching Michigan's Best label to help consumers quickly identify Michigan-made products.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Meijer's free prenatal vitamins prescription program filled its 1 millionth prescription this week, the company announced Wednesday.

The retailer said that its program, which launched in May 2008, has garnered nearly $14 million in savings to Midwest families. The Meijer free prenatal vitamins program offers such brands as TriAdvance, Trinatal GT, Trinatal Ultra, Vol-Nate, Vol-Plus and Vol-Tab, and enables any customer, regardless of insurance or copay, to have his or her prenatal prescription filled free of charge.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Meijer announced that its most recent food pantry donation program has exceeded $2 million in total food donations.

According to the retailer, its latest Simply Give program, which ran from March 20 through May 14, garnered more than $270,000 in donations for 195 local food pantries. Overall, the program, which debuted in November 2008 and aims to replenish the shelves of local food pantries in each city and town where a Meijer store is located, has helped to feed more than 250,000 families throughout the Midwest.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Meijer is continuing its pantry donation program by kicking off a springtime campaign.

The Midwest retailer is once again teaming up with its customers and team members in implementing its Simply Give program to help restock the shelves of nearly 200 local food pantries in Michigan, Ohio, Illinois, Indiana and Kentucky.

This marks Meijer's eighth Simply Give effort, which began on March 20 and will continue through May 14.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Take 10 Beverages on Monday launched Take 10 to Relax and Take 10 to Sleep, two relaxation shots joining a number of recent introductions that are the yin to an energy shot’s yang.