Stater Bros.: Grocer Stays Upbeat in Tough Times

Stater Bros. Holdings' earnings report for the first quarter of fiscal 2011 reflects continuing economic challenges in the Inland Empire and surrounding counties.  San Bernardino-based Stater Bros. reported net income of $1.3 million for the quarter that ended Dec. 26, down from $6.7 million from the same period the year before.  Year-ago results include a $4.7 million gain on the sale of the company's dairy business, and the most recent quarter included $3 million in one-time after-tax costs related to debt refinancing.  

The Press-Enterprise

Whole Foods Q1 Income Jumps 79%

Whole Foods Market Inc. recently posted better-than-expected first-quarter 2011 results.  First-quarter net income surged 79% to $88.7 million, on an increase in customer visits and a rise in average transactions. Sales for the quarter, ended Jan. 16, increased 14% to $3 billion. Same-store sales were up 9.1%, the highest level in four years.  The company opened 3 stores during the quarter, and plans to open 3 more stores, including 1 relocation, in second-quarter 2011.

Drug Store News

Bi-Lo Stepping Up CapEx as Sales Rise

Bi-Lo officials said that the retailer would spend $50 million on store renovations in 2011,with an eye on maximizing sales momentum brought about by a comprehensive rebranding.  The changes are showcased in three newly renovated stores in the Greenville area, with plans for as many as 23 more renovations this year.  Bi-Lo also said same-store sales increased by 3.7% in 2010.

Supermarket News

Final 3 L&L Stores in Lansing, Mich., Area are Auctioned Off

Three remaining L&L grocery stores in Okemos, East Lansing and Lansing were sold Tuesday by Birmingham-based Amherst Partners, L&L's court-appointed receiver. The deals were finalized this morning by Ingham County Circuit Court Judge Paula Manderfield.  They will remain open under new owners.

LSJ

Shoppers Drug Mart Profit Flat, Dividend Up

The country's largest drug store chain earned $171.2-million compared with $171-million in the same period last year.  Fourth-quarter sales rose 2.9% to $2.6-billion, with sales at stores open for more than a year rising 1.7%.  Prescription sales fell 0.2% in the fourth quarter to $1.15-billion. Front-store sales increased 5.5% in the fourth quarter to $1.4-billion.  Net earnings in 2010 were $591-million.  Shoppers Drug Mart Corp. plans to boost sales this year through adding new beauty brands and enhancing its already sizable stock of private label goods, but anticipates flat sales in pharmacy.  

National Post

FamilyMart Plans to Add 200 Stores by Year's End

Taiwan FamilyMart Co Ltd said it plans to add 200 stores by the end of this year to meet growing demand.  As a result of the planned expansion, FamilyMart forecast that sales this year would rise about 20 percent from a year earlier.  In addition, the chain plans to invest NT$1.5 billion (US$51.86 million) to remodel some existing stores into specialty shops with fresh food sections as well as build new specialty stores.

Taipei Times

Super-Sol Acquires Organic Chain, Has Solid Q4 Results

Super-Sol, Israel's largest retailer, has announced plans to acquire a smaller organic foods chain.  The company said it will buy the nine-store Organic Market chain, in a deal worth 30m shekels (€6m.  The acquisition comes as Super-Sol recently announces that it will open health complexes (called 'Green) within its outlets. It plans to open 20 such complexes during 2011.  Meanwhile, for its fourth quarter, net profit jumped up 14% to 89m shekels (€18m), while sales rose by 1.6% to 2.79bn shekels (€557m.

Kam City

Carrefour Jordan Launches 'Lowest Price Guarantee' Program

Carrefour Jordan has launched the 'Lowest Price Guarantee" program with the objective of asserting its position as the innovative hypermarket in the Kingdom. Under the program, if a customer finds an item they had purchased from Carrefour elsewhere at a lower price, they receive a reimbursement of ten times the price difference according to pre-set terms applied by Carrefour.

Logistics Week