A&P to Close 32 Stores in Six States, Including at Least 16 in N.J.

The troubled Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company is planning another round of grocery store closings, including at least 16 supermarkets across New Jersey.  The closings, which are expected to occur by the end of April, will include seven Pathmarks and three A&P groceries. The company also will shutter four SuperFresh stores in the southern part of the state.  More than 100 full- and part-time workers will lose their jobs in the North Jersey region as a result of the company's decision.

NJ.com

Winn-Dixie Swings to Loss in Q2

Grocery chain Winn-Dixie Stores has reported a net loss for its fiscal second quarter.  For the three months to 12 January, the chain reported a loss of $24m, including one-off charges of $1.7m, reversing last year's $2.1m profit.  Overall sales were flat at about $2.1bn.  For the first half, the company reported a net loss of $100.8m, compared to a loss of $6m last year.  Sales were down 0.9% to $3.6bn, while like-for-like sales were down 1.4%.

Kam City

Aaron's Q4 Tops Market

Aaron's Inc reported better-than-expected fourth-quarter results, helped mainly by higher store traffic, and the furniture and appliance rental sending its shares up 13 percent.  For the fourth quarter, Aaron's added 65,000 new customers, which resulted in better store revenues and higher profitability than expected.  The company also said that it was trying new concept stores in the name of 'home smart' that would be of smaller size than that of traditional Aaron's stores. 

Reuters

Online Grocery Shopping Comes to Grocer Market in Paramus

FreshDirect joins an already competitive grocery market in Paramus, which has the third-highest number of grocery stores per capita in the country.  "Our supply chain is much shorter to the customer, so the product gets there much fresher," Braddock, CEO of online supermarket FreshDirect, said. He also explained that prices for Paramus customers are in line with other local stores, rather than those found in New York, where the company is based.  

Paramus Patch

Supervalu Promotes Supply Services

The program integrates the 82 services Supervalu already offers to its independent customers into a more comprehensive offering that lets retailers know they don't have to go outside the company to gain assistance in such areas as business support, customer service, retail technology, store design and development, format positioning, marketing, advertising, merchandising, and sales and promotions. 

Supermarket News

Casino Phases Out Géant Discount Banner

Casino has effectively shut down its Géant Discount banner, after converting the last of the outlets to another of its hypermarket banners. The concept, which first launched in 2005, was part of the group's plan to revive its underperforming hypermarkets division, but Casino only managed to open three such stores.  The group began converting the outlets to its other banners last year, and most recently finished converting the third - and last - outlet. 

Kam City

Morrisons Buys Kiddicare.com to Develop Online Business

Morrisons is buying online baby and infant products retailer Kiddicare.com for a total consideration of £70m to kick-start an online business selling non-food goods. The supermarket group said that the deal would give it a "highly regarded" technology platform and distribution centre to develop an online non-food business.  The move is part of the Chief Executive's drive to explore new avenues of growth for Morrisons, including convenience stores and selling groceries over the internet as well as more general merchandise ranges.

Kam City

South Korea Shinsegae to Split Business

Shinsegae Co Ltd, South Korea's No.2 retailer, said it planned to split into two entities, separating its department and discount chain businesses.  The split, expected in May pending shareholder approval at a March 18 meeting, will separate the company into department store operator Shinsegae and discount chain E-Mart.

Reuters

Future Group to Spin Off Electronics Arm

The Future Group has announced plans to spin off its Ezone electronics chain as a separate business, saying the intense competition and continued promotional activity are affecting group profit margins. Ezone, which operates 43 stores across India, is currently part of the group's main listed arm, Pantaloon Retail.  The new electronics company will be a separate legal entity and have a dedicated management team both at the group level and on the floor.

Kam City