Retail & FoodService

Mariano's Fresh Market opened Tuesday near Jefferson Park — the third outlet for owner Roundy's Supermarket Inc. in the city of Chicago. …

Harris Teeter is currently renovating two locations into a new concept store called 201central, which will feature an extensive variety of wine, beer, specialty foods and other general merchandise items. 201central is branded in reference to one of the original Harris Food Stores, Store #201, on Central Avenue in Charlotte, N.C. Store #201 was not only the first full self-service supermarket in Charlotte, but it was also the first air-conditioned grocery store and was the first to stay open until 9 p.m. on Friday nights. …

A new low-price strategy at Supervalu Inc., the parent of Jewel-Osco, may not help the grocery chain in either the short term or the long term because of intense competition within the supermarket industry, according to analysts at Fitch Ratings. …

There is continuity at the top of the Sobeys food chain. The shopping experience at Canada’s second-largest grocery chain isn’t changing just because Marc Poulin has taken over as president and CEO. …

As consumers manage restaurant checks by cutting back on beverages and ordering food-only at main meals, restaurant chains are driving incremental beverage-only occasions at other times during the day through the introduction of new beverages and beverage marketing efforts, according to The NPD Group, a leading market research company.  For the year ending June 2012 total restaurant visits were flat whereas visits that included both food and beverage declined by 2 percent, reports NPD’s CREST® foodservice market research.   …