Thursday Morning One Liners: Target's Metro Expansion

Wal-Mart Janitors are trying again to bring a Class-Action Suit against their employer, over wages and hours.

The suit, like the first, alleges janitors routinely worked seven days a week and were denied overtime pay, in violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act, and that Wal-Mart acquiesced in the illegal practices, in violation of the Racketeer Influenced Corrupt Organizations Act. Read more @ Law.com

The Fresh Market's sales and Q3 earnings are soaring.

The Huffington Post: Wal-Mart's Baby Formula Scam

The Perishable Pundit asks if Wal-Mart's Local Farmer Initiative is just an innovative Public Relations Stunt.

Everything PR: Wal-Mart's PR Machine is Rolling.

Target revamps 3 more metro locations for fresh one-stop conveinece shopping in DC, Chicago and Dallas.

More than 100 Target stores in the Chicago, Dallas and Washington, D.C., metro areas have been redesigned to further deliver one-stop shopping convenience.

The Minneapolis-based retailer says the stores feature an open-market grocery layout stocked with a selection of fresh produce, fresh meat and baked goods. The new layout also includes reinventions in several other areas throughout the store such as beauty, home, shoes and electronics. More @ ProGrocer

Last Thursday, Target opened their new P-Fresh store in Commack, Long Island, completely stocked with not only their usual items but fresh produce, meats and other supermarket items

NACS: Supermarkets Address Changing Shopping Habits: Target, Wal-Mart, now a place for grocery

New Zoning in East Rockaway has been Approved, one more approval in March 2011for a new Pathmark....

The new plan focuses on the northern portion of the existing industrial zone, which includes the Berg properties, a CVS drug store and other buildings. The southern portion, which includes a Pathmark supermarket, will remain an industrial zone, awaiting potential further review after the March 2011 village election. The Commuter’s Club property, on the northeast side of the railroad tracks, will remain in the industrial zone

Contracts, Negotiations:
UFCW Local 1564 has agreed to a deal with Smith's out in New Mexico
More @ The Mexican

Friday Morning News: Target Grocery is a hit.

Aldi Inc. is being sued by more than 200 current and former store managers in 32 states over unpaid overtime wages, in a lawsuit alleging the discount grocer violated the federal Fair Labor Standards Act, the Wall Street Journal has more.

More at Supermarket News.

Crain's is reporting another big Bronx bakery will be shut down: Old London Foods, a maker of Melba toast and other crispy snacks, will shutter its plant in Morris Park, resulting in the loss of 228 jobs

Union workers at Albertsons, Fred Meyer and Safeway stores here have reached a tentative agreement with the chains on a four-year contract.

A recommendation to permit the sale of wine at grocery, a $1 per pack cigarette tax increase, and a penny per ounce tax on sugared beverages linked to obesity are part of the Executive Budget proposed by New York Governor David Paterson Tuesday.

New Yorkers Against Unfair Taxes, a coalition formed to oppose taxes on food and beverage products, has expressed its “disappointment” regarding New York Gov. David Paterson’s proposal to place a tax on sugar-sweetened beverages of 12 cents per 12-ounce can in the 2010-2011 Executive Budget. According to the group, which includes many of the Empire State’s grocery store operators, as well as convenience stores and industry associations, the tax would be 10 times higher on a 12-pack of nonalcoholic beverages than the state tax on a 12-pack of alcoholic beverages like beer. Paterson proposed the nondiet soft drink tax as part of an effort to close the state’s $7.4 billion budget deficit.

New York City unemployment spikes to 10.6%.  

The Star-Ledger writes another article how Walmart's new supermarket in North Bergen, New Jersey will affect grocery shopping habits:

"When it comes to her weekly grocery shopping, Priscilla Restrepo follows a two-part routine: Pathmark for fresh produce, Target next door for packaged food...But yesterday's two-stop grocery run just might have been her last.  Today, just one mile down the road on Tonnelle Avenue, retail giant Wal-Mart is opening its first grocery supercenter in North Jersey - a sprawling 24-hour store, roughly the size of four football fields, which will offer everything from lawn chairs and game consoles to fresh meat and warm baked goods."

They also report that the early reviews of the store are great.

Meanwhile, Supermarket News reports Target's "P-Fresh" prototype store which carries more grocery items, has lifted shopper frequency “as never before,”

In remodeled stores with the new, expanded P-fresh food departments, sales and traffic are up an average of 6% 12 months after the remodelings, he said, which translates into 1,000 extra trips per store per week, or gains of $4.5 million at minimum per year.

Due to these statistics, The Wall Street Journal reports Target is slamming the brakes on store expansion and will pour $1 billion this year into remodeling its existing shops to accelerate a push into groceries.

More: Forbes.com

John Standley, the former chief executive officer at Pathmark Stores, will take over as CEO of Rite Aid Corp. here effective June 24, the drug retailer said Thursday.

More: Business Week.

The Downtown Express covers our rally at Amish Market last week.

Tops is on track to officially get Penn Traffic.

What does the Mass. Senate change mean for the food industry?

Seattle says no to plastic bag tax, Boycott Whole Foods reaches 12,000 on Fbook, Wednesday Read

Image by gezellig-girl.com via Flickr

The city of Seattle voted down a referendum that would put a 20 cent tax on all paper and plastic bags at most retail stores in the city.

The Wall Street Journal looks at supermarkets failure to upgrade their (queues) line system, .

Target's "P-Fresh" (essentially moreover a Target with more floor space for groceries)is expected to be opened in Philadelphia.

Everyday there is a new story on Whole Foods customers boycotting due to John Mackey's comments, today CNN Money and the Washington Post joined in...

If you head to Facebook, you’ll find more than 12,000 people have signed up for the new Boycott Whole Foods group.

The NY Times has more on the on again off again Whole Foods wine store in NYC.

UFCW Local 700 won an election this week at Scott's.

Despite the recession, more than 30% of 137 large retailers throughout NYC have expanded, according to the Center for Urban Future released report yesterday.

Kiss [the band], sells out...again.

Pension funds in NYC

And City Council Member Kendall Stewart lies about his endorsements.