Meijer

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — Midwestern mass merchandise retailer Meijer will serve as a regional sponsor for an initiative led by the American Diabetes Association, the ADA said.

The group said it had signed a deal whereby Meijer would serve as a regional sponsor for the next five years for the Stop Diabetes Movement in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Kentucky. Activities will include diabetes camps, walks and others.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Two new wooden toys that won a contest sponsored by Midwestern mass merchandiser Meijer will be featured exclusively on the retailer's website, the company said Thursday.

Meijer announced the winners of the Meijer Next Great Toymaker contest: Franklin, N.C.-based Circa Toys' Wagon of Blocks and Goshen, Ind.-based Peters' Group's Stick & Stack Cozy Cabin. The Wagon of Blocks, which sells for $69.99, is designed for children ages 1 to 3 years, while the Cozy Cabin, at $44.99, is for children ages 4 to 8 years.

Earlier this week, DSN reported that members of a prescription drug program offered by Humana to Medicare beneficiaries will soon be able to obtain 10 generic hypertension drugs from Walmart for a penny.

It's certainly good news for people with high blood pressure, but it also has big implications for the pharmacy retail industry.

SANTA MONICA, Calif. — Boldface Group has shipped its first wave of holiday merchandise to several retailers around the country, the company said Thursday.

The beauty products maker said it had shipped faux eyelashes, mascara, lipstick sets and others to retailers like CVS, Duane Reade, Kmart, Fred Meyer, Meijer, Ulta and others. The products include Lash Dash Faux Lashes, Kardazzle Alll Over Face Palette Kits, Au Naturel Lip Sets and Khroma Beauty by Kourtney, Kim and Khloe Kardashian.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Meijer is offering discounts on more than 400 toys at stores and online in anticipation of the holiday season as many customers are likely to want to keep prices down, the Midwestern mass-merchandise chain said Thursday.

The chain also plans to release a holiday gift guide that includes 18 pages of toys and an online release of its list of its top 25 toys. The toy discounts include toys in “virtually every” category, ranging from action figures to educational toys.

WHAT IT MEANS AND WHY IT'S IMPORTANT — DSN noted that 2012 would be the year more big-box retailers committed to “going small” and, while we may hate to toot our own horn, we are going to do it anyway.

(THE NEWS: Supercenters rule, but small formats to accelerate for Walmart. For the full story, click here)

MINNEAPOLIS — Supervalu on Thursday announced that Pete Van Helden, EVP retail operations, will be leaving the company this spring. Taking his place will be Kevin Holt.

"This was a mutually beneficial decision that comes at the right time for both Supervalu and Van Helden, as the company continues to implement its business transformation strategy and as Van Helden moves on to opportunities that will better utilize his strengths," the company stated in a release.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Meijer is launching a program that it said was designed to ensure that its seafood suppliers follow sustainability guidelines, the company said.

The mass merchandise retail chain announced that it would require suppliers to follow guidelines for farmed and wild-caught seafood; most of the seafood the chain sells comes from farms, as is the case with most of the industry, the company said.