Ahold

ST. LOUIS — The former president of Giant Food of Landover, Md., has joined Schnuck Markets as EVP and chief strategy officer, Schnucks said Thursday.

MONTCLAIR, N.J. — Oral care brand hello has announced that it is expanding its national footprint from 7,800 stores to more than 18,000 stores across the United States by the end of September.

PURCHASE, N.Y. — Stop & Shop is marking Earth Day on Monday by emphasizing the measures it has taken to reduce its effects on the environment, the Ahold USA-owned supermarket banner said.

Stop & Shop highlighted its efforts to sell sustainably sourced seafood, reducing the environmental effects of its store operations — including adding environmentally friendly design features to stores — and helping customers reduce waste. The chain reiterated its intention to reduce its carbon footprint by 20% by 2015.

PURCHASE, N.Y. — Stop & Shop will sponsor a healthy-eating summit for middle schoolers in New Jersey on Thursday, the supermarket chain said.

AMSTERDAM — Royal Ahold CEO Dick Boer expressed condolences for the victims of Monday's bombing of the Boston Marathon in a meeting with shareholders Wednesday.

"The Boston area is, of course, one of our main U.S. markets, and our thousands of employees are shocked by Monday's events," Boer said. "Our thoughts are with everyone in the city of Boston and the surrounding communities, and especially the families and friends of those affected."

The company's Stop & Shop banner has a prominent and long-standing presence in the area.

LANDOVER, Md. — Giant Food of Landover, Md., is planning to raise $1.6 million for children's cancer research, the supermarket chain said Tuesday.

The Ahold USA-owned banner, also known as Giant-Landover, announced it would launch its ninth annual Triple Winner game on Friday to benefit the Pediatric Oncology Division at the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center and The Children's Cancer Foundation. The annual game has helped raise $11.5 million to support pediatric cancer research since its inception in 2005.

QUINCY, Mass. — Stop & Shop is reaffirming its goal to reduce its effects on the environment, particularly in Massachusetts, the company said.

The Ahold USA banner, which operates 131 stores in the state, said it renewed its partnership with the Environmental League of Massachusetts as a member of the ELM Corporate Council and reiterated its commitment to help further the goals of a state law to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 25% by 2020 and 85% by 2050. In 2008, the chain announced plans to reduce its carbon footprint by 20% by 2015.

CARLISLE, Pa. — Thirty-five Giant Food Stores and Martin's Food Markets stores in Pennsylvania and Virginia will sponsor drug take-back events later this month.

The chains, which collectively comprise Ahold USA's Giant-Carlisle banner, will sponsor the events on April 27, in partnership with local law enforcement agencies and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Patients can bring expired and unwanted medications, which will be disposed of in an environmentally friendly manner for free.