Ahold

CARLISLE, Pa. — Ahold has appointed the former head of one of its European supermarket chains to an executive position in its U.S. division.

Ahold USA said it appointed Jan van Dam as EVP supply chain and e-commerce, in which he will focus on supply chain for the company's four U.S. divisions, Stop & Shop in the New York area and New England, Giant-Landover and Giant-Carlisle. He will also be responsible for the company's e-commerce business with Andrew Parkinson, president and general manager of online grocery company Peapod, reporting to him.

NEW YORK — Ahold USA last week announced that Mark McGowan has been appointed as EVP merchandising. He will lead a merchandising team that supports Ahold USA and its four divisions: Stop & Shop New England, Stop & Shop New York Metro, Giant Landover and Giant Carlisle.

Mr. McGowan had previously served as EVP supply chain for Ahold USA and previously led the Boston division of Stop & Shop.

LANDOVER, Md. — A customer of Giant Food of Landover, Md., received $7,800 in Giant gift cards after winning an online sweepstakes, the Ahold banner said Tuesday.

Giant, also known as Giant-Landover to distinguish it from fellow Ahold banner Giant Food Stores of Carlisle, Pa., awarded the cards to customer Sarah Calamore and her family as part of its "Coupon to end All Coupons" sweepstakes, which encouraged customers to "like" the retailer's Facebook page.

LANDOVER, Md. — A supermarket chain in the Washington area is marking Inauguration Day by donating lunches to the police officers assigned to guard it.

Ahold banner Giant Food of Landover, Md. — also known as Giant-Landover to distinguish it from fellow Ahold banner Giant Food Stores of Carlisle, Pa. — said it would donate boxed lunches and water to the 5,000 officers of the Washington Metropolitan Police Department, U.S. Park Police and National Park Service.

AMSTERDAM — Ahold reported sales of $10.4 billion for fourth quarter 2012 and $43.6 billion for the entire fiscal year, the company said in an earnings report.

That marked a 7.5% sales increase compared with fourth quarter 2011 and an 8.5% increase compared with fiscal year 2011, respectively.

CARLISLE, Pa. — Ahold banner Giant Food Stores is opening a cheese and specialty food store in central Pennsylvania, the supermarket chain said.

Giant — also known as Giant-Carlisle to distinguish it from fellow Ahold chain Giant Foods of Landover, Md. — said it had a deal with Philadelphia-based Di Bruno Bros. to open the store inside the Giant Super Food Store in Camp Hill, Pa. The new store-within-a-store will open on Jan. 24.

Amid an unusually strong flu season that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has called an epidemic, supplies of flu vaccines are running low, and some people hoping to get immunized are having trouble finding them.

PURCHASE, N.Y. — Stop & Shop is offering free produce for a year to winners of a healthy eating contest it is sponsoring, the Ahold banner said.

Through the end of this month, customers who purchase any 10 products designated as "Healthy Ideas" at one time using their Stop & Shop card will be automatically entered into the chain's Healthy New Year Free Produce for a Year sweepstakes.