Top Retailers

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — It’s that time of year once again. Come April 30, more than 2,000 of today’s leading retail executives from food, drug and mass, and their supply partners, will convene at the National Association of Chain Drug Stores Annual Meeting in Scottsdale, Ariz., to gain new insights into today’s changing marketplace and explore future opportunities.

NEW YORK — Royal Ahold’s Peapod online grocery service is expanding in New York, according to published reports.

According to the reports, the new service, Peapod by Stop & Shop, will fill orders using the existing warehouse presence of Ahold supermarket banner Stop & Shop, which operates several stores in the city. In addition to groceries, Peapod also offers numerous health and beauty products.

HOLLYWOOD, Fla. — The Diabetes Research Institute Foundation on Wednesday announced that the first-ever Walk with Walgreens Family Fun Day & Health Fair will take place April 10 at 14 locations across Florida.

Additionally, 851 Walgreens stores throughout the state and parts of Georgia and Alabama will be selling "scannables" in the amounts of $1, $5 and $10 that customers can write their names on and help decorate the stores' walls through April to benefit the Diabetes Research Institute.

NEW YORK — The share of private-label brands and products will double to 50% by 2025, thanks to a continued emphasis made by retailers.

In a new report released by Rabobank's Food and Agribusiness Research division, author Sebastiaan Schreijen noted that national brands and smaller, secondary brands (referred to as "A" and "B" brands, respectively) will prompt an intense price competition and therefore will cause the private-label market to become chock-full of higher-quality "B"-brand products at lower prices.

GOODLETTSVILLE, Tenn. — Dollar General maintained its momentum in 2010 by achieving record sales, profits and expansion; and it’s looking like 2011 will bring more of the same. Last year, Dollar General opened 600 new stores and remodeled or relocated another 504 units to end its fiscal year on Jan. 28 with 9,372 stores. The additional square footage combined with a 4.9% same-store sales increase enabled the company to grow total sales by 10.5% to roughly $13 billion.

PLEASANTON, Calif. — Safeway this week received an award for demonstrating commitment to various causes through financial support and encouragement.

The retailer said it received the 2011 Freeman Philanthropic Services Award for Outstanding Corporation from the Association of Fundraising Professionals. AFP presented the award to Safeway's EVP Larree Renda, who also serves as chair for the company's charitable organization, the Safeway Foundation.

WHAT IT MEANS AND WHY IT’S IMPORTANT — Expectations of improved profitability at Dollar General mean the company will keep the pedal to the metal in terms of expansion.

(THE NEWS: Dollar General keeps growing. For the full story, click here)

WOONSOCKET, R.I. — "Dispense-as-written" prescriptions are exacerbating medication nonadherence and costing the U.S. healthcare system billions of dollars, according to a new study by researchers at Harvard University, Brigham and Women's Hospital, and CVS Caremark.