Broker/Wholesaler Corner
Supervalu unveils natural-gas-powered truck fleet and fill station
Supervalu Inc., Eden Prairie, Minn., said it purchased 35 Class 8 Volvo trucks that operate on compressed natural gas (CNG). The fleet – which operates out of the wholesaler and retailer's Mechanicsville, Va., distribution center and currently serves approximately 500 grocery stores in Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, West Virginia, Washington, D.C., and North Carolina – is the largest private fleet of its kind in the Mid-Atlantic region.
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To power the new trucks, Trillium CNG, a provider of compressed natural gas fueling solutions, built and will operate a fast-fill CNG station at Supervalu's Mechanicsville distribution center. The conversion to natural gas will reduce the fleet's annual oil consumption by more than 1 million gallons, Supervalu said, and result in 1,300 fewer tons of greenhouse gas emissions.
"Our decision to transition to natural-gas-powered trucks is in keeping with Supervalu's long-standing commitment to do business in a sustainable manner," said Mike Lech, vice president of logistics for the company's Eastern Region. "This project is not only good for the environment, but also for the bottom line, as each natural-gas-powered truck will cut greenhouse gas emissions and reduce fuel usage for our fleet. We're proud of this effort and the many great partners who helped make it a reality."
SpartanNash chooses Michigan for corporate headquarters
SpartanNash Co., the food distribution and retail company created via the merger of Spartan Stores Inc. and Nash Finch Co., announced that its corporate headquarters will be located in Grand Rapids, Mich. The company also said it will retain a strong regional presence in Minneapolis to support food distribution, as well as in Norfolk, Va., to support military operations.
The company will receive a performance-based grant from the Michigan Strategic Fund under the Michigan Economic Development Program. The grant, totaling up to $2.75 million, was awarded to SpartanNash to support the retention of 620 existing jobs and the creation of 72 new jobs, the company said, while providing flexibility for the company's future growth needs.
"We are pleased that this merger has enabled our company to create a stronger organization and provide a platform for growth. We appreciate all of the support and assistance provided by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation during this process," said Dennis Eidson, president and CEO of SpartanNash. "Our partnership with state and local leaders will ensure the continuing growth of our company for years to come."
Unified Grocers selects Nielsen as analytics provider
Unified Grocers, a Commerce, Calif.-based wholesale grocery distributor, said it selected Nielsen, New York, as its analytics and insights provider. Under the terms of the contract, Nielsen will provide Unified with data analytics tools for the exclusive use of its retail partners.
Approximately 700 stores agreed to allow Unified to collect their data as part of its new program, "Scan Advantage … powered by Unified." Unified said it will use Nielsen's analytics to help these stores better understand how and why customers make choices, including their purchase decisions and shopping patterns
Daymon Worldwide and The Hartman Group partner to deliver insights to C-suite execs
Daymon Worldwide, Stamford, Conn., and The Hartman Group Inc., Bellevue, Wash., announced the formation of a strategic alliance "that will deliver game-changing, long-term insights to C-suite executives in the food manufacturing and retailing sectors."
The alliance brings together powerful skills from both firms, the companies said. The Hartman Group is home to dozens of Ph.D.'s in fields as varied as anthropology, sociology, psychology, visual analysis and linguistics, and has a 24-year history of "listening loudly" to consumers to develop unique insights for retailers. Daymon Worldwide, meanwhile, is a broker that is also a global expert in consumables retailing, experiential consumer marketing and innovative retail services. The company said it delivers on private brand strategy and execution for more than 100 retailers and nearly 6,000 suppliers on six continents, and creates 3 million product demonstrations and consumer events every year.
497, January 2014, Wednesday, January 1, 2014, PLSB6685, 497, Departments