Even better news. My fourth article was published today -- the second on a Sunday -- raising my published percentage to 44%. Not too bad.

However, the good old Daily Herald, which published me as a major Sunday Spread in the Business section, chopped me again. No surprise here, I guess, but it still smarts a bit -- especially because the edits created some otherwise non-existing redundancies and holes in the story. I turned this baby in at about 950 words, and came out with about 675.... Dammit. This might qualify as a clip, but, after carefull consideration... maybe not... (HOPEFULLY NOT, I'll add.)

Another positive development --- I might be headed to the *beautiful Milwaukee on Wednesday to visit my fourth major league ballpark in four weeks to watch the Brewers face the Cubs. BSWAN procured tickets. Good work, BSWAN, now I've got a good weekday adventure to add to my personal profile. Perfect.

Fiancee (TM) and My Parents visited this weekend, and believe it -- we had a good time. Very nice. Very, very nice. Too bad the weather wouldn't cooperate.

Fiancee (TM), who recently admitted to finally reading the archives of Please Advise, has informed me that I'm a bitter, nay-saying bastard, and that I should focus less of my time complaining and more of it writing "intelligent social commentary."

What the hell is that??? Me, intelligent? I think not, Fiancee (TM) !!!

Ah... anyway, I'm tired. It's Sunday. Here's the aritcle:

Grocers looking to boost produce sales

By Frosty
Medill News Service
Posted Sunday, May 01, 2005

If you can’t compete on price, you’ve got to win on quality and selection — at least, that’s what two major grocers with stores in the Chicago area are hoping.

Safeway Inc., which operates Dominick’s, and Supervalu Inc., which operates Cub Foods, are ramping up efforts to deliver more fresh fruits and vegetables, in part hoping to differentiate themselves from Wal-Mart Stores Inc., now the country’s largest grocer. Supervalu has even formed a subsidiary to deal solely with produce.

The stakes are huge: retail sales for produce, the fastest growing of all grocery categories, hit a record $52.1 billion last year, a 78 percent increase from 1997, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Census. The U.S. Department of Agriculture recently upped its recommendation of daily servings of fruit and vegetables to nine from five.

Industry analysts say supermarkets are responding to increasing pressures from discounters — including Aldi, whose U.S. operations are based in Batavia — and at the other end of the spectrum, a new wave of boutique-like grocers that is popping up all over the cities and suburbs.

In response, supermarkets are returning their focus to perishables including fruits, vegetables, dairy products, baked goods and meats.

“They’re going with the strategy that sometimes consumers want something more than just a cheap apple,” said Kevin Upton, a senior marketing lecturer at the University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Management.

Jason D. Whitmer, a retail analyst with FTN Midwest Securities, agreed. “Supermarkets have historically made their mark with perishables,” he said. “There’s more of an emphasis on freshness recently, because, in theory, this is Wal-Mart’s weakness.”

In its fiscal year ending next January, Wal-Mart plans to open about 250 Supercenters, which include groceries, and 30 Neighborhood Market stores, which are basically grocers.

Dominick’s is in the process of converting each of its 101 Chicago-area stores to a new format it calls Lifestyle stores, which feature an expanded selection of produce, bakery and deli products. So far, only the store in Northfield has been completed.

The new stores appear to cater to a more affluent consumer, with their large selection of organic produce, an expanded wine section and wood-cabin influenced decor, but Safeway officials insist Lifestyle stores were created to appeal to every income level.

“We’re not trying to change our customer base,” said Safeway spokeswoman Teena Massingil. “We’re simply looking to expand it.”

Massingil said Lifestyle stores are part of a company-wide strategy to improve the shopping experience, and will be promoted through a $100 million ad campaign launched last month. Pleasanton, Calif.-based Safeway, the nation’s third-largest grocer, is calling the campaign “Ingredients for Life,” which is focused on fresh produce, meats and bakery goods, as well as company-exclusive brands like Signature soups and sandwiches.

Last year, Safeway opened or converted 142 stores and it plans to convert some 300 more in 2005. Company officials declined to reveal which Dominick’s stores will change.

Eden Prairie, Minn.-based Supervalu, meanwhile, recently launched a new distribution company, W. Newell and Co., to deal solely in produce. It’s building a 155,000-square-foot distribution center in Champaign, which will reduce delivery time of produce by two or three days.

“Though that doesn’t seem like much, in the grocery world it’s a lifetime,” said David Livingston, a Milwaukee-based supermarket consultant.

W. Newell and Co. will supply produce to Cub Foods and independently-owned IGA stores; the distribution center is scheduled to be operating at full capacity in the fall.

“This will keep us on pace with consumer demand,” said Supervalu spokeswoman Lynne High said. “From a retail perspective, we see perishables as something we can focus on to differentiate ourselves from the competition.”

But, Whitmer of FTN Midwest Securities said the bottom line may be the main issue.

“What they’re doing is streamlining distribution,” he said. “I think this is primarily a cost-saving venture, but of course, they get the perceived benefit of offering a fresher product, as well.”

© 2005 Daily Herald, Paddock Publications, Inc.
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Frosty... Your man on the News. Business, baby. Strictly Business....

*beautiful: gross, dirty, gross, dirty and stinky.