Ahold

CARLISLE, Pa. — Giant-Carlisle will work with the Drug Enforcement Administration to sponsor several medication take-back events next month, the company said.

The chain, owned by Netherlands-based Royal Ahold and officially known as Giant Food Stores, will work with the DEA and local law enforcement agencies as part of the national drug take-back initiative on April 28, collecting unwanted medications at several of its stores.

QUINCY, Mass. — Ahold's 756 stores in the Northeast will no longer carry a beef filler product that has attracted significant controversy among consumers lately.

Stop & Shop, Giant-Landover and Giant-Carlisle simultaneously announced that they would no longer purchase ground beef containing finely textured beef, which often is derided as "pink slime" due to its pink color and viscous texture.

QUINCY, Mass. — A Northeastern supermarket chain has made a business magazine's list of the top 10 most innovative companies in the food industry.

LANCASTER, Pa. — One of the supermarket chains operated by Netherlands-based Royal Ahold has installed rooftop solar panels at two of its stores.

Carlisle, Pa.-based Giant Food Stores — also known as Giant-Carlisle to distinguish it from Landover, Md.-based Giant Food, also owned by Ahold — said it had installed solar photovoltaic systems at stores in Lancaster and Pottstown, Pa.

LANDOVER, Md. — Supermarket chain Giant Food has acquired two supermarkets in the Baltimore area from another company, Giant said.

Giant, also known as Giant-Landover to distinguish itself from Giant Food Stores of Carlisle, Pa. — both are owned by Netherlands-based Royal Ahold — said it would buy two Fresh & Green's stores from Mrs. Green's Management. The stores are in Baltimore and Parkville, Md.

Both stores will subsequently be closed for remodeling, and the Baltimore store will replace a Giant store at a nearby shopping center.

SOUTHPORT, Conn. — Walmart ranked No. 1 out of six retail pharmacy operators who were identified as part of the “Top 50 Organizations for Multicultural Business Opportunities" by DiversityBusiness.com last week. Other pharmacy retailers on the list included, in order, Kroger, Supervalu, Target, Walgreens and Ahold USA.

CHICAGO — SymphonyIRI Group on Thursday identified the executives sitting on its new board of directors, including the naming of Lawrence Benjamin as chairman.

A 25-year veteran, Benjamin most recently held several executive positions at Royal Ahold, including CEO of U.S. foodservice, COO of Ahold's U.S. retail businesses, EVP and a seat on the company's global board. Previously, he was CEO for NutraSweet and president of the frozen meals division of Kraft. Benjamin currently is a senior adviser at New Mountain Capital.

AMSTERDAM — Ahold experienced several bright spots during its fourth quarter and full year, the Dutch supermarket company said.

Fourth-quarter net sales totaled $9.4 billion, a 4.5% increase above the year-ago period, while net sales for the year increased by 2.5% to $39.1 billion.