B.I.N. NEWS

Spring - 2005

NEW HIRES:

Dennis Killoren joined the BIN team on February 21st as a Space Management Specialist covering CT, MA, ME and the plan-o-gram work at Shaw’s headquarters in Bridgewater, MA. Dennis comes to BIN after having worked as a Salesman for Gourmet Award Foods for the past five years. Prior to that Dennis was a Pantry Team manager for K-Mart for two years and with STAAAAR Market for five years in the capacities of Deli Clerk, Grocery Team Leader and Frozen Food Manager.

Bill Marcon also joined BIN on February 21st as a Space Management Specialist covering the New York and New Jersey areas. Previously Bill worked for Amerisource Bergen Corporation for three years where he merchandised over-the-counter and prescription pharmaceuticals. His prior work experience includes inventory management work for Specialty Foods Sales and sales/merchandising work for Millbrook Distribution Services.

Kristin Freeman joined BIN on February 28th as a Marketing Support Coordinator in our Scituate, RI office. Kristin graduated from Roger Williams University with a degree in Marketing. Since graduating she has been working in a marketing/sales administrative support role for Andrade Acquisitions. Kristin’s main responsibilities included heading up new client acquistions, retention and drafting sales presentations.

Peter Villella joined BIN on March 7th as a Space Management Specialist. He will be based in MA and will regularly provide merchandising support from New England to the Mid-Atlantic.

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Select Nutrition has named Robert Sperling the new Vice President of Sales .

Tree of Life has announced the signing of a contract with Eq-life to serve as the company’s distributor of vitamins, minerals, supplements, homeopathic and herbal remedies, and personal care products. Eq-life is a wholly owned subsidiary of Best Buy, a new health and wellness test concept catering to people who are striving to define or follow their individual journeys of health, well-being and balance

Tree of Life has announced the final steps in their reorganization process and the introduction of new service capabilities that will enhance Tree of Life’s position as a major distributor in the industry. Effective January 26, 2005, the Northeast Region, Southeast Region and Tree of Life Corporate Headquarters have merged to form the new East Region. This move concentrates Tree of Life’s U.S. distribution business into three regional offices located in St. Augustine, Florida, Dallas, Texas, and Bloomington, Indiana. The Tree of Life office located in North Bergen, New Jersey, Gourmet Award Foods offices located in Albany, NY, Atlanta, GA, and Ft. Lauderdale, FL will serve as satellite distribution facilities for the East Region. Under this new plan, procurement activities will be reorganized and segmented into category management (with responsibility for assortment optimization), vendor management (vendor relations and pricing), and inventory management (purchase orders). Personnel assigned to the various positions will be announced by Tree of Life in late Apri or May 2005. Additionally, the company will jettison its "Gourmet Award" name and use "Tree of Life" exclusively.

United Natural Foods Inc. and Whole Foods Market have announced a definitive three-year distribution agreement, which commenced on January 1, 2005. Under this agreement UNFI will continue to serve as the primary U.S. distributor to Whole Foods Market. The new three-year agreement is consistent with the terms and conditions of their previous agreement, which expired on December 31, 2004.

United Natural Foods Inc. acquired Select Nutrition Distributors Inc. in an effort to bolster UNFI’s position in health and beauty aids, and vitamins, minerals and supplements. The acquisition gives UNFI a broader product range in natural health categories.

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Albertsons is converting 11 of its Florida supermarkets into Super Saver stores. Super Saver stores offer a smaller selection of food items and fewer services to keep prices low. The stores target value-conscious consumers and aim to compete with low-priced chains such as Wal-Mart.

Earth Fare has announced that Lori Peesker has resigned as Grocery Category Manger. Randy Talley was appointed her replacement effective March 14, 2005.

Food Lion has acquired three more Winn-Dixie stores in Virginia. In November Food Lion had acquired five other Winn Dixies in Virginia and five in North Carolina as Winn-Dixie Stores continue to close or sell its outlying and/or unprofitable locations.

Publix’s Senior Vice President of Product Business Development and a 49 year employee of the company, Jim Lobinsky, announced he would retire June 30, 2005. Publix has decided to restructure its supply chain management into two divisions; it named new Senior Vice Presidents to lead each division. Effective July 1, Scott Charlton will be promoted to Senior Vice President of Manufacturing and Distribution. Todd Jones has been promoted to Senior Vice President of Product Business Development.

Wegmans Food Markets has been named the first inductee into the Retail Best Practices Hall of Fame at the Retail Conference of the Magazine Publishers of America and the International Periodical Distributors Association.

Whole Foods North Atlantic has announced that Robert Brown, Asst. Grocery Buyer, has gone back to retail and is working at the Fresh Pond store as the Asst. Grocery Team Leader. Deb Singer has been appointed the new Grocery Buyer for the North Atlantic Region. She has instituted a Regional Buyers Council comprised of Buyers and Team Leaders in the NY/NJ and NE stores who will meet to decide on new products to be approved at WFNA.

Whole Foods opened their 3rd store in New York City on March 16, 2005. The Union Square store has gone vertical with three floors, including a main shopping floor, prepared foods, coffee and juice bars as well as a picnic area. Since the grand opening the store has been packed with curious shoppers and has done tremendous business.

Wild Oats Markets’ experiment with selling its private-label products in venues other than its own is off to a great start, sparking the retailer to seek similar avenues to grow. With the addition of selling Wild Oats’ private label products through Peapod.com, a division of Ahold, the retailer is also test marketing their "store within a store" concept partnered with Stop & Shop soon.

New Store Openings

Wegman’s

Whole Foods- All Opening Dates TBA (unless noted

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EVENTS -UPCOMING TRADE SHOWS & EVENTS

FMI SPRING FANCY FOOD SHOW
May 1st - 3rd  2005
McCormick Place
Chicago, IL

EXPO EAST
Sept. 16th-18th 2005
Washington Convention Center
Washington, DC

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