Retail Beat

• Price Less Foods sells groceries at cost
  Houchens Industries opened a Price Less Foods store in Virginia and three in Tennessee, selling groceries at cost and charging a 10% fee per basket. The company, which is planning additional locations, said the cost includes factors such as labor, overhead and warehouse storage. Supermarket News (11/9)     

• Lazy Acres brings organic fare to Long Beach, Calif.
  Lazy Acres opened its second store, selling natural and organic food in Long Beach, Calif. Products include beef raised without hormones and antibiotics, bread baked daily, sustainable seafood, all-natural soup, prepared food and artisan cheese. "Our natural and organic fresh-food offering is what this neighborhood is looking for, and our vast product mix is unique to the area and will fulfill a need that Long Beach is hungry for," President and CEO Kevin Davis said. Progressive Grocer (11/9)     

• Wis. IGA makes world's longest bratwurst
  Ptacek's IGA in Prescott, Wis., celebrated 100 years in business by creating a 52-foot-2-inch sausage, certified by the World Record Academy as the longest bratwurst in the world. The store tapped Pan-O-Gold Baking to make the bun and laid grills side by side to cook the meat. Six-inch portions were sold, with proceeds donated to Have A Heart, a local charity that helps people with developmental disabilities. Supermarket News (11/9)     

Trend-Spotter

• Study: Prices aren't top concern at specialty stores
  Shoppers at specialty stores are not concerned with higher prices and are more responsive to holiday promotions than sale prices, according to a study by the State University of New York at Buffalo. Researchers suggested that specialty stores focus on product mix and promotions, not price. CandyAndSnackToday.com (11/11)     

• Perimeter packaging moves forward
  Packaging for Lehigh Valley Dairy Farms milk, El Monterey Butcher Wrapped Burritos by Ruiz Foods, tofu from House Foods America and breakfast food from Jimmy Dean shows a fresh direction for products sold at the grocery perimeter. Lehigh Valley uses the opaque Pure Protect bottle, which protects milk from sunlight, and the El Monterey burritos are wrapped in laminate that holds heat well. Progressive Grocer (11/9)     

Fresh Ideas

• Wild turkeys are a conservation success story
  Wild turkeys, which were veering toward extinction in the early 1900s, have become plentiful, thanks to the work of conservationists. There are 7 million wild turkeys nationwide, with meat that is more intensely flavored than domesticated birds sold at supermarkets. National Public Radio/The Salt blog (11/11)     

Health, Nutrition & Pharmacy

• Hospital adds clinic at 2 Jewel-Osco stores
  SUPERVALU has partnered with Edward Hospital & Health Services in Illinois to open Quick Care Clinics at two Jewel-Osco pharmacies. "Through this partnership, we will be able to offer our patients even more tools to help them manage their health and wellness needs," said Chris Dimos, SUPERVALU's president of pharmacy and nonfood merchandising. Drug Store News (11/9)     

Supplier News

• ConAgra plans to boost frozen-potato production
  ConAgra Foods will add a production line to a facility in Boardman, Ore., for Lamb Weston frozen potatoes to meet growing demand for french fries and other products. The expansion, which includes a 192,000-square-foot addition, is expected to create 100 jobs. Food Business Review (11/12)     

Hot Topics

Top five news stories selected by FMI dailyLead® readers in the past week.

• Store brands are no longer considered second best (Time.com)

• Multichannel grocers lead among "power retailers" (Progressive Grocer)

• Giant Eagle debuts budget concept in Pittsburgh (Progressive Grocer)

• Big profit, little attention for private chain (Bloomberg Businessweek)

• Unified Grocers creates online rewards program (Supermarket News)

• Results based on number of times each story was clicked by readers.

Government Affairs

• Preliminary settlement reached on credit card fees
  A $7.2 billion preliminary agreement between major credit cards companies and retailers has been approved by a federal judge. The move means 8 million retailers are now part of a class, eligible for the money in cash or as temporary reductions in swipe fees, but merchants and trade groups said a settlement would take rights away from stores. Reuters (11/9)     

FMI Spotlight

• Call for nominations: Celebrate your store manager
  FMI's annual Store Manager Awards are open for nomination! The program, in its 12th consecutive year, awards managers' success in generating sales growth, providing great customer service, attaining company goals and serving the community. For a list of past winners and to nominate someone, visit FMI.org.     

Food Safety and Security

• Chicago school officials consider limit on drinks and snacks
  The Chicago Board of Education is expected to vote this week on a measure that would bar the sale of sweetened drinks and whole milk. It would also limit sales of candy for fundraising. Each school would be required to create a wellness team to offer fundraisers and celebrations with healthful food and drinks. Chicago Sun-Times (11/11)     

Daily Quote

Excuses change nothing, but make everyone feel better." --Mason Cooley, American aphorist