Content about Safeway Inc.

May 3, 2013
Safeway milks social media with dairy contest

Safeway’s Lucerne brand cow is the face of the company’s eighth annual Lucerne: The Art of Dairy art contest. Safeway chose nine student finalists whose life-size fiberglass cows stand to win one of them a $30,000 grand prize.

PLEASANTON, Calif. — Safeway’s Lucerne brand cow is the face of the company’s eighth annual Lucerne: The Art of Dairy art contest. Safeway chose nine student finalists whose life-size fiberglass cows stand to win one of them a $30,000 grand prize.

April 29, 2013
Safeway CEO search ends at home

Robert Edwards will replace Steven Burd as CEO of Safeway, the company announced Monday evening.

Robert Edwards will replace Steven Burd as CEO of Safeway, the company announced Monday evening.
 
Edwards, 57, currently serves as Safeway’s president and will assume CEO responsibilities on May 14 when Burd resigns as CEO and chairman. Filling the chairman role will be lead independent director T. Gary Rogers who will become non-executive chairman.
 

April 25, 2013
Safeway sales suffer, shares drop

Safeway shares dropped dramatically as the company reported $10 billion in sales for its first quarter 2013 ended March 23, which is essentially flat as compared to the first quarter of 2012.

PLEASANTON, Calif. — Safeway shares dropped dramatically as the company reported $10 billion in sales for its first quarter 2013 ended March 23, which is essentially flat as compared to the first quarter of 2012. An identical-store sales increase of 1.5% (excluding fuel) was offset primarily by the disposition of Genuardi's stores in 2012 and lower fuel sales in 2013.
 

April 2, 2013
Safeway launches campaign to help people with disabilities

The Safeway Foundation has launched its annual April fundraising campaign to benefit Easter Seals, Special Olympics and a range of organizations that help people with disabilities live fuller, more independent lives.

PLEASANTON, Calif. — The Safeway Foundation has launched its annual April fundraising campaign to benefit Easter Seals, Special Olympics and a range of organizations that help people with disabilities live fuller, more independent lives.

The company's Support for People with Disabilities campaign, along with other fundraising activities, have contributed more than $140 million to Easter Seals, Special Olympics and an array of organizations that assist people with special needs.  

March 15, 2013
Safeway moves head merchant into ops role

Safeway president of merchandising, Kelly Griffith, was named to a new operational position, filling a void created by the retirement of EVP of retail operations Bruce Everette.

Safeway president of merchandising, Kelly Griffith, was named to a new operational position, filling a void created by the retirement of EVP of retail operations Bruce Everette.

February 21, 2013
Safeway CMO joins Whirlpool board

Whirlpool has appointed Diane Dietz, executive VP and chief marketing officer of Safeway, to its board of directors, effective immediately.

Whirlpool has appointed Diane Dietz, executive VP and chief marketing officer of Safeway, to its board of directors, effective immediately.

"Diane Dietz's history of leadership in the consumer products industry makes her an outstanding addition to our board," said Jeff Fettig, Whirlpool chairman and CEO. "We know her breadth of experience in driving sales and building successful brands will be invaluable to our board of directors and Whirlpool Corporation." 

February 21, 2013
Safeway earnings, sales up in Q4

Safeway Inc. reported net earnings from continuing operations of $1.06 per diluted share for the fourth quarter which ended Dec. 29, 2012.

PLEASANTON, Calif. — Safeway Inc. reported net earnings from continuing operations of $1.06 per diluted share for the fourth quarter which ended Dec. 29, 2012. This includes a $0.12 per diluted share benefit from legal settlements. When you exclude this benefit, earnings per diluted share is 94 cents. This represents a 58% improvement in earnings per diluted share over last year when the settlements are included and a 40% improvement when the settlements are excluded. 

February 21, 2013
Safeway earnings, sales up in Q4

Safeway Inc. reported net earnings from continuing operations of $1.06 per diluted share for the fourth quarter which ended Dec. 29, 2012.

PLEASANTON, Calif. — Safeway Inc. reported net earnings from continuing operations of $1.06 per diluted share for the fourth quarter which ended Dec. 29, 2012. This includes a $0.12 per diluted share benefit from legal settlements. When you exclude this benefit, earnings per diluted share is 94 cents. This represents a 58% improvement in earnings per diluted share over last year when the settlements are included and a 40% improvement when the settlements are excluded. 

February 4, 2013
Safeway gets new finance chief

Safeway on Monday announced the appointment of Peter Bocian as its new executive vice president and CFO. Bocian, 58, will oversee the company's financial functions including accounting, tax, audit, treasury, investor relations, planning and business development.

PLEASANTON, Calif. — Safeway on Monday announced the appointment of Peter Bocian as its new executive vice president and CFO. Bocian, 58, will oversee the company's financial functions including accounting, tax, audit, treasury, investor relations, planning and business development. He will report directly to Robert Edwards, Safeway's president, and will assume his new responsibilities on Feb. 19.

January 30, 2013
Safeway, ExxonMobil make gas buying more rewarding

Safeway is offering its customers the ability to earn reward points redeemable at participating Exxon or Mobil gas stations.

PLEASANTON, Calif. — Safeway is offering its customers the ability to earn reward points redeemable at participating Exxon or Mobil gas stations.

"Safeway listens to its shoppers, and we understand the importance of stretching grocery dollars," said Mir Aamir, president of customer loyalty and digital technologies at Safeway. "By teaming up with ExxonMobil, we're able to thank our customers with a loyalty program that makes two frequent and critical purchases lead to real savings."

January 4, 2013
Equality advances evident at retail and CPG

Nineteen of the nation’s leading retail and CPG companies received perfect scores on the 2013 Corporate Equality Index compiled by the Human Rights Campaign.

Nineteen of the nation’s leading retail and CPG companies received perfect scores on the 2013 Corporate Equality Index compiled by the Human Rights Campaign.

The Human Rights Campaign released its 2013 Corporate Equality Index, which gives companies ratings of up to 100% based on their policies regarding LGBT employees and also released a buyer's guide for LGBT consumers. According to the equality advocacy group, a total of 1,848 companies were invited to submit applications, of those 530 actually did so and of those 252 received scores of 100%.

January 4, 2013
Will Safeway come calling on Walmart

Top food executives at Walmart are presumably in the crosshairs of Safeway recruiters now that longtime chairman and CEO Steve Burd has announced his retirement.

Top food executives at Walmart are presumably in the crosshairs of Safeway recruiters now that longtime chairman and CEO Steve Burd has announced his retirement.

January 3, 2013
Burd resigns as Safeway chairman, CEO

The hunt is on for a new chief executive at Safeway following the resignation of longtime chairman and CEO Steve Burd.

The hunt is on for a new chief executive at Safeway following the resignation of longtime chairman and CEO Steve Burd.

Burd, 62, is scheduled to retire at the company’s annual stockholders meeting on May 14 and will aid in the search of his successor that is said to include internal and external candidates. Burd joined Safeway in October 1992 as president and was appointed CEO in May of the following year.

December 12, 2012
Market Track: November 2012

Promotional activity among the nation’s leading retailers declined during November aside from several notable exceptions. There was a flurry of intense promotional activity around Thanksgiving weekend, as always, but for the months as a whole the number of inserts distributed by retailers declined 7% and the number of pages declined by 5%.

November 14, 2012
Market Track: October 2012

The overall trend has been similar to what we saw last month with a marginal decrease in the number of circulars, while increases were seen in page counts per market. Average pages per market saw 10% increase this year October when compared with the same month last year.

November 9, 2012
Safeway expands support of military veterans

Safeway on Friday announced it will expand its support of America's military veterans by hiring at least 1,000 military veterans in 2013 to add to the 1,300 hired to-date in 2012.

Pleasanton, Calif. — Safeway on Friday announced it will expand its support of America's military veterans by hiring at least 1,000 military veterans in 2013 to add to the 1,300 hired to-date in 2012. In addition, the company is raising money this Veterans Day weekend for organizations that help veterans recover from service-related injuries and/or return to the civilian workforce.

October 24, 2012
Safeway, Chevron fuel up a new loyalty partnership

Safeway's Vons division has partnered with Chevron for a joint fuel loyalty program.

PLEASANTON, Calif. — Safeway's Vons division has partnered with Chevron for a joint fuel loyalty program. Customers who earn gas rewards by shopping with their VonsClub card at Vons stores and their ValuePlus card at Pavilions stores will now be able to use their rewards for up to 20 cents off per gallon when filling up at participating Chevron and Texaco branded locations in Southern and Central California.

October 11, 2012
Despite Q3 decline, Safeway sees ident-store growth in Q4

Safeway reported income from continuing operations of $108 million, or 45 cents per diluted share, for the third quarter of 2012 compared with $130.3 million (38 centper diluted share) in the third quarter of 2011.

Safeway reported income from continuing operations of $108 million, or 45 cents per diluted share, for the third quarter of 2012 compared with $130.3 million (38 centper diluted share) in the third quarter of 2011.

October 8, 2012
Safeway human resources head receives industry accolades

Safeway SVP human resources, Russ Jackson, has been named by Human Resource Executive magazine to the 2012 HR Honor Roll.

PLEASANTON, Calif. — Safeway SVP human resources, Russ Jackson, has been named by Human Resource Executive magazine to the 2012 HR Honor Roll. Jackson will be recognized by the publication on Oct. 9 at a black tie awards dinner at the University Club of Chicago.

"Russ is a transformational architect within Safeway," said Safeway EVP, Larree Renda. "With his vision, insight and drive for results, he has built a human resources organization that is a powerful accelerator of change."

October 2, 2012
Safeway calls on employees, customers to take pledge for a better life

Safeway is calling on its associates and customers to take simple steps toward a better life.

PLEASANTON, Calif. — Safeway is calling on its associates and customers to take simple steps toward a better life.

The company has launched the "Heart of Safeway Pledge" as a personal call-to-action to take simple, everyday steps – such as using energy-conserving light bulbs, taking a 15-minute walk three times a week or eating healthier foods – that benefit pledge-takers and their communities.

September 28, 2012
Spoiler alert: Walmart’s prices lowest to varying degrees

Pricing studies conducted this week by Wall Street analysts yielded familiar results.

Pricing studies conducted this week by Wall Street analysts yielded familiar results.

Deutsche Bank analyst Charles Grom and Citigroup analyst Deb Weinswig issued reports this week comparing Walmart’s prices to dollar stores and conventional supermarkets and Target.

September 27, 2012
Get a flu shot, save on groceries at Safeway

Safeway on Thursday announced the availability of flu shots on a walk-in basis at all Safeway pharmacy locations.

PLEASANTON, Calif. — Safeway on Thursday announced the availability of flu shots on a walk-in basis at all Safeway pharmacy locations.

September 24, 2012
Safeway joins fight against childhood obesity

The Safeway Foundation announced is giving $2 million to community health programs and hospitals to launch grass-roots projects for the prevention and treatment of childhood obesity.

PLEASANTON, Calif. — The Safeway Foundation announced is giving $2 million to community health programs and hospitals to launch grass-roots projects for the prevention and treatment of childhood obesity.

September 6, 2012
Safeway outlines three future growth platforms: Wellness, loyalty and fuel

Safeway will package $150 million in real healthcare savings into an overall wellness strategy to be implemented over the course of 2013, the grocer's chairman and CEO Steve Burd told analysts Thursday morning at the Goldman Sachs 19th Annual Global Retailing Conference.

NEW YORK — Safeway will package $150 million in real healthcare savings into an overall wellness strategy to be implemented over the course of 2013, the grocer's chairman and CEO Steve Burd told analysts Thursday morning at the Goldman Sachs 19th Annual Global Retailing Conference.

July 25, 2012
Safeway raises $9 million for Prostate Cancer awareness

Safeway Inc has raised more than $9 million during its month-long Prostate Cancer Awareness Campaign.

PLEASANTON, Calif. — Safeway Inc has raised more than $9 million during its month-long Prostate Cancer Awareness Campaign.