Sep 3, 2007 12:00 PM

MONTVALE, N.J. — Eric Claus, chief executive officer of A&P here, in a statement last week said he was “appalled” at the support shown for two former employees whose spoof rap video shot in a New Jersey A&P store showed “disgusting” and “deplorable” handling of produce items. “I find it disturbing that the focus of this story has not been on food safety,” Claus said. “This is in total contrast to the food safety standards that we uphold as a company.” A&P suspended and later fired the employees, Mark and Matthew D'Avella, who are brothers, shortly after their video was posted at youtube.com on Aug. 6. Last week, the retailer filed a lawsuit seeking $1 million in damages and requesting that the video be removed from websites.

TAMPA, Fla. — A Kash n' Karry store in Crystal River, Fla., was converted to the Sweetbay banner last week, marking the end of a three-year transformation of nearly 100 former Kash n' Karry sites and the end of the Kash n' Karry name after more than 45 years in Florida. The retailer, founded as a wagon selling fruits and vegetables by Italian immigrant Salvatore Greco in 1914, took on the Kash n' Karry name in 1962. Belgium-based Delhaize Group purchased the chain in 2001 and created the Sweetbay brand to reinvigorate the chain in core markets.

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