Buzz

Paul Del Duca, executive vice-president, merchandising, warehousing and distribution at A&P Canada, has been appointed executive vice-president. Other appointments at A&P: Tony Morello is now senior vicepresident and chief merchandising officer while Dave Spry becomes senior vice-president of business information & services, reporting to Del Duca . . . Eric Claus, president and CEO of A&P Canada, was chair in December at the Kids Help Phone fundraiser in Toronto . . . Kellogg Inc. CEO Carlos Gutierrez is now U.S. commerce secretary. . . James M. Jenness has succeeded him. . . Alison Clifford has joined the National Association of Convenience Stores as exhibits and advertising sales manager . . . Jim Klein is the new vice-president, customer marketing at Wrigley Canada. After 27 years with Wrigley Canada, Brian R. McDonald will retire at the end of the year as vice-president, marketing . . . Steve Rice has been promoted to senior vice-president, sales and marketing, Tetley Canada, responsible for all commercial functions. Rice will report to John Nicholas, managing director, developed markets. Dana Johnson will assume full responsibility for the support functions of Tetley Canada and U.S.A. and becomes senior vicepresident and CFO, North America. Johnson will be the overall office manager in Toronto and continue to report to Peter Unsworth, Tetley Group finance director . . . Peter Quintiliani has been appointed executive vice-president and chief financial officer of Katz Group Canada Ltd. . . . Cascades Inc. has appointed Hubert Bolduc as vice-president, communications and public affairs . . . W.F. Neilsen, vice-president, retail, Sobeys West, has retired . . . Once again it was a full house at the United Grocers Inc. (UGI) Annual Supplier Appreciation Dinner in Toronto in early November. The three supplier -winners this year were Hershey Canada Inc. (Best Merchandising Support in 2003), Alcoa-Reynolds Consumer Products (Biggest Sales Increase in 2003) and Carrière Foods Inc. (Best Private Label Support in 2003). And once again, Mike Marinangeli, president of UGI, managed-as promised-to wrap up the festivities by 9 p.m. sharp . . . Deanna Nascimben is now regional sales manager, Atlantic Canada for Wong Wing Foods Inc. . .The IGA Advisory Committee in Ontario is asking suppliers to help sponsor the group's planned January trip to Cabo San Lucas in Mexico. A number of Foodland dealers are reportedly planning to take part in the seven-day annual trip . . . Perennial Inc., a strategic retail creative company, has appointed Joanne Balles president. Perennial's customers include Loblaw, Staples Business Depot and Winners . . . Adonis Supermarket, a Montreal institution, has won the Commerce Design Montreal award. The jury was the public. A total of 58,000 people participated in choosing this year's award winners, up dramatically from 1998 when only 3,000 people voted ... In its November 2004 issue, National Post magazine said Frank Weise III and John Sheppard of Cott Corp. were the biggest earners in the Canadian food and beverage industries. Including salary, bonus, options and "other," they earned almost $22 million. Paul Sobey of Empire Co. Ltd., with earnings of $1,265,000, was among the most underpaid executives in Canada, according to the publication. Francois Coutu of The Jean Coutu Group Inc. earned a total of $1,174,000; John Lederer of Loblaw, earned a total of $3,034,000; while W. Galen Weston of George Weston Ltd., was compensated with $2,600,000. Bill McEwan of Sobeys Inc. earned $2,205,000 ... In its year-end special titled "Coolest Inventions," Time magazine has picked the Jetboil Personal Cooking System, a New Zealand invention, which has a sensor that detects when pears are ripe by analyzing the aromas emitted by the fruit . . . The Canadian Marketing Association (CMA) honoured the Campbell's Power2Cook campaign, created by Proximity Canada, with two gold medals. The integrated program was designed to encourage consumers to think of Campbell's soups and broths as part of the cooking process rather than as recipe ingredients ... to celebrate the opening of its new store in West Vancouver, Whole Foods Market invited the neighbourhood to a celebrity chef book signing, cooking demonstrations and to a food tasting fair in November. Jeremy Knapman, a team leader at the store, said: "The events are our way of thanking the community for the warm welcome they have given us." . . . Canada's Culinary Olympic Team won three gold medals, and one grand gold medal and a silver medal during the recent 2004 VKD World Culinary Olympics in Germany. Knorr was one of the supporters of the team . . . StarMine data service has nominated CIBC World Market's Perry Caicco-a panelist on our November 2004 Analysts' Roundtable-the best at picking stocks and providing the most accurate earnings estimates on Jean Coutu Group Inc. and Shoppers Drug Mart. . .Toronto Star (November 28) devoted the front page of its business section to Mother Parkers Tea & Coffee, the company's late patriarch Paul Higgins Sr. and to his sons-Paul and Michael-who now run the pioneering company. . . Vancouverbased Happy Planet is the proud winner of Ethics in Action organisation's "Overall Leadership" award for demonstrating corporate and social responsibility.