Modesto, CA-based Save Mart Supermarkets Inc. has launched a campaign to help its suppliers recognize the size and scope of the chain and advantages the chain may have to offer.

Dole Fresh Vegetables Inc. has sued its competitor Ready Pac Produce Inc. for engaging in "unfair competition" because three top Dole employees have joined former Dole COO Larry Kern at Ready Pac in the last few months.

The suit was filed in Monterey Superior Court June 18 and alleges that Ready Pac has engaged and continues to engage in unfair competition. The suit names three employees that left Dole between March and June and now work for Ready Pac.

The Herbal Garden in Wauconda, IL, and Fresh Connect in Chicago have signed an agreement whereby Fresh Connect will handle foodservice sales for The Herbal Garden. Acting as account representatives, Fresh Connect will represent The Herbal Garden to chain operators as well as distributors.

Gonzales, CA-based Foxy Foods, a leading supplier of fresh vegetable trays to consumers, has introduced two new vegetable trays using national brand, "Hidden Valley The Original Ranch Dressing."

The vegetable trays, available in 18- and 36-ounce sizes, offer consumers the opportunity to use the Hidden Valley dressing, which has the highest total advertising awareness among leading bottled dressing brands with 16 percent of all consumers indicating that "Hidden Valley The Original Ranch Dressing is the only dressing they would buy.

The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Co. sold its 236 Canadian stores to the Quebec-based Metro Inc. retail operation this week in a move that was apparently very well received by the U.S. business community.

In Canadian dollars, the deal was announced at $1.7 billion: $1.2 billion Canadian in cash and $500 million Canadian in stock. The infusion of cash will help A&P retire much of its U.S. debt and refurbish many of its stores.