Whole Food

Grand Rapids Symphony Casual Classics, 7:30 tonight, St. Cecilia Music Society, 24 Ransom Ave. NE, $23-$31, 456-3333 or 454-9451, ticketmaster.com or grsymphony.org.

Exhibit Opening: Foremost's Butterflies Are Blooming, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. today, Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park, 1000 East Beltline Ave. NE, ages 14-64 $12, age 65 and older $9, students with ID $9, ages 5-13 $6, ages 3-4 $4, free to age 2 and younger, 957-1580 or (888) 957-1580, meijergardens.org or sculpturesitesgr.org.

Up the food chain

SUBODH Gupta is the new age dabbawala. His tiffin carriers arrive on a sushi conveyer belt. However dont get caught up in the literal, since Gupta urges you to look for the metaphor in his latest exhibition, Stop Start at the Bodhi Art Gallery that premiered on March 1.

In this piece I am talking about globalisation: The migration of culture through the medium of food. The work is titled Fate Matters, says Gupta sipping on a cup of chai, with less sugar of course.

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Diet for life

When two-time breast cancer survivor Amy Cullick went for her annual physical exam last spring, her doctor told her that the excess weight she had gained put her at increased risk for a recurrence of the disease.

"That's all I needed to hear," says Cullick, 52, who lost almost 60 pounds by the end of January. Surgeon Nedra Harrison wasn't raising unfounded fears when she shared her message with Cullick and referred her to registered dietitian Terri Taylor of the Virginia G. Piper Cancer Center at Scottsdale (Ariz.) Healthcare.

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Tidbits from Small Bites

Chartreuse in Yonkers: Liz talks with owner Stella Rodriguez-Cheblal, who explains that the new restaurant - Belle Havana - will serve small plates of Cuban-French fusion food and provide a lounge atmosphere that's open late.

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Foodtown, Shop 'n Save Test 'Personalized' Offers

Regional grocers Foodtown and Shop 'n Save are testing a new loyalty marketing system developed by San Francisco-based Pay By Touch.

Avenel, NJ-based grocery cooperative Foodtown is testing the program, dubbed "Personalized Savings," in three of its 56 stores, while Supervalu-owned Shop 'n Save is piloting the system in three Pittsburgh-area stores under a "Personalized Perks" moniker.

The Foodtown program tailors discounts and incentives to a shopper's own purchase history. Shoppers scan their loyalty cards at kiosks near store entrances to receive customized printouts of 16 offers for frequently purchased items -- eight from national brands and eight from the retailer. The deals are redeemed automatically at checkout when the shopper's card is scanned. The offers refresh weekly.

Summer camps 2007: Marin choices in West Marin

This list is designed to help parents find camps and other fun experiences for their children this summer. The guide is organized by city so you can find camps close to your home.

MULTIPLE LOCATIONS

DAY CAMPS

BLUE BEAR SCHOOL OF MUSIC - Locations at Fort Mason and in Marin (to be determined); 673-3600; www.bluebearmusic.org. Weeklong music camps for youth 11 to 17, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., ending with a Friday evening show. Instructors are Bay Area music professionals, teaching in small group settings. Camps include Rock U, Songwriters, Zep/Hendrix/ACDC, Rockergrrrls, Get Ready to Rock, Rap/Hip-Hop, Garage Band, Jazz/Funk/Jamming. $495 tuition plus $35 member fee.

YMCA SUMMER CAMPS - 492-9622; www.ymcasf.org/marin. Wide variety of camps, including traditional day camps, baby-sitting basics, cooking, cheer dance, gymnastics, hip-hop, horsemanship, mini-cooking, mini-dance, mini-sports, triathlon, sailing, skating and young artists, for children 4 to 14.

WAREHOUSING SECTOR MUST GEAR UP TO MEET CHALLENGE OF SURGING ...

Secretary, Food & Public Distribution, Shri T. Nanda Kumar, today highlighted the need to gear up the warehousing and supply chain management sector to meet the challenges arising out of surge in volumes of commodities.

In his key-note address at the international conference on Warehousing to Supply Chain Management - Complementary or Supplementary, Shri Nanda Kumar argued that the GDP growth of 9 percent, constant increase in volumes and reduction in unit cost of passenger and freight by the Railways, and huge investments in road infrastructure and rural connectivity are leading to fast increase in volumes in agriculture and manufacturing.

The challenge, therefore, is to move these goods to consumption centers within the country or outside in the most efficient manner.

GraceKennedy acquires UK company for $3b

GraceKennedy Limited has acquired United Kingdom-based food supplier WT (Holdings) Limited Group, or WT Foods, for ?23million (J$3.04 billion), calling the deal a strategic acquisition to make inroads into the European market.

The company acquired WT Foods from European private equity firm Bridgepoint Capital Limited, and plans to use the operation to launch its own distribution and sales networks in Europe.

The deal, which gives Grace-Kennedy a physical presence in the UK, was sealed with a six-month financing arrangement through a bank, to facilitate immediate possession of the company, the conglomerate said.

On Thursday, GraceKennedy's stock fell $1.50 to $58.50 on the news on the Jamaica Stock Exchange. The stock last traded at TT$5.75, B$1.80, and EC$4.25 on the respective exchanges in Trinidad, Barabdos and the Eastern Caribbean.