Kroger has rolled out a self-driving grocery delivery service at one of its stores in Houston. The company will expand the service later this year with eventual plans to launch it citywide.

Shoppers ranked Central Market first in a list of best supermarkets, according to a survey from Consumer Reports. The chain was followed by Wegmans and Heinen's, with Shipt taking the designation for best online grocery service.

Far Niente Wine Estates saw "significant double-digit growth" in direct-to-consumer sales during 2018, said CEO Steven Spadarotto. The firm saw growth in every channel last year, despite raising prices, he said.

Be critical or give praise, but don't mix both into the same conversation, writes executive coach Mari Carmen Pizarro. "When it's necessary for leaders to provide negative feedback -- and every leader will have to at some point in their careers -- I believe they need to prioritize directness over their need to be liked," Pizarro writes.

French retailer Carrefour has teamed with Nestle to empower consumers with blockchain technology. Customers can trace the origin of Mousline puree products as part of a pilot program to test the platform.

The CDC is investigating a multistate listeria outbreak linked to sliced deli meat and cheeses contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, which has hospitalized eight people, one of whom died. The listeria strain was identified in meat slice samples at a deli and deli counters in retail locations in Rhode Island and New York.

Data analytics is becoming an increasingly important driver for decision-making among supermarket operators as there is an emerging need for frictionless commerce, writes Relex Solutions' Greg Wilson. "Ultimately, the goal of frictionless commerce is to reduce the touches and pain points along the journey from supplier to retailer to the consumer enjoying an item," he writes.

The sale of 25 limited-edition cases of Mouton Rothschild at this week's Sotheby's auction has produced approximately $974,000 to be donated toward repairs of the Notre Dame cathedral in Paris. "We are proud to offer a contribution towards the restoration of this symbol of French heritage," said Catherine Pegard, president of the Public Establishment of the Palace, Museum and National Estate of Versailles.

A year after launching his own whiskey label, folk music icon Bob Dylan is expected to open the whiskey distillery Heaven's Door in Nashville in 2020. In addition to a 100-proof whiskey, bourbon and rye will be produced at the distillery, which will also include a performance space, an art gallery featuring some of Dylan's own work, a whiskey library and a restaurant.

Some red wine varietals including gamay and pinot noir taste best when chilled to between 50 and 60 degrees. Fruity French cinsault and acidic Sicilian frappato also benefit from a stint in the refrigerator before serving.