Kraft said it intends to sell Duracell,...

Kraft said it intends to sell Duracell, the worldwide leader in the manufacture and sale of consumer alkaline batteries. “Duracell has a strong position in a growing industry and is an important contributor to the good year Kraft is having,” Kraft Chairman John M. Richman said in a statement. “However . . . we believe Kraft can better enhance value for shareholders by directing its total management and financial resources to the food industry.” Duracell, headquartered in Bethel, Conn., is expected to report about $120 million in operating profit on sales of $1.1 billion for 1987. It accounted for 11% of Kraft’s $8.7 billion total sales in 1986, the statement said.