June 28 – Albertsons’ Vivek Sankaran sizes up state of grocery post-pandemic
FMI Midsummer session spotlights trends that will stick and those that might not. From: Supermarket News
June 28 – Inside the Herman Miller x Knoll Merger
Things are moving faster than expected. BOH looks at who’s in, who’s out, and the background of a deal that almost didn’t happen. From: Business of Home
June 28 – Grocery Outlet Continues National Expansion With 400th Store
Retailer is adding roughly 35 new stores each year. From: Progressive Grocer
June 25 – How Macy’s Made the Best of a Difficult Year
Changes put in place during the pandemic have made Macy’s a stronger company coming out of it, Chairman and CEO Jeff Gennette said at NRF Retail Converge. The retailer launched a turnaround plan in February 2020 that focused on digital investments, revamping stores and improving customer relationships, and it expects 2021 to be a year for rebuilding, Gennette said. From: NRF SmartBrief
June 25 – Why Wayfair’s Betting on AR to Drive Online Sales
Online furniture and home goods retailer Wayfair is continuing to invest in augmented reality, virtual reality and other technology, believing the company can give consumers a more detailed picture of what their rooms will look like than what they can get in a store, co-founder Steven Conine said. “Ideally, I think at some point in the future every home in the US will have a 3D model associated with it,” Conine said. From: CNBC
June 24 – Walmart Invests in DroneUp as It Seeks to Scale Up Drone Delivery
After partnering with DroneUp on delivery of at-home COVID-19 test kits, Walmart is investing in the Virginia Beach, Va.-based drone services provider. From: Winsight Grocery Business
June 24 – UNFI Won’t Sell Cub, Shoppers, Anytime Soon
Officials with the national food wholesaler announced that it will continue to own and operate its 71 Cub and Shopper Foods Warehouse stores, which are in Minnesota and the mid-Atlantic region. From: Supermarket News
June 24 – Best Buy to Spend 1.2 Billion with Diverse Businesses
The consumer electronics giant has committed to spending at least $1.2 billion with BIPOC and diverse businesses by 2025. From: Chain Store Age
June 24 – At Home Opens Two New Stores In June
The new locations continue the home specialty store’s expansion plans across the U.S. From: Kitchenware Today
June 24 – Bed Bath & Beyond Targets Young Shoppers with Wild Sage
The fifth owned brand to launch this year speaks to younger shoppers in time for the back-to-college shopping season, supported by influencers, integrated marketing campaign. From: Store Brands Today
June 23 – Walmart US CEO Talks Shoring up the Supply Chain
The pandemic put severe stress on supply chains, and Walmart plans to make significant investments over the next few years to strengthen the supply chain and make it easier to deliver to customers wherever and however they want to shop, Walmart US CEO John Furner said during a talk with NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay at NRF Retail Converge. “I think what we’re really heading to is a new normal, which will be a blend of what we were before the pandemic, and some of the things that we learned to do,” Furner said. From: NRF SmartBrief
June 23 – Angelo Caputo’s Fresh Markets’ Namesake Founder Dies
Independent grocery store chain he started operates 7 locations. From: Progressive Grocer
June 23 – Martha Stewart Website Links to Favorite Kitchen Items
Martha Stewart’s new website hopes to be the go-to for all things home, including kitchenware, recipes and furniture. Her curated kitchen collection includes merchandise links with Sur la Table, Wayfair, Macy’s and Amazon. From: Housewares SmartBrief
June 23 – Ahold Delhaize USA Moves Closer to Full Self-Distribution
Five more facilities to be self-managed by end of next year. From: Supermarket News
June 23 – Petco Ramps up Private Brand Pet Food Offering
Retailer added a premium line to its newly developed WholeHearted store brand and developed an exclusive brand with Tyson Pet Products. From: Store Brands Today
June 23 – Big Lots Adds Functional Fashion Own Brand
The Weekend Soul brand joins an expanded assortment of apparel online and in stores this summer, the largest the retailer has had to date. From: Store Brands Today
June 23 – Hannaford Opens 64th Store in Maine
Retailer to celebrate Brunswick location with $5K in donations to nonprofits. From: Progressive Grocer
June 22 – Target Unveils Sustainability Goals, Pledging to Keep its Products out of Landfills, Create Net-Zero Emissions by 2040.
Target said it is responding to growing consumer demand for more sustainable products and practices from companies. From: CNBC
June 22 – Meijer Offers In-Store Digital Platform for Pet Products at 200 Stores
Perch-powered displays feature Purina items. From: Progressive Grocer
June 22 – Zulily Asks Moms What Matters at Home
The survey revealed that for moms, products that save time are top of mind, followed by those that save money and space. From: Furniture Today
June 22 – Albertsons Taps DoorDash for On-Demand Grocery Delivery
New partnership gets items to shoppers within an hour, from nearly 2,000 stores. From: Progressive Grocer
June 22 – U.S. Chip Foundry Announces New Plant in Singapore
U.S.-headquartered semiconductor manufacturer GlobalFoundries announced Tuesday that it will build a new fabrication plant in Singapore to meet the unprecedented global demand for chips. From: CNBC
June 21 – Another Big Split for SAKS – This Time for Off-Price Business
Saks Off 5th’s e-commerce business will be established as a standalone entity. Marketing and merchandising for both businesses will be led by Saks Off 5th to deliver a cohesive experience for shoppers. From: Chain Store Age
June 21 – Kroger Opens 2 Cross-Dock Facilities to Boost Reach of Automated Fulfillment Centers
The grocer will use warehouses, which require 60% of the capital and labor of stores, to meet the rising demand for delivery. From: Supply Chain Dive
June 21 – Buc-ee’s Adds Another State to Its Southern Expansion
A Crossville, Tenn., travel center will open in 2022. From: Convenience Store News
June 18 – 7-11 Adds Wine to its Portfolio in Time for Summer
Plot + Point Wine comes in a resealable Tetra Pak container for easy packing and sipping during summertime activities. From: Convenience Store News
June 18 – How Walmart Wants to ‘Win the Kitchen’
“The way we’re thinking about capital and putting capital toward omni-fulfillment, omni-technology, that’s where we’re going as a company, and I feel really good about it,” CFO Brett Biggs says at Baird conference.
From: Winsight Grocery Business
June 18 – Kroger Launched 253 New Store Brand Products in Q1
The private brands were part of its “leading with fresh” and summer cooking strategy that resulted in a strong first quarter and a raised 2021 guidance. From: Store Brands Today
June 18 – Meijer Offers In-Store Digital Platform for Pet Products at 200 Stores
Perch-powered displays feature Purina items. From: Progressive Grocer
June 17 – The Running List of 2021 Retail Bankruptcies
After a rapid leadership shakeup, and amid significant debt, a ransomware attack and the pandemic followed, leading Alex and Ani to file bankruptcy. From: Retail Dive
June 17 – Meijer Offers In-Store Digital Platform for Pet Products at 200 Stores
Meijer has rolled out a next-generation in-store product engagement platform from Perch and Purina at 200 of the Midwest retailer’s stores. From: Progressive Grocer
June 17 – Staples CEO Steps Down
Staples said that Douglas will resign as CEO effective Friday, June 18. He will be succeeded on an interim basis by executive chairman John A. Lederer. From: Chain Store Age
June 16 –RH, At Home, Other Retailers Envision Thriving 2021
Summer living and an appreciation for home life in general on the heels of the pandemic is ensuring that housewares-related retail stays strong at least until 2022, if not longer, top retailers say. RH, Williams Sonoma, At Home and Bed Bath & Beyond are forecasting a strong year, with RH CEO Gary Friedman anticipating “a Roaring ’20s type of consumer exuberance.” From: Housewares SmartBrief
June 16 – Albertson Cos. Names New Head Merchant
Jennifer Saenz, a veteran of PepsiCo, will join the company as EVP and chief merchandising officer effective July 12. From: Progressive Grocer
June 16 – Stater Bros. to Launch Online Grocery Platform Under its Own BrandThe Southern California retailer plans to run the new e-commerce system in addition to its existing storefront on Instacart. From: Grocery Dive
June 16 – Dom’s Kitchen & Market is a ‘Last Dance’ for Former Mariano’s executives
Bob Mariano and Don Fitzgerald, who formerly led the iconic Chicagoland chain, have opened another store that pushes against the boundaries of traditional grocery. From: Grocery Dive
June 15 – Best Buy will sell Luggage, Grills, as it seeks to capitalize on reopening Economy, Housing Market Best Buy is starting to sell luggage and outdoor grills, as it tries to take advantage of the rebounding travel industry and the popularity of investing in the home. From: CNBC
June 15 – Starbucks names Executive to CEO
Starbucks has promoted John Culver to COO and group president, North America. In addition, Michael Conway has been promoted to group president, international and channel development, and Michelle Burns has been promoted to executive VP, global coffee, tea and cocoa. From: Chain Store Age
June 15 – Target Unveils Remodeled Stores
The latest remodeled stores are part of the 800 locations that Target has upgraded over the last four years since Target began planning its brick-and-mortar revamp. From: Retail Dive
June 15 – Independent Supermarkets drive one-third of U.S. Grocery Sales
Independent grocers now account for 33% of overall U.S. grocery sales, up from 25% nearly a decade ago, new research from the National Grocers Association (NGA) shows. From: Supermarket News
June 14 – Rite Aid Promotes Persaud to Chief Retail Officer
The Camp Hill, PA-based chain has named Andre Persaud, most recently executive vice president of retail, to the role of chief retail officer. From: Drug Store News
June 14 – Schnuck Markets to Close Another Converted Shop ’n Save Store
Location in Shrewsbury, Mo., performed poorly since the acquisition, grocer says. From: Supermarket News
June 13 – Who’s Winning in On-Demand Food Delivery Sales?
On-demand food delivery sales are outpacing all of e-commerce and are expected to reach $138.77 billion in the U.S. by 2025—more than double 2020 levels—finds a new report. From: Winsight Grocery Business
June 13 – SpartanNash’s Chief Merchandising and Marketing Officer Is Leaving
EVP Lori Raya informed SpartanNash on June 3 of her intent to resign, according to an SEC filing, which notes that Raya is working with the company to ensure an orderly transition. From: Winsight Grocery Business
June 11 – Microsoft to Dip a Toe Back into Retail
Microsoft Experience Centers in New York City, London and Sydney will start selling the brand’s products next month, marking Microsoft’s return to brick-and-mortar retail on a smaller scale. The company shuttered its global stores last year amid the pandemic with no plans to reopen them and retrained retail employees for other jobs in the company. From: NRF SmartBrief
June 11 – How Albertsons Is Overcoming the E-Commerce Profitability Problem
From driving personalization to creating efficiencies in end-to-end operations for e-commerce, Albertsons Cos.” Colleen Qiu talks the present and future of grocery in a panel discussion. From: Winsight Grocery Business
June 11 – UNFI Officials Optimistic Amid Labor and Freight Questions
Officials of the wholesaler were optimistic despite third-quarter revenues falling short of expectations; discuss changing workforce expectations. From: Winsight Grocery Business
June 11 – UPS Could Enter the Same-Day Delivery Game
UPS has a team studying same-day delivery options and is testing the service, according to CEO Carol Tome. A growing number of companies including Amazon, Target-owned Shipt, Uber and DoorDash offer same-day delivery, and UPS rival FedEx provides it in a few markets. From: Housewares SmartBrief
June 11 – Chewy Reports 30% Net Sales Gain in Q1 as Demand Remains High
The online pet retailer reported its active customer base grew by 4.7 million, or 31.6%, from last year to reach 19.8 million. From: Retail Dive
June 11 – Harris Teeter Opens a Location Near D.C.
Harris Teeter is planning a June 23 grand opening for its 72,000 square foot store in Alexandria, Va.
From: Progressive Grocer
June 10 – 2021 Retail Sales Could Grow 13.5% to $4.56T
Retail sales for 2021 are on track to grow between 10.5% and 13.5%, reaching up to $4.56 trillion, NRF said Wednesday, up from a February forecast of between 6.5% and 8.2%, as rising vaccine rates and federal relief checks spur consumers to keep spending. “The economy and consumer spending have proven to be much more resilient than initially forecasted,” NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay said. From: NRF SmartBrief
June 10 – Best Buy to go Online to Boost Black Friday
Best Buy will keep stores closed on Thanksgiving for the second consecutive year and shift more of its Black Friday deals online, the retailer said. Other retailers including Target and Walmart have also announced plans to close stores on the holiday, a trend that began last year as the pandemic led retailers to consider changes to avoid crowds. From: NRF SmartBrief
June 10 – H-E-B’s Plans Are Big in Texas
Retailer breaks ground on 2 new stores in DFW area, announces an additional location. From: Progressive Grocer
June 10 – Specialty Food Retailing Hit High of $170.4 billion in 2020
During this time, categories related to cooking or baking at home soared, benefiting products like baking mixes, pasta and sauces, frozen entrees and meat, poultry, and seafood. From: Supermarket News
June 9 – Costco Kicks off Summer with Store Opening Plans
Costco will open five new US stores this summer, as well as one each in Australia and Japan, following strong sales growth during the pandemic that has continued into this year. The retailer operates more than 800 global locations, including 559 in the US and Puerto Rico, and plans call for adding 20 more this year. From: NRF SmartBrief
June 9 – Big Lots to go Bigger with Store Growth Plans
Big Lots will open 20 new stores this year as part of an expansion plan begun in 2019 that has helped drive sales growth, which was further spurred as consumers spent their federal relief checks, Chief Financial Officer Jonathan Ramsden said. Revenue at the discount retailer grew 13% to $1.6 billion in the quarter ending May 1 from the same period last year. From: NRF SmartBrief
June 9 – Earth Fare’s Mike Cianciarulo on Relaunching the Chain
Better-for-you grocery chain goes from relaunch to expansion just months after bankruptcy.
From: Supermarket News
June 9 – RH Beats Earnings, Hikes Outlook as Retail Rebound Boosts High-end Home Goods
RH also hiked its full-year outlook, building on the momentum it’s seeing in the luxury home category, and gave a stronger-than-expected sales forecast for the second quarter. From: CNBC
June 9 – Bed, Bath & Beyond New Collection Promises Functional and Affordable Options for Kitchen
The “Our Table” collection includes all of the product categories associated with food prep as well as dining, and the emphasis is on natural materials and finishes and “function first” essentials that address food trends and are performance-minded and affordable. From: HFN Digital
June 9 –Whole Foods to Open Hyper-Local Store in Tampa
The new 48,000-square-foot store will have more than 800 local products from the state of Florida throughout, from over 160 local suppliers. From: Progressive Grocer
June 9 –Food Lion to Open New South Carolina Store
Food Lion’s newest location in Myrtle Beach, S.C. will offer shoppers its “to-go” service as well as grocery pick up. From: Drugstore News
June 8 – Lidl to Open 3 Stores This Week
Discount grocer opens locations with easy-to-shop layouts and competitively priced goods.
From: Progressive Grocer
June 8 – DoorDash Will Be 3rd-Largest E-Commerce Banner After Amazon, Walmart
Edge by Ascential analysts also predict Instacart and Uber will surpass Target’s digital business in GMV sales by 2025. From: Progressive Grocer
June 8 – GNC own brands to hit Walmart
Walmart will be carrying a curated selection of GNC’s own brand products, beginning with a selection of men’s and women’s essential vitamins at 4,000 Walmart stores. From: Store Brands Today
June 7 – Walmart Follows Target in Closing Stores on Thanksgiving Day
The Bentonville, Arkansas-based retailer said it will operate on regular hours on Nov. 24 and release Black Friday store hours at a later date. From: Retail Dive
June 7 – Staples Makes a $1B Bid for Office Depot’s Retail Business
The private equity-owned retailer is looking to combine the last major office box stores after ODP Corporation rebuffed a takeover earlier this year. From: Retail Dive
June 7 – Dollar General Goes to the Garage
It never fails to boggle the mind to take in just how big and fast Dollar General has become. From: Winsight Grocery Business
June 7 – Kroger looks to Hire 10,000 More Workers
In 2021, the company plans to invest an incremental $350 million its workforce, a move expected to lift the average associate wage to $16 per hour, From: Supermarket News
June 7 – Target Expands in Home Category – Again
Opalhouse is a new line of home goods created in partnership with Jungalow designer and founder Justina Blakney. The nearly 300-item collection will feature include bedding, bath, décor, furniture, wallpaper and more.
From: Chain Store Age
June 7 – DeCA Expanding Curbside Service to All Locations
Defense Commissary Agency elevates its digital game, enhances the value of the military benefit.
From: Progressive Grocer
June 5 – What’s New About Lidl’s New CEO
Michal Lagunionek, among other newly arriving U.S. execs, brings a strong track record and new support to a job that’s only still beginning, sources say. From: Winsight Grocery Business
June 5 – Walmart Rolls Out All-in-One Associate App
Me@Walmart can be accessed via new smartphones given to 740K associates. From: Progressive Grocer
June 4 – Sprouts Farmers Market’s new DC to serve 33 Florida Stores by Year-end
Since opening its first store in Florida in 2017, Sprouts has been rapidly expanding across the state, with 33 stores planned by the end of the year. From: Supermarket News
June 4 – Facebook Adds Messaging Tools for Businesses
Facebook is expanding messaging tools for businesses, including prewritten messages and reply buttons, on Instagram and messaging platform WhatsApp. The company is also testing a feature for its Messenger app that would allow people to opt into messages from businesses. From: Retail on Main SmartBrief
June 4 – Costco Rings up 23% Comp-Sales Gain for May
Club traffic continues to rebound, average ticket size grows. From: Supermarket News
June 4 – Dollar Tree: ‘Upside down’ Ocean Market Sends Import Rates Skyward
The company utilized spot markets more than it expected last quarter, which tripled its transportation cost assumption. From: Supply Chain Dive
June 4 – Darryl Brown Joins BJ’s Wholesale Club Board of Directors
Former Americas president at American Express has 30 years of CPG and financial services experience.
From: Supermarket News
June 3 – The Container Store Adds Five To Management Team
The Container Store has added several new members to its management team that company officials said will complement the retailer’s existing leadership. From: Kitchenware Today
June 3 – Albertsons Makes It Easier to Work With Diverse Suppliers
New vendor partnerships to increase suppliers’ access to capital, provide more opportunities for collaboration. From: Progressive Grocer
June 3 – King Kullen Names Joseph Brown president, COO
Co-Presidents Brian Cullen, J. Donald Kennedy retire from the family-owned grocer. From: Supermarket News
June 2 – Saks CEO Talks About the Outlook for Luxury Retail
Managing the details of splitting Saks Fifth Avenue stores and e-commerce arm into two separate companies wasn’t as complicated as it might have seemed when parent Hudson’s Bay Co. announced the plan in March, Saks CEO Marc Metrick said. Metrick shares an update on progress at both banners and offers some insights into luxury growth prospects. From: NRF SmartBrief
June 2 – Walmart, Amazon Explore Moves Into Health Care
Walmart, Amazon and Google parent Alphabet are among the companies making bigger moves into the health care industry with initiatives to create efficiencies in the system. Spending on health care in the US is slated to hit $4 trillion this year according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, with big employers paying a significant part of that in the form of employee health insurance premiums. From: Housewares SmartBrief
June 2 – Is the Never-Ending Sears Saga Finally Reaching its Closing Chapters?
Most of what is left of the one-time empire is a footprint smaller than many regional retailers, and a whole lot of legal bills. From: Retail Dive
June 2 – Etsy to Buy Apparel Resale site Depop for $1.6B
The deal ticks key boxes for both companies — and begs the question of why a traditional retailer didn’t snap up the Gen Z favorite. From Retail Dive
June 2 – SpartanNash Appoints Douglas Hacker as Board Chairman
The former airline executive takes over the position after the retirement of previous board chairman and former company CEO Dennis Eidson. From: Grocery Dive
June 2 – Smart & Final Marks 150th Anniversary
In honor of its 150th year in business, Smart & Final is encouraging customers to share their summer festivities in a “Cheers to 150 Years” social media contest. In May, Smart & Final’s private-equity parent Apollo Global Management announced that it plans to sell the chain to Bodega Latina Corp., a subsidiary of Mexican retailer Grupo Comercial Chedraui. From: Supermarket News
June 2 – Container Store Shores Up Leadership with Retail Vets
Container Store has expanded its management team, including adding four new titles: CIO; VP of merchandising; senior director of environmental, social and governance (ESG); and senior director of diversity, equity and inclusion. From: Chain Store Age
June 2 – Bed, Bath & Beyond adds 3 More Private Labels to Lineup
Our Table will feature over 1,100 products across food prep, cookware, bakeware, kitchen linens and utensils, among other things. With nearly 600 products for the bathroom, bedroom, living area and dining space, Wild Sage offers a mix of “creative and affordable finds.” And Squared Away has nearly 300 cleaning, storage, and organization products. From: Retail Dive
June 1 – Conn’s Expands Florida Presence With New Ocala Store
Conn’s continues to expand its presence in Florida with the opening of its HomePlus showroom in Ocala.
From: Kitchenware Today
June 1 – Save A Lot Sells Five D.C.-Area Stores to Independent Operator
Transaction furthers discount grocer’s transition to the wholesale model. From: Supermarket News
June 1 – Costco Crushes Q3 Despite Inflation Challenges
The retailer reported same-store sales growth of more than 15% for the quarter and announced food courts and sampling are on track for a full return. From: Store Brands Today
