DSN Retailing Today articles from November 2002

DSN Retailing Today archives from November 2002

Former Wal-Mart exec to head Factory 2-U.(Bill Fields)
November 25, 2002... SAN DIEGO -- Bill Fields, who headed Wal-Mart's Stores division in the early '90s, has returned to the retail spotlight to attempt a turnaround of Factory 2-U, an off-price retailer afflicted with mounting losses over the past two years. ...

Kmart faces do-or-die season as comps drop, losses mount.
November 25, 2002... TROY, MICH. -- Management's promise of a Kmart turnaround and emergence from bankruptcy could be a pipe dream if this holiday season takes a turn for the worse and deals the embattled retailer a brutal blow. In fact, those who couldn't...

Costco extends its reach with home furnishings concept.(Costco Corp to open Costco Home)
November 25, 2002... KIRKLAND, WASH. -- What's in a name? That's the question Costco Corp. will try to answer next month when it moves into the home furnishings arena with the opening of Costco Home. The new concept store will open Dec. 5 in Kirkland, Wash., on a...

VF to launch new line at Wal-Mart. (Market Watch).(licensed shirts in Riders line)(Brief Article)
November 25, 2002... GREENSBORO, N.C. -- VF Corp. is riding the trend of topping off bottoms assortments, with a new line of licensed shirts in its Riders line. It will test in more than 350 Wal-Mart stores starting in Feb. 2003. It gives mass an opportunity for...

Sam's gets in the holiday spirit. (Market Watch).(Sam's Club aims to boost business with holiday gift guide)(Brief Article)
November 25, 2002... BENTONVILLE, ARK. -- Following a disappointing third quarter and a 1.6% October same store sales decline, Sam's Club is looking to drive holiday sales volume through a recently distributed holiday gift guide. The 44-page catalog, distributed...

Strong October aids Kohl's 3rd quarter. (Market Watch).(finances)(Brief Article)
November 25, 2002... MENOMONEE FALLS -- Thanks to an 18.3% October same store sales increase Kohl's was able to achieve its 11th consecutive quarter in which earnings growth exceeded 30%. The company reported profits during the third quarter ended Nov. 2...

Dollar General appoints temporary ceo. (Market Watch).(Donald Shaffer)(Brief Article)
November 25, 2002... GOODLETTSVILLE, TENN. -- Dollar General named president and coo Donald Shaffer acting ceo while the company continues its search for a replacement for Cal Turner, Jr., who resigned the ceo position earlier this year. The appointment of an...

SEC probes Fleming's practices. (Market Watch).(Fleming Companies)
November 25, 2002... DALLAS -- As if Kmart's bankruptcy wasn't bad enough, now an informal investigation by the Securities and Exchange Commission is underway at Fleming Companies. The food wholesaler said the SEC's preliminary fact-finding inquiry will look into...

Fred Meyer names new ceo. (Market Watch).(Darrell Webb)(Brief Article)
November 25, 2002... PORTLAND, ORE. -- Darrell Webb, 44, was named ceo of the 133-store Fred Meyer division of Kroger, following the recent departure of Sam Duncan who left Fred Meyer to become ceo of ShopKo. Webb has served in various capacities at Fred Meyer...

Bloomies thinks outside the box. (Market Watch).(Bloomingdale's opening Bloomingdale's Home in Las Vegas)(Brief Article)
November 25, 2002... LAS VEGAS, NEW YORK -- Bloomingdale's is blossoming in a number of new areas. The retailer opened a new decor and furniture concept, Bloomingdale's Home, on Nov. 1 in the Fashion Show Mall in Las Vegas. Sin City is fresh territory for this...

Neighborhood Market, SuperTarget provide best value in Dallas survey.
November 25, 2002... DALLAS -- A die-hard deal shopper might be convinced that sales and loyalty card specials save money, but in the end Wal-Mart still comes out on top, with the lowest tally of an average grocery basket of nationally branded items. A...

DSN Retailing Today honors AutoZone at AAPEX.(Automotive Aftermarket Products Expo)
November 25, 2002... LAS VEGAS -- Strong attendance at the Automotive Aftermarket Products Expo earlier this month demonstrated the resiliency of this $248 billion retail niche, which grew 4.8% last year despite the economy. Among the record 82,000 visitors,...

Wal-Mart makes two moves in the golden state.(opens unit in CityPlace and northern Long Beach)(Brief Article)
November 25, 2002... LONG BEACH, CALIF. -- CityPlace, a new multi-use shopping center development with Wal-Mart and other value retailers as anchors, debuted here Nov. 8 across eight blocks in the heart of the downtown area of the state's fifth-largest city. ...

Smaller Sports Authority store improves expansion options.
November 25, 2002... OCALA, FLA. -- The Sports Authority's expansion plans drew to a close this month with the introduction of a small format prototype that could create new growth opportunities for the company. The nation's largest sporting goods retailer...

The 2002 elections: what do they mean for mass retailing? (Opinion).
November 25, 2002... Who really won the 2002 Congressional election? If you listen to some industry government affairs specialists, you might conclude that retailing was the ultimate victor in November. Political pundits at the National Retail Federation...

British Savacentre mixes high and low: new Sainsbury concept takes on recent EDLP arrivals. (European Retailing Update: Part 1 in a Series).
November 25, 2002... LUTON, ENGLAND -- Veteran British retailer J. Sainsbury is experimenting with a new format dubbed Savacentre, specifically created as a strategic answer to the recent arrival of low-price competitors like Wal-Mart. Designed to give customers...

Credit business can be a boost--or it can go bust.(Sears Roebuck, Target's credit programs)
November 25, 2002... NEW YORK -- Credit. It's a subject that seems to turn ugly each time the economy hits a rough patch, and this prolonged downturn is no exception. When sales begin to slow and real retail growth is negligible, companies with credit divisions...

What's in store for Kmart? the answer may lie with in-stocks.(availability of 12 items at 11 stores)
November 25, 2002... WHAT'S IN STORE FOR KMART? THE ANSWER MAY LIE WITH IN-STOCKS THE EDITORS OF DSN RETAILING TODAY VISITED 11 KMART STORES ON TWO SEPARATE DAYS (MONDAY Nov. 4 AND THURSDAY Nov. 7). ARMED WITH THE SUNDAY CIRCULAR, WHICH FORMED THE...

Insider trades. (Finance Watch).(securities sales and purchases by executives, directors and others)(Brief Article)
November 25, 2002... NATIONWIDE DSN REPORT -- The following are major insider trades as reported to the SEC. STOCKS BOUGHT Barnesandnoble.com: Barnes & Noble, beneficial owner, bought 89,000 shares between Nov. 5 and Nov. 6 at $1.21 to $1.22, now owns...

Retail IPO scoreboard. (Finance Watch).(initial public and secondary public offerings' gross proceeds, shares sold, percent change since offering)(Brief Article)(Illustration)
November 25, 2002... RETAIL IPO SCOREBOARD Gross Shares % Chg. proceeds sold since Exchange/Company (in $mil.) (in mil.) offering Initial Public...

Major indices. (Finance Watch).(stock market indices, October 25 and November 8, 2002)(Brief Article)(Illustration)
November 25, 2002... MAJOR INDICES Close Close Net Percent 10/25/02 11/08/02 Change Change DSN Retailing Today 4611.38 4646.55 35.17 0.76% Dow Jones Ind. Avg. 8443.99 8536.99 93.00...

Top Gainers & Losers. (Finance Watch).(securities price changes, November 8, 2002)(Brief Article)(Illustration)
November 25, 2002... TOP GAINERS For 2 weeks ended 11/8/02 Factory 2-U Stores 211.19% Good Guys 29.00 OfficeMax Inc 17.82 S & K Famous Brands 16.13 Sports Authority (The) 13.04 TOP LOSERS...

Earnings digest. (Finance Watch).(retail companies' third quarter results)(Brief Article)(Illustration)
November 25, 2002... EARNINGS DIGEST Bluefly.com 3Q 9/30/02 '02 '01 %Chg. Sales $630.5 $511.3 23.3 Net income ($215.6) ($241.2) -NA Children's Place 3Q 11/02/02 ...

JCPenney. (Financial Briefs).(income for thrid quarter ended October 26, 2002)(Brief Article)
November 25, 2002... JCPenney's new merchandising initiatives seem to be paying off. The Piano, Texas-based retailer reported that its department store, catalog and drug store had a combined net income of $123 million for the third quarter ended Oct. 26, compared...

TJX. (Financial Briefs).(financial results for quarter ended October 26, 2002)(Brief Article)
November 25, 2002... TJX was one of several apparel retailers that breathed a sigh of relief when autumn temperatures kicked in during October, spurring consumers to shop for fall merchandise. TJX, which operates 714 stores under the T.J. Maxx and Marshalls...

DSN Retailing Today stock analysis.(retail trade stock prices, October 25 and Nobember 8, 2002)(Illustration)
November 25, 2002... DSN RETAILING TODAY STOCK ANALYSIS CLOSING CLOSING NET PERCENT PRICE PRICE CHANGE CHANGE COMPANY 10/25/02 11/08/02 PERIOD PERIOD...

Innovation now showing at the mall. (Editorial).
November 25, 2002... Two very different shopping centers, which debuted out West this month, reflect several key trends in retail development and offer a glimpse as to the direction of future projects. The two developments may be very different in design, in...

That Target is such a tease. (Viewpoint).(Target Stores to open store on New York's Chesea Piers for Christmas Season)
November 25, 2002... When it comes to artful marketing ploys, the tease is a powerful tool. Just think of the "Jurassic Park" promotional campaign, which began teasing movie audiences nearly a year before the film launched. By the time it hit cinemas, it was one...

Opening the youth floodgates to end the worker drought. (Guest Column).(Career and Education Network developing program to help young people with career and education decisions)
November 25, 2002... The retail industry doesn't have to look very far to discover its greatest challenge. It's an issue that's been around for years and will continue to be high on every retail executive's problem list for the foreseeable future: the "worker...

Holiday sales expected to fill retailers with good cheer. (Guest Column).
November 25, 2002... In a year marked by shaken confidence and continued economic decline, consumers are not planning to play Scrooge this holiday season. RoperASW surveys suggest that retailers' revenues will be at worst only slightly below last year's. Over...

Food merchants must know their niche. (Special Report: Ethnic Marketing).(Industry Overview)
November 25, 2002... Supercenters and clubs excel at serving mainstream shoppers with competitively priced high-demand items, from milk to cereal. But the growing ethnic diversity of the American consumer requires greater sophistication in food merchandising that...

National names gravitate to ethnic HBC. (Special Report: Ethnic Marketing).(Industry Overview)
November 25, 2002... When it comes to creating a destination for ethnic personal care products, mass retailers have a space advantage over chain drug stores. But from the looks of things, there's still much room for improvement. Ethnic hair care...

Editor's note.(Brief Article)(Editorial)
November 25, 2002... Since the birth of mass market retailing some 40 years ago, the profile of the industry's core customer has evolved considerably. But never before has understanding the ethnic market been as critical to a merchant's strategy as it is today....

'Ethnic' is in the eye of the consumer--and the country. (Special Report: Ethnic Marketing).(Industry Overview)
November 25, 2002... Just how does one define ethnic food? Well, a lot depends upon perspective, and the view from North America is somewhat different from that of Europe. In France, for instance, West Indian food is an important ethnic category, and in late...

Apple. (Retailer News).(Brief Article)
November 25, 2002... Apple opened two new stores this month in Edison, N.J., and Emeryville, Calif., just across the bay from San Francisco. The latter marks the company's 50th retail store since the first unit opened in 2000. Like most of the computer...

EBay. (Retailer News).("Photography Resource Center" has been added)(Brief Article)
November 25, 2002... EBay is further staking its claim on the digital imaging category and earlier this fall the online auction site added its "Photography Resource Center," offering photo tips and camera-buying recommendations for both amateur and professional...

Kodak. (Vendor News).(Perfect Touch processing program has been launched)(Brief Article)
November 25, 2002... Kodak officially launched its Perfect Touch processing program in the Midwest last month. The system individually scans and digitally corrects each photo to improve image quality and correct poor exposure or backlit pictures. The service will...

Noritsu. (Vendor News).(Seiko Epson is the partner)(Brief Article)
November 25, 2002... Noritsu has partnered with Seiko Epson to develop a "dry" chemical-free minilab system. The product uses a Noritsu print engine with a seven-color pigment ink jet technology using Epson's ink jet delivery system. With an extremely small...

Disposable cameras capture memories and marketshare. (Photo: What's Hot, What's New, What's Happening).
November 25, 2002... A trip to Mexico with friends recently served to solidify what is a growing trend in the photo category. Of the eight people in the group, there was nary a costly camera to be found. The shiny new digital cameras, point and shoot units, SLRs,...

Digital future. (What's Hot).
November 25, 2002... "The most energy coming from photo suppliers right now surrounds to make digital solutions from digital camera files ubiquitous and easy," said Garry Briddon, vp, gm of business development, Kodak consumer imaging. To accomplish this goal,...

Brand vs. Brand. (Market Basket Study).(Dallas market is surveyed)(Illustration)
November 25, 2002... Market Basket STUDY Dallas Brand vs. Brand Consumers in the Dallas market are faced with a wide range of pricing options when food shopping for leading national brands. This exclusive DSN Retailing Today, McMillan/Doolittle...

DSN Retailing Today survey tests in-stock status, store appearance.
November 25, 2002... NEW YORK -- Since Kmart filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection 10 months ago, it has cleaned up its supply chain, invested heavily in store technology, built up its brand stable and even launched an investigation into former executives'...

Cargo-tracking software agreement makes port lockout seem unlikely.
November 25, 2002... LOS ANGELES -- The Pacific Maritime Association and West Coast dockworkers union reached a tentative agreement this month on a key contract provision, making the prospect of another port shutdown in December less likely. The...

SHOPA keeps tech trend alive.(School, Home & Office Products Association)
November 25, 2002... ATLANTA -- Technological innovation as a means to achieve product differentiation was a key trend highly evident at this year's School, Home & Office Products Association's trade show held in Atlanta Nov. 12 to 14. Suppliers attending...

ShopKo ceo search ends at Fred Meyer.(Sam Duncan)
November 11, 2002... ASHWAUBENON, WIS. -- ShopKo named Sam Duncan ceo late last month after a six-month search following the resignation in April of former ceo Bill Podany. Duncan formerly served as president of Fred Meyer, a division of Kroger, and brings to...

Wal-Mart tapped to host Levi's coming out party.(Levi Strauss Signature brand)
November 11, 2002... SAN FRANCISCO -- With its iconic denim reputation on the line, the fashion house of Levi Strauss is finally going mass. And unlike its previous efforts to break into the channel, this time the company will be leveraging the Levi's name itself...

K*B to fulfill toy needs at CVS: supply deal latest sign of toy retailer's reinvention.
November 11, 2002... PITTSFIELD, MASS. -- With the official start of the holiday toy-buying seas on just weeks away, toy retailers are toiling overtime--putting Santa's little helpers to shame--to put the finishing touches on seasonal merchandising initiatives....

MSE line assures Kmart of at least one bright spot this holiday season.(Martha Stewart Everyday)
November 11, 2002... TROY, MICH. -- Kmart hasn't let bankruptcy or Martha Stewart's tainted image halt plans to unveil a new holiday decorating line, its ninth collection under the MSE brand portfolio. Martha Stewart Everyday Holiday, in the works long before...

Amazon set to try on new apparel stores.(Brief Article)
November 11, 2002... NEW YORK -- Amazon is once again aiming to be the site that does it all. Ceo Jeff Bezos' original vision was for Amazon to be all things to all people--an Amazonian task. The company backtracked after some difficulties, sticking to areas...

Stein Mart unveils 'collections' concept.(opens small store)
November 11, 2002... PALOS VERDES, CALIF. -- Looking to expand its reach into premium markets and resort areas, the Stein Mart chain launched its "collections of Stein Mart" concept last month in the upscale community of Palos Verdes, Calif. The store has a...

Gart, Dick's step up expansion plans.(Dick's Sporting Goods)(Gart Sports)
November 11, 2002... WICHITA, KAN. -- When Dick's Sporting Goods and Gart Sports opened new stores here in the nation's heartland within a few days of each other last month, the two retailers offered the industry a glimpse of what to expect in the coming years....

Fred Meyer, Ticketmaster extend deal: supercenter retailer opens ticket centers in 45 more stores.
November 11, 2002... PORTLAND, ORE. -- In an ongoing effort to provide consumers with new services in the competitive supercenter arena, Fred Meyer last month opened Ticketmaster retail centers in 45 stores in Washington and Idaho and now has them in more than...

Target addresses analysts' credit concerns: new Visa card business plagued by Sears' troubles.
November 11, 2002... MINNEAPOLIS -- Target hosted its annual meeting with analysts last month, where it treated attendees to a tour of its downtown Minneapolis bi-level store, outlined future growth and merchandising initiatives, and tried to assuage fears...

Kohl's "sale" prices under scrutiny. (Market Watch).(Massachusetts attorney general )(Brief Article)
November 11, 2002... MENOMONEE FALLS, WISC. -- Kohl's pricing practice of offering merchandise at permanently discounted "sale" prices is being questioned by Massachusetts attorney general Thomas Reilly, according to the Boston Globe. The state sent Kohl's a...

Former food exec joins Garden Ridge. (Market Watch).(Brief Article)
November 11, 2002... HOUSTON -- Former supermarket executive Randall Onstead is the new ceo at the Garden Ridge chain of home decor stores. Onstead is best known as the former chairman and ceo of Randalls Food Market, a regional supermarket chain founded by his...

K*B Toys unveils in-store eToys shop. (Market Watch).(Brief Article)
November 11, 2002... PITTSFIELD, MASS. -- K*B Toys is bringing its acquired eToys brand to the forefront by reintroducing the specialty toy etailer to consumers through the launch of 76 new eToys shops in select K*B Toys stores throughout the United States. The...

Kroger exec joins California drug chain. (Market Watch).(Longs Drug Stores)(Brief Article)
November 11, 2002... WALNUT CREEK, CALIF. -- Former Kroger executive Warren Bryant is the new president and ceo of Longs Drug Stores. Bryant, 56, spent his entire career with Kroger. Bryant replaces board member Harold Somerset, who served as acting ceo for the...

Market bleak for Wal-Mart Germany. (Market Watch).(Brief Article)
November 11, 2002... LONDON -- A new report on German food retailing by Standard & Poor's paints a troubling picture of the marketplace as WalMart strives to improve operations there. The report, which barely mentions Wal-Mart other than to say it remains a...

Gordon Brothers hires new president. (Market Watch).(Brief Article)
November 11, 2002... BOSTON -- Gordon Brothers named former investment banker Mark Schwartz as its new president. Schwartz is a Harvard M.B.A. who previously served as president and ceo of Palladin Capital Group, a merchant banking firm he founded. He will be...

Toys "R" Us to launch Giftrus.com. (Market Watch).(Amazon.com)(Brief Article)
November 11, 2002... PARAMUS, N.J. -- Toys "R" Us will launch yet another component to its co-branded Web site with Amazon.com to kick off the holiday shopping season. Mid-month, the No. 1 specialty toy retailer will go live with Giftrus.com, a personalized gift...

Retail group angry at attorney general. (Market Watch).(Michigan)(Brief Article)
November 11, 2002... LANSING, MICH. -- Attorney general Jennifer Granholm is drawing fire from the Michigan Retailers Association. A study she released on retailer pricing practices "paints retailers as cheaters preying on consumers," the association contends....

European food expo beckons U.S. with trends not found at home.
November 11, 2002... PARIS -- In an era when food retailers desperately seek to differentiate themselves, the SIAL (International Food, Beverage, Wine and Spirits) Exhibition, held here Oct. 20 to 24, provides a showcase for those who want to distinguish...

Continent's retail experts ask: are hypermarket's days numbered?
November 11, 2002... PARIS -- A healthy, breathing Mark Twain once said, 'The report of my death was an exaggeration." The European hypermarket industry must know how he felt. At the CIES Management Development Forum, held here Oct. 21 to 23 at the Bercy...

Target docks in NYC for holidays. (Market Watch).(Brief Article)
November 11, 2002... NEW YORK -- Target has finally entered The Big Apple--by sea. The retail iconoclast is setting up a temporary floating store at Chelsea Piers on 14th Street in Manhattan. The glass-walled spectacle, which will feature lighted Christmas trees...

Office Depot heads to the supermarket. (Market Watch).(Brief Article)
November 11, 2002... DELRAY BEACH, FLA. -- Office Depot-branded departments offering 800 SKUs are set to open in 15 Stop & Shop supermarkets during the next four months. Stores involved in the test are located in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey and New...

Christmas not as bad as most think. (Market Watch).(Brief Article)
November 11, 2002... LOS ANGELES -- Ernst & Young is taking a contrarian view with its outlook for the holiday season. Analysts in the firm's Retail and Consumer Products Group project 2002 holiday sales will increase 4.8%, a bigger increase than other...

Sears unloads stake in Advance Auto. (Market Watch).
November 11, 2002... ROANOKE, VA. -- Sears plans to sell 8.4 million shares of Advance Auto Parts stock in an upcoming public offering in which the auto parts retailer's ceo, Lawrence Castellani, also plans to sell 160,000 shares, according to a registration...

Wal-Mart's used car test gets tune-up. (Market Watch).(Asbury Automotive Group)(Brief Article)
November 11, 2002... STAMFORD, CONN. -- Asbury Automotive Group, the company behind Wal-Mart's foray into used car retailing, is refining its approach, according to company president and ceo Kenneth Gilman. Asbury began a test with Wal-Mart this summer where it...

Tuesday Morning sales, profits surge. (Market Watch).(Brief Article)
November 11, 2002... DALLAS -- Upscale closeout retailer Tuesday Morning isn't feeling the effects of the soft economy The company which operates 502 stores, reported a 400% increase in earnings per share and an 11% same store sales increase during its third...

H&M opens 45th store in United States. (Market Watch).
November 11, 2002... NEW YORK -- H&M, the high-style, low-priced Swedish import, opened its fifth Manhattan store on Nov. 1. The three-floor, 33,600-square-foot unit is located on 34th Street and 7th Avenue, across the street from both Penn Station and Macy's, in...

Shopa '02 returns to Atlanta with smaller exhibitor base.
November 11, 2002... ATLANTA -- It won't be bigger but it will be better. That's the word from Steve Jacober, president of the School, Home & Office Products Association, regarding the 12th annual Shopa Show being held Nov. 12 to 14 in Atlanta. "The show...

Wal-Mart. (In the Mix).(To enter Kansas City market)(Brief Article)
November 11, 2002... OVERLAND PARK, KAN. -- Add Kansas City to the list of new markets Wal-Mart is likely to enter next year with Neighborhood Market as part of its recently announced plan to open between 20 and 25 of the stores in 2003. It recently sought...

Fleming. (In the Mix).(Looking for buyers)(Brief Article)
November 11, 2002... DALLAS -- Fleming was still in negotiations with potential buyers late last month of its 110-store supermarket business after a disappointing third quarter. The retailer reported a $20.9 million loss in the period, most of which was related...

Meijer, Fred Meyer still envy of peers: format pioneers keep raising the bar. (Cover Story).
November 11, 2002... Wal-Mart, Kmart and Target may garner most of the attention when it comes to supercenter developments, but the two original supercenter operations still in business, Meijer and Fred Meyer, are quietly advancing, if not in geographic gains...

New Smart & Final format: Florida prototype accentuates company's unique approach. (In the News).
November 11, 2002... ST. PETERSBURG, FLA. -- With 224 stores producing sales of $1.5 billion, Smart & Final may not be the biggest or most profitable retailer, but it has found a way to achieve growth through a unique approach to food retailing. The...

Wal-Mart steps up food DC expansion to control costs, outprice competitors. (In the News).(Brief Article)
November 11, 2002... BENTONVILLE, ARK. -- Wal-Mart's plan to acid at least 200 supercenters in 2003 wouldn't be as big a threat to supermarkets were it not for Wal-Mart's growing and highly efficient network of food self-distribution centers. At an analyst...

Retailers' organic dilemma. (Viewpoint).(Organic foods)
November 11, 2002... I have a problem with organic food. I don't think it's necessary. I believe the food supply is safe. I don't believe a free-range chicken is any happier than a cooped-up chicken; I'm not even sure a chicken can be happy. The newly developed...

Food Marketing Institute, Grocery Manufacturers of America. (In the Mix).(Brief Article)
November 11, 2002... WASHINGTON, D.C.--A new study reveals out-of-stock issues usually start at the retailer, not manufacturer, level. About 47% of the problem is caused by inadequate store ordering and forecasting, while 25% is related to poor shelf management,...

Costco confirms launch of stand-alone food format: after insurmountable roadblocks in NYC, company brings 'Fresh' to own backyard. (In the News).(Bellevue, Washi8ngton)
November 11, 2002... BELLEVUE, WASH.--Back in 1999, Costco Corp. planned to enter the Manhattan market with a new store concept that would focus on high-end groceries in a smaller format. But the plan was derailed in 2000 by escalating construction costs in New...

Supermarkets increase combo-concept efforts; Arizona: hotter than ever. (Special Report).(Kroger Co., Fry's Marketplace; Albertson's Inc. Osco/Sav-on Div.; Wal-Mart Stores Inc., Neighborhood Market Stores)
November 11, 2002... Arizona has become a center for supermarket operators testing new or updated general merchandise formats that are intended to make them more competitive with supercenter operators in general and Wal-Mart in particular. Like Wal-Mart,...

Cadbury-Schweppes. (In the Mix).(Cadbury Schweppes PLC announces Dr Pepper/Seven Up Inc. to launch diet version, Red Fusion soft drink )(Brief Article)
November 11, 2002... SAN FRANCISCO--At its recent annual bottlers meeting in San Francisco, Cadbury-Schweppes announced its Dr Pepper/Seven Up unit will launch a diet version of its Red Fusion soft drink in spring 2003. The company contends Red Fusion, launched...

Pepsi Bottling Group. (In the Mix).(Pepsi Bottling Group Inc. signs letter of intent to purchase Pepsi-Cola Buffalo Bottling Corp.)(Brief Article)
November 11, 2002... PURCHASE, N.Y. -- The Pepsi Bottling Group has signed a letter of intent to buy the PepsiCola Buffalo Bottling Corp. based in Buffalo, N.Y The bottler serves Erie, Niagara and Cattaraugas counties, as well as portions of other surrounding...

Diet Vanilla Coke. (What's Hot).(Coca-Cola Co. (Atlanta, Georgia) )(Brief Article)
November 11, 2002... Coca-Cola has launched a diet version of its Vanilla Coke in 20-ounce bottles available nationwide. When the company originally launched Vanilla Coke last year it said that a diet version was a possibility but didn't promise anything. Demand,...

New Age drinks go mainstream: mega manufacturers betting trend is more than passing phase. (Beverages).(Odwalla Inc., organic juices; Snapple Beverage Group Inc., nostalgic spin of beverages)
November 11, 2002... New Age was always a little bit of a vague term, but its fate will be determined by how products are positioned and if they retain their emphasis on well-being. The process will be heavily impacted by the involvement of major beverage...