Mass Market Retailers articles from February 2009

Mass Market Retailers archives from February 2009

Publix milestone.(INDUSTRY NEWS)
February 9, 2009... PUBLIX MILESTONE: Publix Supermarkets Inc. has debuted its 1,000th store, in St. Augustine, Fla. The 54,000-square-foot unit includes a pharmacy and has more than 100 employees. To commemorate the occasion, Publix granted eight local schools...

Supervalu closings.(INDUSTRY NEWS)
February 9, 2009... SUPERVALU CLOSINGS: Supervalu Inc. has begun a planned retrenchment with closings across the country. Units being shuttered include four Cub Foods outlets in Wisconsin and one in Illinois; seven Albertsons stores in Utah, Nevada and southern...

Virginia DC slated.(INDUSTRY NEWS)
February 9, 2009... VIRGINIA DC SLATED: Harris Teeter Inc. will open its first Virginia food distribution center, creating 335 jobs in King George County. The supermarketer is investing $101 million in the warehouse.

Winn-Dixie rollout.(INDUSTRY NEWS)
February 9, 2009... WINN-DIXIE ROLLOUT: Winn-Dixie Stores Inc. has rolled out a savings program for customers using their frequent shopper card. The program offers "buy one, get one free" deals; items at "10 for $10"; quarterly "good 'til" sales; and new monthly...

ASDA creates jobs.(INDUSTRY NEWS)
February 9, 2009... Asda Group PLC will add some 7,000 jobs this year and is committed to putting as many as 3,000 unemployed people back to work. The WalMart Stores Inc. unit will create the jobs by adding 580,000 square feet of store space and expanding the...

Walgreens taps CEO.(SPOTLIGHT)
February 9, 2009... Following a three-and-a-half-month search, which was accompanied by a considerable amount of speculation that the company would go out side its ranks for its next chief executive officer, Walgreen Co. has given the job to Gregory Wasson. ...

Cuts to help Target stay competitive.
February 9, 2009... MINNEAPOLIS -- Target Corp. last month eliminated about 1,000 jobs, or nearly 9% of the workers, at its headquarters here. In addition, the discount chain said it will close its distribution in Little Rock, Ark,. later this year. The...

NRF: sales to revive by year's end.
February 9, 2009... WASHINGTON -- The National Retail Federation (NRF) has projected that industry sales (excluding automobiles, gas stations, and restaurants) will dip 0.5% in 2009 despite warming late in the year. "Most of the consumer behavior we saw in...

Rite Aid financing agreement is renewed.(NEWS)
February 9, 2009... CAMP HILL, Pa. -- Ratings agencies say Rite Aid Corp. continues to face liquidity issues, even after the drug store chain obtained an extension on a key financing agreement. Late last month Rite Aid renewed an expiring $650 million...

Pfizer/Wyeth deal could spur more mergers.(NEWS)
February 9, 2009... NEW YORK -- In what will be the largest pharmaceutical+ merger in eight years, Pfizer Inc. announced late last month that it will buy Wyeth for $68 billion. The deal, the industry's largest since Glaxo Wellcome paid $76 billion for...

Sears to pilot hybrid store concept.(NEWS)
February 9, 2009... CHICAGO -- Sears Holdings Corp. plans to test a concept store that would allow shoppers to order merchandise online and then pick it up at a warehouse-style store with a drive-through window. The concept store, to be called MyGofer, is...

Reduced phosphates.(WAL-MART NEWS)
February 9, 2009... REDUCED PHOSPHATES: Wal-Mart says it will work with suppliers to reduce the amount of phosphates in laundry and dish detergents sold in its 2,300 stores in Canada, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Central America, Brazil and Argentina by 70% by 2011....

Stop smoking for $9.(WAL-MART NEWS)
February 9, 2009... STOP SMOKING FOR $9: The company has expanded its affordable pharmacy program to include a smoking cessation prescription starter pack for $9. Executives say the 17-tablet, 10-day supply of bupropion ER, 150 mg, the generic equivalent of...

Cott agreement ended.(WAL-MART NEWS)
February 9, 2009... COTT AGREEMENT ENDED: Wal-Mart says that over the next three years it will phase out its agreement for Cott Corp. to be the retailer's exclusive soft drink supplier in the United States. Cott has been the sole provider of soft drinks to...

Sam's Club challenge.(WAL-MART NEWS)
February 9, 2009... Wal-Mart's Sam's Club hosted a pharmacy challenge and savings checkup in all of its outlets last month. Patients were able to check prices on their prescriptions and over-the-counter medications against other retailers, and Sam's Club...

Green Supercenter.(WAL-MART NEWS)
February 9, 2009... GREEN SUPERCENTER: Wal-Mart is using its new Supercenter in Burlington, Ont., as a living environmental laboratory for the company's 316 Canadian stores. Wal-Mart Canada president and CEO David Cheesewright calls the 135,000-square-foot...

Onetime charge hits Supervalu.(SPOTLIGHT)
February 9, 2009... MINNEAPOLIS -- A huge non-cash impairment charge to write down intangible assets drove Supervalu Inc. deeply into the red in the third quarter of fiscal 2009. For the quarter ended November 29, the company booked a charge of $3.25 billion ($3.1...

Operating results improve at A&P.(MONEY)(Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company Inc. revenue report)(Financial report)
February 9, 2009... MONTVALE, N.J. -- A&P posted a loss from continuing operations in its fiscal 2008 third quarter, in contrast to a profit in the prior-year period, when financial results were buoyed by the sale of shares in Metro Inc. However, adjusted...

Coutu swings to loss in quarter.(MONEY)(Financial report)
February 9, 2009... LONGUEUIL, Quebec -- Although its Canadian operations remained profitable, the Jean Coutu Group was awash in red ink in the third quarter of fiscal 2009, amid huge losses associated with its stake in Rite Aid Corp. Nevertheless, earnings before...

Scoreboard.(MONEY NEWS)(Statistical table)(Financial report)
February 9, 2009... SCOREBOARD Quarter Dollar % RETAILERS ended Sales Change Tuesday Morn. 12/31 272.7 mil -11.7 ...

Discounters.(MONEY)
February 9, 2009... DISCOUNTERS Current Previous Close Close Discounter 1/22/09 1/8/09 Change BJ's 29.24 33.49 -12.69 Costoo 47.45 ...

Drug stores.(MONEY)
February 9, 2009... DRUG STORES Current Previous Close Close Drug Store 1/22/09 1/8/09 Change Amerisource 3754.00 36.72 +2.23 Cardinal Hearth (1) 36.82 ...

Supermarkets.(MONEY)
February 9, 2009... SUPERMARKETS Current Previous Close Close Supermarket 1/22/09 1/8/09 Change A&P 6.67 8.41 -20.69 Delhaize 63.27 ...

Kroger declares quarterly dividend.(MONEY NEWS)
February 9, 2009... KROGER DECLARES QUARTERLY DIVIDEND: The Kroger Co. board of directors has announced a quarterly dividend of 9 cents per share, slated to be paid on March 1 to shareholders of record as of February 3.

CVS Caremark expects healthy gains.(MONEY NEWS)
February 9, 2009... CVS CAREMARK EXPECTS HEALTHY GAINS: CVS Caremark Corp. forecasts an 8% to 10% revenue increase for its fiscal first quarter, with same-store volume up 1% to 3%, chief financial officer Dave Rickard said in a conference call with analysts...

Family Dollar boosts dividend.(MONEY NEWS)
February 9, 2009... FAMILY DOLLAR BOOSTS DIVIDEND: Family Dollar Stores Inc.'s board has approved a quarterly dividend of 13.5 cents per share of common stock, an 8% increase from the prior quarterly dividend, payable on April 15 to shareholders of record as of...

A catalyst for change.(OPINION)
February 9, 2009... The appointment of Greg Wasson as chief executive officer of Walgreen Co. is a signal event in the company's 108-year history, confirming, as it does, a newfound willingness on the part of the people who run the drug chain to rethink the...

Retailing's compelling agenda.(OPINION)
February 9, 2009... The convention season is upon us once more. This time, however, there's a significant difference. The difference is the economy and the need, real or perceived, to control expenses. So it is that companies that participated in the complete...

Industry could raise some eyebrows in '09: analyst offers predictions for the new year.(OPINION)
February 9, 2009... NEW YORK -- Big developments could be in store for the mass retail landscape in 2009, Citi Investment Research retailing analyst Deborah Weinswig says in her annual "Ten Predictions" report for the new year. Among the predictions, she says...

New Delhaize concept.(GLOBAL NEWS)(Delhaize Group store concept introduced)(Brief article)
February 9, 2009... NEW DELHAIZE CONCEPT: The Delhaize Group has introduced a store concept, dubbed Red Market, in Gembloux, Belgium. According to industry researcher Planet Retail, the format, which is less than 20,000 square feet and contains 5,400 SKUs,...

Wal-Mart buys D&S.(GLOBAL NEWS)
February 9, 2009... WAL-MART BUYS D&S: Wal-Mart Stores Inc. has successfully completed its tender offer to acquire Chile's largest food retailer, Distribucion y Servicio D&S SA. The deal gives Wal-Mart about 58.2% of the outstanding shares of D&S, which had 2007...

John Lewis tops poll.(GLOBAL NEWS)
February 9, 2009... JOHN LEWIS TOPS POLL: For the second year in a row, the John Lewis department store chain, part of the John Lewis Partnership, ranked first in Verdict Research's Consumer Satisfaction Index for 2009. The survey asked consumers in the United...

Carrefour tests unit.(GLOBAL NEWS)
February 9, 2009... CARREFOUR TESTS UNIT: Carrefour SA is testing a new urban convenience store format--called Carrefour City--in France. The prototype encompasses about 4,100 square feet and offers 5,700 SKUs, about one-third of which are private label items. The...

CBD sees opportunity.(GLOBAL NEWS)(Brief article)
February 9, 2009... CBD SEES OPPORTUNITY: Brazilian retailer CBD, which owns the Pao de Acucar supermarket chain, expects the global financial crisis and economic downturn to generate opportunities to win favorable terms from suppliers and acquire weaker...

Walmex weakens.(GLOBAL NEWS)
February 9, 2009... WALMEX WEAKENS: WaI-Mart de Mexico saw same-store sales dip 0.8% in December, although they edged up 1.8% in the fourth quarter.

Delhaize takes steps to cut costs, even as sales grow.(GLOBAL)(Delhaize Group revenue report)(Financial report)(Brief article)
February 9, 2009... BRUSSELS -- Aided by an extra week in its fiscal year, 2008 sales at the Delhaize Group rose 5.6% at constant exchange rates to reach 19.02 billion euros ($24.7 billion). At actual exchange rates, the company's top line grew 0.4% due to a...

Sainsbury posts gains in quarter.(GLOBAL)(Financial report)
February 9, 2009... LONDON -- A customer traffic surge in the week before Christmas helped fuel third quarter revenue increases at British retailer J. Sainsbury PLC. For the 13 weeks ended January 3, total sales climbed 4.8% and same-store sales edged up 3.9%...

M&S sales dip; stores, jobs cut.(GLOBAL)
February 9, 2009... LONDON -- Feeling the economic pinch, Marks and Spencer Group PLC saw third quarter sales decline 1.2%. The retailer says United Kingdom sales fell 3.4% year over year for the 13 weeks ended December 27, with same-store sales dropping 7.1%....

Carrefour stumbles.(SPOTLIGHT)
February 9, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] PARIS -- Faced with a global recession and plunging consumer confidence in its home market, Carrefour SA posted its lowest sales growth since 2003 in the final quarter of 2008. However, the company stated that it...

European grocers face challenges.(GLOBAL)
February 9, 2009... LONDON -- Price inflation helped lift grocery sales in Europe in 2008, but this year will be much more challenging, according to a new study. A report by Verdict Research, part of the Datamonitor Group, argues that falling oil and raw...

Mars is active on new product, promotional fronts.(SUPPLY SIDE)(Brief article)
February 9, 2009... HACKETTSTOWN, N.J. -- Mars Snackfood US has launched two products as well as a promotion tied to the recent Super Bowl game. The company has introduced Fling, a new chocolate finger that will be available exclusively in California in 2009....

Zak's drinkware.(SUPPLY SIDE NEWS)
February 9, 2009... ZAK'S DRINKWARE: Zak Inc. has introduced four drinkware items for tweens inspired by the upcoming release of Hannah Montana: The Movie. The items include the 13-ounce Travel Tumbler, the 22-ounce EZ-Freeze Sport Bottle, the 22-ounce Sipper...

BIC Soleil shaver.(SUPPLY SIDE NEWS)
February 9, 2009... BIC SOLEIL SHAVER: BIC Consumer Products, a division of BIC USA Inc., has launched the BIC Soleil Bella, a one-piece shaver that features four flexible, easy-rinse blades; a soothing moisture strip enriched with coconut milk; and a curved...

Cirrus ClearEars.(SUPPLY SIDE NEWS)
February 9, 2009... CIRRUS CLEAREARS: Cirrus Healthcare Products LLC has said it plans to launch in May ClearEars, an addition to its line of ear care products. ClearEars, an earplug that is designed to extract water trapped in the ear, is expected to sell for a...

Mama Rosa's Pizza.(SUPPLY SIDE NEWS)
February 9, 2009... MAMA ROSA'S PIZZA: MaMa Rosa's Pizza LLC has introduced its first branded frozen pizzas. The 5-inch, handheld Mini MaMa's frozen pepperoni pizzas are available at Walgreen Co. as well as in Wakefern Food Corp.'s Price Rite stores. The product...

Generics mean value.(SPOTLIGHT)
February 9, 2009... NEW YORK -- Although dollar sales of generic drugs both in the United States and globally declined last year, the outlook for the industry is reasonably bright. Ironically, some of the impetus for generics sales growth will come from the...

Snack line melds taste and quality.(SUPPLY SIDE)
February 9, 2009... THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. -- Achieving good flavor has been a challenge for many natural and organic food companies, but one at least has succeeded so well that even hard-to-please children are among its most enthusiastic consumers. In...

Genieco extends reach.(SUPPLY SIDE)(Genieco Inc. acquired Willert Home Products)(Brief article)
February 9, 2009... CHICAGO -- Genieco Inc. has made a major addition to its product and brand portfolios by acquiring the home fragrance business of Willert Home Products. Negotiations that were initiated in September were capped on December 19 when both...

Implus acquires brand.(SUPPLY SIDE)(Implus Footcare LLC acquired Little Hotties Warmers)(Brief article)
February 9, 2009... RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C. -- Implus Footcare LLC has purchased Little Hotties Warmers, a leading provider of hand, body and toe warmers. The acquisition comes as Implus looks to build upon its current outdoor and sporting goods product...

Store brands make big inroads.(ORAL CARE)
February 9, 2009... NEW YORK -- Oral care sales growth is proving hard to come by in many categories. One reason for the flat top-line growth is the fact that more consumers are opting for private label products. In the $711.5 million mouthwash and dental...

Consumers realize value of oral care.(ORAL CARE)
February 9, 2009... SAN ANTONIO -- Americans recognize the importance of good oral hygiene, a survey has found, even if their behavior does not always live up to their intentions. Eight of 10 Americans say that taking care of one's mouth, teeth and gums is...

New products hold promise of whiter teeth.(ORAL CARE)
February 9, 2009... NEW YORK -- The importance of white teeth is clear from the results of a recent survey, which found that 73% of Americans agree that no matter how nice a person's smile is, yellow teeth ruin the effect. The survey, conducted for the...

Toothbrushes offer bang for buck.(ORAL CARE)
February 9, 2009... NEW YORK -- Intense competition in the toothbrush category has been good news for consumers, who are getting more technically advanced products for less. For manufacturers and retailers, though, the picture is one of declining sales for...

Much of floss' potential untapped.(ORAL CARE)
February 9, 2009... NEW YORK -- With most Americans already using toothpaste and toothbrushes regularly, the sales growth potential in those categories remains limited. Dental floss, by comparison, is underutilized by most Americans. Surveys suggest that most...

Parents diligent about oral care.(ORAL CARE)
February 9, 2009... SAN ANTONIO -- Ensuring that their children take care of their oral health is a priority for parents, a recent poll suggests. Eight in 10 parents say they do a "good" or "excellent" job at taking their children to the dentist for regular...

Children learn to like brushing.(ORAL CARE)
February 9, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] NEW YORK-- A number of new toothbrushes on the market have been designed to help teach children good oral hygiene habits by making brushing fun. Dr. Fresh Inc., which specializes in such products, has added a...

Multifunctional products win adherents.(ORAL CARE)
February 9, 2009... NEW YORK -- Consumers' desire for fresh breath is an important driver of oral care sales in a number of categories. Suppliers have developed products with that need in mind. In the toothpaste category, for example, Colgate-Palmolive Co....

O-T-C suppliers adjust in wake of controversy.(CHILDREN'S H&BAs)
February 9, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] NEW YORK -- Last year was a difficult one for children's over-the-counter medicines, as some segments, notably cough/cold, suffered from heightened regulatory scrutiny. Nevertheless, innovative manufacturers have...

Children's nutrition in spotlight.(CHILDREN'S H&BAs)
February 9, 2009... NEW YORK -- Proper nutrition has emerged as one of the most critical health issues for children both in the United States and worldwide at the beginning of the 21st century. The main reason, particularly in the U.S., is the growing problem...

Tapping into a distinct culture.(CHILDREN'S H&BAs)(Statistical data)
February 9, 2009... NEW YORK -- The children's health and beauty aids business is a broad and diffuse landscape filled with opportunities and pitfalls. The challenges and concerns for marketers differ dramatically between the two major subdivisions of the...

Bath, fragrance items stir interest.(CHILDREN'S H&BAs)(Brief article)
February 9, 2009... NEW YORK -- Bath and fragrance products continue to be solid segments of the children's health and beauty aids business, fueled in part by popular licensed properties and in part by innovative products that meet the special needs of children....

Innovation keeps H&BA sector moving ahead.(2009 H&BA VENDOR OUTLOOK)
February 9, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Retailers and suppliers alike agree that the lifeblood of any product category is innovation. That is truer than ever in the current environment, as retailers turn their attention to rationalizing their health and...

Newhall taps leader.(PEOPLE NEWS)
February 9, 2009... NEWHALL TAPS LEADER: Newhall Laboratories Inc., the parent company of La Bella and Real Solutions, has named Frank Loffa president and chief executive officer, succeeding founder and president AI Rodriguez, who recently stepped down from those...

Bausch & Lomb exec.(PEOPLE NEWS)
February 9, 2009... BAUSCH & LOMB EXEC: Bausch & Lomb has appointed Peter Valenti III president of its North America, Vision Care unit. Most recently he served as vice president and general manager of Surgical Devices (U.S.) for Covidien AG, where he led sales and...

Changes for P&G.(PEOPLE NEWS)
February 9, 2009... CHANGES FOR P&G: Procter & Gamble Co. (P&G) has announced various organizational changes. Mariano Martin, global customer development officer, will retire effective June 30, 2009, after 33 years of service. He stepped down from his current role...

FMI board member.(PEOPLE NEWS)
February 9, 2009... FMI BOARD MEMBER: The Food Marketing Institute has elected Jack Sinclair, executive vice president of the grocery division for Walmart Stores U. S. division, to FMI's board of directors.

Vertis promotion.(PEOPLE NEWS)
February 9, 2009... VERTIS PROMOTION: Vertis Communications has promoted Jeff Pritchett to vice president of finance and treasurer. Pritchett joined Vertis in 2007 as vice president of financial planning and analysis. Before joining Vertis, he held leadership...

Six join RILA board.(SPOTLIGHT)
February 9, 2009... NAPLES, Fla. -- The Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA) has added six top executives to its board of directors. Elected to the board at RILA's semiannual meeting late last month were Gregory Wasson, newly named president and chief...

Target CEO becomes chairman.(PEOPLE)
February 9, 2009... MINNEAPOLIS--Target Corp. president and chief executive officer Gregg Steinhafel takes over the role of chairman this month from Bob Ulrich, who retired at the close of the company's 2008 fiscal year in January. Steinhafel, 53, succeeded...

Past CEO at Bartell dead at 92.(PEOPLE)(Obituary)
February 9, 2009... SEATTLE -- George H. Bartell Jr., the only son of the founder of Bartell Drug Co., died late last month in Scottsdale, Ariz., at age 92. Bartell was chairman emeritus of the drug store chain, which has 55 stores in Washington's Puget Sound...

Rite Aid's Coster moves to NCPA.(PEOPLE)
February 9, 2009... ALEXANDRIA, Va. -- John Coster has joined the National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA) as senior vice president of government affairs, coming over to the trade association from Rite Aid Corp. A licensed pharmacist in New York,...

Minyard makes chief exec change.(PEOPLE)
February 9, 2009... COPPELL, Texas -- Minyard Food Stores Inc. has named Ron McDearmon president and chief executive officer, its third CEO in less than three years, according to published reports. A 44-year veteran of the northern Texas supermarket chain,...

Tesco appoints finance director.(PEOPLE)
February 9, 2009... LONDON -- Tesco PLC has promoted Laurie McIlwec to the position of finance director, succeeding Andrew Higginson, who will lead Tesco's retailing services division, the product of a joint venture with the Royal Bank of Scotland. McIlwee,...

Both the committee and the board have unanimously concluded that Greg Wasson is the best person.(PEOPLE)
February 9, 2009... "Both the committee and the board have unanimously concluded that Greg Wasson is the bestperson to lead Walgreens forward." James Skinner, Walgreens board member

Changes in our merchandising, pricing and promotional strategies have been successful.(PEOPLE)
February 9, 2009... "Changes in our merchandising, pricing and promotional strategies have been successful in meeting the budgets of our customers." Eric Claus, A&P

The initial reaction to the appointment of Greg Wasson as Walgreens' new chief executive officer.(HEARD AROUND)
February 9, 2009... The initial reaction to the appointment of Greg Wasson as Walgreens' new chief executive officer has been strongly positive, both within the company and within the supplier community.

As Lee Scott steps aside as Wal-Mart's CEO.(HEARD AROUND)
February 9, 2009... As Lee Scottsteps aside as Wal-Mart's CEO, he leaves the retailer in the strongest position it has occupied since the start of this decade.

Meetings shows.(TOPICS)(Calendar)
February 9, 2009... FEBRUARY 2009 15-19--ECRM: Winter Confectionery, Hyatt Regency DFW, Dallas. 22-25--ECRM: Snack, Beverage and Grocery Back-Half 2009 Planning--BTS, Holiday Foods, Baking, Breakfast, Hilton Cocoa Beach Oceanfront, Cocoa Beach, Fla. ...

Do more with less.(SPOTLIGHT)(Discussion)
February 9, 2009... ORLANDO, Fla. -- Making their businesses more sustainable is not something retailers should put on hold until better economic times return, a panel of industry experts asserted recently. In fact, they said an economic downturn is actually the...

FMI, GMA intend to cooperate.(TOPICS)
February 9, 2009... WASHINGTON -- Looking to better serve their members and consumers, the Food Marketing Institute and the Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) have agreed to collaborate more. FMI chairman Steven Smith, who is also president and chief...

FMI promotes sustainable seafood.(TOPICS)
February 9, 2009... ARLINGTON, Va. -- The Food Marketing Institute is urging its members to support programs for a sustainable seafood supply. The new policy encourages member companies and their staffs to learn about seafood sustainability issues and how to...

Bashas' eyes customer nutrition.(TOPICS)
February 9, 2009... CHANDLER, Ariz. -- To help its customers make healthy food choices, Bashas' Supermarkets has begun a nutritional program led by a new in-house dietician. The 160-store grocery chain maintains that it is the first in Arizona to launch a...

Dollar General plans.(INDUSTRY NEWS)
February 23, 2009... DOLLAR GENERAL PLANS: Dollar General Corp. is dramatically increasing its expansion plans for 2009, with approximately 450 new outlets and about 400 remodels slated for this year. In fiscal 2008, which ended January 30, the extreme-value...

Two new Wegmans.(INDUSTRY NEWS)
February 23, 2009... Wegmans Food Markets Inc. will continue its expansion in the mid-Atlantic region with units in Springfield, Va., and Germantown, Md. The company, which typically opens two to three stores a year, plans a 140,000-square-foot store in...