Mass Market Retailers articles from November 2008

Mass Market Retailers archives from November 2008

H.E.B. tabs president.(INDUSTRY NEWS)(H.E. Butt Grocery Co. appointed Bob Loeffler)(Brief article)
November 10, 2008... H.E.B. TABS PRESIDENT: Bob Loeffler has been appointed president of H.E. Butt Grocery Co. A 29-year H.E.B. veteran, he had served as chief operating officer since January 2003. Craig Boyan has succeeded Loeffler as COO. He joined H.E.B. in 2005...

Big lots E-commerce.(INDUSTRY NEWS)
November 10, 2008... BIG LOTS E-COMMERCE: Big Lots Inc. has launched an e-commerce business, bringing its closeout shopping to the Internet. The web site's online deal of the day, promising uncommon values, will be posted every morning around 8 a.m. Eastern time.

Fresh & easy expands.(INDUSTRY NEWS)(Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market Inc.)(Brief article)
November 10, 2008... FRESH & EASY EXPANDS: Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market is adding 11 units in Arizona, including five in Phoenix. The chain has 27 stores in the state and another 70 in California and Nevada. The chain's value-price restaurant-quality food is...

Sears plans closings.(INDUSTRY NEWS)
November 10, 2008... SEARS PLANS CLOSINGS: Sears Holdings Corp. will shutter eight Kmart units and four Sears outlets in January. The closures are part of the normal course of business, says a company spokeswoman. Two of the Kmart stores being shuttered are in...

Cub's green store.(INDUSTRY NEWS)
November 10, 2008... CUB'S GREEN STORE: Cub Foods has opened one of the first new grocery stores to receive LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) gold certification. The St. Paul unit will feature 44 skylights illuminating 75% of regularly occupied...

Wal-Mart is bullish.(SPOTLIGHT)
November 10, 2008... BENTONVILLE, Ark.--Despite a deepening economic downturn and chaos in the financial markets, the management of Wal-Mart Stores Inc. is looking toward the future with confidence. That confidence, expressed repeatedly during the course of...

'Get more for less' at target.
November 10, 2008... MINNEAPOLIS -- Heading into the key holiday selling season, Target Corp. aims to sharpen its value message and reputation as a one-stop shopping destination. Target executives said at the company's annual analysts meeting that the discount...

Walgreens deploys new strategy.(NEWS)
November 10, 2008... CHICAGO -- Walgreen Co. will strengthen its core business by leveraging the convenience of its stores; enhancing offerings for shoppers, patients and payers; and targeting $1 billion in annual cost reductions by fiscal 2011. The retailer...

Retail sales wither during October.
November 10, 2008... NEW YORK -- With Wall Street in turmoil and the economy plunging into recession, October sales plummeted at most chain retailers in the United States, raising the spectre of more retail bankruptcies and a holiday season that analysts say could...

CVS takes wraps off beauty 360 concept.(NEWS)
November 10, 2008... WOONSOCKET, R.I. -- CVS Caremark Corp. opened its first Beauty 360 upscale beauty boutique this month in Washington, D.C., and plans to launch another in Mission Viejo, Calif., in early December. Targeted mainly to women, the beauty store...

Value City decides to throw in towel.(NEWS)
November 10, 2008... COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Value City Department Stores has filed for bankruptcy protection and will liquidate its 66 stores, citing a drop in consumer spending and tighter credit. The economic slowdown, high fuel prices and growing unemployment...

Spartan is set to buy 17 supers.(NEWS)
November 10, 2008... GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- Grocery distributor Spartan Stores Inc. has agreed to acquire 17 supermarkets, including 15 pharmacies, from VG's Food Center and VG's Pharmacy. The deal, terms of which were not disclosed, would boost Spartan's...

Top retail marketer.(WAL-MART NEWS)
November 10, 2008... TOP RETAIL MARKETER: Wal-Mart was ranked the top retailer in the 2008 Cannondale Associates' annual Powe-Ranking Survey. Respondents were asked to rate companies for their retail marketing competence on the basis of such criteria as clarity of...

Media tactics pay off.(WAL-MART NEWS)
November 10, 2008... MEDIA TACTICS PAY OFF: Wal-Mart's media buys on national radio and targeted cable networks have helped boost sales for some of the retailer's biggest initiatives, according to an article in Advertising Age. The retailer's exclusive retail sale...

New MP3 downloads.(WAL-MART NEWS)
November 10, 2008... NEW MP3 DOWNLOADS: Wal-Mart has relaunched what it maintains is a new and improved MP3 download store, with MP3 tracks starting at just 74 cents, versus standard pricing of 94 cents per track. The service also includes a free MP3 "track of the...

Mexico unit sales up.(WAL-MART NEWS)(Wal-Mart de Mexico S.A. de C.V.)(Financial report)(Brief article)
November 10, 2008... MEXICO UNIT SALES UP: Same-store sales at Wal-Mart de Mexico rose 2% in October from the year-ago period, lower than analysts' expectations. Analysts were expecting a 2.8% rise, according to a Reuters poll. Wal-Mart's Mexico unit also said...

Store design glimpse.(WAL-MART NEWS)
November 10, 2008... STORE DESIGN GLIMPSE: Two Wal-Mart Supercenters that reopened in Arkansas last month give shoppers a glimpse at the next generation of store designs. Improvements include a bright new color palette, a new layout with wider aisles that contain...

CVS flexes muscle.(SPOTLIGHT)
November 10, 2008... WOONSOCKET, R.I. -- A robust retail pharmacy business drove a 20% gain in income from continuing operations at CVS Caremark Corp. in its fiscal 2008 third quarter. The worsening economic environment, though, compelled management to reduce its...

Net earnings drop 13.5% at Supervalu.(MONEY)
November 10, 2008... MINNEAPOLIS -- Attempts to hold the line on prices and spark sales with promotions helped trigger a double-digit decline in second quarter net profit at Supervalu Inc. At the same time, sluggish sales in the company's retail food business led...

Weis has another tough quarter.(MONEY)
November 10, 2008... SUNBURY, Pa. -- Despite sharp same-store sales growth, Weis Markets Inc. saw its third quarter earnings plunge. Net income for the 155-unit mid-Atlantic chain tumbled 25.2% to nearly $8.1 million for the 13 weeks ended September 27, even as...

Discounters.(MONEY)
November 10, 2008... DISCOUNTERS Current Previous Close Close % Discounter 11/3/08 10/7/08 Change BJ's 34.53 34.71 -0.52...

Drug stores.(MONEY)
November 10, 2008... DRUG STORES Current Previous Close Close % Drug Store 11/3/08 10/7/08 Change Cardinal Health (1) 38.54 44.59 -13.57...

Supermarkets.(MONEY)
November 10, 2008... SUPERMARKETS Current Previous Close Close % Supermarket 11/3/08 10/7/08 Change A&P 7.51 8.39 -10.49...

Scoreboard.(MONEY NEWS)(Statistical table)
November 10, 2008... SCOREBOARD RETAILERS Quarter Dollar % ended Sales Change Burlington (1) 08/30 713.4 mil +4.1 CVS Caremark (2) ...

Profit forecast is scaled back.(MONEY)(Financial report)
November 10, 2008... WOONSOCKET, R.I. -- Although its retail business continues to turn in superlative results, CVS Caremark has responded to a darkened economic picture and the short-term impact of its acquisition of Longs Drug Stores Corp. by trimming its...

Guidance reduced for second time.(MONEY)
November 10, 2008... MINNEAPOLIS -- After the second quarter performance of its retail business provided Supervalu with an unpleasant surprise, management dropped its full-year earnings outlook for the second time since the beginning of fiscal 2009. The...

Wal-Mart goes to bat for besieged consumers.(OPINION)
November 10, 2008... If October's retail sales are any indication, it's going to be a Wal-Mart Christmas. The dismal comparable-store results posted by the nation's retailers last month were the worst in decades. The damage was widespread, ranging from a 16.6%...

Nothing is beyond CVS' grasp.(OPINION)
November 10, 2008... The most significant thing about CVS Caremark's just-opened Beauty 360 prestige beauty boutique off Washington, D.C.'s, Dupont Circle lies in what it says about the company. The shop is itself interesting, but that interest is as nothing...

This holiday season, it's all about value.(OPINION)
November 10, 2008... NEW YORK -- Competition among retail formats stands to intensify this holiday season as chains vie for their share of dwindling consumer spending dollars. Not surprisingly, value-oriented retailers--especially discounters--hold the edge as...

Tesco braces for impact of the economic slowdown.(GLOBAL)
November 10, 2008... LONDON -- British retailer Tesco PLC is preparing for an economic downturn but has not confirmed published reports saying that it has trimmed its sales forecast. Late last month the Financial Times reported that Tesco finance director...

Sainsbury cuts waste.(GLOBAL NEWS)
November 10, 2008... SAINSBURY CUTS WASTE: J. Sainsbury PLC plans to use food waste to generate electricity rather than send it to landfills. Beginning next year the British food retailer will send all of its food waste to special plants that will convert it to...

Metro opens in Russia.(GLOBAL NEWS)
November 10, 2008... METRO OPENS IN RUSSIA: German retailer Metro AG has launched a distribution center in Noginsk, Russia, near Moscow. The 410,000-square-foot facility serves all of Metro's cash-and-carry, Real and Media Markt stores in Russia, including sites up...

Aldi, penny price blitz.(GLOBAL NEWS)
November 10, 2008... ALDI, PENNY PRICE BLITZ: German discount grocers Aldi Group and Rewe Group's Penny chain are aggressively advertising permanent price cuts of up to 34% across their entire food assortments, with an emphasis on staple items, according to Planet...

Casino beauty label.(GLOBAL NEWS)
November 10, 2008... CASINO BEAUTY LABEL: France's Groupe Casino next month plans to unveil a private label beauty care line called C Expert by Eric Roman, a well-known hairdresser. The company also aims to launch an organic beauty line of 12 products, including...

M&S sales flat in half.(GLOBAL NEWS)(Marks and Spencer PLC)(Financial report)(Brief article)
November 10, 2008... M&S SALES FLAT IN HALF: Marks & Spencer Group PLC reported a 0.8% year-over-year sales gain to 4.2 billion [pounds sterling] (about $8 billion) for its first half ended September 27. During the 26 weeks sales in its core United Kingdom market...

Carrefour eyes China.(GLOBAL NEWS)
November 10, 2008... CARREFOUR EYES CHINA: French retailer Carrefour SA reportedly plans to open two stores in the main city area of Chongqing, China, in the second half of 2009. The chain now has four units in the city.

Wal-Mart sets bar higher.(SPOTLIGHT)
November 10, 2008... BEIJING -- Wal-Mart Stores Inc. has taken its sustainability efforts to the next level by hosting a gathering of more than 1,000 suppliers, officials of the Chinese government and nongovernment organizations (NGOs) here in late October. The...

Carrefour stays on growth track.(GLOBAL)
November 10, 2008... PARIS -- French supermarket giant Carrefour SA saw sales rise 6.8% in the third quarter to 24.7 billion euros. Helping to fuel the revenue gain, the company said, were strong sales performances in France (+3.5%), mature European markets...

Ahold sees sales bump from U.S. food chains.(GLOBAL)
November 10, 2008... AMSTERDAM -- Dutch supermarket retailer Ahold NV posted a 3.9% net sales increase to 5.8 billion euros for its third fiscal quarter ended October 5. In the United States Ahold's Giant-Carlisle unit led the way in the quarter with an 11.8%...

Ascendia brands sells Mr. Bubble Line to Village Co.(SUPPLY SIDE)
November 10, 2008... CHASKA, Minn -- Village Co. has acquired the Mr. Bubble brand from Ascendia Brands Inc., which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in August. "Mr. Bubble is a brand that mothers have known and trusted for years," says Village...

Axe Dark Temptation.(SUPPLY SIDE NEWS)
November 10, 2008... AXE DARK TEMPTATION: Unilever has launched Axe Dark Temptation for men, available in a 4-ounce Deodorant Bodyspray and a 12-fluid-ounce Shower Gel. Each product sells for a suggested $4.99. Axe Dark Temptation combines the fragrance of...

Springs Throw-to-Go.(SUPPLY SIDE NEWS)
November 10, 2008... SPRINGS THROW-TO-GO: Springs Creative Products Group LLC has launched its Throw-to-Go backpack in a variety of popular licensed designs, including those from Disney, NASCAR, Coca-Cola and Hershey. The unique feature of Throw-to-Go is that the...

Sootheze Spa Friends.(SUPPLY SIDE NEWS)
November 10, 2008... SOOTHEZE SPA FRIENDS: Sootheze has P introduced its Toasty Spa Friends line of products, which offer relief from stress by combining heat/cold therapy with aromatherapy. Soft to the touch, Toasty Spa Friends are available in different designs,...

Upscale skin care.(SPOTLIGHT)
November 10, 2008... CINCINNATI -- Procter & Gamble Co.'s (P&G's) Olay brand has unveiled Olay Professional Pro-X, a professional-quality skin care line aimed at mass market retail stores. The new skin care line, consisting of six products and carrying a suggested...

Kids-EEZE Chest Relief is launched.(SUPPLY SIDE)
November 10, 2008... DOYLESTOWN, Pa. -- The Quigley Corp. has introduced Kids-EEZE Chest Relief, a patented soft chew children's remedy to relieve chest congestion. Available in strawberry and grape flavors, it is available in dosage form for children age 6...

Suppliers embrace Smart Choices.(SUPPLY SIDE)
November 10, 2008... ENGLEWOOD CLIFFS, N.J. -- General Mills Inc. announced last month that it planned to implement the new "Smart Choices" symbol on selected food products beginning in 2009. The Smart Choices Program is a uniform front-of-package nutrition...

Neutrogena unveils antiaging formula.(SUPPLY SIDE MRR)
November 10, 2008... LOS ANGELES -- Johnson & Johnson's Neutrogena brand has launched an antiaging formula, Neutrogena Dermatologies Retinol NX Concentrated Retinoi Serum, on the QVC television network with celebrity dermatologist Dr. Will Kirby. "The...

Batteries a holiday essential.(SUPPLY SIDE)
November 10, 2008... NEW YORK -- The holiday season is a time of peak demand for batteries, which are needed to power the growing array of gaming systems and portable gadgets that top many gift lists. Lou Martire, vice president of trade development at...

Consumers expected to spend conservatively this season.(SEASONAL GM)
November 10, 2008... NEW YORK -- Retailers can expect a challenging holiday season as consumers contend with a struggling housing market, rising unemployment and meager income gains. The National Retail Federation (NRF) forecast in September that consumer...

Discount stores prime the pump.(SUPPLY SIDE)
November 10, 2008... NEW YORK -- Major discount stores have put in place various programs to help their customers stretch their dollars this holiday season. Kmart, a unit of Sears Holdings Corp., has announced that it is continuing to offer its layaway plan...

New ideas keep things interesting.(SUPPLY SIDE)(Glue Dots International)(Brief article)
November 10, 2008... NEW YORK -- No matter what the season, home crafting is a perennially favorite activity. Glue Dots International offers products for many types of crafting projects, from back-to-school to various personalized gifts and cards for the...

Time right for private label to make further inroads.(STORE BRANDS)
November 10, 2008... NEW YORK -- American consumers across all demographic segments have embraced store brands, and the outlook for continued share growth is bright, not least because of the current recession. According to 2007 data from Nielsen Co., private...

PLMA finds 'There's Plenty of New Action'.(SUPPLY SIDE)
November 10, 2008... NEW YORK -- While these are challenging times for many trade organizations, the Private Label Manufacturers Association (PLMA) is currently enjoying some of its best growth, according to president Brian Sharoff. While consolidation has...

Absorbency products deliver quality, value.(SUPPLY SIDE)
November 10, 2008... NEW YORK -- The various categories of absorbency products have proved to be fertile ground for private label development. As highly consumable commodity items, their price points are attractive to value-seeking shoppers, while their high turns...

Big chains seize the day.(STORE BRANDS)
November 10, 2008... NEW YORK -- Store brands are assuming increasing importance at the leading retailers in all three major mass market trade classes. The trend is being driven by the twin dynamics of greater customer acceptance plus more appealing and innovative...

H&BA arena provides a study in contrasts.(SUPPLY SIDE)
November 10, 2008... NEW YORK -- Within the health and beauty aids arena, store brands have yet to achieve much penetration in most beauty care categories. But it is a different story when it comes to over-the-counter remedies. For example, according to the...

Vertical integration a selling point.(SUPPLY SIDE)
November 10, 2008... NEW YORK -- As retailers demand more and more of their store brand suppliers, vertical integration has become an increasingly important strategic asset for manufacturers. Two private label over-the-counter products suppliers that have leveraged...

Savvy retailers know how to capitalize on store brands.(STORE BRANDS)
November 10, 2008... BURLINGTON, Mass. -- With the economic slowdown, retailers are finding it more difficult to keep consumers spending. Yet chains embracing private label programs are seeing the current economy as a time of opportunity. Such retailers as...

Tighter mix raises profile of PL.(SUPPLY SIDE)
November 10, 2008... NEW YORK -- A number of trends are driving private label sales growth, and not all of them are related to consumer preference. In the health and beauty aids aisle, another driver is the collaboration between top-selling suppliers, usually...

Sales results decidedly mixed.(HOUSEWARES)(Financial report)
November 10, 2008... NEW YORK -- Despite belt-tightening by consumers hit hard by an anemic economy, the housewares segment contains a few bright spots. Retail stores saw declines in several segments despite efforts to lure shoppers with sales promotions,...

Scented products set tone.(SUPPLY SIDE)
November 10, 2008... NEW YORK -- Potpourri, scented reeds and scented candles have long been popular with consumers as a way to personalize their homes. According to Information Resources Inc. (IRI) consumers spent $60.2 million on potpourri and sachets in...

Touchscreen technology goes small.(SUPPLY SIDE)
November 10, 2008... NEW YORK -- Sunbeam Products Inc. has introduced touchscreen technology to various small kitchen appliances. The eLume touchscreen is available on the Mr. Coffee 12-Cup Programmable Coffee Maker, Oster Countertop Oven, Oster Blender and...

W.F. Young.(PEOPLE NEWS)
November 10, 2008... W.F. YOUNG PRESIDENT: W.F. Young Inc. has appointed Adam Raczkowski as president of the company. He is the third nonfamily member to hold this title in the company's 116-year history.

Johnson & Johnson.(PEOPLE NEWS)
November 10, 2008... JOHNSON & JOHNSON: Johnson & Johnson has announced two executive appointments. Sheri McCoy, currently worldwide chairman of the Surgical Care Group, has been named worldwide chairman of the Pharmaceuticals Group, effective January 1, 2009. In...

Changes at P&G.(PEOPLE NEWS)
November 10, 2008... CHANGES AT P&G: Procter & Gamble Co. (P&G) has announced several organizational changes. Clayton Daley Jr., vice chairman and chief financial officer, will retire effective September 16, 2009, after 35 years of service. He will step down as CFO...

Hershey Co.(PEOPLE NEWS)
November 10, 2008... HERSHEY SENIOR VP: Hershey Co. has appointed Javier Idrovo senior vice president of strategy and business development. In this role Idrovo is responsible for leading the implementation and development of Hershey's strategic plan. He will...

Wm Wrigley Jr. Co.(PEOPLE: NEWS)
November 10, 2008... WRIGLEY PRESIDENT: Wm. Wrigley Jr. Co. has named Dushan Petrovich as president He has been with the company for over 30 years and will be responsible for worldwide strategy, operations and business performance.

Walgreens unit promotes execs.(SPOTLIGHT)(Company overview)
November 10, 2008... CONSHOHOCKEN, Pa. -- Two executives at Take Care Health Systems, the walk-in clinic operator owned by Walgreen Co., have been promoted within the Walgreens Health and Wellness division. President and chief executive officer Peter Miller and...

Dollar Tree CFO post assigned to Wampler.(PEOPLE)
November 10, 2008... CHESAPEAKE, Va. -- Dollar Tree Inc. has named Kevin Wampler chief financial officer. He joins the value chain from The Finish Line Inc., a mall-based sports apparel, footwear and accessories retailer, where he served as executive vice...

Winn-Dixie names VP of Marketing.(PEOPLE)
November 10, 2008... JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Winn-Dixie Stores Inc. has hired Mary Kellmanson as its vice president of marketing. Kellmanson will lead the supermarket chain's marketing department, supervising the day-to-day and strategic operations of its...

Zlotnik, former Medic Exec, dies.(PEOPLE)
November 10, 2008... CLEVELAND -- Gerald Zlotnik, a drug store industry stalwart for almost 50 years, died of cancer late last month at age 71. Zlotnik, who was executive vice president of Medic Drug, served on the boards of the National Association of Chain...

Onstead gets interim CEO post at Bi-Lo.(PEOPLE)
November 10, 2008... MAULDIN, S.C. -- Randall Onstead has been appointed interim chairman and chief executive officer of Bi-Lo LLC. Onstead takes the helm of the Southeastern supermarket chain from 30-year grocery retailing veteran Brian Hotarek, who is...

Spartan offers $4 RX.(INDUSTRY NEWS)
November 17, 2008... SPARTAN OFFERS $4 RX: Spartan Stores' D&W Fresh Market and Family Fare pharmacies have begun offering $4 generic drugs. The program covers more than 300 medications prescribed in 30-day supplies. "This is another example of the many ways our...

CVS, NCOA help seniors.(INDUSTRY NEWS)
November 17, 2008... CVS, NCOA HELP SENIORS: As the open enrollment period for Medicare Part D approaches, CVS Caremark Corp. and the National Council on Aging (NCOA) have begun offering seniors information on how to identify the right Medicare prescription drug...

Sears layaway plan.(INDUSTRY NEWS)
November 17, 2008... SEARS LAYAWAY PLAN: Sears Holding Corp. this month began a layaway program that lets shoppers at its Sears stores reserve merchandise, pay in installments and pick up the items just in time for the holidays. Executives say the program is...

Whole Foods rating.(INDUSTRY NEWS)
November 17, 2008... WHOLE FOODS RATING: Moody's Investors Service has lowered its ratings on Whole Foods Market Inc. after the grocery chain released mixed earnings and investment news. Whole Foods reported earlier this month that its profit plunged in the fourth...

Fresh & Easy hits a milestone.(SPOTLIGHT)
November 17, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] FULLERTON, Calif. -- Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Markets recently opened its 100th outlet here, just one year after its first store opened in Los Angeles. Celebration was muted, however, by the virtually simultaneous...

Gains aside, Wal-Mart is cautious.(NEWS)
November 17, 2008... BENTONVILLE, Ark. -- Wal-Mart Stores Inc. reported a better-than-expected rise of nearly 10% in third quarter net income, as shoppers sought relief from deteriorating economic conditions by hunting for discounts on groceries and medications....

PLMA awards go to four companies.(Awards list)
November 17, 2008... CHICAGO -- Four American retailing and wholesaling companies are receiving top honors from the Private Label Marketing Association at this year's PLMA trade show, which is being held here this month. The winners are H.E. Butt Grocery Co.,...

Consumer spending takes nosedive.(NEWS)
November 17, 2008... NEW YORK -- The economy continued to reel late this month from October's dismal retail sales performance. The 2.8% sales drop reported by the Commerce Department reinforced fears that consumer spending, the economy's main driver, was in...

First Fair Trade wine.(WAL-MART NEWS)
November 17, 2008... FIRST FAIR TRADE WINE: Sam's Club has introduced its first Fair Trade Certified wine, Neu Direction, a 100% Malbec from the wine-growing region of Lujan de Cuyo, near Mendoza, Argentina. The wine is one of only a handful to receive this status...

Calgary unit planned.(WAL-MART NEWS)
November 17, 2008... CALGARY UNIT PLANNED: Wal-Mart Canada has proposed a project to build a new 181,779-square-foot store in Calgary, Alberta's Southeast District. The site of the proposed store is located about 3 miles from an existing Wal-Mart store.

Marketside agency.(WAL-MART NEWS)
November 17, 2008... MARKETSIDE AGENCY: Wal-Mart is talking to several advertising agencies about handling creative work for its fledgling Marketside convenience stores, according to a report in the trade journal Advertising Age. The retailer opened its first four...

Bharti training plan.(WAL-MART NEWS)
November 17, 2008... BHARTI TRAINING PLAN: Bharti Wal-Mart Private Ltd., the joint venture between Bharti Enterprises and Wal-Mart Stores Inc. for wholesale cash-and-carry and back-end supply chain management operations in India, signed a memorandum of...