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Issue 10-11-2021

Multiple forecasts project a strong holiday season for retailers

NEW YORK — This year’s holiday season should be a happy one for retailers, with a number of forecasts pointing to strong sales gains. Deloitte’s annual holiday retail forecast found that retail sales during the November to January period are likely to increase between 7% and 9%, totaling $1.28 trillion to $1.3 trillion. Deloitte also

New Hy-Vee store brings shopping into the future

EAU CLAIRE, Wis. — Hy-Vee Inc.’s newest store opened here September 28 with many of the amenities that the regional supermarket chain is known for plus new features that modernize the shopping experience. At 92,163 square feet, it’s one of the West Des Moines, Iowa-based chain’s largest stores and one of just four it operates

Whole Foods CEO Mackey retiring in 2022

AUSTIN, Texas — Whole Foods Market cofounder and chief executive officer John Mackey said he will retire effective September 1, 2022. Jason Buechel, who currently serves as Whole Foods’ chief operating officer, will succeed Mackey as CEO. “September marked Whole Foods Market’s 43rd anniversary (including two years at Safer Way — the precursor to Whole

Target and Walmart are boosting workforces

NEW YORK — Retailers are boosting their staffing levels in preparation for the holiday season, with both Target Corp. and Walmart making major ­announcements. Target said it is providing 5 million more hours to current store team members this holiday shopping season, resulting in over $75 million more in pay for its existing team. Through

Kroger, GIANT introduce half-hour delivery

NEW YORK — Supermarket operators Kroger Co. and the GIANT Co. independently unveiled plans last month to offer new delivery services in partnership with online grocery platform Instacart. Kroger and Instacart unveiled Kroger Delivery Now, offering 30-minute delivery enabled by what the partners call a first-of-its-kind convenience store. GIANT teamed with San Francisco-based Instacart in

Cornell and Montgomery will be among NRF honorees

WASHINGTON — The National Retail Federation will recognize Target chairman and chief executive officer Brian Cornell with its The Visionary award, which will be presented during the seventh annual NRF Foundation Honors event in New York City. CVS Pharmacy president Neela Montgomery will also be honored as one of the People Shaping Retail’s Future 2022.

Rite Aid to enable remote-first workforce at new office

CAMP HILL, Pa. — Rite Aid Corp., whose corporate associates have been successfully working remotely since the early days of the pandemic, plans to embrace a remote-first approach going forward. The company plans to establish an official headquarters in Philadelphia designed specifically for in-person collaboration and company gatherings, rather than for office spaces. Additionally, planned

Grocers experience triumph, travails

Grocers experience triumph, travails

In the 72 years that FMI has issued “The Food Retailing Industry Speaks” report, the survey of retail and wholesale companies is unlikely to have uncovered such a confluence of promise and peril as it has today. With COVID-19 acting as the catalyst, the supermarket sector experienced unprecedented demand and buttressed its standing over the

Consider innovative approaches to accelerating speed to basket

Speed to shelf is vital at brick-and-mortar. As Amazon, other retail leaders such as Walmart and Target, and worldwide circumstances continue to disrupt established business models, and shopper behavior increasingly favors an omnichannel experience, the focus for all retail supply chain stakeholders has become agility, speed and resilience. Many retailers have teamed with partners to