BOISE, Idaho — What Albertsons Cos. has been able to accomplish in a little over a decade is truly remarkable. The prospects for the business were somewhat uncertain when it was established in June 2006. A group of investors led by Cerberus Capital Management created the company by purchasing 661 supermarkets as part of the
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Walmart has “started to invent the future of shopping again,” president and chief executive officer Doug McMillon said at the company’s annual shareholders meeting this month. “Together, we’re building a new Walmart,” McMillon told more than 14,000 associates from the U.S. and around the world at the University of Arkansas. “We’re going
NEW YORK — Lidl, the latest German discount supermarket chain to looking to gain a foothold in the U.S. grocery market, will open the first nine of 20 locations on the East Coast on June 15. The company announced plans for ribbon-cutting ceremonies followed by four-day grand-opening celebrations at each of the nine stores. Five
CINCINNATI — Kroger Co. has announced the retirement of Sukanya Madlinger, senior vice president of retail divisions. Madlinger will be succeeded by Calvin Kaufman, president of the company’s Louisville division. Ann Reed was promoted to succeed Kaufman. Reed has been serving as vice president of Customer 1st Promise, overseer of the “Customer 1st Strategy” Kroger
WASHINGTON — The proposed border adjustment tax will hit American consumers with price hikes, Target Corp. chairman and chief executive officer Brian Cornell testified last month at a House hearing. “American families — your constituents — would pay more so many multinational corporations can pay even less,” Cornell told the House Ways and Means Committee.
NEW YORK — Target Corp. reported it has reached an $18.5 million settlement with 47 states and the District of Columbia over the retailer’s data breach that occurred just prior to Christmas 2013. The announcement was made by New York attorney general Eric Schneiderman. The breach, which Target has said occurred between November 27 and
NEW YORK — Whole Foods Market Inc., after announcing major changes to its operations and board makeup and $300 million in cost cutting, faces more pressure from an activist investor that owns a significant portion of its shares, has made a number of company announcements including a possible nomination of a new board member as
SEATTLE — Amazon.com Inc. continues to experiment with physical stores to supplement its extensive online retailing presence. The e-tailer last month opened two Seattle grocery pickup sites — previously being “beta tested” and accessible only to Amazon employees — to the public. Amazon Prime members can now buy groceries online and opt to pick them
DEERFIELD, Ill. — Walgreens mental health initiative and its collaboration with Mental Health America (MHA) is paying off. Nearly 75% of visitors to the Walgreens digital platform who have completed screenings are also actively following up, Walgreens reports, adding that the platform is also helping to reach a broader demographic of consumers interested in mental
ARLINGTON, Va. — The Food Marketing Institute (FMI) is opposing a rule in New York City requiring many food retailers to post calorie counts for standard menu items. The city implemented the expansion of its health code on May 22, extending to supermarkets and chain retailers a calorie count requirement imposed on chain restaurants since
SAN FRANCISCO — Grocery delivery service Instacart has entered several new markets en route to its goal of covering 80% of U.S. households by next year. Most recently, the San Francisco-based third-party service moved into Greater Knoxville, Tenn. That followed its entry into Detroit; Columbus, Ohio; Las Vegas; and the Rio Grande Valley in Texas.
There’s been a pickup in retail activity and energy, perhaps a result of the optimistic performance reports a few leading retailers have posted of late. Suddenly, major companies that appeared to be daunted by even minor challenges are responding more positively — and more aggressively — to the stresses of doing business. Leading the way