JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — As the brick-and-mortar grocery industry faces increasing competition from all angles, an effective brand strategy can be the key to sustained success for retailers, according to a recently released report from sales and marketing firm Acosta Inc. Shoppers turn to different brands for different needs and seek a balance when it comes
WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. — Keech Combe Shetty’s grandfather founded Combe Inc. in 1949, and her father, Chris Combe, ran the company for four decades until his retirement in 2014. Now Keech, who is co-chief executive officer with her husband, Akshay Shetty, represents the third generation of the Combe family to manage the business. Combe Shetty
A little over a year ago the supermarket sector was roiled by speculation about the impact that the arrival of Lidl would have on established players in the U.S. market. Based in Neckarsulm, Germany, the hard discount grocer has proven a disruptive force and fierce competitor with more than 10,000 stores in the 28 European
Bigger is not necessarily better anymore, at least when it comes to consumer packaged goods companies. According to research from the Boston Consulting Group and IRI, scale is not the competitive advantage it once was for CPG companies. In fact, one of the study’s key findings was that smaller companies are outpacing their larger counterparts
The retail and technology landscapes have become almost identical entities in today’s business domain. Both technology and data were important before the internet had fully emerged. Retailers were always keen on running their stores more efficiently and leveraging data to understand their customers better. As the internet gained more and more popularity, so did mobile
The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is an important topic of conversation for U.S. companies as they prepare to comply with the new international regulations. The GDPR was adopted on April 27, 2016, and allotted a two-year post-adoption grace period for food retailers to strategize and implement their compliance initiatives. With only three months left,
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — At Walmart’s Associate and Shareholders Meeting here at the beginning of this month, president and chief executive officer Doug McMillon gave a nod to the company’s past while staying focused on its future and the drive to find new ways to grow and serve customers. This year Walmart celebrated the 100th anniversary
HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. — Sears Holdings Corp. has identified 100 unprofitable stores and will shutter 63 of them in early September. Liquidation sales at 48 Sears outlets and 15 Kmarts will begin as early as June 14. The company announced the closings while reporting its first quarter results, which included a drop of more than
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Southeastern Grocers announced it has completed a financial restructuring under chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code and is poised to compete in an unforgiving retail environment. The owner of the Winn-Dixie, BI-LO, Harveys and Fresco y Más grocery chains said bankruptcy protection allowed the company to transform its financial profile and reduce
WESTBOROUGH, Mass. — Warehouse club operator BJ’s Wholesale Club Inc. recently filed with regulators to return to the public market, despite a downturn in the retail sector. The company, which was taken private in 2011 for $2.8 billion by private equity firms Leonard Green & Partners LP and CVC Capital Partners Ltd., will list on
ARLINGTON, Va. — Lidl U.S. has a new president and chief executive officer — Johannes Fieber was appointed last month to oversee the German company’s expansion in the United States. Fieber, a 10-year Lidl veteran who previously served as CEO of Lidl Sweden, succeeds Brendan Proctor, who had been in charge of U.S. operations since
CINCINNATI — Kroger Co. rolled out a new consumer packaged goods search service that connects its acumen in data and personalization. The self-service marketing platform, called Boosted Products in Search, allows CPG brands to reach digitally savvy shoppers with “hyper-relevant” products in search results across Kroger digital properties, as well as view performance in real