NEW YORK — Walmart U.S. president and chief executive officer John Furner realized early in his career that the work retail employees do is important. “I started in retail working in a garden center at a Walmart store,” Furner recalled at the recent National Retail Federation conference here. “And I quickly realized that this work
BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Walmart is making changes to its executive team after the 2019 holiday season. The retailer announced earlier this month that chief merchant Steve Bratspies is leaving the company. Bratspies has been the company’s chief merchandising officer for more than four years, a key role that oversees product selection and pricing in its
WASHINGTON – Holiday retail sales during 2019 grew 4.1% over the same period in 2018 to $730.2 billion, according to a recent report from the National Retail Federation (NRF). Grocery and beverage stores were up 2.9% year over year. In addition, online and other non-store sales were up 14.6% year over year. “Having spent time with
WOONSOCKET, R.I. — CVS Pharmacy announced earlier this month that president Kevin Hourican is leaving the company to become president and chief executive officer of food service company Sysco Corp. “Retail pharmacy and the role pharmacists play in health care are rapidly evolving, and we’ll continue to lead the way in responding to changing patient
WOONSOCKET, R.I. — CVS Health announced earlier this month the opening of new HealthHUBs in 15 CVS Pharmacy locations in the greater Houston area as well as HealthHUBs in 16 CVS Pharmacy locations serving the Atlanta community. During a ribbon-cutting event at the company’s HealthHUB on Westheimer Road in Houston, the community celebrated the new,
CINCINNATI — Kroger Co. has announced the launch of Simple Truth Emerge: Plant Based Fresh Meats. An expansion of Simple Truth — “America’s largest natural and organic brand” — Simple Truth Emerge is a line that offers fresh burger patties and grinds at more affordable prices, according to Kroger. Available exclusively at Kroger Family of
QUINCY, Mass. — Stop & Shop announced earlier this month that it will power 40 of its stores in Massachusetts and New York with Bloom Energy Servers. The servers are said to provide clean, reliable, 24/7 electricity in an AlwaysON Microgrid configuration that will continue to power each store in the event of a grid
WASHINGTON — The National Retail Federation (NRF) has announced the launch of the Center for Consumer Privacy and Innovation, a retailer-led initiative intended to promote and protect innovation in the retail customer experience. The launch took place during NRF 2020 Vision: Retail’s Big Show, NRF’s annual convention. “Retailers recognize the importance of and value the
NEW YORK — National Retail Federation (NRF) chairman Chris Baldwin kicked off the trade group’s 2020 convention here with a positive message about the retail industry’s value and its continued vitality. Baldwin, who is chairman and chief executive officer of BJ’s Wholesale Club, noted that he took the helm as chairman of NRF two years
NEW YORK — One of the keys to Target Corp.’s success has been the love its most loyal fans always have for the retailer. But Target chief marketing and digital officer Rick Gomez argued at the NRF 2020 Vision: Retail’s Big Show conference here that customer loyalty has to be rewarded, and in a way
Under the innovative and productive leadership of Greg Farrar, ECRM, the retailer- and supplier-focused sales and marketing organization, has emerged as one of the most important trade organizations serving the mass retailing community. This didn’t happen overnight. When Farrar signed on as ECRM’s president some seven years ago, the organization, which had been founded over
Anyone questioning the vitality of the retail industry would have had those doubts put to rest if they were present at the National Retail Federation’s Big Show in New York City earlier this month. With some 40,000 attendees — almost half of them retailers, including everyone from small business owners to John Furner, president of