TAMPA, Fla. — Walmart is counting on investments in an automated, integrated supply chain to deliver ongoing sales and profit growth, executives told analysts during the company’s annual investment community meeting here recently. Management also confirmed its fiscal 2024 first quarter and full-year earnings guidance. In his opening remarks, president and chief executive officer Doug
WASHINGTON — The National Retail Federation (NRF) expects retail sales growth to slow this year as the pandemic-fueled spending boom fades and inflation forces shoppers to tighten their belts. In its annual forecast, NRF foresees retail sales of between $5.13 trillion and $5.23 trillion on growth of between 4% and 6% from 2022 levels. “While
GOODLETTSVILLE, Tenn. — Dollar General is rolling out new store layouts with reimagined layouts in the beauty, skin and hair care departments. Branded as Beauty Reinvention within the company, the new layouts will bring simpler, easy-to-navigate beauty and personal care aisles with expanded product offerings to approximately 300 stores this fiscal year. “We have been
CINCINNATI — Kroger Co. last month opened its latest fulfillment “spoke” in Austin, Texas, allowing the grocery retailer to expand the reach of a customer fulfillment center (CFC) already operating in the Dallas area and powered by technology from U.K.-based Ocado Group PLC. “Austin is one of the fastest-growing cities in the country, and we
BOISE, Idaho — Albertsons Cos. has updated the packaging of its O Organics brand, and is celebrating the private label line’s new look with a campaign designating April as Organic Breakfast Month and encouraging customers to share their favorite breakfast routine on social media using #WakeUpOrganic. Albertsons aims to position O Organics as the go-to
GOODLETTSVILLE, Tenn. — Dollar General Corp. entered Mexico last month with the opening of a Mi Súper Dollar General outside Monterrey. “We are excited about our international expansion,” chief executive officer Jeff Owen said during a conference call discussing fourth quarter earnings. “We have been very encouraged by the customer response and community reception we
MILWAUKEE — Kohl’s Corp. announced it is adding 250 full-size Sephora at Kohl’s locations this year. With the expansion, the partners will reach their initial goal of introducing the 2,500-square-foot Sephora at Kohl’s shops at more than 850 Kohl’s locations. Kohl’s also said it expects to have 50 smaller-format Sephora at Kohl’s shops in its
NEW YORK — Amazon has introduced a new tool on the Amazon Pharmacy website that promises to save money and time for prescription drug users. The service gives patients with prescriptions access to discount coupons applicable to branded drugs for common ailments and conditions including asthma, diabetes, emphysema and obesity. According to Laura Jensen, head
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Meijer announced that it will open a new 159,000-square-foot supercenter in Elkhart, Ind., on May 11, making it the 11th Meijer store in northern Indiana. The supercenter will feature all the products Meijer customers have come to expect, including grocery staples, fresh produce, bakery, meat and deli, as well as a
Recently, I asked a mass retailer DMM, “How many of your buyers first took on that responsibility during COVID?” The answer … about 60%! During that chaotic time, they quickly learned to virtually chase in-stocks and supply consistency, and virtually responded to new buying patterns. They — and their suppliers — became highly proficient at
The National Association of Chain Drug Stores is about to convene its Annual Meeting, that laudable and impressive gathering of mass retailers and suppliers that highlights every spring. This year’s event is, if possible, even more critical for mass retailing’s future, given the forced infection-imposed hiatus that curtailed recent gatherings. Yet this year’s Annual Meeting
St. Joseph’s University’s Future Food Industry Leaders 2023, held last month in Lafayette Hill, Pa., afforded retailers, CPG companies and grocery wholesalers an opportunity to do well by doing good. Developed by the school’s Academy of Food Marketing, and its executive director Joe Bivona and director of events Alison Nolan, the annual event provided rising