The eleventh-hour collapse of the merger between Albertsons Cos. and Rite Aid Corp. in the face of opposition from the latter’s shareholders raises a host of questions for the two companies and the people who run them. The plug was pulled earlier this month, less than a day before Rite Aid stockholders were to have
Seven years ago, as the newly appointed chief executive officer of Royal Ahold, Dick Boer was focused on implementation of Reshaping Retail, a strategy designed to enable the company to better meet consumers’ changing needs with supermarkets and small-format and specialty stores, as well as an emerging array of omnichannel capabilities. Reshaping Retail proved an
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
Anyone who questions whether the primary battleground for the world’s top retailers has shifted from brick-and-mortar stores to the omnichannel realm would do well to consider the series of significant developments that has unfolded in recent weeks. The lead story in the last edition of Mass Market Retailers was about Walmart’s $16 billion investment for
Amazon.com late last month reported extraordinarily robust financial results for the quarter ended March 31. Sales at the e-commerce and technology company jumped 43% to $51 billion, while net earnings more than doubled to $1.6 billion. With ad revenue and Amazon Web Services showing notable strength, the company generated gains across the board. Of particular
Walgreens Boots Alliance, which bills itself as the first global pharmacy-led health and well-being enterprise, is intent on finding strength in the diversity inherent in its scope. Building on a foundation laid in 2007 when the company became a federal contractor in the United States, WBA is working hard to develop a workforce, supplier base
One of the more intriguing developments in mass market retailing in recent weeks was the announcement by Kohl’s Corp. chairman, president and chief executive officer Kevin Mansell that the department store operator will team up with Aldi, the hard discount grocer, as part of a program designed to optimize its store base. During a conference
The pending merger between Albertsons Cos. and Rite Aid, which was announced late last month after extensive negotiations, represents a major milestone for the companies involved and a potentially decisive turning point in the ongoing, if sometimes sporadic, effort by mass market retailers to more closely align nutrition, health and wellness in order to better
MIAMI — A sense of urgency pervaded the Food Marketing Institute’s (FMI’s) Midwinter Executive Conference here last month. Faced with the tsunami of change sweeping over the industry, retailers and suppliers were eager, in private meetings and public sessions, to hear new ideas and talk about innovative strategies that will enable them to flourish in
Retail pharmacy operators and other health care providers received a jolt last month when Amazon, Berkshire Hathaway and JPMorgan Chase unveiled plans to form a stand-alone company that will address health care for their employees in the U.S., where costs are notoriously high and patient outcomes often vary widely. While details of the venture remain
The mash-up of retailing and technology commanded the spotlight at the National Retail Federation’s Big Show in New York City earlier this month, giving attendees additional evidence, if any were needed, that in the future the intersection of those disciplines will have a decisive impact on how people shop for, purchase and receive consumer products.
BENTONVILLE, Ark. — When Doug McMillon, who started his business career as an hourly worker at a Walmart distribution center in 1984, was selected to be president and chief executive officer of the company four years ago, industry observers expressed confidence that he would preserve the ethos established by Sam Walton, the retailer’s legendary founder.