Consumer Affairs & Relations

San Francisco – Private equity firm Golden Gate Capital Corp. disclosed in a regulatory filing that it has purchased a 9.5% ownership stake in Ann Inc., parent of Ann Taylor.  

In a letter to the Ann Inc. board of directors, Golden Gate said it looks forward to working collaboratively with Ann Inc. The company said that it did not plan to seek changes to the retailer’s board or executive team, or to push for a sale

Leading packaging provider Silgan Holdings named long-time KPMG executive Joseph Jordan to its board of directors.

Silgan isn’t a name familiar to the average consumer, even though its products come in contact with millions of people daily. As a leading supplier of rigid packaging for shelf stable foods and other consumer goods, Silgan operates 87 manufacturing plants worldwide and generates annual sales of $3.7 billion.

Newport Beach, Calif. - Engaged Capital, an investment firm specializing in small and mid-cap North American equities and stockholder of Abercrombie & Fitch Co. has retained an independent global professional services firm to assist Engaged Capital in setting a new direction for Abercrombie. The firm has decades of experience in the retail and apparel sector, including the turnaround and restructuring of underperforming businesses.

Montvale, N.J. -- The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company (A&P) announced that company COO Paul Hertz has been appointed president and CEO, effective immediately. He succeeds Sam Martin. In January, A&P confirmed Martin’s departure.

Waban, Mass. -- Chick-fil-A and Sonic Drive-In deliver the best customer experience in the fast food industry, according to the 2014 Temkin Experience Ratings, an annual ranking of companies based on a study of 10,000 U.S. consumers.

Only 18 months into her job as Gap’s creative director and already Rebekka Bay is the focus of a cover story in the most recent issue of Bloomberg Businessweek about, “making Gap matter again.”
 

Deerfield Park, Ill. -- The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Office for Civil Rights is reportedly investigating privacy practices at the new Well Experience stores run by Walgreens. According to the Wall Street Journal, the investigation is focusing on whether pharmacist consultations with customers at Well Experience Stores violate the privacy of patient medical data.

Seattle – Starbucks reportedly plans to expand a pilot of an evening alcohol and “light bites” menu that includes wine to thousands of stores nationwide. According to Bloomberg, Starbucks executives said the evening food and drink offerings, currently provided in about 40 test stores, will be rolled out during the next several years.