International Business

New York -- Ann Taylor on Oct. 5 will open its first store outside of the United States, in the Toronto Eaton Centre. The company will open a second store in Canada, located in Toronto’s Yorkdale Shopping Centre, in November.

Mexico City -- Wal-Mart Stores’ Mexican arm Wal-Mart de Mexico reported Monday that same-store sales for the month of August rose 4.1%, beating analysts’ expected 2.8% increase.

The retailer, which is being investigated for bribery to expedite store openings, projects improved results for the second half of the year.
 

New York -- Hollister has fired three male models it flew in for the grand opening store of its first store in South Korea after the models mocked Asians in photos and on their social media accounts, according to various media reports.

SAN FRANCISCO — Levi Strauss & Co has named longtime apparel executive Seth Ellison president of the global Dockers brand effective Sept. 10.

BOSTON — The future North American grocery business of Kraft Foods will deliver steady and profitable top-line growth, consistent bottom-line growth and a superior dividend payout, according to the business' future executive team.

San Francisco -- Gap Inc. announced Friday that it will open its first standalone store in Mexico, part of the retailer’s previously announced global expansion strategy.

The new store, to be located at Interlomas Mall outside Mexico City, expands on Gap’s store-in-store concepts in Liverpool Department stores in the region.

MALLE, Belgium — Belgium-based cleaning brand Ecover, said it has created the world's argest green cleaning product company with the acquisition of San Francisco-based Method.

The acquisition will expand Ecover's distribution network across Europe, the United States, Asia and Australia. Collectively delivering sales of $200 million and employing around 300 staff, Ecover and Method will continue as separate brands with a shared ambition to bring as many new consumers as possible into the green cleaning and personal care market, the company said.

St. Louis -- idX Corp., a global retail solutions provider, has announced it has opened a Mexico City office. The office will provide regional project management for idX clients as they continue to expand into Mexico and Central America.
 
Jimena Sotres has joined the firm as account executive, based in the Mexico City office.