Marketing

Rick Herring, president of Ahold USA’s Giant Carlisle Division, plans to retire, effective Feb. 14.

Herring has been at Ahold for nearly 25 years and the company credits him with having made many contributions to the organization.

“We would like to thank Rick for his numerous contributions to our companies, as well as for his leadership, dedication and years of service," stated James McCann, Ahold USA COO. "We wish him all the best in this next phase of his life and career.”

Bridgeview, Ill. -- Rose Paving Company is set to support the efforts of the ASPCA (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) through a multi-event fundraising campaign in 2014. Rose Paving will host a fundraising activity at industry trade shows and expos across the country, giving registered attendees the opportunity to help support the ASPCA’s mission to prevent cruelty towards animals.

Kirkland’s reported improved year-over-year net sales for the full fiscal year 2014 but a decrease in the fourth quarter, thanks to severe weather-related declines in traffic throughout December, which affected important weekend sales days.

Net sales increased 2.7% to $460.6 million during fiscal 2014, compared with $448.4 million the prior fiscal year, while same-store sales rose 0.5%.

During the fourth quarter, net sales decreased 4.2% to $156.1 million, compared with $162.9 million in the previous fourth quarter. Same-store sales were flat.

Shopko is leveraging social media to tout its expanded brand assortment. The retailer is holding an eight-week Facebook giveaway offering participants a chance to win prize packages featuring some of the national brands it carries.

Now through March 28, customers can enter to win a Rachael Ray cookware set, Dyson upright vacuum, SodaStream, Keurig coffee maker, Crock Pot, Ninja kitchen system, KitchenAid stand mixer or Shark steam mop.

Virginia Beach, Va. — Ingenuity Development has entered into a strategic alliance with a New York Stock Exchange-traded Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) to combine forces on joint venture opportunities for retail and mixed-use projects in the Mid-Atlantic and the Southeast. Ingenuity will also see opportunities to work with its affiliate, Divaris Real Estate, to lease and manage completed projects.

San Diego - For the month of January 2014, net sales at PriceSmart increased 11.5% to $193.5 million from $173.5 million in January a year earlier. For the four weeks ended Jan. 26, 2014, same-store sales for the 30 warehouse clubs open at least 13 1/2 full months increased 8.4%, compared to the same four-week period last year.

There were 32 warehouse clubs in operation at the end of January 2014, compared to 30 warehouse clubs in operation in January 2013.

Tractor Supply Company has elected Mark J. Weikel to the company's board of directors. Weikel currently serves as president and CEO of Luxottica Retail Optical North America.

Prior to his various positions at Luxottica, Weikel served as COO of Lord & Taylor. Before Lord & Taylor, Weikel was president & COO of Victoria's Secret Stores at Limited Brands. Earlier in his career, Weikel held several management positions at the May Department Stores Company.

Walmart is marking the 20th anniversary of its entry into Canada this year by spending big bucks to expand physical stores and distribution capacity while devoting a much smaller portion of a $500 million budget to e-commerce.

Walmart said it would spend close to $500 million in Canada this year with $376 million of that amount dedicated to 35 supercenter projects totaling one million square feet of new selling space. Walmart currently operates 389 stores in Canada, of which 247 are supercenters. By year end it expects to have 395 stores of which 282 will be supercenters.