Marketing

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. — Heineken USA announced that it has brought Indio, a dark beer that has been sold in Mexico since 1893 to the United States. The beer is now available in 6-pack and 12-packs at locations throughout Chicago,Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, Austin, Dallas, Houston and San Antonio.

That’s not exactly the question a couple college professors ask in a new booked called, “The Physics of Business,” but it might as well have been. The authors suggest the forces of scale and efficiency are trumping innovation at U.S. companies of which Walmart is the largest.

DEERFIELD, Ill. — Walgreens on Thursday named James Skinner, Walgreens board member since 2005 and recently retired McDonalds CEO, as the new nonexecutive chairman of the board of Walgreens. Skinner will succeed Al McNally, who has served on the Walgreens board since 1999 and as nonexecutive chairman since 2009. McNally will continue serving on the Walgreens board.

When Craig Herkert left Walmart a few years ago to become president and CEO of Supervalu the situation that unfolded earlier this week at the grocer was not what he had in mind.

Walmart and Target were both winners this week as Target announced a deal with Neiman Marcus that makes the distinction between it and Walmart even sharper.

Santa Ana, Calif. -- A report released Thursday by the New York Times said that three ex-managers of Wet Seal have filed a federal race discrimination lawsuit, claiming bias against African-American employees. The trio alleges the retailer has a high-level policy of firing and denying pay increases and promotions to blacks because they did not fit the retailer’s “brand image,” according to the Times report.

Minneapolis -- Christopher & Banks Corp. said Thursday it has entered into a new $50 million senior secured revolving credit facility with Wells Fargo Capital Finance.

The new facility provides committed revolving funding through July 2017, and replaces the company’s $50 million credit facility that was scheduled to mature on June 30, 2014.
 

New York -- Marvin S. Traub, Bloomingdale’s president and CEO for 22 years, died Wednesday at age 87. Traub had suffered from bladder cancer.

Traub is credited with turning the Bloomingdale’s Manhattan flagship – at Lexington and 59th – into a showcase. He started as a merchandising manager in 1962, and was named president in 1969.

Carlsbad, Calif. -- Callaway Golf said Wednesday it will cut 150 to 170 jobs, or about 12% of its work force, as demand for golf equipment has weakened.

The eliminated jobs will span all regions and levels, said the retailer.

Callaway has downwardly revised its full-year forecast after announcing in April that it expected a significant improvement in fiscal 2012.

The job cuts are expected to generate about $52 million in annual savings.
 

Deerfield, Ill. -- Walgreens said Thursday that it has named retired McDonald’s CEO James Skinner as its new non-executive chairman of the board.

Skinner has served on the Walgreens board since 2005. He will succeed Al McNally, who has been non-executive chairman since 2009.

Walgreens said the change "is consistent with its board of directors succession and rotational planning process."