Marketing

 The Kroger Co.’s first female corporate officer is retiring.

Skechers USA Inc., which recently passed Adidas to become the number two athletic footwear brand in the United States, is on the fast track.

The company, whose second quarter sales beat estimates, has carved out a lucrative niche in casual athletic footwear and in kids’ athletic footwear. It is in expansion mode, with plans to open 125 to 135 company-owned and third-party-owned stores later this year.

Dallas - 7-Eleven Inc. is taking its business to Vietnam.

The company has signed a master franchise agreement with Seven System Vietnam Co. Ltd. to develop and operate 7-Eleven stores in Vietnam, with the first stores expected to open in 2017. Seven Systems plans to construct 7-Eleven stores, convert existing locations to the 7-Eleven brand supported by enhanced infrastructure, and eventually franchise operations to local businesspeople.

O'Reilly Automotive reported another record-breaking quarter of financial results as the retailer revs up plans to expand its distribution network and store footprint.

The auto parts retailer reported that sales for the second quarter ended June 30 increased $188 million, or 10%, to $2.04 billion from $1.85 billion for the same period one year ago. Same store sales increased 7.2%.

This year, O’Reilly plans to add a net 205 stores, compared with 200 stores in 2014. In the latest period, it opened 34 stores.

Cincinnati -- The Kroger Co.’s first female corporate officer is retiring.

The Kroger Co. announced that group VP for corporate affairs Lynn Marmer plans to retire in early 2016, after 18 years with the company.

"Lynn has been a trusted counselor and advisor to three CEOs during a period of significant change in food retail," said Rodney McMullen, Kroger's chairman and CEO. We wish her and her family all the best in retirement."

A recent study shatters several myths about the consumers who will spend nearly $290 billion in consumer-packaged goods by 2020: millennials.

New York -- A mannequin storm has been playing out on Facebook.

British fast-fashion giant Topshop said it will make a change in mannequins a customer complained on her Facebook page about the chain's "ridiculously tiny" mannequin.

In the post, which went viral, the customer appealed to the merchant to take responsibility "for the impression you have on women and young girls."

Ahold USA has become the first major grocery retailer to join an initiative requiring Florida tomato suppliers to increase farmworker pay and protect workers from forced labor and sexual assault.

The Coalition of Immokalee Workers announced Wednesday that Ahold USA is America's first major grocer to join the group's Fair Food Program. Ahold USA is the parent company of Stop & Shop, Giant Foods of Landover, Giant Foods of Carlisle, Martin's and online grocer Peapod.