Marketing

Aliso Viejo, Calif. - Johnny Rockets is partnering with foodservice consulting group EMPAD to support purchasing and distribution for the brand's U.S. restaurants. As part of the relationship, EMPAD will assist Johnny Rockets with distributor pricing verification, analysis, sourcing and more to improve the supply chain process for the brand's franchise and corporate-owned restaurants.

Mahwah, N.J. - Ascena Retail Group Inc. has downgraded several aspects of its outlook for fiscal 2015, which ends July 25. Ascena now expects full-year adjusted EBITDA from continuing operations in the range of $365 million to $375 million, and full-year adjusted earnings per diluted share from continuing operations in the range of $0.57 to $0.60, as compared to its prior expectation of $0.70 to $0.75 per share

Chicago -- Starbucks Corp. is ratcheting up its already significant commitment to job creation.

The coffee giant is teaming up with such other retail powerhouses as Walmart, CVS Health, Walgreens, Macy’s, Target and J.C. Penney in an ambitious jobs program to hire 100,000 16- to 24-year-olds "who face systemic barriers to jobs and education" by 2018 through apprenticeships, internships, training programs, and both part-time and full-time jobs.

A revamped lineup of the heavily litigated, occasionally controversial and highly profitable line of Bratz dolls has returned to retail.

MGA Entertainment announced that the Bratz – Cloe, Yasmin, Sasha and Jade – would return to store shelves this summer. To give fans of the brands the opportunity to reserve their doll of choice, MGA partnered with Toys "R" Us to offer an exclusive online pre-sell of the new core collection. Until July 25, the public will be able to purchase Bratz dolls on the Toys"R"Us website and receive a free gift.

Salisbury, N.C. – How low can Food Lion go? When it comes to prices, very low indeed.

Food Lion has lowered prices on thousands of items it has identified as being most important to customers. The price reductions also include new signage throughout the store designed to make finding sale items easier.

Phoenix -- Jeff Green, president of Jeff Green Partners, and Jerry Hoffman, president of Hoffman Strategy Group, have announced a formal collaboration to expand their companies’ work on complex, mixed-use feasibility research including retail, residential, office and hotel uses.

Indianapolis -- Fresh Thyme Farmers Market may have only been in business in three years, but it is thinking big.

With some16 stores in the Midwest, the value-priced, organic specialty grocer is scheduled to open 60 stores by 2019. It will open two new location in the Indianapolis area on Aug. 6.

Walmart is taking an innovative approach to empowering women with the unveiling of a new a new digital initiative designed to support the advancement of women leaders at Walmart and women worldwide.