Mergers & Acquisitions

The recent announcement that Amazon intends to purchase Whole Foods Market has the retail and grocery store industry reeling as traditional grocers assess the near and long-term impact that the online giant’s much larger position in the marketplace may have. And with good reason. Amazon is the classic “disruptor” and has changed the face of every industry it touches. But aside from the competitive aspects, this move potentially has significant political and policy impacts as well.   

Walmart is asking its technology suppliers to pick sides in its retailing war with Amazon.   The retailing giant reportedly warned some tech companies that if they want its business, they can't run applications on Amazon’s cloud platform, Amazon Web Services. Walmart currently partners with tech suppliers that already leverage cloud apps running on AWS, although the retailer didn’t reveal which applications or how many they use, sources told the Wall Street Journal.  

Sears Canada could file for Chapter 11 sooner than expected.   The struggling offshoot of Sears Holdings Corp., is preparing to seek court protection against its creditors. The filing — which could happen within weeks — will likely lead to a liquidation, with the business sold off in pieces, sources told Bloomberg.  

The Fresh Market's chief executive has resigned after less than two years on the job.    The Fresh Market announced that Rick Anicetti has resigned as CEO and board member. No reason was given for his departure. Anicetti took the reins of the specialty grocer in September 2015, bringing more than 30 years of experience across a variety of retail functions at Hannaford Brothers Company and Food Lion, where he served as president and CEO.   

The ink is barely dry on Amazon’s acquisition of Whole Foods Markets, yet the natural grocer’s CEO implied that “big ideas” are already in the works.  

Southeastern Grocers' chief executive is leaving after 16-months on the job to pursue "another opportunity."  

Fast-growing mattress retailer Casper has closed on a new round of funding — with help from Target Corp.   

Amazon’s acquisition of Whole Foods Market is sending shock waves through the world of grocery retail. This striking move introduces more disruption into the grocery wars. As the c-suites form their war rooms and build their responses, the industry faces an array of significant challenges.   1. Food retailers must think bigger and faster