Mergers & Acquisitions

Nordstrom has taken another step to reduce complexity in its supply chain and improve its shipping of online orders.    The retailer has bought a minority stake in DS Co., a software company that links inventory management between retailers and suppliers, the Wall Street Journal reported. The company, based in Utah, offers a cloud-based service, called Dsco, which makes it easier for suppliers to directly ship orders placed through their retail partners.   

Brookfield Asset Management announced the completion of its deal to acquire Rouse Properties at a price of $18.25 per share.   Rouse will be merged with Brookfield’s BSREP II Retailing Pool LLC affiliate and the acquired company’s stock will be delisted from the New York Stock Exchange.  

A veteran grocery store brand in the Dallas market will soon be history.   Houston-based Fiesta Mart announced Thursday it is acquiring 11 Minyard Food Stores in the Dallas-Fort Worth metro area from RLS Supermarkets. The Minyard stores will transition to the Fiesta brand over the next several month     Fiesta is a specialty grocery retailer known for its international offerings that cater to diverse communities. With the Minyard acquisition, Fiesta will now operate 70 stores across Texas.

Alex Cesar, who had been running JLL’s retail department in Brazil, has been hired by RKF to head up its Miami office.   “Alex will be a crucial driver of our expansion in South Florida and will strengthen the bridge between the Latin American and U.S. retail markets,” said RKF CEO Robert Futterman in announcing the move.  

Walgreens Boots Alliance reported climbing sales and profits in a generally successful third quarter of fiscal 2016.  

Supervalu Inc. will serve as primary wholesaler for Indianapolis-based Marsh Supermarkets.   Supervalu has entered into a long-term supply agreement with, and will also provide some professional services to Marsh, which operates approximately 70 Marsh Supermarkets and O’Malia Food Markets stores across Indiana and Ohio. Marsh also operates 38 pharmacy locations.  

Walgreens Boots Alliance may not have to shutter as many stores in the wake of its planned merger with Rite Aid as it once thought.   

Amazon Books is headed to Hudson Yards, the massive redevelopment underway on New York’s west side, according to a report in the New York Post.   The online retailer debuted its bricks-and-mortar retail format last November, at University Village in Seattle, and is set to open a second location, in San Diego, this summer. A third location, at Washington Square Mall, in Tigard, Oregon, is expected to open this fall. The Hudson Yards location would be Amazon’s East Coast beachhead.