Strategy

A new report makes the case for taking a standardized approach to rapidly rollout of solar rooftop installations may    An analysis by the Retail Industry Leaders Association and The Solar Foundation found that Whole Foods Market’s approach to rooftop solar installations in multiple facilities could be a valuable model for other retailers to consider.  

Photo: Brian Woods

The man who founded the Crazy Eddie consumer electronics chain has died at the age of 68.   Eddie Antar grew his company from one location in Brooklyn, New York, to the largest electronics retailer in the New York metro area in the 1980s, with 43 stores in four states.  The chain gained national fame for its television commercials which featured a maniacal-looking pitchman (which many people mistakenly took to be Antar) screaming at the end of the spot that Crazy Eddie’s prices were  “insane.”  

James Han has joined Lowe's Cos. as senior VP of business development.    In this new role, Han is responsible for accelerating the company's business development strategy which involves identifying and implementing growth opportunities through new and emerging businesses, exponential innovation and corporate ventures. He reports to chief development officer Richard Maltsbarger.  

Chipotle Mexican Grill is going to test delivering burritos by drones.
 
The Mexican fast-casual brand has teamed up with Project Wing, a unit of Google’s parent company Alphabet Inc., to deliver the items to a select group of students and employees at Virginia Tech, USA Today reported.

The test will last a few weeks, the report said, with the drones delivering the food with a winch.  

For the sixth time, Nest has appeared on Inc. magazine’s ranking of the nation’s fastest-growing private companies.

Nest — ranked no. 4783 on the 35th annual Inc. 5000, with three-year sales growth of 48%. The listing features successful companies within the American economy’s most dynamic segment — independent small businesses. Companies such as Microsoft, Dell, Domino’s Pizza, Pandora, Timberland, LinkedIn, Yelp, Zillow, and many other well-known names gained their first national exposure as honorees of the Inc. 5000.

Kroger Co. posted second quarter earnings that topped expectations but the chain cut its guidance for the year citing ongoing price deflation.

"If you look at the price of milk, eggs and commodities like that, they're historically low. Meat continues to be deflationary and produce is on a deflationary trend," Kroger CFO Michael Schlotman said on CNBC on Friday.