Strategy

Seattle -- Starbucks Corp. announced Thursday plans to reinvent the $1.6 billion premium juice market with its all-cash purchase of San Bernadino, Calif.-based Evolution Fresh for $30 million.

The acquisition, which is part of a strategy to move beyond coffee into the health and wellness segment, gives Starbucks a path to open new health-and-wellness stores in the coming year, it said, although Starbucks has not yet revealed many stores it will open, their location or the name.

New York City -- A Thursday report by the Wall Street Journal said that new J.C. Penney CEO Ron Johnson, who recently left Apple to run the department store chain, is recruiting other former Apple players to join the J.C. Penney team.

According to the report, J.C. Penney is nearing a deal with Michael Kramer, former CFO of Apple Retail from 2000 to 2005 and currently CEO of Kellwood Co., to join J.C. Penney as its COO. WSJ cited people familiar with the matter, and said Kramer will start at Penney effective Dec. 1.

Atlanta -- A report released Thursday by First Data Corp., which tracks same-store consumer spending by credit, signature debit, PIN debit, EBT cards and checks at U.S. merchant locations, found that, in October, dollar volume growth held steady at 9.4% versus September’s growth of 9.5%.

Overall transaction growth improved to 7.5% in October from 7.1% in September. Inflation continued to be evident in the food sector as Food/Beverage Stores posted average ticket growth of 2.3% for the second consecutive month.

Menomonee Falls, Wis. -- Kohl’s Corp. reported Thursday that profit for the quarter ended Oct. 29 rose 20% to $211 million, compared with $176 million in the year-ago period.

The retailer cited cost cuts and strong demand for exclusive brands for the strong performance, which matched Wall Street expectations.

City of Commerce, Calif. -- Discounter 99 Cents Only Stores reported Wednesday that profit for the second quarter rose 17% to $15.1 million, compared with $12.9 million a year earlier.

Revenue rose 8.8% to $363 million, beating analysts’ expected $357.3 million. Same-store sales increased 6.7%.

Washington, D.C. -- Survey results released Thursday by the National Retail Federation found that fewer retailers expect return fraud rates to grow this holiday season, due in part to stronger checks and balances and to enhanced return policies.

Bentonville, Ark. -- Wal-Mart Stores said Thursday that it will kick off the holiday season at 10 p.m. on Thanksgiving with three Black Friday sale events.

Black Friday circulars were released Thursday via Facebook and walmart.com to promote the early savings, which include specials on electronics and toys.

"Our customers told us they would rather stay up late to shop than get up early, so we're going to hold special events on Thanksgiving and Black Friday," said Duncan Mac Naughton, chief merchandising officer, Walmart U.S.

Greensboro, N.C. -- VF Corp. said Thursday that Tom Glaser, VP global operations, will succeed Boyd Rogers as VP of VF and president supply chain, effective Jan. 1.

Rogers is retiring from the company, effective Dec. 31, after 40 years of service.

Glaser will assume responsibility for VF’s global supply chain, including all manufacturing and sourcing operations.

CINCINNATI — Macy's Inc. reported that earnings were 32 cents per diluted share for the third quarter of 2011, ended Oct. 29, compared with earnings of 2 cents per diluted share in last year's third quarter, or 8 cents per diluted share in last year's third quarter excluding expenses of 6 cents per share associated with the repurchase of debt.

BELLEVILLE, Ill. — The Walmart Foundation has announced a two-year $750,000 grant to Veterans Green Jobs. With this funding, Veterans Green Jobs will connect with 1,000 veterans through its training and employment initiatives and place many of those veterans into full-time green sector jobs, the foundation reported. This is the latest commitment under the Walmart Foundation's recently announced five-year, $20 million giving initiative aimed at combating the high veteran unemployment rate.