Trading Partners

Cargill has been helping Unilever reduce its environmental impact, improve sustainability and grow its business through innovation. This work has resulted in Unilever selecting Cargill as its first-ever "Visionary" award winner during its fourth Partner to Win Supplier Summit.

Norwalk, Conn. -- LogicSource, a leading sourcing and procurement services firm, announced a multi-year partnership with Pep Boys. LogicSource will provide on-site resources and access to shared service subject matter experts, optimizing Pep Boys’ strategic sourcing and procurement processes and reducing Pep Boys’ costs and time to market.

The process improvements and costs savings will support Pep Boys’ “Road Ahead” expansion strategy.

Matthews, N.C. -- The heated battle for Family Dollar Stores rages on, with Family Dollar on Wednesday rejecting a $9.1 billion takeover bid from rival Dollar General and reaffirming its support of its deal with Dollar Tree. Family Dollar also urged shareholders not to tender their shares to the competing chain.

Plug and Play, a business accelerator that specializes in tech startups, is holding its quarterly pitch competition event on its campus in Sunnyvale, California, on Thursday, September 18, from 9:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. PDT. The Plug and Play Fall Expo 2014 will feature 40-plus startup pitches, panel discussions and corporate networking. Chain Store Age will be in attendance — watch for a recap in the next edition of Customer Disruption!

Chicago -- GE Capital, Commercial Distribution Finance (CDF) announced it has significantly expanded its inventory financing program with MarineMax, and extended its duration through 2017.

The $235 million facility will allow the company to expand its stocking plans from leading manufacturers in the industry.

New York -- ICA Sweden has signed a licensing agreement with Starbucks Coffee Company to open Starbucks retail stores in the grocery store channel in Sweden. The cafés will be operated by ICA according to the Starbucks licensing concept and under the Starbucks brand.

Initially, the plan is to open three Starbucks retail stores during 2015. These will then be evaluated before a decision is made on the possible establishment of more cafés.

Top Dick’s Sporting Goods executives Joe Schmidt and John Duken have announced plans to leave the retailer before the end of the fiscal year.

Schmidt has served as Dick’s president and COO since 2009. He joined the company in 1990 and has served in key leadership roles with the retailer during his 24 year tenure. Schmidt will remain with the company until the end of the fiscal year, but could leave sooner once a successor is named.

Columbus, Ohio -- Washington Prime Group announced Tuesday it will acquire shopping center REIT Glimcher Realty Trust in a deal worth $4.3 billion.

Washington Prime Group, a Bethesda, Maryland-based REIT, and Glimcher will combine under a new name WP Glimcher, with headquarters remaining in the current Glimcher offices in Columbus, Ohio.

The newly combined company will remain publicly traded.