Corporate Governance

Union, N.J. -- Bed Bath & Beyond Inc. has provided preliminary information on its fiscal fourth quarter 2013, including the impact of adverse weather conditions during the period. The company's same-store sales for the fiscal fourth quarter increased by approximately 1.7% as compared with its previous model of an increase of approximately 2% to 4%.

Essen, Germany – German supermarket chain Aldi Nord has selected the SAP for Retail solution portfolio to support its dynamic growth and modernize its retailing. The standard enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution will replace the company’s previous in-house system and will be used to manage retail processes at all company locations, from orders and warehouse management to store deliveries.

Birmingham, Ala. — Whole Foods Market has signed a lease for 40,000 sq. ft. at The Summit in Lexington, Ky. Currently under development by Bayer Properties LLC www.bayerproperties.com, The Summit Lexington is a mixed-use project with 450,000 sq. ft. of retail and restaurants plus 306 multi-family residential units.

Phase I of the project will open during the spring of 2016 with 340,000 sq. ft. of retail and the full complement of the planned 306 residential units. Phase II will add 110,000 sq. ft. of retail.

New Albany, Ohio – Abercrombie & Fitch Co. reportedly plans to shift its marketing and merchandising focus from teens to college students. According to Bloomberg, Abercrombie executives said they will shift marketing, assortments and pricing to appeal to the collegiate market.

In recent years, the retail industry’s view of technology has expanded from something only the IT department needs to be concerned about to something that other departments, such as marketing and finance, also share an active interest in. But as demonstrated by the speakers lined up for the March 11 Tech Boot Camps at this week’s SPECS conference in Dallas, technology is also a concern of operational departments such as store planning, energy management, construction management, and real estate.

Secure the Perimeter

Chiquita Brands International plans to combine with and Fyffes, an international importer and distributor of tropical produce, in a stock-for-stock transaction that will create a global banana and other fresh produce company with approximately $4.6 billion in annual revenues.

Once the transaction is completed, before the end of 2014, Chiquita shareholders will own approximately 50.7% of ChiquitaFyffes, while Fyffes shareholders will own the remaining 49.3%, on a fully diluted basis.

Seattle - Starbucks Coffee Company and the Disneyland Resort will open a new company-owned Starbucks location at Downtown Disney in Anaheim, Calif. This store will be the first of four to be operated by Starbucks across Disney properties in the U.S.

Charlotte, N.C. -- Salsarita's Fresh Cantina, a Mexican fast casual concept, has selected Micros Simphony Enterprise Solution for all corporate locations. In conjunction with Simphony POS, Salsarita's is deploying Micros Simphony's Reporting, Labor, Inventory, Loyalty, and Online Ordering modules.