Mars, Inc.

Iranian hackers may be preparing widespread attacks across U.S. industries – including retail.

Insured catastrophe losses hit a staggering $150 billion in 2017, making it the worst year on record.

The female executives highlighted in the fifth annual Chain Store Age “Top 10 Women in Retail Technology” report exemplify the innovation and leadership needed to succeed in today’s ever-changing retail environment.

Struggling Marsh Supermarkets is looking for a buyer, but it doesn’t have all that much time.    The 86-year-old grocery store chain on Thursday filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, and said it is seeking a buyer for all or part of its business.  The company’s 44 locations will continue normal operations throughout the process.  But the stores will be shuttered if the company does not find a buyer within 60 days.  

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.  

The forces of disruption influencing so much of retail have finally arrived at one of the industry’s most tradition-bound segments. Retail trade events have changed little the past 20 years, but a new event called Shoptalk (May 16-18) is reimagining every aspect of the concept. Event co-founder and chairman Anil Aggarwal spoke with Retailing Today about Shoptalk, what it is, what it isn’t and how he plans to create a community of commerce innovators.

RT: What is Shoptalk?

Marsh Supermarkets, a regional grocer with 73 stores in Indiana and Ohio, needs to know its customers especially well to compete with larger supermarket chains.

To that end, Indianapolis-based Marsh is partnering with targeted marketing software vendor inStream to provide personalized, targeted offers on the front of consumer receipts. InStream drives customer engagement and sales via personalized targeting based on customer-specific purchase data.

Imagine you are the general counsel at a retailer involved in sensitive M&A discussions. You receive an email from one of the deal’s outside advisers. He says he needs some information about your company the kind you’ve passed on before. You send it along, and later find that you were victimized in a sophisticated cyber attack aimed at stealing sensitive information.

Imagine you are the general counsel at a retailer involved in sensitive M&A discussions. You receive an email from one of the deal’s outside advisors. He says he needs some information about your company, the kind you’ve passed on before. You send it along — and later find that you were victimized in a sophisticated cyber-attack aimed at stealing sensitive information.

New York -- Chick-fil-A is set to open its largest location to date in one of the nation’s busiest cities.

The quick-serve restaurant chain will open its first freestanding location in New York City, at the corner of West 37th Street and 6th Avenue in the Garment District, on Oct. 3. The three-story, 5,000-sq.-ft. restaurant will be Chick-fil-A's largest in the country and will be independently owned and operated by local resident Oscar Fittipaldi.