-
Organics, mobile top trends among 'hottest' retailers
WASHINGTON — Desire for more organic food, high-end products and mobile technologies were the driving trends of the fastest-growing retailers in the United States, according to the National Retail Federation's "Hot 100 Retailers" list. Published annually in the group's STORES August issue, the list consists of retail companies that reported the greatest increase in domestic sales between 2010 and 2011. All public and private companies with more than $300 million in sales were eligible for the list, which was compiled by Kantar Retail.
-
Sprouts Farmers Market and Sunflowers Farmers to merge
New York -- Sprouts Farmers Market, a Phoenix-based natural-foods supermarket chain, has reached an agreement to merge with competitor, Sunflower Farmers Market, based in Boulder, Col. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
The combined company will operate 139 stores in eight states under the Sprouts banner, with annual sales of approximately $2 billion. It will open about 12 new stores this year.
“Our operations are very similar," said Sprouts president Doug Sanders, who will lead the combined supermarket company.
