News Briefs

Kentucky Fried Chicken is going big in one of Europe’s most-visited capital cities in a move that reflects the brand’s rapid growth across Europe and beyond.

KFC Europe has opened a flagship in Rome a few steps away from of the city's most popular tourist attractions, the famed Trevi Fountain. The quick-service chicken chain says the two-floor, 10,700-sq.-ft. location is one its largest and most technologically advanced restaurants in Europe to-date, blending “Roman heritage with cutting-edge design, sustainability and technology," and interactive spaces that invite customers to engage with the brand in fresh, exciting ways. The architectural concept pays homage to Rome’s rich heritage while embracing contemporary trends.

KFC says that the Rome flagship follows the successful launch of the Prague flagship last year. The chain plans to open additional flagship stores in key European cities over the coming years.

“We are thrilled to bring our most modern and ambitious flagship to Rome, and this next to the Trevi Fountain,” said Dhruv Kaul, managing director KFC EMEA. “This opening marks a significant milestone in our journey to establish KFC as a leading brand across Europe, and reflects our strategic focus on iconic locations that bridge history and modern relevance.”

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KFC operates more than 30,000 restaurants worldwide across more than 145 countries, including more than 2,200 in Europe. KFC is part of the Yum! Brands portfolio, along with Pizza Hut, Taco Bell and Habit Burger Grill.

CBRE has added a mixed-use project to its leasing portfolio.

The firm has been selected by developer Heritage Capital Partners to lease the multiple retail phases of Alston Yards, a $500 million, 41-acre mixed-use development located in Cary, N.C., a western suburb of Raleigh. 

The retail portion of the project, spanning approximately 65,000 sq. ft., will be integrated into a master-planned, mixed-use environment that includes up to 900 residential units, 200,000 sq. ft. of office space, a boutique hotel, and over seven acres of open space, including a town park and a large community gathering area. 

“Alston Yards represents a rare opportunity to help shape one of the most dynamic corridors in the Southeast,” said Roger Edwards, managing partner at Heritage Capital Partners. “We’re excited to partner with CBRE to bring a curated mix of retail offerings to a project that will serve as a new anchor for West Cary.”

Located at the southern tip of Research Triangle Park, Alston Yards will feature ample walking trails that connect to Wake County’s greenway system and an adjacent neighborhood park. The property is located near Parkside Town Commons, a 500,000-sq.-ft. retail center, and Apple’s proposed 900,000-sq.-ft. East Coast engineering hub.

CBRE’s Jon Stanley and Charlie Coyne will market the retail space.

“The scale, demographics, and vision behind Alston Yards make it one of the most compelling retail leasing opportunities in the Carolinas,” said Coyne, executive VP at CBRE.

[READ MORE: CBRE sells three SoCal centers]

CBRE Group Inc. is the world’s largest commercial real estate services and investment firm, with operations in more than 100 countries. 

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U.S. consumers trended towards making numerous smaller purchases on Black Friday this year instead of buying big-ticket items.

An analysis of 52.5 million transactions from unified risk decision platform provider Accertify Inc. shows that while online shopping volume surged 24% year over year on Black Friday, the average transaction value fell 17% to $115.46, the lowest level since 2021.

In retail specifically, transactions grew 11.4% to 27 million while the average purchase amount dropped 7%. Total retail dollars reached $3.73 billion, up 3.6% from 2024, though Accertify noted that the growth came from volume rather than larger purchases.

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"Consumers seem to be reinventing Black Friday," said Mark Michelon, president of Accertify. "We're seeing shoppers spread their dollars across more transactions rather than making large single purchases. Whether that reflects economic caution, the influence of buy now, pay later options, or simply how mobile shopping encourages impulse buying, it represents a meaningful shift in consumer psychology."

Accertify noted that different industries saw varied spending patterns. Airline transactions increased 19% to 2.16 million and dollars rose 18% to $931 million, with average transaction values holding essentially flat year over year. Travel and entertainment transaction volume remained flat while total transaction dollars increased 13.5% year over year, pushing average transaction value up 13.2% year over year to $302.66.

Consumers are opting for an online giant over a brick-and-mortar staple when it comes to electronics spending.

Numerator’s latest Consumer Electronics Tracker reveals that Amazon has officially overtaken Best Buy in the electronics space, accounting for 30% of overall sales in select consumer electronics categories in the past year, compared to Best Buy’s 28%. Amazon’s share of electronics spending spiked in July 2025 to 43% as a result of its summer Prime Day event, according to the data.

Walmart held steady in third place when it came to electronics spending, ending September 2025 with 12.8% of consumer spending. Walmart was followed by Costco, Target and Sam’s Club, which each captured a single-digit share of electronics spending all year.

Numerator found that consumers first became aware of the electronics item they purchased by seeing it in person at a store (57%), getting a recommendation from friends or family (22%), and seeing it on a retailer website (12%). More than half (54%) of consumer electronics buyers said the price of their item was about what they anticipated ahead of purchasing, while 20% said it cost less than they anticipated.

[READ MORE: Best Buy opens first-ever in-store Ikea shops in select locations]

Gen X and millennial shoppers are the most likely to purchase electronics throughout the year, while baby boomers are the least likely. Given their limited spending power, Gen Z shoppers are also less likely to purchase electronics than the average consumer.

Across all consumers, November and December are the most popular months for electronics purchases, followed by July.