Retail

MINNEAPOLIS — Best Buy, which at its recent shareholders' meeting said it would offer more technology services, has announced that it is expanding the Best Buy Mobile brand and store-within-a-store concept into 14 Five Star stores throughout Nanjing, China, this summer.

The expansion of Best Buy Mobile into the Chinese market is the first evolution of Global Connect, a partnership that was formed in November 2011 between Best Buy and Carphone Warehouse.

LOS ANGELES — Walmart is offering its customers more ways to connect with the availability of a new prepaid mobile broadband service from TruConnect Mobile.

Walmart is now the exclusive provider of Internet on the Go, powered by the MiFi 2200 Intelligent Mobile Hotspot and a service plan from TruConnect with no monthly fee and where the data balance never expires (if used once a year). This is different from other low-cost prepaid monthly services where unused megabytes are wasted at the end of the month – potentially driving up the cost.

Launching new products is difficult in the best of times, but winners of the 2012 Nielsen Breakthrough Innovation Award found ways to succeed during one the worst recessions in a generation.

Nielsen announced recipients of the awards at its annual Consumer 360 event in Hollywood, Fla., this week after analyzing more than 11,000 new products in the United States between 2008 and 2010. Of the products evaluated, only 34 met award criteria. These products comprise less than 0.5% of all new product introductions during the period.

WAYNE, N.J. — Toys"R"Us has enhanced its loyalty program with the launch of an all-new integrated, point-based system that delivers streamlined benefits for members, as well as new and existing "R"Uscredit card holders.

DALLAS — Davaco, a provider of turnkey implementation solutions for national brands, has named Tim Currier VP business development.  In this role, Currier is responsible for identifying new business opportunities and building strategic partnerships with nationwide retail, restaurant and hospitality brands. He reports to Paul Hamer, EVP business development for Davaco

WABAN, Mass. — Publix, Hy-Vee, H.E.B., Sam's Club, ShopRite, Aldi, Giant Eagle and JCPenney were among the highest-rated companies for customer service, according to new research from the Temkin Group.

Other companies earning top marks included Chick-fil-A, credit unions and Starbucks. Meanwhile, companies with the lowest ratings included Charter Communications, Time Warner Cable, Comcast, Citibank, Qwest, Cigna, and Bank of America.

MINNEAPOLIS — Food distribution company Nash Finch has named Gary Spinazze as chair of the NFC Foundation for a two-year term. The NFC Foundation is the charitable giving arm of Nash Finch. Board member Paula Docken, business analyst, chair of the community outreach committee was named as chair elect.

OMAHA, Neb. — Country music artist Kellie Pickler has been named the national spokesperson for the ConAgra Foods Foundation Hunger-Free Summer program. The joint effort between the ConAgra Foods Foundation and Feeding America helps provide children with access to nutritious meals, especially in the summer.