Convenience Stores

Sobeys Inc. has named a former Home Depot executive as the Canadian retailer's chief merchandising officer. Lyne Castonguay will oversee all aspects of Sobeys go-to-market strategy, with responsibility for category management, marketing, data insights, research, procurement, private label and merchandising as well as the company's digital strategy.

An average food retail store leaks an estimated 25% estimated of its refrigerant supply per year. The majority of refrigerant leaks, which are caused by a number of factors, occur in racks and cases. For an individual store, this loss can add up to a sizeable annual expense; for a regional or national chain, the costs can be even more substantial. Additionally, associated labor costs and the potential loss of business because of service disruptions when fixing a leak should be factored in.     

Sobeys Inc. has named a former Home Depot executive as the Canadian retailer's chief merchandising officer.   Lyne Castonguay will oversee all aspects of Sobeys go-to-market strategy, with responsibility for category management, marketing, data insights, research, procurement, private label and merchandising as well as the company's digital strategy.  

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is considering new regulations that could it make it difficult for smaller stores to accept food stamps.  

It’s the end of an era for Belk Inc.   The retailer announced that Tim Belk will retire as CEO of the company in July 2016. Lisa Harper, CEO of Hot Topic, will succeed Belk as CEO, effective July 5.     The news comes less than a year after Belk, which operates 293 stores in 16 Southern states, was acquired in a $3 billion deal by Sycamore Partners. The private equity firm also owns Hot Topic.        

Trader Joe’s is cleaning up its act — with regards to the environment.   In a proposed settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice and the EPA, the chain agreed to spend $2 million over the next three years to reduce coolant leaks from refrigerator equipment at its 460 stores nationwide, and also to pay a $500,000 related civil penalty.  

Newk’s Eatery is on the move.   The fast-casual restaurant chain is expanding into Central Florida, with plans to open 10-12 corporate-owned locations in the Orlando area over the next five years. The expansion is part of the company’s long-term goal to open more than 200 locations by 2018.     Construction is underway on the first Orlando-area restaurant in the Waterford Oaks shopping center, owned by BluRock Development. It is slated to open in mid-August.     

Hispanic shoppers enjoy grocery shopping significantly more than the average U.S. consumer, in part, because they consider the experience a social endeavor, according to a new study from Acosta Sales & Marketing and Univision, “The Why? Behind the Buy U.S. Hispanic Shopper Study.”