Supermarket/Grocery

The Consumer Goods Forum has elected two new board members with broad packaged goods and retail experience.

Denise Morrison, president and CEO of Campbell Soup Company, and Gareth Ackerman, chairman of Pick n Pay, are joining the board. Morrison will chair the Manufacturer College of the board while Ackerman will chair the Retailer College. The pair will lead the CGF Board for two years, and replace outgoing co-chairs Dick Boer of Royal Ahold and Paul Bulcke of Nestlé. 

Washington, D.C. – Americans are feeling patriotic as July 4 approaches and putting their wallets where their feelings are. According to the National Retail Federation (NRF) 2015 Independence Day Survey conducted by Prosper Insights & Analytics, more than 156 million consumers, or 64% of those celebrating, are planning to take part in the July 4 holiday by attending a cookout, picnic or barbecue, spending an average of $71.23 per household, up 4% from $68.16 in 2014.

Cincinnati – The Kroger Co. is responding to explosive financial performance with a two-for-one stock split, dividend increase and share buyback program. Kroger has delivered double-digit compound growth in its dividend since it was reinstated in 2006, and expects further growth.

Minneapolis -- The transformation of Target Corp. under the leadership of new CEO Brian Cornell continues with the departure of one of its top-ranking executives.

The company announced that Kathryn A. Tesija, executive VP, chief merchandising and supply chain officer will move into an “advisory role” effective July 6.

The largest supermarket operator in the United States is on fire, so it makes sense that the Kroger Co. approved its first stock split in 16 years and a 13.5% dividend increase.

The company announced that its board of directors approved an increase to the company's quarterly dividend, a two-for-one split of its common shares, and a new $500 million share repurchase program.

New York -- The gap in prices between Amazon and Walmart.com’s grocery basket has widened in the past two months, according to a report by 360pi. The company conducted a two-month study, comparing a basket of grocery pantry/household items spanning a number of CPG brands with a non-grocery basket (such as toys, electronics and tools) basket shopped on Amazon.com and Walmart.com.

An ongoing senior leadership transformation at 99 Cents Only stores has put a former Kmart executive in the role of interim CEO and now the company has named a former Walmart executive as interim CFO for the second time.

Less than a month after Andy Giancamilli was named interim president and CEO, 99 Cents only named Michael Fung to the role of CFO. Both men served on the company’s board of directors with Giancamilli in the role as chairman.

New York -- Dutch supermarket giant Ahold has agreed to buy Belgian rival Delhaize, creating the sixth largest food retailer in the United States. Keith Anderson, VP of strategy & insights for Profitero, and formerly a retail analyst with RetailNet Group, offers his thoughts on what led to the merger, and what it may bring.