Supermarket/Grocery

Palo Alto, Calif. – Symphony EYC is introducing Symphony EYC Insights 2 Execution, a new cloud-based category collaboration platform that enables retailers and CPG manufacturers to adopt best practices in category management. The platform’s initial release, iAssort, provides users with browser-based access to their information to build strategic localized assortments that are space-aware.

Los Angeles — The retail availability rate fell 70 basis points in 2013, reaching 12% and reflecting continued net absorption gains, according to a report from CBRE. The rate fell 30 basis points in the fourth quarter, which matches the momentum of the first half of 2013 after a flat third quarter.

Chicago -- Despite the shortened holiday season and extreme weather in many areas of the country in the weeks leading up to Christmas, retailers finished the 2013 holiday shopping season with increased sales. According to ShopperTrak, during the holiday shopping season of November and December 2013, national retail sales increased 2.7% and foot traffic decreased 14.6% when compared to the same two months of 2012.

Tampa, Fla. — RMC Property Group has announced plans to redevelop the Publix-anchored Indian Rocks Shopping Center in Largo, Fla. Bealls Outlet and Dollar Tree also serve as co-anchors at the center.

Publix recently signed a new lease and plans to completely redevelop a 45,000-sq.-ft. store. The existing Publix closed in December 2013. Plans call for the redeveloped store to open this fall.

Ann Arbor, Mich. – Amazon.com and L.L. Bean tied for the highest company-level customer satisfaction scores during the 2013 holiday season. According to the ForeSee Experience Index: 2013 U.S. Retail Edition, Amazon and L.L. Bean both scored 90, while Priceline had the lowest company-level satisfaction score (75) of 100 top retailers included in the Index.

The study offers a comprehensive view of satisfaction at the company-level and across every applicable sales channel including store, contact center, web and mobile.

The WhiteWave Foods Company has named Kevin C. Yost as president of the company’s newly acquired Earthbound Farm business. Charlie Sweat, previously CEO of Earthbound Farm, will move into an advisory role to ensure a smooth transition.

The rest of the Earthbound Farm management team will continue to serve in their current roles.

An 18,000-sq.-ft. Hofbrauhaus restaurant has broken ground at Grandview Yard in Grandview Heights, Ohio, according to Nationwide Realty Investors, the developer of the $500 million mixed-use project. Hofbrauhaus Columbus will resemble the legendary 420-year-old Hofbrauhaus in Munich, Germany. The restaurant will include a large bier hall for live entertainment, an old world German-style dining room and an outdoor bier garden.

As retail store designs continue to rapidly evolve in the ecommerce era, Chain Store Age is looking for the best of the best for its 32nd annual Retail Store of the Year Design Competition.