Retail

INDIANAPOLIS — Kroger central division employees working at Kroger stores in the Indianapolis area have ratified a new four-year labor agreement with UFCW Local 700.

Washington, D.C. -- U.S. retailers added almost 28,000 new jobs in May, according to statistics from the Department of Labor. This followed 20,000 new retail hires in April.

Restaurants hired another 38,000 people last month.

New retail and restaurant hires helped drive the addition of 175,000 total new jobs to the U.S. economy in May.

PARSIPPANY, N.J. — B&G Foods has acquired Robert’s American Gourmet Food, doing business as Pirate Brands — an all-natural snack foods category — from VMG Partners, Driven Capital Management, founder Robert Ehrlich and other entities and individuals.

B&G will pay approximately $195 million in cash.

Hordes of spend-happy young Mexican shoppers are successfully attracting specialty apparel retailers from the U.S. and Europe – and, as mentioned in a recent report by Wall Street Journal, Walmart is feeling the pain.

PITTSBURGH — Berkshire Hathaway and an investment fund affiliated with 3G Capital have completed their acquisition of H.J. Heinz Company. 

Heinz shareholders will receive $72.50 in cash for each share of common stock they owned as of the effective time of the merger, without interest and less any applicable withholding taxes. As a result of the completion of the merger, the common stock of Heinz will no longer be listed for trading on the New York Stock Exchange and Heinz expects no further trading after the close of business on June 7.

MINNEAPOLIS — Christopher & Banks, a specialty women’s apparel retailer, reported a same-store sales increase of 23% for the 13-week period ended May 4, 2013, as compared to the 13 weeks ended May 5, 2012.

The company’s net sales totaled $109 million, a 16% increase from $94 million for the 13 weeks ended April 28, 2012. During the quarter, the company operated an average of 10.5% fewer stores than during the comparable period last year.

Washington, D.C. -- Americans will spend a little bit more on dad this year, stretching their budgets enough to show their favorite man just how much he is appreciated, according to a survey by the National Retail Foundation.

The group, 2013 Father’s Day spending survey, conducted by BIGinsight, found that the average consumer will shell out $119.84 on dad’s gifts this year, up from $117.14 last year. Total spending for Father’s Day is expected to reach $13.3 billion.

WASHINGTON — Americans are going to stretch their budgets and spend a little more on dad this year, according to NRF’s 2013 Father’s Day spending survey conducted by BIGinsight. The average person is expected to shell out $119.84 on gifts this year, an increase of 2% from $117.14 last year. 

Total spending by people 18 and older in the United States for Father’s Day is expected to reach $13.3 billion.