Sales & Marketing

Premium chocolatier Lindt & Sprungli is adding more than 100,000 sq. ft. of manufacturing capacity at its U.S. headquarters in Statham, N.H. The facility in New Hampshire is one of eight production sites worldwide and the only location in North America. When the expansion is complete the facility will encompass more than 1 million sq. ft. to accommodate production, storage and distribution for products such as the recently introduced Lindt HELLO collection, LINDOR single serve bars and EXCELLENCE individually wrapped dark chocolate diamonds.

New York -- Amazon is increasing the annual membership of its Amazon Prime service from $79 a year to $99. The online giant, which made the announcement on its homepage, had suggested last year that increased shipping costs would force it to raise the annual price of its premium membership.

The price hike takes effective in seven says. Until then, customers can still sign up for the $79 rate. The increased fee will be charged when users renew their Prime memberships.

Finance executives who participated in professional services firm BDO’s annual CFO survey expect 8.2% growth in online sales this year and not surprisingly plan to increase investments in mobile capabilities.

Mobile and online sales will continue to drive growth for retailers in 2014, the firm said. However, now that e-commerce has firmly taken root in the retail industry, growth is beginning to stabilize. As a result, about 64% of CFOs said online sales will grow in the coming year, a figure below the 74% who expressed that sentiment the prior year.

BRENTWOOD, Tenn. -- Tractor Supply Co., the largest rural lifestyle retail store chain in the United States, announced that Robert D. Mills has joined the company as senior VP and CIO, succeeding James Callison, who is retiring. As part of the succession plan, Callison will stay with Tractor Supply until a smooth transition is completed.

In 1984, at the impressionable age of 17, Doug McMillon’s journey with Walmart began in a way that hardly foretold he would one day become CEO. On the way to a Walmart warehouse for his first day of unloading trucks, McMillon rear-ended his supervisor’s car with his father’s Honda Civic, he recalled in the February issue of Walmart World.

Although McMillon’s early exposure to Walmart came inside a sweltering distribution center, he said the camaraderie, enthusiasm and passion he witnessed let him know something special was going on.

San Francisco -- Williams-Sonoma reported a better-than-expected profit of $133.8 million in the fourth quarter, up slightly from $133.7 million in the year-ago period. The company also announced it is lifting its dividend 2 cents, or 6%, to 33 cents a share.

Goodlettsville, Tenn. -- Dollar General on Thursday reported a 1.5% rise in fourth-quarter profits, below analysts’ estimates, as the retailer felt the impact of harsh winter weather, along with increased competition and low consumer confidence. The company also said it plans to open approximately 700 new stores in 2014.

The retailer earned $322.2 million in the quarter ended Jan. 31, compared with $317.4 million a year earlier.