Supply Chain & Merchandising

McLean, Va. – German discount grocer Lidl continues to lay the foundation for its store debut in the United States.

The company which is establishing a U.S. corporate headquarters, in Arlington County, Virginia, announced it will also open a regional headquarters and distribution center facility in Alamance County, North Carolina. The moves are part of Lidl’s early preparations to expand into the U.S. http://www.chainstoreage.com/article/german-grocer-lidl-prepares-us-expansion-open-headquarters-virginia

7-Eleven Inc. is taking its mantra of "what customers want, when and where they want it" a giant step further through a new partnership with the Postmates app.

The company has introduced on-demand delivery through Postmates iOS, Android or web app, in Northern California. An assortment of 7-Eleven's products from hot foods and snacks to cold beverages and other convenience items is just a few taps away and will be delivered by Postmates to customers in an hour or less.

Dedham, Mass. - Reflexis Systems Inc. has successfully implemented its products in more than 20 retail, QSR (quick-service restaurant), and convenience store chains at the regional, national, and global level, across five continents during the first half of the 2015 calendar year. The solutions include Reflexis Task Manager, Reflexis Workforce Manager, ReflexisPlus, Advanced Analytics and Reporting, and Time and Attendance.

Seattle - Starbucks Coffee Co. plans on making a connection with French consumers.

The retailer is partnering with and Casino Restauration, the restaurant subsidiary of mass merchandiser Groupe Casino, to open Starbucks stores within Géant Casino hypermarkets and Casino supermarkets across France.

Most retailers are reducing their footprints, but not Nebraska Furniture Mart (NFM). In fact, the retailer is doing just the opposite and has opened the nation’s largest home furnishings store. Located in the new 433-acre mixed-use development, Grandscape in The Colony, Texas, the two-level NFM has a whopping 560,000 sq. ft. of selling space. Including an on-site warehouse, the space totals more than 1.8 million sq. ft.

The store sells 100,000 products, ranging from very high-end items to value offerings, with another 500,000 items in stock in the warehouse.

Blue Apron. Dollar Shave Club. The RealReal. The Honest Company.

Cincinnati -- Kroger now finds itself in need of a COO.  

In an abrupt announcement, Kroger on Tuesday said president and COO Mike Ellis has retired after 40 years with the company. The grocer said a successor will be named at a later date.
 

Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores, the nation’s leading fabric and craft specialty retailer, has announced two significant organizational changes in the merchandising and marketing areas.

Megan Featherston, formerly senior vice president, merchandising, at Jo-Ann, has been promoted to executive vice president, merchandising & marketing. In her new role, Megan will oversee the retailer’s merchandising, marketing, Joann.com and business intelligence and analytics teams.