Distribution

Five Below is accelerating new store growth again this year.

The tween and teen retailer shared a long-range profit forecast which indicates it expects accelerating growth to be a recurring theme. It plans to open 85 new stores this year, adding to its base of 437 units.

Teen retailer Zumiez has enhanced its omnichannel strategy by using its stores as local fulfillment centers for online purchases.

The Lynwood, Washington-based retailer of board-sports apparel and gear wants to ensure customers can seamlessly shop among its 600-plus brick-and-mortar and digital channels. To that end, it has partnered with supply chain management software provider SalesWarp to aid in the performance of distributed order management, customer service, warehouse management, and in-store fulfillment.

Starbucks Corp. announced a major initiative to help the nation’s neediest citizens.

The coffee giant is launching FoodShare, a program to donate all leftover ready-to-eat meals from its 7,600 U.S. company-operated stores to food banks. In the first year alone, the program will be able to provide nearly 5 million meals, according to company estimates.

Ross Dress for Less opened a new store in Jenkintown, Pennsylvania, on March 5.

The 26,000-sq.-ft. store is located in the Noble Town Center, 15 miles north of downtown Philadelphia, at the northeast corner of Old York Road and The Fairway.

The opening is part of the retailer’s 2016 expansion program, totaling about 70 new locations during the year.

Hickory Farms is looking for new ways to grow following the operator of the company acquisition last fall by a private equity firm and the recent appointment of a CEO who spent time at RedBox and Crate & Barrel.

The Richmond Times-Dispatch is reporting that the 19 Martin’s Food Markets stores in the area will be either sold or closed as the completion of parent company Ahold’s merger with Delhaize Group. The Richmond-area stores are just some of the 83 stores the combined companies are looking to unload across the eastern and northeastern U.S. (Richmond Times-Dispatch)

Hickory Farms is looking for new ways to grow following the operator of the company acquisition last fall by a private equity firm and the recent appointment of a CEO who spent time at RedBox and Crate & Barrel.

Ikea is opening a new distribution center in Ontario as the Swedish home furnishings retailer ramps up plans to double its footprint in Canada over the next 10 years.

Ikea says its new distribution center in Mississauga, Ontario, allows the company to become even more accessible to customers by allowing for fulfillment of customer orders from four Toronto area stores and e-commerce purchases. This improved logistical set-up will enable shorter lead times for customers to receive their products, while at the same time contributing to Ikea's sustainability goals.

Ross Dress for Less opened a new store in O’Fallon, Missouri on March 5.

The 25,000-sq.-ft. store is located at the O’Fallon Walk Shopping Center, 30 miles west of downtown St. Louis along Interstate 70 between Lake St. Louis and St. Peters, on the southwest corner of Highway K and Feise Road.

The opening is part of the retailer’s 2016 expansion program, totaling about 70 new locations during the year.

Ross Dress for Less opened a new store North El Centro, California on March 5. The opening is part of the retailer’s 2016 expansion program, totaling about 70 new locations during the year.

The 26,000- sq.-ft. store is located at Centro Commons, 11 miles north of the California-Mexico border, at the intersection of Imperial Avenue and Cruickshank Drive. With this location, Ross operates 277 stores in California, its largest state.