Distribution

Academy Sports + Outdoors is carrying on with its Midwestern expansion and plans to open four new stores across Indiana and Kentucky later this fall.

The first two locations — Evansville, Ind., and Owensboro, Ky., will mark Academy's entry into both states followed by the opening of stores in Louisville and Middletown, Ky., prior to the holidays. In total, the four stores will generate approximately 575 jobs.

Fremont, Calif. -- Men's Wearhouse is launching its omni-channel inventory program, which gives customers visibility and access to all merchandise within the company's distribution center and its 900-plus retail locations from one location. Now, regardless of whether a customer is shopping in a single store or online, they can see all merchandise available to them throughout the company and pick up any item at the store of their choosing.

The growth of e-commerce contributed to an 8% increase in average daily FedEx Ground volume, but severe winter weather exacted a heavy toll on the company’s profitability.

As part of its international growth strategy, Gap plans to open five franchise-operated Old Navy stores in the Philippines in 2014.

The first two Old Navy stores will open in Manila this month, and there are plans to open three more stores in the second half of the year for a total of five Old Navy stores this year.

Cincinnati – Intelligrated is launching the Intelligrated OLS shuttle system, an automated storage and retrieval solution designed to provide quick access to individual cartons, totes and trays in a minimal footprint for high-volume distribution, fulfillment and manufacturing environments.

Kronos Foods, a privately held, leading manufacturer of gyros and other Mediterranean and specialty foods, has named Howard Eirinberg as the company's CEO.

Eirinberg, who succeeds long-time CEO Michael Austin, now chairman of Kronos Food, joined the company in 2011 to lead all sales and marketing initiatives for the company's wide-ranging operations in meat, bakery, dairy, dessert, restaurant and distribution. Eirinberg is credited for growing sales by launching new products like chicken shawarma into the club and foodservice channels.

New York -- Sears Holdings Corp. said its board has approved the spin on of its Lands’ End business, effective April 4, according to a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
 
The agreement, which was announced in December, will make Lands' End an independent company that will trade on the Nasdaq under the symbol “LE.”

Sears stockholders on record as of March 24 will receive about 0.3 shares of Lands' End common stock for each share of Sears they own.

Advantage Sales & Marketing (ASM) has acquired San Antonio, Texas-based Longhorn Food Brokers to strengthen its fresh food focus in the Lone Star state.

“The addition of Longhorn will provide complimentary resources and broader support for our clients and customers in the fresh category,” said Tanya Domier, Advantage Sales & Marketing CEO. “The Longhorn acquisition continues our strategy of building a national footprint for perishable-focused retail and headquarter services by partnering with the regional leaders in these categories.”