Distribution

Kellogg Company and leading Asian agribusiness group Wilmar International have entered into a joint venture involving the manufacture, sale and distribution of Kellogg’s and Pringles brand products in China.

The firms are equal partners in the deal designed to accelerate Kellogg’s growth in a market the company expects to become the world’s largest food and beverage market within five years.

SPARTA, Mich. — Old Orchard Brands has introduced new frozen fruit juice concentrates under its Harvest Select brand.

Available in apple, grape and orange varieties, Harvest Select contains 10% real fruit juice and each 8-oz. serving provides 100% of the daily recommended intake of vitamin C, Old Orchard Brands said.

Harvest Select frozen juice cocktail concentrate can be found in the frozen juice aisle of retailers nationwide for a suggested retail price of 99 cents per can.

Abercrombie & Fitch understands that the key to international branding is to deliver a consistent store experience across the globe.

By adopting an open operating platform and integrated point-of-sale infrastructure, the company is able to centrally manage all business operations, including supply chain, inventory management and POS processing, across international borders. The retailer’s international stores now garner close to $1 billion in sales.

New Delhi, India -- A Friday report by the Wall Street Journal disclosed that Wal-Mart Stores Inc. expects to open its first retail stores in India within the next 12 to 18 months.

In an interview with WSJ, Scott Price, Asia president and CEO of Wal-Mart, said that the retailer has not pinpointed where the first stores will be located or ultimately how many there will be. But the latest decision handed down by the Indian government allowing megastore retailers to enter the country via joint ventures paved the way for the impending openings.

Arlington, Va. -- The Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA) issued the following statement in response to an announcement that the U.S. Maritime Alliance and the International Longshoremen’s Association have agreed to a 90-day extension of the collective bargaining agreement due to expire on Sept. 30.

By Kevin Kulinowski, Robert Grosskopf and Rick Edwards, Gordon Brothers Group

The defining paradox of our industry is that closing stores has become a trademark of successful retail companies. Certainly healthy retailers are opening new stores; but shuttering locations has become the norm as well and, in most instances, is equally indicative of positive growth.

Publix is making its North Carolina debut with the planned opening of a new store in the greater Charlotte area.

The company has signed a lease for a store at Providence Road West and Johnston Road in Ballantyne. The store will be part of a new division based in Charlotte.

While Ballantyne marks Publix’s long awaited entry into North Carolina, the company is looking ahead to continued growth within the state and in its current operating areas of Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Alabama and Tennessee.

Dallas -- SRS Real Estate Partners has been selected to represent Shopko in the disposition of its outlot properties and vacant properties in 19 states across the Midwest and western United States.

The outlots range in size from 14,000 sq. ft. to 219,000 sq. ft., and the vacant properties range in size from 18,700-sq.-ft. retail locations to a 214,000-sq.-ft. industrial property.

Santa Monica, Calif. -- SPL Realty Partners, exclusively representing Australian women’s activewear retailer Lorna Jane, announced 11 leases have been secured for Lorna Jane’s expansion into the United States.

The retail sites are located throughout the Southern California region including stores in Santa Monica, Woodland Hills, Glendale, Irvine and Huntington Beach.

A warehouse was also secured for the support of the network of retail stores and online fulfillment in Santa Monica, Calif.

CITY OF COMMERCE, Calif. — 99 Cents Only has leased 40 new compressed natural gas-powered tractors from Ryder.

The new CNG trucks will operate exclusively in the Southern California market, making store deliveries and picking up goods from vendors. As part of its full-service lease, Ryder will provide both the CNG tractors, as well as maintenance for the vehicles. The chain said the tractors will replace its oldest diesel burning units with cleaner CNG rigs, making it one of the largest private Class-8 CNG fleets in Southern California.