Data & Analytics

This year's Sweets & Snacks Expo attendees will be treated to panel discussions by experts from the Consumer Electronics Show, Canadean, and the Center for Advancing Retail & Technology.

All three sessions on the latest advancements taking place in retail will be held at the Expo’s new Discovery Theater located in Skyline Hall, which will host more than 130 new exhibitors and is home to “Innovation Avenue”.

The forces of disruption influencing so much of retail have finally arrived at one of the industry’s most tradition-bound segments. Retail trade events have changed little the past 20 years, but a new event called Shoptalk (May 16-18) is reimagining every aspect of the concept. Event co-founder and chairman Anil Aggarwal spoke with Retailing Today about Shoptalk, what it is, what it isn’t and how he plans to create a community of commerce innovators.

RT: What is Shoptalk?

Today’s consumer is asking more and more about the food, beverage and consumer products they buy, use and consume. They want to know what is in the product, how to use it and what is in its packaging. They want to know who benefits from the manufacturing and how. And it doesn’t stop there.

The question is how CPG companies can meet this consumer demand when there is no way all of this information would fit on a package label.

One of the most exciting and rewarding things about being part of a tightly integrated national network of retail brokerages is the degree to which that network can serve as a resource unto itself. Fellow professionals from around the country and the world can engage in knowledge sharing about market-specific forces, industry observations and invaluable perspective about the changing face of the industry.

If you want to improve your SMS marketing, you should take a look at Walmart; they’ve got some dynamite strategies. Walmart’s SMS offerings are broad, yet each either solves a problem or reduces a pain point traditionally associated with in-store shopping.

In-Store Product Info via SMS
Walmart has developed an SMS-based system called Simple Text that allows mobile users to send a text to a phone number posted in-store to receive product location and information.

Niemann Foods, a 100-plus-store independent supermarket chain headquartered in Quincy, Illinois, is individually engaging customers wherever they are.

Gap Inc. says its fourth quarter results show the company's turnaround plan is working, but the retailer continues to post lackluster sales and earnings.

The parent company of Old Navy and Banana Republic says fourth-quarter profits were $214 million, or 53 cents per share, for the three-month period ended Jan. 30. That compares with $319 million or 75 cents per share, in the year-ago period. Revenue dropped nearly 7% in the quarter to $4.39 billion. Same-store sales declined 7%.

The CEO of Foot Locker credits the company's revised strategic framework with single digit sales gains and double digit earnings gains in the fourth quarter.

For the period ended Jan. 30, Foot Locker reported net Income of $1.14 per share, a 13% increase from the prior year quarter. Earnings per share were $1.16, 16% above last year. Same-store sales increased 7.9%.

Perhaps no other retailer is profiting as well from Americans' changing eating habits than Sprouts Farmers Market, which reported record sales and earnings for the fourth quarter.

The Arizona-based grocer said that same-store sales during the period ended Jan. 3 rose 7.4%. Net income was $28.2 million and diluted earnings per share were 18 cents. Net sales were $3.59 billion, a 21% increase compared to reported net sales in 2014. Adjusted diluted earnings per share of $0.86, a 19% increase from 2014.

J.C. Penney continues to be a bright spot in the retail sector with impressive increases in same-store sales and earnings, as well as a new marketing campaign that is generating a lot of buzz.

On Thursday, the retailer announced that same store sales grew 4.1 % for the fourth quarter ended Jan. 30. A combination of strong sales growth, accelerated gross margins and disciplined expense reduction resulted in full year adjusted EBITDA of $715 million, a $435 million increase.