News Briefs

Customers at Tim Hortons restaurants in Canada can now purchase surplus baked goods through a partnership aimed at curbing food waste.

The coffee chain said that more than half of its nearly 4,000 stores in Canada are now utilizing the Too Good To Go app. Guests can use the app to purchase a selection of surplus assorted baked goods with a retail value of $15 or more for just $4.99. A Too Good To Go selection from Tim Hortons could include donuts, Timbits, bagels, cookies, muffins and other baked goods.

Founded in 2015, Too Good To Go has 90 million registered users and 215,000 active partners in 17 countries across Europe and North America. The company says it has helped to save over 311 million meals from going to waste.

The app is now available to use at stores in Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton and more, with additional Tim Hortons restaurants in St. John's, N.L., Halifax, Charlottetown, Fredericton, Moncton and Saint John, N.B. launching on Too Good to Go this week.

"One of the goals in our Tims For Good platform is to reduce food waste as much as possible and we're excited by the progress and learnings we've developed through working with Too Good To Go so far and we're looking forward to expanding to more Tims restaurants soon,” said Paul Yang, senior director of sustainability, procurement and packaging for Tim Hortons.

Founded in 1964, Tim Hortons operates more than 5,7000 restaurants in Canada, the United States and elsewhere.

Netflix is inching closer to making its brick-and-mortar debut.

The streaming giant is looking to open its first physical retail and entertainment destination — dubbed Netflix House — at Simon’s King of Prussia mall in King of Prussia, Pa., in a vacant two-story space that was formerly home to Lord & Taylor, reported Globe Street. 

The renovated 120,000-sq.-ft. space will offer customers an immersive experience of their favorite Netflix shows with related merchandise, food and themed live events. It is expected to be completed in time for a late 2025 opening, according to the report.

In fall 2023, Bloomberg broke the news about Netflix’s planned entry into brick-and-mortar, noting that the locations would be where fans could “play, shop and eat.” 

In preliminary plans, the King of Prussia location will reportedly feature a first floor of two large experience rooms and a 250-seat theatre. The second floor will include two smaller experience rooms and a marketplace for food and drinks.

Netflix House would not be Netflix’s first entry into retail — or dining. In 2021, the company launched an online merchandise store that sells merchandise related to its shows. And in 2022, Netflix announced it was opening in-store Netflex hubs in more than 2,400 Walmart stores nationwide. The company has also launched temporary pop-up experiences. 

In July 2023, Netflix opened its first-ever pop-up restaurant, in the La Brea neighborhood of Los Angeles. Called Netflix Bites, the temporary venue offered “an elevated dining experience” from several well-known chefs from shows on its platform.

Wegmans Food Markets doesn’t want its store employees to miss an upcoming celestial event.  

The grocer will close 46 of its stores in upstate New York and two in Pennsylvania on Monday, April 8, to allow employees an opportunity to view the total solar eclipse.  The stores, which are located in the path of the eclipse, will close for 30 minutes. 

All services, including pharmacy and Meals2Go pickup, will be unavailable during the 30-minute closure.

"The opportunity to experience a total solar eclipse comes once in a lifetime, and we don't want our employees to miss out,” said Wegmans regional manager Patrick Bourcy, according to WSTM. “We appreciate all that our employees do to help our customers prepare for and enjoy events like this, and in return, we welcome the opportunity to make this a celebratory and memorable occasion for them."

Based in Rochester, N.Y., Wegmans operates 111 stores located along the East Coast.

Martha Stewart believes women don’t have to sacrifice style while working in the garden.

Tractor Supply Company, the country’s largest rural lifestyle retailer, is launching the Martha Stewart Garden Apparel Line in collaboration with Martha Stewart, Marquee Brands and French Dressing Jeans Inc. The line will initially launch exclusively at Tractor Supply beginning the week of March 25 in 50 select stores and online.

The collection, which is launching with eight clothing items, is priced from $24.99 to $69.99. Debut pieces include a puffer vest, cargo convertible pants, a garden work shirt and more. 

“This new line of apparel reflects my passion for gardening and outdoor work, so I am thrilled to share it with consumers,” said Stewart. “With creativity and hard work at the core of gardening, this collection embraces artistry and functionality, bringing ease to those who strive to keep a healthy, beautiful garden.”

In a release, Tractor Supply noted that women’s apparel continues to be an important product category for the company, especially when it comes to gardening.

“This launch with Martha Stewart is the perfect way for us to bring fashion and function to our gardening customers, with great new styles and products our customers can’t get anywhere else.” said Seth Estep, chief merchandising officer at Tractor Supply Company. 

As of Dec. 30, 2023, Tractor Supply operated 2,216 namesake stores in 49 states, along with 198 Petsense by Tractor Supply stores in 23 states.

Marquee Brands has an extensive portfolio of brands including Martha Stewart, The BCBG Group, Ben Sherman, Dakine, Sur La Table, Body Glove, Emeril Lagasse, Motherhood Maternity, A Pea in a Pod and Bruno Magli.  

Numerator has gathered some interesting demographic and psychographic highlights about the average Amazon shopper.

In 2023, 81% of U.S. households shopped Amazon at least once. The average Amazon shopper spent $2,662 at the retailer last year, making 72 purchases, according to the market research firm. This equals out to almost $37 per purchase. 

Other insights from the Numerator report are below.

•Amazon saw 99% repeat rate for customers.

•Amazon shoppers are more likely to be Gen X and millennials compared to all U.S. shoppers.

•Nearly half (48%) of Amazon shoppers are in the middle-income range ($40-80k), while 28% fall into the high income bracket ($80k+).

•Amazon shoppers are slightly more likely to be impulse buyers compared to all U.S. consumers.

•Amazon shoppers are mostly female (75% of Amazon shoppers) and while (67% of Amazon shoppers.)

•Sixty-eight percent of Amazon shoppers are homeowners, and 38% live in suburban areas

To view Numerator’s Amazon Retailer Snapshot, click here. 

Target Corp.’s salaried employees can expect a bigger bonus this year.

The company will double the annual bonus payout is gives to salaried employees in late March. The increased payout was first reported by Bloomberg. 

In a statement to Chain Store Age, Target spokesperson Brian Harper-Tibaldo said that, similar to many companies, Target offers a bonus plan for select employees, including leaders in its stores and supply chain operations, that is designed to reward their performance in driving its results. 

"The bonus structure is informed by goals set at the beginning of the fiscal year, and includes sales performance and profit outcomes,” he said. “Based on Target’s performance in 2023, including the $2B in additional profit growth our team delivered that exceeded the goals we set at the beginning of the year, we’re rewarding our team accordingly.”

Target’s salaried employees receive an annual bonus that is based on the company’s performance and the eligible amount set as part of their compensation, reported CNBC. The retailer will pay 100% of employees’ eligible annual bonus amounts for the most recent fiscal year, an increase from 50% in the prior year, the report said.

As of Feb. 3, Target employed about 415,000 full-time, part-time and seasonal team members, according to a regulatory filing. The majority of the company’s employees are not salaried.