News

Food Lion has announced a $110 million investment in its stores as part of its ongoing remodeling initiative.      The chain announced it will remodel 71 stores in the greater Richmond, Va., market in 2017. Looking to make shopping easier and more affordable for its customers, the grocer said it will make a $110 million investment that includes remodeling the Richmond-area stores, additional price investments throughout the year and investments in associates and the community through its hunger relief initiative. 

Automation could drive Amazon’s grocery business in more ways than one.    Not only will a focus on automation prime the online giant’s AmazonFresh operation to disrupt the grocery industry, but it could also help the endeavor reach a breakeven point, according to CNBC.  

The battle for Walgreens to acquire Rite Aid may be entering its final stage.     Walgreens is expected to certify compliance within days, giving the Federal Trade Commission 90 days to either clear the $9.7 billion deal or sue to block it, reported the New York Post. The newspaper added the certified compliance period would expire roughly the same day as the Walgreens-Rite Aid merger agreement terminates on July 31. The proposed transaction was first announced in October 2015.  

A fast-growing convenience store operator has announced a major hiring initiative.   Sheetz said it is looking to hire more than 3,400 employees companywide. The hiring initiative aims to increase Sheetz's total employee count and number of full-time positions by creating and filling jobs at stores throughout Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Virginia, Maryland, Ohio and North Carolina.   

Fraudsters are giving retailers another issue to contend with — and many aren’t prepared.    In 2017, there was a 200% increase in credit card testing, a tactic used by fraudsters where they test stolen credit card numbers with small incremental purchases before making large-dollar purchases on the card. This was an increase compared to the same quarter in 2016, according to new data from Radial.   

Target Corp. is beefing up its presence in the Big Apple — and also testing a service to give city dwellers a break from lugging their purchases home.      The discounter announced plans to a smaller-format store on the city’s Lower East Side in March 2018. The 22,500-sq.-ft. store — one-fifth the size of a regular Target — will be on the second level of the Essex Crossing development, with more than 500 rental units above it. The mixed-use building will also include a Trader Joe’s.  

A grocery distributor and retailer is expanding its supply chain management team.   SpartanNash named Tom Lee as senior VP, supply chain. In his new role, he will be responsible for overseeing SpartanNash’s supply chain, logistics, transportation and inventory management departments.   

Is Party City exploring a return to private ownership?   The retailer is considering a sale after being approached by a private equity firm about a leveraged buyout, Reuters reported. Buyout firm Thomas H. Lee Partners LP, which owns 55% of Party City, took the company public in 2015.