News

Walmart casts wide net for American-made products to sell
For the third year in a row, Walmart hosted more than 450 entrepreneurs during the company’s “Made in the USA” Open Call event held Tuesday, June 28 at its corporate headquarters in Bentonville, Arkansas. The event, part of Walmart’s fourth annual U.S. Manufacturing Summit, is designed to find products made, assembled or grown in the U.S.
Whole Foods gets whole picture of its business
Whole Foods Market, Inc. is teaming up with a well-known analytics provider to obtain a deeper understanding of its assortment and customer base. The specialty grocery chain has selected Nielsen as its primary U.S. analytics provider for POS data, consumer insights and industry metrics. Nielsen is working with the company to collaboratively create a customized natural and organic product hierarchy that will provide a comprehensive view of Whole Foods Market's product categories, including ingredient-level attributes.

Specialty wine retailer applies data to new channel

Wine Riot, an online resource and event creator for wine aficionados, is entering the brick-and-mortar space with some analytical assistance. Created by Second Glass, a Boston-based wine event provider, Wine Riot provides online data about wine and also serves as a digital platform supporting in-person wine tasting events and exhibitions. As the company prepares to open its first physical store in Boston, it is deploying the RetailNext analytics solution.
Grocery store chain fined for refrigerant leaks; ordered to cut greenhouse gases

Trader Joe’s is cleaning up its act — with regards to the environment. In a proposed settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice and the EPA, the chain agreed to spend $2 million over the next three years to reduce coolant leaks from refrigerator equipment at its 460 stores nationwide, and also to pay a $500,000 related civil penalty.
Q&A with It’Sugar’s Jeff Rubin: The King of Sweets

Photo: Jeff Rubin, Founder, CEO, It’Sugar (Credit: Patrick Gray, Kabik Photo Group) Jeff Rubin, founder and CEO of It’Sugar, has always had a sweet tooth — and a passion for retail. His father owned a chain of toy stores in the Midwest. After leaving the toy business, he went on to open a chain of bulk candy stores.
Survey: How to compete against Amazon for holiday sales

Although Amazon poses a major holiday sales threat, there are steps retailers can take to produce a merry season. According to a new survey of 1,500 U.S. consumers by marketing platform provider Signal, 42% of respondents said Amazon will be their primary holiday gift destination. Consumers who use Amazon do so because it is easy (50%), because they are Prime members (36%), and because they like the product reviews and recommendations (29%).
Three more retailers commit to Green Acres Commons

Macerich’s new outdoor shopping complement to Green Acres Mall in Valley Stream, N.Y., just got three steps closer to a full house for its planned grand opening this fall. 24-Hour Fitness, Sonic Drive-In, and Ulta Beauty have all committed to space at Green Acres Commons, a 335,000-sq.-ft. retail center.
Report: TJX Cos. among U.S. retailers to be impacted the most by Brexit vote

The recent vote by the United Kingdom to leave the European Union will have the biggest retail impact on companies that have high U.K. exposure, including U.S. off-price giant TJX Cos., MarketWatch reported. Swedish fast-fashion giant H&M is also among the retailers to be most impacted. The United Kingdom is the company’s third largest market, behind Germany and the United States.
Walgreens saves time and effort spent on digital coupons

Paperless coupons are supposed to easy, and Walgreens is doing its best to make them that way. Walgreens customers now have the ability to redeem digital coupons from Walgreens and manufacturers for online purchases, as well as in-store purchases. Additionally, offers can now be “clipped” on product detail pages and in search results on Walgreens.com, and through the Walgreens mobile app.
Fast-growing fast-casual chain has big plans

Newk’s Eatery is on the move. The fast-casual restaurant chain is expanding into Central Florida, with plans to open 10-12 corporate-owned locations in the Orlando area over the next five years. The expansion is part of the company’s long-term goal to open more than 200 locations by 2018. Construction is underway on the first Orlando-area restaurant in the Waterford Oaks shopping center, owned by BluRock Development. It is slated to open in mid-August.
Amazon brings more products to customer fingertips

Amazon.com is continuing to expand its assortment of Dash buttons.
‘One-for-one’ brand to open at nation’s largest mall

Toms Shoes is expanding its fledgling store portfolio, and will open a location at Mall of America, Bloomington, Minnesota, in time for holiday shoppers. Founded in 2006, Toms matches every shoe purchase with a donation to a child in need, and gives glasses, medical treatment and/or sight-saving surgery with each purchase of eyewear.