News

Nike has promoted Reenie Benziger to VP of its global apparel business. Benziger moves from her current role as VP/GM of global young athletes.

“Reenie’s deep consumer knowledge and experience in the global apparel industry will continue to position Nike as an innovative brand with consumers,” said Jeanne Jackson, president of product and merchandising.

Carl Grebert, a 17-year Nike veteran, replaces Benziger as VP/GM of global young athletes. Grebert most recently served as VP/GM of Nike Japan.

Scottsdale, Ariz. – Big Data pricing solution vendor Clear Demand is partnering with competitive price intelligence provider 360pi. Under this joint initiative, 360pi’s real-time price intelligence is fed into Clear Demand’s pricing platform, which in turn alerts retailers to competitive price changes, including compliance with product-line and pricing rules, and helps manage competitive price strategy.

London – Three-quarters of online shoppers have shopped online for groceries and 40% of these do so on a regular basis, but only one-third of grocery shoppers rate their experience as “easy.” And only one-in-five (19%) of those surveyed by EDigitalResearch are delighted with their online grocery experience.

Boston – The Massachusetts House of Representatives has approved a bill that would gradually raise the state’s minimum wage from its current hourly rate of $8 to $11 by 2017, which would make it the highest state minimum wage in the country.

The state Senate has already approved the bill, which is expected to be approved by Gov. Deval Patrick (D) after a procedural Senate vote. Under the legislation, the minimum wage would rise to $9 per hour on Jan. 1, 2015; to $10 on Jan. 1, 2016; and finally to $11 on Jan. 1, 2017.

The U.S. economy has undergone significant financial and social upheaval over the past five years, with companies seemingly invincible to the vagaries of the financial markets disappearing overnight. Many companies have been forced to contract by closing unprofitable stores, laying off employees, reducing spending, deferring research and development, or have been acquired by more profitable companies. With few exceptions, those companies that have survived have done so by cutting costs to the bone.

Suburban Atlanta will be home to Keurig Green Mountain’s new manufacturing facility used to produce new cold products resulting from its new partnership with Coca-Cola.

In 1975, when I started what would become Rexall Sundown, the world was a very different place. Gerald Ford was in the White House, there was no social media and the TV universe was limited to three networks and a few local channels.

Walmart continues to press on the mobile phone front with an exclusive deal with Virgin Mobile. As of Saturday, June 21, Virgin Mobile’s payLo will offer customers domestic unlimited voice or unlimited texting for $20 per month.

For budget-conscious consumers who don’t need a smartphone, payLo offers affordable devices and value-driven monthly plans. Customers who purchase a Kyocera Kona or Samsung Montage in participating Walmart stores or at Walmart.com can choose between two exclusive $20-per-month offers: