News

CHICAGO — Icing, the jewelry and accessories brand founded by Claire's in 1996, is about to get a branding makeover.

The new branding program includes an updated store design, new brand visual identity, modernized logo and the brand's first ever e-commerce enabled website. The brand seeks to establish itself as a destination for fashionable jewelry, accessories and expert style advice for young women ages 18 and older.

AVON, Ohio — Duck brand Duck Tape is joining forces with Marvel superheroes the Avengers. The Avengers Duck Tape features Captain America, Thor, Hulk and Iron Man. 

Walmart and other retailers are facing renewed criticism over their global sourcing practices following another factory disaster in Bangladesh.

Reuters is reporting that a block of garment factories and shops collapsed in Savar, 20 miles outside Dhaka, on Wednesday, killing 251 people and injuring more than a thousand. According to the report, an unknown number of the more than 3,000 people who work at the factory remain trapped inside. For more information, go to:

PLEASANTON, Calif. — Safeway shares dropped dramatically as the company reported $10 billion in sales for its first quarter 2013 ended March 23, which is essentially flat as compared to the first quarter of 2012. An identical-store sales increase of 1.5% (excluding fuel) was offset primarily by the disposition of Genuardi's stores in 2012 and lower fuel sales in 2013.

ATLANTA — Coca-Cola’s board of directors has elected Robin Moore as one of the company’s VPs.

Moore, 47, was recently named chief of internal audit, effective May 1, replacing Connie McDaniel who is retiring after 24 years with the company. Moore is currently global director of finance operations in global business services. She began her career with the company in 1995 and has assumed roles of increasing responsibility including senior audit manager in corporate audit and director of financial reporting in the controller’s group.

PLANO, Texas — J.C. Penney is introducing the Bijoux Bar, a line of fine jewelry that features collections from Kenneth Jay Lane, Kara Ross, Lana Bramlette, Dominique Cohen, Doris Panos, Rodrigo Otazu and Diego Massimo. 

San Antonio, Texas -- A survey by open-cloud company Rackspace Hosting of 1,300 U.S. and U.K. companies revealed that retail in both countries has benefited from cloud computing via IT cost reductions, increased profits, improved disaster recovery and business agility, as well as strengthened out-of-office employee performance.

Secaucus, N.J. -- The Children's Place said Wednesday that current CFO Michael Scarpa has also been appointed COO, effective immediately.

Scarpa will continue to oversee finance, information technology, distribution, logistics and wholesale, and will add store operations, store development and international to his current responsibilities.

Prior to joining The Children's Place, Scarpa was COO and CFO of The Talbots.

By Brian Gillespie, Continuum

New York -- Supervalu Inc., which recently divested 877 supermarkets in a $3.3 billion transaction, reported Wednesday a loss of $179 million in the fourth quarter, widened from $42 million in the year-ago period.