News

Minneapolis -- Best Buy is looking to reinvent its future and late Monday announced a series of moves designed to enhance the company’s growth prospects and profitability.

NEW IBERIA, La. — The Grocery Manufacturers Association has tapped the leader of a food manufacturer to serve on its board of directors.

J.S. "Si" Brown, president and CEO of Bruce Foods, will serve on GMA's board. Brown has held led the company, which specializes in manufacturing Cajun and Tex-Mex products, since 1973.

NEW IBERIA, La. — The Grocery Manufacturers Association has tapped the leader of a food manufacturer to serve on its board of directors.

J.S. "Si" Brown, president and CEO of Bruce Foods, will serve on GMA's board. Brown has held led the company, which specializes in manufacturing Cajun and Tex-Mex products, since 1973.

ST. LOUIS — Save-A-Lot on Monday announced that it was expanding its reach by opening five new stores in the Chicago market.

Save-A-Lot, the hard-discount, limited-assortment grocery retailer and subsidiary of Supervalu, would nearly double its presence in the area, bringing the total Chicagoland stores to 13. The five stores, located in Chicago's South Side, range in size from 11,000 to 21,000 sq. ft.

Boca Raton, Fla. -- Office Depot said Tuesday that it narrowed its loss in the quarter ended Dec. 25 to $58 million, compared with a loss of $77 million in the year-ago period.

Total sales dropped 3% to $3 billion. Sales in the North American Retail division dipped 2% to $1.2 billion; same-store sales decreased 1%. During the quarter, Office Depot closed six stores, opened three and relocated four stores in North America.

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. — Kmart on Monday implemented a discounted offer on flu shots to those who have not yet been vaccinated.

Kmart said it is offering customers $15 flu shots, while supplies last, and also will offer 15,000 points (a $15 value) to members of its Shop Your Way Rewards loyalty program, when a vaccination is purchased.

The flu shots are available at more than 500 Kmart Pharmacy locations and are administered by trained practitioners.

BOSTON -- Mobile checkout solutions provider AisleBuyer has added two new VPs to its executive team.

Paul Harsha, VP engineering, and Scott Almeida, CPA, VP finance and administration, are the newest additions to AisleBuyer.

WAYNE, N.J. -- Toys "R" Us is kicking off an in-store fundraising campaign to benefit North America's largest autism science and advocacy organization.

Now through April 30, monetary donations will be collected at all Toys "R" Us and Babies "R" Us stores and online to benefit Autism Speaks.

Dallas -- Alliance Data Systems Corp., a provider of loyalty and marketing solutions derived from transaction-rich data, said Tuesday it has signed a new, long-term agreement to provide private label credit-card services to women’s apparel retailer J.Jill.

Cary, N.C. -- Business analytics software and service provider SAS announced Tuesday that it is acquiring Assetlink, a marketing resource management firm.