News

BEAVERTON, Ore. — Larry Miller is rejoining Nike as president of the Jordan brand, the company announced Monday. Miller will be responsible for driving the global growth strategy for all aspects of the Jordan brand and will report directly to Trevor Edwards, VP global brand and category management for Nike.

MENOMONEE FALLS, Wis. — Vera Wang, famous for her sought-after wedding gowns, knows that many women dream of looking like a princess on that big day, so it makes sense that the designer would bring the "princess" concept to a younger set.

The designer has teamed up wth Kohl’s Department Stores to launch Princess Vera Wang, a juniors contemporary, premium lifestyle collection now available exclusively at Kohl’s stores nationwide and Kohls.com.

Not too long ago, I interviewed Christy Parra, who is the logistics director for The Container Store. The interview was for an article on the company’s deployment of a voice-directed picking system in its distribution center. But what struck me throughout our discussion was the context in which Parra framed the new technology: It had as much to do with the employees as it did efficiencies and cost savings.

According to the Employment Situation report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the national unemployment rate held at 8.2%. Nonfarm payroll employment continued to edge up in June, with 80,000 jobs added.

Professional and business services added 47,000 jobs in June, while health care added 13,000 jobs and wholesale trade added 9,000 in June.

YONKERS, N.Y. — Retailers that cater to lower-income and higher-income consumers should be pleased with the most recent Consumer Reports Index, as those two groups showed the greatest improvement in consumer sentiment.

The Consumer Reports Index, an overall measure of Americans' personal financial health, saw a sharp improvement in its consumer sentiment measure, which jumped to its highest level since October 2008.

Allegations of worker abuse prompted Walmart to suspend a small seafood supplier earlier this week pending the outcome of an investigation, according to a Reuters report.

New York -- Myers Group plans to install the QThru mobile platform, which enables shoppers to scan items with a smartphone as they shop, in its supermarkets. The company has been testing the system for six months at its IGA Ridge Supermarket in Snoqualmie, Wash.

TORRANCE, Calif. — Yakult U.S.A. is introducing a probiotic drink to the U.S. market.

Yakult Light, which has nearly two-thirds less sugar and one-third fewer calories than regular Yakult, contains active probiotic bacteria called Lactobacillus casei strain Shirota. The product also is made with natural sweeteners and natural flavors, and is free of preservatives, gluten and high-fructose corn syrup. Unlike regular Yakult products, Yakult Light will tout blue and white packaging, with the red Yakult logo.