News

NEW YORK — Social conservatives and gay rights activists came to blows last week over JCPenney's choice of Ellen DeGeneres as a company spokeswoman.

ST. LOUIS — Ralcorp Holdings officially has turned its Post Foods cereal business into a tax-free spinoff to Ralcorp shareholders.

The deal, which was announced in July 2011, allows Ralcorp shareholders to hold shares of two stand-alone, publicly traded companies: Ralcorp and Post Foods. Now its own separate business, Ralcorp said it will produce private-label foods in the United States and also become a major producer of foodservice products.

By Jeff Weidauer, [email protected]

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — In honor of American Heart Month, Sam's Club  will be hosting free heart health screenings on Feb. 11 at all locations with a pharmacy.

The company annnounced that from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., members and guests can receive total cholesterol, HDL, glucose, body mass index and blood-pressure tests for. During the screenings, Sam's Club pharmacies also will offer free samples of related items, the company said.

Chicago Sports Depot, a one-stop shopping destination for all things White Sox as well as other Chicago sports teams, offers consumers the ultimate in sports merchandising. The 15,000-sq.-ft. store was developed through a close collaboration between Delaware North Companies and the Chicago White Sox, with RGLA Solutions, Schiller Park, Ill., serving as the design architect.

Deerfield, Ill. -- Walgreens said its same-store sales in January fell 4.6% in the wake of its decision to stop doing business with a major  pharmacy benefits manager. A weak flu season also figured into its results.

Walgreen stopped filling prescriptions for patients in the Express Scripts network on December 31, 2011. Pharmacy same-store sales were down 7.9% in January.
 

WOONSOCKET, R.I. — CVS Caremark has announced the appointment of Larry Burton as SVP government affairs, effective Feb. 27, bringing more than 30 years of experience in strategy development, public policy and government affairs to the company.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — HSN announced that it has partnered with food lifestyle brand Bon Appetit on Tuesday, Jan. 31 for the highly successful launch of the new Bon Appetit Collection on HSN. One of the most successful culinary launches in the retailer's history, the debut of the new line of cookware, small appliances and kitchen tools resulted in more than 20,000 units being sold in one day.