News Briefs

Walgreens is opening a new facility to streamline the fulfillment of prescription medications.

In an email to Chain Store Age, the pharmacy giant said it is adding to its existing network of 12 robotic micro-fulfillment centers spread across the U.S. with the opening of a new facility in West Jordan, Utah. The micro-fulfillment center (MFC) will support nearly 96 Walgreens stores across the region, including 48 in Utah, by automating prescription dispensing.

Micro-fulfillment centers are a network of facilities using robotic technology in a central pharmacy environment in an effort to more efficiently dispense and ship prescriptions to Walgreens locations nationwide. The West Jordan facility brings Walgreens’ total MFC count to 13 across the U.S. that support more than 5,000 stores and fulfill approximately 18 million prescriptions nationwide per month. 

"Walgreens is focused on reimagining pharmacy operations to meet the needs of today’s patients and tomorrow’s healthcare landscape," said Jon Joplin, VP/CTO, Walgreens. "Our growing network of micro-fulfillment centers is a key step in building a more resilient and efficient system that empowers our teams and enables deeper support for our communities.

Its opening follows the May 2025 launch of a Walgreens MFC in Brooklyn Park, Minn. Walgreens initially launched its prescription micro-fulfillment program in 2021 at an automated facility in the Dallas area specifically focused on rapid fulfillment of customer prescription orders.

[READ MORE: Robots help Walgreens fill prescriptions in micro-fulfillment hubs]

Headquartered in Deerfield, Ill., Walgreens operates approximately 8,500 stores throughout the U.S. and Puerto Rico, as well as a number of omnichannel platforms. 

A California-based Nashville hot chicken franchise is expanding its footprint into two Southwestern states.

Angry Chickz will open 25 new locations in Texas and New Mexico over the next five years. The expansion will span 11 new markets, including the Dallas–Fort Worth and Austin areas, western Texas, and Albuquerque (see full list at end of article). The first restaurant is slated to open in 2026.

“This is a major step for us,” said Mike LaRue, VP of franchise development for Angry Chickz. “We’ve been hearing from fans in Texas and New Mexico for years asking us to come to their community, and now we’ve found the right partners to make it happen. They understand the bold flavor, the high energy and the insane fire that define Angry Chickz.”

Founded in 2018 in East Los Angeles, Angry Chickz now operates 33 restaurants across California, Nevada and Arizona. The brand says its expansion plans solidify its position as a “major contender” in the booming hot chicken category.

[READ MORE: Dave's Hot Chicken tests drone delivery program]

“It’s all about momentum,” added LaRue. “Simple, flavorful food that connects fast — that’s the Angry Chickz effect.”

Angry Chickz will open locations in the following cities:

• Dallas–Fort Worth
• Austin
• Longview
• Wichita Falls
• San Angelo
• Amarillo
• Lubbock
• Midland–Odessa
• Abilene
• Sweetwater
• Albuquerque

Amazon is in discussions with a longtime partner about the path going forward.

The online giant said it is discussions with the U.S. Postal Service about its future relationship and considering its options before its current contract expires, reported Reuters. The current agreement between the two parties expires in October 2026. 

Under the current agreement, Amazon accounts for roughly 7.5% of the agency’s revenue in 2025, according to The Washington Post, which also said that Amazon was considering cutting ties with the USPS. But in e-mailed remarks to Chain Store Age, Amazon said that, from the start, "we have disagreed with the framing of the Washington Post’s piece."

"It's not our plans to cut ties with the USPS— in fact it's the opposite," Amazon told Chain Store Age. "Without a doubt, our goal is to continue working with the USPS, as we have done for the past 30+ years and are going to continue to push to reach an agreement."

According to the Post report, new Postmaster General David Steiner plans to hold a reverse auction in early 2026 that might create more competition within the Post Office for Amazon's business by offering access to postal facilities to the highest bidder, rather than directly to Amazon. It would make the company compete with national retail brands and regional shipping firms.

Amazon provided Chain Store Age with full statement it provided to the Post. It is below.

"The USPS is a longstanding and trusted partner and we remain committed to working together," said Steve Kelly, Amazon spokesperson. "We’ve continued to discuss ways to extend our partnership that would increase our spend with them, and we look forward to hearing more from them soon — with the goal of extending our relationship that started more than 30 years ago. We were surprised to hear they want to run an auction after nearly a year of negotiations, so we still have a lot to work through. Given the change of direction and the uncertainty it adds to our delivery network, we're evaluating all of our options that would ensure we can continue to deliver for our customers."

A pet retail franchise is responding to high usage of mobile devices by its customers.

Michigan-based Pet Supplies Plus is rolling out its first mobile app, as well as expanded gift card services. The app enables customers to directly shop, schedule grooming appointments, and redeem rewards directly from their mobile device. 

According to the retailer, a majority of its customers digitally engage with it via mobile device. Specific features of the new app include biometric login that eliminates the need for passwords, an interface that has been streamlined from its mobile browser experience, real-time push notifications on information such as order statuses, and real-time conversion of rewards points into coupons for redemption at the POS.

"We wanted to give our customers an even more convenient way to shop Pet Supplies Plus right at their fingertips," said Chris Rowland, CEO of Pet Supplies Plus and Wag N’ Wash. "The app mirrors the full capabilities of our website in a more user-friendly format, giving customers more time to enjoy what matters most: their pets. Even when they interact with our brand online, customers will be pleased to know they are supporting a locally owned and operated business."

[READ MORE: Pet Supplies Plus, Wag N'Wash join Grubhub marketplace]

Expanded gift card services

Pet Supplies Plus gift cards can now be purchased online and delivered electronically or shipped directly to a customer home, and they can now also be used for online purchases. Available in more than 1,000 Kroger and Kroger-affiliate locations, the gift cards will continue to expand to additional retailers in the coming year. 

"Our customers have been asking for an enhanced gift card option, and we wanted to deliver," said Nick Russo, chief development officer of Pet Supplies Plus and Wag N’ Wash. 

Raimondo served as Secretary of Commerce for President Joe Biden’s full term, from 2021 to 2025. (The Commerce Department oversees U.S. trade policy.) Prior to that, she served as the governor of Rhode Island from 2015 to 2021. Before entering politics, Raimondo worked in venture capital.  

The announcement comes days after Costco filed a lawsuit seeking a refund of the extensive tariffs it has paid on imported goods, should the Supreme Court rule them illegal. 

“We are very pleased to nominate Secretary Raimondo for election to our board,” said Hamilton (Tony) James, chairman. “Her vast experience in global business, politics and international security at the highest level will add an important dimension to our current expertise. We look forward to her contributions.”

Raimondo’s nomination to Costco’s board will be voted on during the company’s shareholder meeting in January.

Costco currently operates 921 warehouses, including 633 in the United States and Puerto Rico, 112 in Canada, 42 in Mexico, 37 in Japan, 29 in the United Kingdom, 20 in Korea, 15 in Australia, 14 in Taiwan, seven in China, five in Spain, three in France, two in Sweden, and one each in Iceland and New Zealand. It also operates e-commerce sites in the U.S., Canada, the U.K., Mexico, Korea, Taiwan, Japan and Australia.

Target Corp. is testing a new way to speed up delivery of online orders, according to media reports.

The discount giant is said to be running a next-day delivery pilot in Cleveland that involves a dedicated sortation center and freelance delivery drivers. Gurufocus, following up on initial reporting by the Wall Street Journal, reports that Target is testing the service as its e-commerce sales are improving despite overall falling revenues and Amazon and Walmart are both ramping up efforts to get deliveries to customers within minutes.

Target piloted the concept of sortation centers —  which streamline the process of fulfilling and delivering online orders, removing the sorting process from the backroom of stores — in April 2021 with a pilot in its Minneapolis hometown.

[READ MORE: Target tests new process for faster order delivery]

In a recent email to Chain Store Age, the retailer said it has opened a 40,000-sq.-ft. sortation center that will enable next-day delivery of online orders in the Cleveland metro area. Opened in time for the holidays, the facility is a three-year trial of a sortation center model in which last-mile delivery is only activated by Target’s Shipt delivery subsidiary.

It is unclear if Target is using this facility to support overnight deliveries in Cleveland or has opened a separate local hub for them. Meanwhile, Amazon is piloting delivery in 30 minutes or less in the Seattle and Philadelphia markets via its Amazon Now ultrafast delivery service.

In addition, Walmart is expanding ultrafast drone delivery that fulfills orders in as little as five minutes to metro Atlanta. Walmart also offers ultrafast drone delivery in Dallas and Northwest Arkansas, with plans to roll it out in Florida, Georgia, and North Carolina by 2026.