News Briefs

In an unexpected move, the chief executive of Walmex has exited the company. 

Walmart de México y Centroamérica (Walmex) said that Ignacio Caride submitted his resignation as president, CEO and as a member of the board, effective Aug. 1. The board has appointed Cristian Barrientos Pozo, president and CEO of Walmart Chile, as interim CEO while the company conducts a search for a permanent successor. Pozo previously served as senior VP of operations at Walmart de Mexico. 

Caride joined Walmex in 2018 as VP of e-commerce, and was named leader of omnichannel operations in January 2023. He was appointed CEO in April 2024. No reason was given for his resignation.

“We are proud of everything we have accomplished together and thank him for the way he has evolved the omnichannel shopping experience for our customers and members,” the company stated.

Pozo began his retail career as a wine buyer with Walmart Chile, and has served in roles of increasing responsibility during his 26-year career. In addition to naming him interim CEO, the board approved the provisional appointment of Pozo as a board member.

Walmex operates in six countries: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico and Nicaragua. It has more than 4,000 stores and clubs, as well as 32 distribution centers in the region.

Walmart is going on tour.

The retail giant has transformed five of its delivery trucks into experiential experiences that will stop at a wide range of events, from concerts to conventions to marathons and more, and city parks. The trucks are packed with interactive experiences, customizable giveaways and a curated assortment of items that visitors might not expect Walmart to have. All items are shoppable via QR code on Walmart.com or the app.

The “Walmart Delivers” tour is designed to bring the retailer's new "Who Knew?" campaign to life. (Launched in June, the campaign challenges consumer perceptions about Walmart and emphasizes the breadth of its merchandise and services.) Full-service agency Giant Spoon designed and executed the five-truck activation and tour stops from the ground up.

The first stop on the tour, which will run through early November, first stop, was on Saturday, Aug. 2, at KCON LA, a celebration of Korean music and culture and one of the largest U.S.-based K-pop events of the year. The next stop is scheduled for Aug. 9, at the Teddy Swims concert in Irving, Texas. (For a complete list of stops and more information, click here.)

Walmart Delivers will appear in ten major cities through November 2025, including New York City, Washington D.C., Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Phoenix and Tampa. 

Footwear giant Caleres has added a luxury brand to its portfolio.

The company, whose brands include Famous Footwear, Sam Edelman, Allen Edmonds, Naturalizer and more, has closed on the acquisition of Stuart Weitzman from Tapestry Inc. for $120.2 million. (Excluding cash received at the closing, the net purchase price was $108.7 million. )

Jonathan Lelonek, who joined Stuart Weitzman in 2012 and most recently served as senior VP of global wholesale, has been named Stuart Weitzman brand president. 

“We are honored to welcome Stuart Weitzman to Caleres as our newest lead brand and to congratulate Jonathan on his appointment as brand president,” said Jay Schmidt, president and CEO of Caleres. “With the addition of Stuart Weitzman, our brand portfolio segment will represent nearly half of our total revenue going forward.”

The deal, which was announced in February, will allow Tapestry to focus on its two remaining brands — Coach and Kate Space — while accelerating the growth of Caleres’ brand portfolio. Tapestry acquired Stuart Weitzman in 2015 from Sycamore Partners. The deal was valued at $574 million.

Stuart Weitzman generated trailing 12-month sales of approximately $220 million and has a strong presence in North America, Europe and Asia across both wholesale and direct-to-consumer channels. Caleres said it expects to leverage its capabilities and expertise in footwear to return the brand to profitability after a period of transition and integration through the balance of this fiscal year.

“As we integrate this iconic brand, we remain committed to preserving the artistry, quality and renowned fit at the brand’s core,” said Schmidt.

(Photo: The iconic Stuart Weitzman "Nudist" sandal)

A platform designed to empower parents with instant access to vetted experts and support is teaming up with Target.

Tot Squad has acquired Gugu Guru’s concierge training program, “Gugu Concierge,” giving the platform access to proprietary training content and tools designed to certify “registry consultants” and elevate the in-store and online experience for families nationwide. 

Tot Squad said the acquisition will support its growing partnership with Target as the two brands roll out a “first-of-its-kind” Baby Concierge program. As of August 1st, Tot Squad’s trained experts will guide Target customers online through registry creation and product recommendations, answering all of their questions about baby gear essentials and services.  

Also, in mid-September, 15 Target stores across Los Angeles and Minneapolis  will roll out out the “Target Baby Concierge Program,” according to Tot Squad.

“At Tot Squad, we believe every parent deserves peace of mind when preparing for their baby,” said Jen Saxton, CEO of Tot Squad. “By bringing the pioneering Gugu Concierge training into our fold, we’re able to offer a robust certification program for registry consultants, ensuring that parents get trusted advice and a stress-free registry experience.”

Gugu Guru was launched in 2015 as a platform for helping expectant parents navigate the overwhelming world of baby products powered by its innovative and proprietary registry quiz. From 2015-2022, the company helped thousands of parents build personalized registries based on their unique lifestyles, i

"We launched Gugu Concierge to simplify the baby registry journey for parents with personalized, expert support,” said Monica Banks, founder of Gugu Guru. “I’m thrilled that Tot Squad and Target will build on that original vision and continue this program, while Gugu Guru continues on its new journey to help mom-founded brands find the right creators to support their growing businesses.”

[READ MORE: Survey: Most Buybuy Baby shoppers will switch to Target — across all categories]

 Tot Squad also has been partnering with Walmart since 2022.

Publix reported robust sales and earnings for its second quarter.

The grocer reported net earnings of $1.4 billion for the quarter ended June 28, compared to $972 million in the year-ago period. Earnings per share for the quarter increased to $0.42 per share, up from $0.29 per share in the prior year. Adjusted earnings would have been $0.32 per share, compared to $0.29 per share in 2024.

Sales rose 7.3% to $15.6 billion. Comparable store sales for the period increased 6%. Publix’s sales for the six months ended June 28 were $31.4 billion, a 6.2% increase over last year.

Effective Aug. 1, Publix’s stock price increased from $20.20 per share to $21.15 per share. (The grocer's stock is not publicly traded and is made available for sale only to current Publix associates and members of its board of directors.)

“Next month, we will celebrate Publix’s 95th anniversary,” said Publix CEO Kevin Murphy. “I’m proud our associates continue to deliver on the vision our founder had when he started this special company.”

[READ MORE: Grocery spending remains steady, consumers to cut back elsewhere]

Based in Lakeland, Fla., Publix is the largest employee-owned company in the U.S. with more than 260,000 associates. It currently operates 1,413 stores in Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia and Kentucky.

The Home Depot Inc. is widening the range of advertisers that can target its shoppers and partnering with Yahoo to improve ad relevance.

Home Depot initially launched a retail media network in 2018 and then upgraded it to the new Orange Apron Media offering in March 2024. According to the retailer, its retail media network has become the largest home improvement offering of its kind, providing suppliers with managed service and self-service media buying opportunities on owned and offsite media channels. 

[READ MORE: EXCLUSIVE: Home Depot builds retail media network around DIY needs]

The retailer has focused Orange Apron Media on seamlessly integrating retail media offerings into its partner advertisers’ digital strategies through owned and offsite channels, and digital screen testing in select stores.

Home Depot has started working with non-endemic brands (companies that do not sell products via the retailer) across categories like financial services, home security, insurance, automotive, and travel to help them understand lifestyle insights of its customers for more precise targeting without needing to be on the shelf. 

Orange Apron integrates with Yahoo ConnectID

In September 2024, Home Depot partnered with retail media technology provider Pentaleap Inc. to deliver ads that align more closely with shopper needs by highlighting the right products at the right time. 

The retailer is now integrating Orange Apron Media with Yahoo ConnectID, a Yahoo Demand Side Platform (DSP) solution which enables ad tech platforms to recognize and match users across the open web in a secure manner that protects consumer privacy. As a result, Home Depot says Orange Apron advertisers will be better able to get access to the right shoppers at the right time, without relying on cookies or third-party shortcuts, to deliver more relevant ads.