Posted on February 10, 2014 by EPR Retail News Editors

Intershop and PAYONE partner to deliver e-commerce solution combining omni-channel platform with payment processing system

Kiel / Jena, Germany, 2014-2-10 — /EPR Retail News/ — PAYONE, one of the leading non-bank payment service providers in Europe, is launching a strategic partnership with Intershop Communications AG, provider of one of the world’s leading omni-channel commerce platforms, according to a joint announcement made by the companies today. Intershop, an industry pioneer, has been at the forefront of e-commerce developments since 1992 and has gained unparalleled experience in the field. The partnership will enable merchants to seamlessly integrate the PAYONE platform, which allows fully automated unified processing of e-commerce payments, into Intershop’s e-commerce platform by using a payment cartridge. PAYONE already provides full support for the new SEPA procedure.

“The partnership between Intershop and PAYONE means that two leading enterprise systems in the e-commerce market are joining forces,” says Jochen Moll, CEO of Intershop Communications AG, commenting on the cooperation between the two companies. “Our merchants and PAYONE’s customers will benefit equally from this partnership. Connecting to PAYONE, one of Europe’s leading e-commerce payment solutions, will support the international growth of our customers.”

Carl Frederic Zitscher, CEO at PAYONE, agrees that the collaboration between the two companies represents an unprecedented symbiosis on the enterprise level: “Intershop is a key player for innovative omni-channel solutions in e-commerce,” she says. “The combination with our fully automated payment platform will give e-commerce companies a solution that is perfectly geared to their projects and that will also support the international growth of their business.”

The partnership aims at providing solutions for e-commerce companies interested in upgrading their online business to a top-quality e-commerce platform – one that can be integrated into their existing IT infrastructure and affords cutting-edge payment, e-shop, mobile and cloud solutions.

The PAYONE payment cartridge is available immediately to all Intershop customers free of charge.
More information about the cooperation between PAYONE and Intershop is available now at http://www.payone.de/intershop/.

About PAYONE
PAYONE is one of the leading independent payment service providers in Europe. The modular platform offered by PAYONE is a Software as a Service (SaaS) solution designed to provide companies with fully automated and comprehensive processing for all payment transactions in e-commerce. The provided services include the handling of payments for more than 20 national and international payment methods with an integrated risk management to minimise payment defaults and fraud. Additional modules of the product allow the outsourcing of debtor and receivables management, invoicing and subscription handling. It is easy to integrate the platform into existing IT and mobile system environments via the standardised interfaces and software development kits. Extensions are available for the simple integration to e-commerce systems such as Magento, OXID eSales, Intershop, Shopware, plentymarkets and many more.

PAYONE is certified according to the highest level of the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) and complies with the most stringent security precautions for the protection of credit card data.

PAYONE GmbH & Co. KG was founded in 2002 and has more than 2,000 e-commerce customers from different industries and countries, including a variety of well-known companies such as Immonet, Globetrotter Ausrüstung, HD PLUS, Fujitsu, Zalando, Hawesko, Sony Music and Hallhuber.

About Intershop
Intershop Communications AG (founded in Germany 1992; Prime Standard: ISH2) is the leading independent provider of omni-channel commerce solutions. Intershop offers high-performance packaged software for internet sales, complemented by all necessary services including online marketing consulting. Intershop also acts as a business process outsourcing provider, covering all aspects of online retailing up to fulfillment. Around the globe more than 500 enterprise customers, including HP, BMW, Deutsche Telekom, and Mexx run Intershop solutions. Intershop is headquartered in Jena, Germany, and has offices in the United States, Europe, Australia, and China. More information about Intershop can be found online at www.intershop.com.

This news release contains forward-looking statements regarding future events or the future financial and operational performance of Intershop. Actual events or performance may differ materially from those contained or implied in such forward-looking statements. Risks and uncertainties that could lead to such difference could include, among other things: Intershop’s limited operating history, the unpredictability of future revenues and expenses and potential fluctuations in revenues and operating results, significant dependence on large single customer deals, consumer trends, the level of competition, seasonality, risks related to electronic security, possible governmental regulation, and general economic conditions.

INTERSHOP PUBLIC RELATIONS
Heide Rausch
Phone: +49 3641 50-1000
E-mail: pr@intershop.de

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Posted on February 10, 2014 by EPR Retail News Editors

American Heart Month: Giant Food offers tips to help customers get heart healthy

Landover, MD, US, 2014-2-10 — /EPR Retail News/ — In recognition of American Heart Month this February, the nutritionists at Giant are offering several tips to help customers get heart healthy. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States for both men and women. Living a healthy lifestyle, which includes eating right and avoiding foods high in saturated fat, trans fat, and cholesterol, is one of the main ways you can reduce your risk of heart disease.

“Helping our customers maintain heart health is an important priority,” says Lisa Coleman, in-store nutritionist at Giant Food. “Grocery stores are the perfect place to start, where shoppers can plan balanced meals for their families to support active lifestyles.”

Check out these tips from Giant nutritionists and try to include a couple in your daily routine this month:

Maintain a healthy weight. Become familiar with your body’s caloric needs by visiting www.choosemyplate.gov or schedule a consultation with a Giant nutritionist. Tracking your calories is easier than ever with the use of smartphone apps and fitness websites. Meet your daily calorie needs by eating a variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low fat dairy, lean proteins, and healthy fats.
An apple a day may actually keep the doctor away. Include a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables in your diet, as each color group holds its own unique benefits! By including red, orange and yellow fruits, green and purple vegetables, etc., you will be providing your body with a wide array of vitamins and minerals to help fight against heart disease. Aim for at least three servings of fruit and four or more servings of vegetables every day.
Look for lean meats. The American Heart Association recommends that adults eat no more than a total of six ounces (170 grams) of cooked lean meat, fish, shellfish or skinless poultry a day. When shopping for meat, look for the words “round” or “loin.”
Go a little nutty! Most nuts and nut butters contain a bonus of heart friendly monounsaturated fats – the kind that help balance out the good and bad cholesterol floating around in your blood. The stand-outs in the nut category for your heart health are pistachios, walnuts and almonds. Add them to salads, yogurt, oatmeal, cereal, or as a standalone snack!
Remove the salt shaker from the dinner table. Americans take in nearly double the recommended amount of sodium per day. High sodium content is often found in canned goods, frozen dinners, restaurant meals, and many other processed foods. Reduce sodium in your diet by preparing more meals at home, limiting processed foods, adding more herbs and spices to your dishes, and rinsing canned vegetables under cold water before preparing. Keep sodium under 2300 mg per day. For those with risk factors such as high blood pressure, diabetes, or kidney disease; aim for less than 1500 mg of sodium per day.
Include heart-friendly fats in your diet including omega-3 fatty acids. Research shows that these fatty acids can help lower the risk of cardiovascular disease. Include oily fish such as salmon, herring, or trout at least twice per week. Prepare these fish by grilling, baking, or broiling. Walnuts, chia seeds and flaxseed are also great sources of omega-3’s. Add grilled salmon to a salad, sprinkle flaxseed into a smoothie, or even stir a handful of walnuts into yogurt.
Trans fats are artery damagers. Trans fats are considered harmful because they increase risks for heart disease by raising both bad cholesterol levels (LDL) and lowering good cholesterol (HDL). These sneaky fats hide out under the ingredient known as “partially hydrogenated oils,” so check that ingredient list. The Nutrition Facts may declare zero trans fats if the amount is under ? gram.
Don’t forget the fiber! Soluble fiber helps to bind off circulating cholesterol in the bloodstream. Start the day with old fashioned oats or throw some beans on your salad or in your soup.

About Giant Food
Giant Food LLC, headquartered in Landover, Md., operates 170 supermarkets in Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, and the District of Columbia, and employs approximately 20,000 associates. Included within the 170 stores are 156 full-service pharmacies. Giant opened the first supermarket in the nation’s capital on February 6, 1936. Giving back to the community is a cornerstone that was instilled by the founders more than 77 years ago. The company’s core areas of giving include hunger, education, health and wellness, and supporting service members and military families. In 2012, Giant’s monetary and in-kind contributions exceeded $12 million, and the nation’s capital grocer helped partners provide 55.2 million meals. For more information on Giant, visit www.GiantFood.com.

Jamie Miller
Giant Food of Landover, MD
(301) 341-8776
jmiller@giantfood.com

Posted on February 10, 2014 by EPR Retail News Editors

Ahold repurchased 3,668,554 Ahold common shares for € 46.34 million between February 3 and 7, 2014

Zaandam, the Netherlands, 2014-2-10 — /EPR Retail News/ — Ahold has repurchased 3,668,554 Ahold common shares in the period from February 3, 2014 up to and including February 7, 2014.

The shares were repurchased at an average price of € 12.6306 per share for a total consideration of € 46.34 million. These repurchases were made as part of the € 500 million share buyback program announced on February 28, 2013 as increased by € 1.5 billion to a total amount of € 2 billion announced on June 4, 2013.

The total number of shares repurchased under this program to date is 77,672,854 common shares for a total consideration of € 981.84 million.

During the share buyback program, Ahold publishes a press release every Monday with a weekly update. Click here to view all the relevant information of these these weekly updates. Separate weekly press releases are available upon request. Please send an email to communications@ahold.com if you would like to receive one or more of these weekly releases.

Posted on February 10, 2014 by EPR Retail News Editors

Casino subsidiary Exito to acquire and operate 50 stores from the Colombian company Super Inter

Paris, France, 2014-2-10 — /EPR Retail News/ — Exito, a Casino subsidiary, announced the signing of an agreement to acquire and operate 50 stores of the Colombian company Super Inter. Exito will acquire 19 stores in 2014 and will operate the 31 remaining ones, which are subject to a call option exercisable in 2015.

Created in 1992, Super Inter is an independent retailer located in the Cali and Coffee regions, with 2013 estimated sales of around 425 M$.

This operation will consolidate Exito’s leadership in Colombia, expanding its footprint in these two regions. The transaction will also further accelerate Exito’s development in the discount format through an additional brand that will complement Exito’s current discount format Surtimax.

The transaction will be financed out of Exito’s existing cash balance resources and will be accretive to Exito’s net earnings from the first year. The execution of the transaction is subject to the approval of the Colombian antitrust authority.

ANALYST AND INVESTOR CONTACTS
Régine GAGGIOLI – Tel:+33 (0)1 53 65 64 17
rgaggioli@groupe-casino.fr
or
+33 (0)1 53 65 64 18
IR_Casino@groupe-casino.fr

GROUP EXTERNAL COMMUNICATION DEPARTMENT
PRESS CONTACT
Aziza BOUSTER
Tel: +33 (0)1 53 65 24 78
Mob: +33 (0)6 08 54 28 75
abouster@groupe-casino.fr

Posted on February 10, 2014 by EPR Retail News Editors

Philippines: SM Cinema unveiled Director’s Club Cinema and IMAX Theatre in the newest expansion of SM Megamall in Ortigas – the Mega Fashion Hall

Manila, Philippines, 2014-2-10 — /EPR Retail News/ — SM Cinema, the largest cinema exhibitor in the country to date, unveiled a Director’s Club Cinema and an IMAX Theatre in the newest expansion of SM Megamall in Ortigas—the Mega Fashion Hall—last January 26, 2014. The Mega Fashion Hall—a high-end wing which will house trendy, global brands from food to retail–will make an apt location for Director’s Club Cinema and IMAX Theatre; the two cinemas boast of sophisticated and world-class facility and service.

Director’s Club Cinema is an intimate, deluxe theatre specializing in above par personalized service for every movie-lover. Equipped with superb projection equipment and the latest technology in digital surround sound, Director’s Club Cinema has first rate acoustics and a crystal-clear digital screen. Just like a regular cinema for every movie goer but well-appointed and elegant, Director’s Club Cinema employs comfortable reclining chairs and offers delicious eats to accompany movie-watching served by trained in-house butlers. The concept of Director’s Club Cinema is also being applied in theatres in the United States and such cinema facilities have become a luxe fad for American movie-goers.

While other Director’s Club Cinema branches offer 30-50 seater theatres, the Director’s Club Cinema at SM Megamall will have 56 chairs while maintaining the exclusive, intimate ambiance. This branch of Director’s Club Cinema is also the biggest of its kind in the country.

The IMAX Theatre in SM Megamall, on the other hand, is the eighth IMAX theatre to open in the Philippines. Perfectly situated within a bustling business district, the IMAX Theatre in SM Megamall features 472 seats with provisions for PWDs. IMAX is designed to fill one’s field of vision and engulf one in cinematic surround-sound so powerful it is almost tangible. The screen is several times larger than a standard theatre screen and is slightly curved with seats angled, allowing audience to have an unobstructed view of the movie screening.

To know more about Director’s Club Cinema and IMAX Theatre, check out the following official SNS pages:

Director’s Club Cinema
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/directorsclubcinema
Twitter: @directorsclub_
Instagram: @Directorsclubcinema

IMAX Theatre
Facebook: www.facebook.com/IMAXSMCinema

Twitter: IMAX_SMCinema
To know more about SM Cinema, visit www.smcinema.com or call 470-2222.

Posted on February 10, 2014 by EPR Retail News Editors

Kesko Corporation: 85,067 new company B shares subscribed for with Kesko’s 2007C options

Helsinki, Finland, 2014-2-10 — /EPR Retail News/ — By 24 January 2014, a total of 85,067 new company B shares had been subscribed for with the 2007C options based on Kesko Corporation’s 2007 option scheme. The subscribed shares have today been entered in the Trade Register. The whole subscription price of €1,041,220.08 is recorded in the company’s reserve of invested non-restricted equity. As a result of the subscriptions, the number of the company’s B shares has risen to 68,180,753. The new B shares will be available for public trading on NASDAQ OMX Helsinki together with the old B shares from Tuesday, 11 February 2014.

By 24 January 2014, a total of 85,067 new B shares had been subscribed for with 2007C options. The share subscription price with 2007C options is €12.24.

After the subscriptions, the total number of company shares has risen to 99,917,760, of which 31,737,007 are A shares and 68,180,753 are B shares. Each A share carries ten votes and each B share one vote. After the subscriptions, the number of votes carried by the company shares is 385,550,823. The new B shares carry the right to dividend and other shareholder rights with effect from today.

The options are based on the resolution on the 2007 option scheme passed by the company’s Annual General Meeting on 26 March 2007. Three units with an equal number of shares, i.e. 2007A, 2007B and 2007C, or an aggregate of 3,000,000 options have been issued under the scheme. One option entitles its holder to subscribe for one company B share during the subscription period, which is 1 April 2012-30 April 2014 for 2007C options. The share subscription periods for 2007A and 2007B options have expired earlier.

2007C options can be exercised to subscribe for 392,792 more new B shares.

The terms and conditions of the 2007 option scheme can be read on Kesko’s website at www.kesko.fi. The terms and conditions of the option scheme were also published in a stock exchange release on 26 March 2007.

Further information is available from Corporate Counsel Saara Rautanen, telephone +358 105 322 602.

Kesko Corporation

Merja Haverinen
Vice President, Corporate Communications

DISTRIBUTION
NASDAQ OMX Helsinki
Main news media
www.kesko.fi

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Posted on February 10, 2014 by EPR Retail News Editors

Sainsbury’s offers movie fans the first ever Video on Demand film and eBook ‘bundle’ on the release of Captain Phillips movie

London, UK, 2014-2-10 — /EPR Retail News/ — From Monday 10 February until 16 February Sainsbury’s is offering movie fans the first ever Video on Demand film and eBook ‘bundle’ on the release of hit movie Captain Phillips, which is expected to be the most popular film of the week.

Customers who download the film from Sainsbury’s Entertainment for the special price of £9.99 will automatically receive a voucher to download a free eBook of A Captain’s Duty, which originally inspired the film.

Captain Phillips tells the enthralling and harrowing true-life story of MV Maersk Alabama, a US cargo ship hijacked by Somali pirates in 2009. The film grossed over $214m at the worldwide box office and drew considerable critical praise.

This ‘bundling’ of a downloadable video and eBook is the first offer of its kind, made possible by the fact that Sainsbury’s is alone among UK retailers in offering a full-range of on-demand entertainment.

Tim Lennox, managing director at eBooks by Sainsbury’s said: “Whenever a major feature film based on a book is released naturally lots of people want to read the book that inspired it. Historically there have been special tie-in editions of individual books, but the speed and convenience of digital downloads now make it possible to bundle the film and the book together for one great price. We’re delighted to be the first UK retailer to offer multi-format entertainment in this way.”

Captain Phillips can be streamed or downloaded to PC and iOS devices and used on up to five different devices. The eBook of A Captain’s Duty is available for most smartphones and tablets.

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Sainsbury’s offers movie fans the first ever Video on Demand film and eBook ‘bundle’ on the release of Captain Phillips movie

Posted on February 10, 2014 by EPR Retail News Editors

Sainsbury’s introduces Vini & Bal’s rustic Indian curry sauces

London, UK, 2014-2-10 — /EPR Retail News/ — Sainsbury’s is introducing the new Vini & Bal’s rustic Indian curry sauces; an award-winning range of fresh, chilled Punjabi spice blend bases allowing food lovers to create authentic, fresh tasting Indian cuisine from the comfort of their own kitchen.

There are four flavours available – Tharka, Fiery Mirchi, Jeera and Shahi – From mild to flaming hot, each variety provides a different level of heat so they can be enjoyed by everyone, whether they’re a curry connoisseur or trying Indian cooking for the first time.

The brand takes its name from founders Vini and Bal Aujla, a husband and wife team inspired by traditional recipes passed down from their families. They created the range to allow British households to experience real Indian cooking with authentic flavours of the Punjab region which they enjoyed growing up.

Each sauce comes in a convenient re-sealable tub providing a deeply flavoured, richly spiced foundation for classic curry recipes. They are also great stirred into soups, used as a seasoning for stews or casseroles, a marinade for meat or a topping for toast or a sandwich filling.

All four sauces are vegetarian and gluten-free with absolutely no artificial colours, flavours or preservatives, incorporating ingredients such as rapeseed oil, which is traditionally used throughout India and contains healthy Omegas 3, 6 & 9 and essential fatty acids.

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Authentic fresh curry bases in four mouth-watering varieties.

Posted on February 10, 2014 by EPR Retail News Editors

Wincor Nixdorf to demonstrate new omnichannel and mobile strategies at EuroShop 2014

Paderborn, Germany, 2014-2-10 — /EPR Retail News/ — Wincor Nixdorf is demonstrating at EuroShop 2014 how retail businesses can easily and cost-effectively implement new omnichannel and mobile strategies to drive sales and operation efficiency and enhance the customer experience. The company’s solutions increase employee efficiency and business performance to ultimately improve the shopping experience for customers throughout all points of interaction.

On display in Hall 6 at the company’s booth (A76) are several innovative solutions including the tablet-based BEETLE mobile POS system. The device takes mobile payments and customer information directly to the sales floor and can link to back-office systems to carry out administrative tasks such as stocktaking or inventory ordering. The BEETLE mobile POS solution also has the flexibility to operate as a fully functioning stationary POS terminal, when locked into its purpose-built docking unit and POS device hub.

The newly released Aevi solution portfolio represents the culmination of all Wincor Nixdorf’s experience and know-how in the area of cashless payment transaction processing. The portfolio includes Aevi Pay, Aevi Money and Aevi Marketplace, which together provide a one-stop integrated ecosystem for cashless payment processing. Jointly with the BEETLE mobile POS solution, Wincor Nixdorf provides an End-to-End mobile POS solution for larger retailers. EuroShop visitors will also have an opportunity to see Wincor Nixdorf’s new “Albert” multifunctional, Android-based payment tablet – the first such device with an integrated card reader, receipt printer, and touchscreen module for encrypted PIN entry (Touch EPP).

Crucial to an omnichannel strategy is software – which Wincor Nixdorf delivers to meet the highest performance standards. The company is offering a sneak preview of its forthcoming TP.net 5.5 as new release of its current TP Application Suite. The release includes advanced features for optimizing the mapping and controlling of all omnichannel processes.

At EuroShop, Wincor Nixdorf is also showcasing its latest generation of point of sale systems: The BEETLE /iPOS plus, with its elegant all-in-one design and intuitive multitouch user interface, continues the company’s strong tradition of delivering proven POS solutions. And the VESA-compatible mounting system allows the BEETLE /iPOS plus to be used not only as a desktop but also as a wall or pole-mounted system.

Further EuroShop highlights include Wincor Nixdorf’s reverse vending recycling solutions and the ADA II-compliant BEETLE /iSCAN EASY hybrid self-checkout as well as the Cash Cycle Management solutions including the new mass-coin and the safebag systems that expands the existing portfolio. The company is also showing retailers how to add value to customer transactions through innovative loyalty, dynamic couponing and advertising solutions.

With Store Lifecycle Management, Wincor Nixdorf offers stores of large national and international retailers a globally standardized solution approach consisting of hardware, software and services that can be ordered as an all-in IT service. During the entire store lifecycle – from store openings in existing or as yet untapped markets to their operation and renovation to deconstruction or the retreat from unprofitable markets – Store Lifecycle Management supports retailers through consulting, project management and the installation and operation of IT systems and infrastructures.

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Posted on February 10, 2014 by EPR Retail News Editors

Russia’s largest retailer OJSC “Magnit” announces 25.22% retail sales growth in January 2014

Krasnodar, Russia, 2014-2-10 — /EPR Retail News/ — OJSC “Magnit”, Russia’s largest retailer (the “Company”; MICEX and LSE: MGNT) announces 25.22% retail sales growth in rubles for January 2014.

During January 2014 the Company opened (net) 36 stores. The total store base reached 8,129 stores (7,234 convenience stores, 161 hypermarkets, 46 “Magnit Family” stores and 688 cosmetics stores).

Preliminary consolidated unaudited net retail revenue (excl. VAT) in January 2014 increased by 25.22% in ruble terms (compared to January 2013) and stood at 51,665.46 million rubles.

Sergey Galitskiy, the Company’s CEO, provided the following comment on the published results:

“Despite significantly lower food inflation in January 2014 (1.0% according to Rosstat) compared to January 2013 (1.8% according to Rosstat), sales growth in the first month of this year conforms to our guidance”.

For further information, please contact:

Timothy Post Director, Investor Relations
Email: post@gw.tander.ru
Office: +7-861-277-4554 x7600
Mobile: +7-961-511-7678
Direct Line: +7-861-277-4562

Dina Svishcheva Deputy Director, Investor Relations
Email: Chistyak@gw.tander.ru
Office: +7-861-277-45-54 x5101
Mobile: +7-961-511-0202
Direct Line: +7-861-277-4562

Company description:
Magnit is Russia’s largest retailer. Founded in 1994, the company is headquartered in the southern Russian city of Krasnodar. As of December 31, 2013, Magnit operated 22 distribution centers and over 8,000 stores (7,200 convenience, 207 hypermarkets, and 686 cosmetics) in more than 1,868 cities and towns throughout 7 federal regions of the Russian Federation.

In accordance with the unaudited IFRS management accounts for 2013, Magnit had revenues of $18,202 million USD and an EBITDA of $2,032 million USD. Magnit’s local shares are traded on the Moscow Stock Exchange (MICEX: MGNT) and its GDRs on the London Stock Exchange (LSE: MGNT) and it has a credit rating from Standard & Poor’s of BB. Measured by market capitalization, Magnit is now Europe’s 2nd largest retailer.

January 2014 Key Operating and Financial Highlights

Posted on February 10, 2014 by EPR Retail News Editors

Russia’s largest retailer Magnit opens the 47th “Magnit Family” store

Krasnodar, Russia, 2014-2-10 — /EPR Retail News/ — OJSC “Magnit”, Russia’s largest retailer (the “Company”; MICEX and LSE: MGNT), is pleased to announce the opening of the 47th “Magnit Family” store.

Please be informed that on February 8, 2014 the Company has opened its 47th “Magnit Family” store located at 62, Sovetskaya street, Bugulma, Republic of Tatarstan, Volga federal district. Assortment of the store consists of about 5,300 SKUs, out of which about 89% are food items. There are 13 cash desks installed in the sales area. The outlet is owned by the Company. The hypermarket is open 7 days a week from 9 am to10 pm.

For further information, please contact:

Timothy Post
Director, Investor Relations
Email: post@gw.tander.ru
Office: +7-861-277-4554 x7600
Mobile: +7-961-511-7678
Direct Line: +7-861-277-4562

Dina Svishcheva
Deputy Director, Investor Relations
Email: Chistyak@gw.tander.ru
Office: +7-861-277-4554 x5101
Mobile: +7-961-511-0202
Direct Line: +7-861-277-4562

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