Daily Archives: December 1, 2015

Posted on by

Autmaring GmbH to take over Wincor Nixdorf’s Toolmaking unit in Paderborn

Employees to be taken over

Paderborn, GERMANY, 2015-12-1 — /EPR Retail News/ — The Paderborn-based Autmaring GmbH will take over the Toolmaking unit, which has been part of Wincor Nixdorf’s production operations in Paderborn. The two companies signed an agreement to that effect on November 26, 2015. Under it, Autmaring GmbH will soon continue running the Toolmaking unit at its current location and take over the around 70 Wincor Nixdorf employees who work there.

Wincor Nixdorf has given Autmaring GmbH promises as regards capacity utilization; in return, the new owner will guarantee protection against redundancy for a limited period of time. The unit is to be transferred effective January 1, 2016. “Taking over a functioning toolmaking unit complements our activities ideally, since we can now produce the tools for our plastic and aluminum injection molding on our own and have laid the foundation for expanding our business further,” said Albinus Autmaring, sole Managing Director of Autmaring GmbH. The company now sees itself as well prepared to achieve its intention of expanding business in the field of injection molding tools. “We are aware of the high quality of toolmaking at Wincor Nixdorf and are counting on the employees and their know-how over the long term.”

As part of its restructuring program, Wincor Nixdorf had announced a fundamental readjustment of its hardware strategy. Whereas it is pressing ahead with expanding software and IT services, there are adjustments in the hardware sector. In view of that, it has begun reducing production capacities. The objective of the adjustments in hardware business is to be able to respond better to market fluctuations, while retaining a high level of innovativeness.

Jörn Förster, Head of Business Administration at Supply Chain at Wincor Nixdorf, stated: “It’s good news that we’ve found a cost-effective concept with the positive solution for our colleagues that toolmaking will be retained completely at the Paderborn location.” He added that the sale also ensured Wincor Nixdorf would have a long-term strategic supplier in the field of toolmaking.

Autmaring GmbH, which is headquartered in Paderborn, has been a long partner and supplier to Wincor Nixdorf. The group operates in the field of services and engineering and currently has around 250 employees. Autmaring will incorporate the Toolmaking unit in the group as an independent company called Autmaring Engineering Werkzeugbau GmbH.

Press Contact

Press/Financial Press

Andreas Bruck
Head of Corporate Communications
Phone: +49 5251 693 5200
E-Mail: andreas.bruck@wincor-nixdorf.com

Press/Trade Press

Dr. Thomas Daubenbüchel
Head of Press and Editorial Office
Phone: +49 5251 693 5212
E-Mail: thomas.daubenbuechel@wincor-nixdorf.com
Ulrich Nolte
Phone: +49 5251 693 5211
E-Mail: ulrich.nolte@wincor-nixdorf.com

Trade Press

Claudia Wendorff-Goerge
Phone: +49 5251 693 5203
E-Mail: claudia.wendorff-goerge@wincor-nixdorf.com

SOURCE: Wincor Nixdorf

Posted on by

2015 Costa Short Story Award voting now open

  • Over 1000 entries received
  • Submissions were judged anonymously
  • Winner to be voted for by public on Costa Book Awards website and announced at Costa Book Awards ceremony
  • Voting opens today and closes at midday on Wednesday 13th January 2016

LONDON, 2015-12-1 — /EPR Retail News/ — Monday 30th November 2015: Voting has opened today for the 2015 Costa Short Story Award, an Award launched in 2012 for a single short story, run in association with the Costa Book Awards but judged independently of the main five-category system.

The general public is now invited to vote for its favourite from the shortlist of six stories which can be downloaded either to read or listen to from the Costa Book Awards website.

Over 1000 entries were received to the competition which is now in its fourth year. Open to both published and unpublished writers, the Award is for a single, previously unpublished short story of up to 4,000 words, written in English by an author aged 18 years or over.

All entries were judged anonymously (ie without the identity of the author being available to the judges) by a panel comprising author Raffaella Barker; Richard Beard, Director of the National Academy of Writing; Fanny Blake, novelist, journalist and Books Editor of Woman & Home magazine; Sarah Franklin, founder of Short Stories Aloud and Senior Lecturer in Publishing at Oxford Brookes University and Simon Trewin, agent at William Morris Endeavor.

The judges have selected the following six stories which are now available to read and listen to atwww.costabookawards.com. They are:

Fallen: A logging accident takes a man’s arm. The only woman living in camp gathers with the loggers to mark the loss.

Gerardo Dreams of Chillies: Gerardo smoked as the truck hurtled towards the outskirts of Puebla. He dreamed as he smoked. He dreamed of chillies.

Rogey:Our lives unfold in stories, their meaning revealed at the last, in their endings. And Rogey’s story? And me?

The Night Office: All days are broken into prayers, and the Night Office is the darkest. One nun looks for light.

To William Burroughs from his wife: Cult writer William Burroughs shot his wife Joan Vollmer in Mexico City in September 1951. This is her story.

Watching the Storms Roll In: We watch the storm coming in, you and I; the bubbling black clouds and the faint growl of thunder.

The identities of the authors will be revealed after public voting closes on 13th January and the winning author and two runners-up will be announced at the Costa Book Awards ceremony on Tuesday 26th January 2016, when the winner will receive a cheque for £3,500 and the authors in second and third place will receive £1,000 and £500 respectively.

“This year’s competition has produced another brilliant selection of stories,” commented Jim Slater, Managing Director, Costa UK and Ireland. “We hope people will enjoy reading – and listening to them – on our website and most importantly, voting for their favourite. The 2015 winner is in the public’s hands!”

Previous winners of the Award include writer and poet, Angela Readman, from Newcastle (2013) whose debut short story collection, Don’t Try This At Home, was published in May 2015 by & Other Stories; and former prison manager and now full-time writer, Avril Joy, from Witton-le-Wear in Bishop Auckland (2012).

Avril Joy’s winning 2012 Costa Short Story Award entry, Millie and Bird, was chosen to appear in The Story, Love, Loss and the Lives of Women, 100 short stories selected by novelist Victoria Hislop and published by Head of Zeus in 2013. She has also since published an e-book, From Writing with Love.

The 2014 winner, writer and PhD student Zoe Gilbert from Sydenham Hill, South-East London, received a story commission from Comma Press and been invited to contribute a story to Birkbeck’s Mechanics’ Institute Review since winning the competition. She is currently completing her first collection of short stories as well as a PhD in Creative Writing.

The Costa Book Awards is the only major UK book prize that is open solely to authors resident in the UK and Ireland and also, uniquely, recognises the most enjoyable books across five categories – First Novel, Novel, Biography, Poetry and Children’s Book – published in the last year. Originally established by Whitbread PLC in 1971, Costa announced its takeover of the sponsorship of the UK’s prestigious and popular book prize in 2006.

For more information on this year’s Costa Book Awards, go to www.costabookawards.com.

-ENDS-

Founded in London by Italian brothers Sergio and Bruno Costa in 1971, Costa is the UK’s favourite coffee shop, having been awarded “Best Branded Coffee Shop Chain in the UK and Ireland” by Allegra Strategies for five years running (2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 & November 2014).

With over 1,999 coffee shops in the UK and more than 1,168 shops in 30 overseas markets, Costa has diversified into both the at-home and gourmet self-serve markets. There are now more than 4,275 Costa Express self-serve machines in the UK.

In the UK Costa employs over 16,000 people and creates around 1,500 jobs each year.

Costa is committed to looking after coffee-growers. That’s why we’ve established The Costa Foundation, a registered charity. The Costa Foundation’s aims are to relieve poverty, advance education and the health and environment of coffee-growing communities around the world. So far, The Costa Foundation has funded the building of 46 schools and improved the social and economic welfare of coffee-growing communities.

Press Office

Press Contact
PRIMARY CONTACT: For media enquiries only
CostaTeam@OneGreenBean.com
0207 017 1015
Media enquiries for Costa Coffee

SOURCE: Costa

###

2015 Costa Short Story Award voting now open

2015 Costa Short Story Award voting now open

Posted on by

Dunkin’ Donuts gives its DD Perks® members chance to win $10,000 in cash this holiday season

  • Dunkin’ Donuts launches National Afternoon Latte and Macchiato Break and special promotions to keep guests running through the holiday season
  • Holiday Wreath Donut is back at participating Dunkin’ Donuts restaurants

CANTON, MA, 2015-12-1 — /EPR Retail News/ — Dunkin’ Donuts is delivering extra special gifts for some of its most loyal guests, with weekly chances to head into the holidays with an extra $10,000 in cash. Beginning today, November 30, every time a DD Perks® member makes a purchase at a Dunkin’ Donuts restaurant using an enrolled DD Card, he or she will be entered into a weekly sweepstakes for the chance to win $10,000. Dunkin’ Donuts’ special seasonal sweeps for DD Perks members continues each week until January 3, 2016. No Purchase Necessary, 18+, restrictions apply. For information on how to enter without purchase and for rules, please visit DDPerksSweepstakes.com.

As part of the brand’s first-ever National Afternoon Latte and Macchiato Break, every day from today, November 30, through December 27, from 2 PM to 6 PM, all guests at participating Dunkin’ Donuts restaurants nationwide can enjoy a hot or iced medium Latte or Macchiato for only $1.99. Dunkin’ Donuts today also launched a host of additional holiday promotions and value offers to keep guests running on Dunkin’s famous coffees, espresso beverages and more through the busy weeks ahead. These include:

  • Guests using the Dunkin’ Mobile® App November 30 through December 27 will receive a muffin of their choosing for a one-time special price of 99 cents redeemable any time of day at participating Dunkin’ Donuts restaurants.
  • DD Perks members will receive 30 bonus points with every hot coffee purchase, as well as bonus points for any beverage and sandwich combo purchased after 11 AM, November 30 through January 3, 2016.
  • DD Perks members can purchase two boxes of K-Cup® pods for only $14.99 at participating Dunkin’ Donuts restaurants. This special offer was introduced in November and will continue through December 27.

According to Scott Hudler, Vice President, Global Consumer Engagement at Dunkin’ Donuts, “The holidays are the perfect time to say thank you to our loyal customers who make Dunkin’ Donuts a part of their daily lives. As the year heads towards its close, we are happy to demonstrate our appreciation for our DD Perks members with one of our biggest sweepstakes ever, along with special value offers and promotions to help make our famous coffee and espresso beverages part of all their favorite seasonal activities in the busy weeks ahead.”

Dunkin’ Donuts is also giving its December donut lineup a seasonal flair with the return of the Holiday Wreath Donut. First introduced last year, the Holiday Wreath Donut is a festive yeast ring donut topped with green icing and red icing drizzle resembling a traditional holiday wreath design. It joins Dunkin’ Donuts’ two other holiday donut treats introduced at the beginning of November: The Snickerdoodle Croissant Donut features a glazed croissant donut filled with cookie dough flavored buttercreme, finished with white icing drizzle and sprinkled with cinnamon streusel topping, while the Caramel Cheesecake Square is a square donut with smooth and creamy cheesecake filling, frosted with caramel icing and topped with chocolate caramel candy cups. All holiday donuts are available through the holiday season at participating Dunkin’ Donuts restaurants nationwide.

With DD Perks, guests already earn five points for every dollar they spend on qualifying purchases at Dunkin’ Donuts when they pay using an enrolled Dunkin’ Donuts Card, either plastic or via the Dunkin’ Mobile App. Once a member accrues 200 points, he or she receives a coupon for a free, any-size beverage of their choice, redeemable at participating Dunkin’ Donuts restaurants. DD Perks members also receive a coupon for a free, any-size beverage upon enrollment and on their birthday. To enroll in DD Perks, download the Dunkin’ Mobile App or visit www.DDPerks.com.

To learn more about Dunkin’ Donuts, visit www.DunkinDonuts.com or follow us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/DunkinDonuts), Instagram (www.instagram.com/DunkinDonuts) and Twitter (www.twitter.com/DunkinDonuts).

####

About Dunkin’ Donuts
Founded in 1950, Dunkin’ Donuts is America’s favorite all-day, everyday stop for coffee and baked goods. Dunkin’ Donuts is a market leader in the hot regular/decaf/flavored coffee, iced coffee, donut, bagel and muffin categories. Dunkin’ Donuts has earned the No. 1 ranking for customer loyalty in the coffee category by Brand Keys for nine years running. The company has more than 11,500 restaurants in 40 countries worldwide. Based in Canton, Mass., Dunkin’ Donuts is part of the Dunkin’ Brands Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: DNKN) family of companies. For more information, visit www.DunkinDonuts.com.

CONTACT INFORMATION

Name: Lindsay Cronin
Phone: 781-737-5200
Email: lindsay.cronin@dunkinbrands.com

SOURCE: Dunkin’ Donuts

Posted on by

LVMH supports the development of the Italian jeweller Repossi

PARIS, 2015-12-1 — /EPR Retail News/ — The Italian jeweller Repossi is pleased to announce a partnership with the LVMH Group to support its development.

LVMH will be taking a minority stake in Repossi.

“I am very pleased to have the LVMH group’s support and unparalleled experience in the world of high quality crafted products. Its support will be important for us to pursue our strategy and develop our distribution network,”stated Gaia Repossi, Artistic and Creative Director of Repossi.

“LVMH is delighted to support the development of Repossi. We share common values which based on product excellence and outstanding creativity. Repossi’s success shows a promising future with which we are pleased to be associated”continued Delphine Arnault, Executive Vice President of Louis Vuitton and LVMH Director.

Repossi was founded in Turin in 1920. It has emerged as an exclusive and creative luxury jeweller, which today is particularly well known for its iconic Berber collection and its multi-piercing earring.

Nowadays following on from her father, Alberto Repossi, grandson of the founder of the Repossi brand, Gaia Repossi, Artistic and Creative Director of the house since 2007 is the fourth generation of the family running the business.

Gaia Repossi’s creations are testament to her passion for modernising the DNA of the Housethrough her references to modern art and architecture whilst using the latest production techniques.

LVMH and Repossi share common values: creativity, product excellence, an entrepreneurial and familial spirit which give priority to the long-term view.

The two companies have decided to partner in order to enable Repossi to develop its distribution network whilst benefitting from the managerial know-how of the world’s leading high quality products Group.

SOURCE: LVMH

Posted on by

NCR: Krispy Kreme Doughnuts to rollout its Mobile Rewards Program

NCR Mobile Consumer Engagement platform enables Krispy Kreme to connect their guests with special location-based invitations, offers and rewards

DULUTH, Ga., 2015-12-1 — /EPR Retail News/ — Krispy Kreme Doughnuts, Inc. (NYSE: KKD) is nearly complete with its nationwide rollout of its Krispy Kreme Rewards mobile app. Earlier this year, Krispy Kreme worked with NCR Corporation, the global leader in consumer transaction technologies, to build and deploy the Krispy Kreme Rewards app on the NCR Engage Mobile platform. With the NCR platform, Krispy Kreme is able to differentiate themselves in their space with a unique experience that both recognizes loyalty and offers a ‘surprise and delight’ experience.

Now, Krispy Kreme fans can use the app to find and mark their favorite location, receive notifications when the famous Krispy Kreme “Hot Now” Light is on, and earn rewards with each visit. Krispy Kreme has been rolling out this solution across the United States over the past few months and it should be available in all U.S. markets by the end of the year.

“Our goal in developing the Krispy Kreme Rewards program was to enable guests to experience the joy that is Krispy Kreme and earn rewards for their loyalty,” said Tony Thompson, Krispy Kreme’s President and CEO. “It is critical for us to know our guests more personally and our mobile app provides the data that helps us meet the needs of today’s consumer.”

The combination of the NCR Aloha point-of-sale and NCR Engage Mobile enables restaurant operators, like Krispy Kreme, to extend ordering, payment, loyalty and feedback capabilities directly into the hands of consumers. By downloading the app and registering for the Krispy Kreme Rewards program, guests will earn points for every dollar spent with Krispy Kreme that can be used towards donuts and coffee. They also will be eligible for other surprise-and-delights throughout the year including exclusive offers and promotions and a special treat for their birthday. And, Krispy Kreme rewards its members with a variety of ways to pay and earn points, including the app’s stored-value function, cash, credit/debit card, or gift card.

“Restaurants that don’t proactively embrace omnichannel consumer engagement may find themselves ‘locked out’ in an increasingly competitive battle for consumer mindshare,” said Paul Langenbahn, President, NCR Hospitality. “NCR understands the entire restaurant ecosystem needed to enable a frictionless consumer engagement experience, and we were happy to work with Krispy Kreme and help them deliver on their unique consumer engagement vision.”

Fans can download the Krispy Kreme Rewards App free from the app store at www.itunes.com/appstore or Google Play. New features will quickly be added to the rewards app, including the ability to share the Krispy Kreme joy with other members by gifting points.

About Krispy Kreme
Krispy Kreme is a global retailer of premium-quality sweet treats, including its signature Original Glazed® doughnut. Headquartered in Winston-Salem, N.C., the company has offered the highest-quality doughnuts and great-tasting coffee since it was founded in 1937. Krispy Kreme is proud of its Fundraising program, which for decades has helped organizations raise millions of dollars in needed funds. Krispy Kreme has more than 1,000 retail shops in 24 countries. Krispy Kreme is listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: KKD). For more information about Krispy Kreme visit www.KrispyKreme.com. Also visit us on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/KrispyKreme, on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/KrispyKreme, and on Instagram at www.Instagram.com/KrispyKreme.

About NCR Corporation
NCR Corporation (NYSE: NCR) is the global leader in consumer transaction technologies, turning everyday interactions with businesses into exceptional experiences. With its software, hardware, and portfolio of services, NCR enables nearly 550 million transactions daily across retail, financial, travel, hospitality, telecom and technology, and small business. NCR solutions run the everyday transactions that make your life easier.

NCR is headquartered in Duluth, Georgia with approximately 29,000 employees and does business in 180 countries. NCR is a trademark of NCR Corporation in the United States and other countries. The company encourages investors to visit its web site which is updated regularly with financial and other important information about NCR.

Website: www.ncr.com;
Twitter: @NCRCorporation
Facebook: www.facebook.com/ncrcorp
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/ncr-corporation
YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/ncrcorporation

Apple, iPhone, iPad and iPod touch are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries.

News Media Contacts:

Jackie Parker
Arketi Group for NCR
404.929.0091, ext. 220
jparker@arketi.com

Tim Henschel
NCR Corporation
770.299.5100
tim.henschel@ncr.com

Darryl Carr
Krispy Kreme
336-726-8996
dcarr@krispykreme.com

SOURCE: NCR

Posted on by

Kmart supports St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital®; encourages shoppers to donate and join Kmart in wearing The Giving Hat™ on #GivingTuesday

Retailer welcomes social sharing with #TheGivingHat

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill., 2015-12-1 — /EPR Retail News/ — On Tuesday, Dec. 1, people around the world will digitally unite in the name of generosity to celebrate #GivingTuesday. On this global day dedicated to giving back, Kmart is proud to show its continued support for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital®, encouraging shoppers to donate to the cause and join Kmart associates nationwide in wearing The Giving Hat™ on the special day.

Kmart collaborated with St. Jude this year to design The Giving Hat™ – a new way to draw attention, heighten awareness and raise funds in the fight against childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases. One dollar from the sale of each $5 hat will be added to the millions of dollars Kmart stores are raising this holiday season for St. Jude.* The Giving Hat™ is available exclusively at all Kmart stores and online at kmart.com/stjude while supplies last.

Kmart is asking shoppers to show their support for St. Jude on #GivingTuesday by joining the conversation on social media and share a photo wearing the hat with the hashtag #TheGivingHat or make a donation via a link at Kmart.com/StJude.

“We are thrilled to see how well The Giving Hat™ has been received,” said Alasdair James, President and Chief Member Officer at Kmart. “#GivingTuesday embodies the spirit of Kmart, our associates and our members who are always looking for ways to give back to their communities. We pride ourselves on making giving fashionable every day of the week.”

Tweet This: Support St. Jude this #GivingTuesday by buying @Kmart #TheGivingHat. $1 from each hat sold will be donated to @StJude. http://bit.ly/1jSbPXx

“Kmart continues to be a leader for our St. Jude Thanks and Giving campaign and we are grateful for their unwavering commitment to the children of St. Jude,” said Marlo Thomas, National Outreach Director for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. “The incredible support of their customers and associates allows us to keep my father’s founding promise that no family ever pays St. Jude for anything – not for treatment, travel, housing or food, because we believe all a family should worry about is helping their child live. This year, Kmart, in collaboration with St. Jude, designed and is selling The Giving Hat™ to raise additional funds and awareness for the lifesaving work happening at St. Jude.”

Over the last nine years, Kmart has been the top fundraiser for St. Jude, raising more than $76.7 million, which is enough to:

  • Fully operate St. Jude for more than a month; or
  • Provide more than 148,643 hours of physical therapy; or
  • Provide more than 7.6 million meals for St. Jude patients; or
  • Provide a full course of standard treatment for 180 children battling acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL)

In addition to The Giving Hat™, Kmart also offers an adorable holiday bear ornament. With each St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital ornament purchased, Kmart will donate $1 to help St. Jude’s lifesaving mission.**

To view the moving digital video created to celebrate the launch of the hat, featuring several celebrities, including longtime Kmart ambassador and St. Jude supporter Jaclyn Smith, visit Kmart’s YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/3tYnrnmPk7I.

*Kmart will donate $1 from the sale of The Giving Hat to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospitalbetween Nov. 8 and Dec. 31, 2015, with a minimum guaranteed donation of $50,000 to St. Jude. 

**Through Dec. 24, 2015, Kmart is donating $1.00 from the in­ store or online purchase of each qualifying bear ornament to St. Jude, with a minimum donation of $50,000.

About Kmart
Kmart, a wholly owned subsidiary of Sears Holdings Corporation (NASDAQ: SHLD), is a mass merchandising company and part of Shop Your Way, a social shopping experience where members have the ability to earn points and receive benefits across a wide variety of physical and digital formats through shopyourway.com. Kmart offers customers quality products through a portfolio of exclusive brands that include Jaclyn Smith, Joe Boxer, Route 66 and Smart Sense. For more information visit the company’s website at www.kmart.com | Sears Holdings Corporation website at www.searsholdings.com | Facebook: www.facebook.com/kmart.

About St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is leading the way the world understands, treats and defeats childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases. It is the only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center devoted solely to children. Treatments invented at St. Jude have helped push the overall childhood cancer survival rate from 20 percent to 80 percent since the hospital opened more than 50 years ago. St. Jude is working to drive the overall survival rate for childhood cancer to 90 percent, and we won’t stop until no child dies from cancer. St. Jude freely shares the discoveries it makes, and every child saved at St. Jude means doctors and scientists worldwide can use that knowledge to save thousands more children. Families never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing or food – because all a family should worry about is helping their child live.  Join the St. Jude mission by visiting stjude.org or following St. Jude on facebook.com/stjude and twitter.com/stjude.

About #GivingTuesday
#GivingTuesday is a movement to celebrate and provide incentives to give. It will culminate with a global day of giving on Dec. 1, 2015. This effort harnesses the collective power of a unique blend of partners— charities, families, businesses and individuals—to transform how people think about, talk about and participate in the giving season. #GivingTuesday will inspire people to take collaborative action to improve their local communities, give back in better, smarter ways to the charities and causes they celebrate and help create a better world. #GivingTuesday will harness the power of social media to create a global moment that is dedicated to giving around the world.

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Brian Hanover
Kmart PR
847-286-6080
Brian.Hanover@searshc.com

Mary Ann Schoppman
Zeno Group for Kmart
312-527-2742
MaryAnn.Schoppman@zenogroup.com

SOURCE Kmart

###

Kmart supports St. Jude Children's Research Hospital®; encourages shoppers to donate and join Kmart in wearing The Giving Hat™ on #GivingTuesday

Kmart supports St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital®; encourages shoppers to donate and join Kmart in wearing The Giving Hat™ on #GivingTuesday

Posted on by

Smart & Final Stores LLC approved as the purchaser of 32 Haggen store leases

COMMERCE, Calif., 2015-12-1 — /EPR Retail News/ — Smart & Final Stores, Inc., (“Smart & Final” or the “Company”) (NYSE:SFS), a value-oriented food and everyday staples retailer for household and business customers, today announced that its subsidiary, Smart & Final Stores LLC, has been approved by the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delawareas the purchaser of 32 store leases – four of which are supplemental to Smart & Final’s previously announced stalking-horse bid – and related assets from affiliates of Haggen Holdings, LLC (“Haggen”) for a total cash purchase price of approximately $68 million, subject to certain adjustments. The transaction is expected to close during Smart & Final’s fiscal fourth quarter in 2015, subject to customary closing conditions.

“We’re excited about the opportunity to build upon our footprint in the important Californiamarket.  This strategic acquisition puts us ahead in ‘Project 100,’ our plan to open 100 new stores, add 100 new teams and invest in 100 new neighborhood projects in the next four years,” said Smart & Final CEO, David Hirz. “We continue to see significant room for growth within our existing markets. Through the acquisition of the Haggen stores, we will capture some of this opportunity. Our team looks forward to serving the communities of each new store,” said Hirz.

The Haggen acquisition will result in Smart & Final assuming the leases and acquiring certain associated assets of 32 closed stores in central and southern California. Smart & Final plans to convert the 32 stores to its Extra! store format, which includes: expanded frozen, deli and meat selections; warehouse club sizes as well as smaller, more convenient sizes; specialty products such as oven-roasted chicken and dry bulk goods by the pound; fresh seafood; fresh produce; and an expanded natural and organic product line.

Founded by J.S. Smart and H.D. Final, Smart & Final represents one of the longest continuously operated food retailers in the United States and has become a trusted community brand in the markets it serves. Appealing to both businesses and households with its variety of offerings and different sizes, Smart & Final Extra! stores offer quality, value and a convenient one-stop shopping experience.

As part of Project 100, Smart & Final plans to hire at least 5,000 new employees to staff new stores over the next four years. Additionally, with every store Smart & Final opens, the Company will continue to give back to the communities it serves via philanthropic donations and partnerships.

The acquisition includes the following California stores previously operated under the Haggen banner:

Location Address
1 Paso Robles 1191 E. Creston Road
2 Atascadero 8200 El Camino Real
3 San Luis Obispo 1321 Johnson Avenue
4 Santa Barbara 3943 State Street
5 Carpinteria 850 Linden Avenue
6 Ventura 7800 Telegraph Road
7 Simi Valley 5135 Los Angeles Avenue
8 Newbury Park 2100 Newbury Road
9 Westlake Village 5770 Lindero Canyon Road
10 Palmdale 5038 W Avenue North
11 Burbank 3830 W Verdugo Avenue
12 Redondo Beach 615 N. Pacific Coast Highway
13 Torrance 21035 Hawthorne Boulevard
14 San Pedro 1636 W 25th Street
15 Diamond Bar 240 S Diamond Bar Boulevard
16 Chino Hills 4200 Chino Hills Parkway
17 Yorba Linda 21500 Yorba Linda Boulevard
18 Trabuco Canyon 21672 Plano Trabuco Road
19 Laguna Niguel 30252 Crown Valley Parkway
20 Corona del Mar 3049 Coast Highway
21 Carlsbad 955 Carlsbad Village Drive
22 Santee 9870 Magnolia Avenue
23 El Cajon 13439 Camino Canada
24 El Cajon 2800 Fletcher Parkway
25 San Diego 10740 Westview Parkway
26 San Diego 2235 University Avenue
27 San Diego 10633 Tierra Santa Boulevard
28 La Mesa 3681 Avocado Avenue
29 Coronado 150 B Avenue
30 Chula Vista 360 East H Street
31 San Ysidro 350 W San Ysidro Boulevard
32 Redondo Beach 1516 S Pacific Coast Highway

About Smart & Final
Smart & Final Stores, Inc. (NYSE: SFS), is a value and quality-oriented food and everyday staples retailer that serves household and business customers. The Company is headquartered in Commerce (near Los Angeles), California, where it was founded over 140 years ago. As of October 4, 2015, the Company operated 270 grocery and foodservice stores under the “Smart & Final”, “Smart & Final Extra!” and “Cash & Carry Smart Foodservice” banners in California, Oregon, Washington, Arizona, Nevada, and Idaho, with an additional 16 Smart & Final stores in northern Mexico operated through a joint venture.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements contained in this release that are not historical information contain forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties and actual results may differ materially from those projected or implied. Further, certain forward-looking statements are based on assumptions of future events which may not prove to be accurate. These forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology, including the terms “may,” “should,” “expects,” “plans,” “anticipates,” “could,” “intends,” “target,” “projects,” “contemplates,” “believes,” “estimates,” “predicts,” “potential” or “continue” or, in each case, their negative, or other variations or comparable terminology. The Company derives many of its forward-looking statements from its operating budgets and forecasts, which are based upon many detailed assumptions. While the Company believes that its assumptions are reasonable, it is difficult to predict the impact of known factors and, of course, it is impossible to anticipate all factors that could affect actual results. These factors are discussed in the “Risk Factors,” “Special Note Concerning Forward-Looking Statements,” “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” and “Business” sections and elsewhere in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

You should keep in mind that any forward-looking statement made by the Company herein, or elsewhere, speaks only as of the date on which made. New risks and uncertainties come up from time to time, and it is impossible for the Company to predict these events or how they may affect it. The Company has no obligation to update any forward-looking statements after the date hereof, except as required by federal securities laws.

Smart & Final Media Inquiries:
Email: press@smartandfinal.com

SOURCE Smart & Final Stores, Inc.

Posted on by

Coop: Weihnachts-CD als Geschenk bei jedem Einkauf

Es weihnachtet: Coop schenkt Freude zusammen mit den Schwiizergoofe

BASEL, SWITZERLAND, 2015-12-1 — /EPR Retail News/ — «Freud schänke» – von diesem Wunsch lässt sich Coop in der Adventszeit leiten. Die Coop-Verkäuferinnen und -Verkäufer überraschen ab heute bis an Weihnachten ihre Kundschaft bei jedem Einkauf mit einem kleinen Geschenk. Den Anfang der Geschenkreihe macht diese Woche eine CD mit modernen, eigens dafür komponierten Weihnachtssongs, die vom Kinderchor Schwiizergoofe interpretiert werden. Jeweils ab Sonntagabend kündigen Amélie und ihr Rentierfreund Rémy in einer vierteiligen Weihnachtsgeschichte am Fernsehen sowie online das neue Geschenk an.

«Dieses Jahr möchten wir unseren Kundinnen und Kunden gleich mehrfach Freude schenken und uns für ihre Treue herzlich bedanken. Deshalb haben wir eine Weihnachtsgeschichte in vier Akten mit Amélie und ihrem Rentierfreund kreiert», erzählt Philipp Wyss, stellvertretender Vorsitzender der Coop-Geschäftsleitung. «Vier kleine Geschenke sind mit dieser Weihnachtsgeschichte verbunden.»

Amélie und Remy – eine Freundschaft von Herzen
Amélie liebt die Weihnachtszeit und geniesst die Vorfreuden des Advents mit ihren Eltern zu Hause beim Backen und Basteln oder beim Bummeln durch die festlich geschmückte Stadt. Das Mädchen trifft bei einem ihrer Streifzüge Rémy – ein herziges Rentier. Schnell entsteht eine einzigartige Freundschaft zwischen den beiden und sie erleben festliche Abenteuer und schenken sich sowie vielen anderen Menschen Freude. «Die Geschichte von Amélie und Rémy erzählen wir am Fernsehen in Spots, auf www.coop.ch/festtage via Podcasts als Hörspiel zum Herunterladen und in der Coopzeitung», fügt Philipp Wyss an. Jede der vier Geschichten gibt den Kunden jeweils ab Samstagabend einen Hinweis zum Geschenk der folgenden Woche.

4 Millionen Weihnachts-CD mit Hitmill und Schwiizergoofe
Seit heute Montag, 30. November bis am Samstag, 5. Dezember verschenken die Coop-Mitarbeitenden bei jedem Einkauf eine CD mit 15 Weihnachtsliedern, die von Roman Camenzind und seinen Co-Produzenten von Hitmill, Georg Schlunegger und Fred Herrmann, komponiert wurden. Diese 15 modernen Songs werden von den Schwiizergoofe gesungen. Sie sind eine erfolgreiche Gruppe von über 80 Kindern, die Kinderpop in verschiedenen Dialekten singen. Die Schwiizergoofe sind jedoch keine feste Gruppe, sondern ein wachsendes Projekt, in welchem Kinder aus der ganzen Schweiz die Chance bekommen, mitzumachen. Coop unterstützt dieses Kinderprojekt als Hauptsponsorin seit 2013. Für ihre Weihnachtsaktion suchte Coop auch Kinder aus der Romandie und dem Tessin für die Schwiizergoofe. Alle bis jetzt erschienenen CDs der Schwiizergoofe haben Platinstatus erreicht und gehören zu den meistverkauften Schweizer Alben des Jahres 2014. Der Titelsong der CD – «Es Truckli vou Liebi» – untermalt die ganze Weihnachtsaktion von Coop. Alle 15 Songs stehen auch kostenlos zum Download bereit. Mehr über die Coop-Weihnachtsaktionen sowie die Geschichte von Amélie und Rémy gibt es auf: www.coop.ch/festtage

Kontaktpersonen

Denise Stadler, Leiterin Medienstelle
Tel. +41 61 336 71 10

Ramón Gander, Mediensprecher
Tel. +41 61 336 71 67

Urs Meier, Mediensprecher
Tel. +41 61 336 71 39

Nadja Ruch, Mediensprecherin
Tel. +41 61 336 71 87

###

Coop: Weihnachts-CD als Geschenk bei jedem Einkauf

Coop: Weihnachts-CD als Geschenk bei jedem Einkauf

Posted on by

Starbucks introduces holiday touch on its popular Flat White beverage

SEATTLE, 2015-12-1 — /EPR Retail News/ — Today (November 30) Starbucks is introducing a new holiday espresso beverage for customers to enjoy alongside its perennial favorites like eggnog latte and peppermint mocha.

Starbucks baristas are putting a holiday touch on the popular Flat White beverage with Holiday Spice Flat White in Starbucks® stores in the United States and Canada. The Starbucks® Flat White is an espresso-forward beverage that originated in Australia in the 1980s, made with two ristretto shots, combined with a thin layer of velvety steamed whole milk and finished with a latte art dot.

Since Starbucks launched Flat White in the United States and Canada in January 2015, customers and baristas have embraced the artistry of the beverage. To make the beverage, baristas pour two ristretto shots of spicy Christmas Blend Espresso Roast (in company-operated stores) directly into the holiday mulling spice blend, allowing the spice to steep into the coffee. Then they carefully free-pour micro-foamed whole milk into the cup to allow the espresso crema to rise to the top of the beverage for a bold coffee flavor, velvety texture and a sweeter finish.

Starbucks beverage developer Michelle Sundquist describes the development of Starbucks newest holiday beverage:

“We were inspired by the practice of mulling cider, so we crafted our own holiday mulling spice blend of ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, clove, sugar and a touch of tangerine. The spices and velvety milk perfectly complement Starbucks Christmas Blend Espresso Roast. The spices further develop in the warm milk and lightly enhance the flavor of the beverage. Because it’s so subtle, you don’t taste the holiday mulling spices until you take a couple sips. And then a touch of sweetness and the slightest note of tangerine flavor come through.”

For more information on this news release, contact the Starbucks Newsroom.

SOURCE: Starbucks Corporation

###

Starbucks introduces holiday touch on its popular Flat White beverage

Starbucks introduces holiday touch on its popular Flat White beverage

Posted on by

The Starbucks new store in Chelsea New York celebrates art and its connection to the community

NEW YORK, NY, 2015-12-1 — /EPR Retail News/ — New York City is known for a vibrant and varied gallery scene with exceptional photography, paintings, prints and sculpture. Its epicenter is Chelsea, with more than 300 galleries in just a few city blocks. Here art lovers can discover new and established artists, with styles ranging from the traditional to the avant-garde.

Now a new space for art and conversation has opened its doors in Chelsea. The Starbucks store, located in a former art gallery on the corner of 26th Steet and 10th Avenue, celebrates art and its connection to the community. The new store features a rotating wall of curated pieces in collaboration with Uprise Art, an online gallery for emerging artists, to create a physical space where people can connect with new works of art.

“Chelsea’s art scene is unlike anywhere else in the world, a vibrant center of aesthetic and conceptual innovation. We know many gallerists and artists working in the neighborhood will visit the store, so it was important for us to curate relevant artwork within the space that reflects the art discourse happening just outside our walls,” said Tze Chun, founder of Uprise Art.

Through the program, customers will be able to purchase art showcased on the wall, with proceeds benefitting the artist and Free Arts, a local organization providing underserved children with educational arts and mentoring programs.

Lara Behnert, who manages the program that sources art for Starbucks stores, said this art collaboration in stores is the first of its kind for the company.

“The space we’ve dedicated to art within our store allows emerging artists to gain exposure for their work in Chelsea. We’re so excited to partner with two fantastic organizations to continue to showcase new artists and help to build foundations for art education in the city,” said Behnert.

The design concept for the store was based on coffee trees, with elements that reference coffee botanicals. The color palette of the store is also inspired by coffee, with shades ranging from the light crema coffee color of birch plywood to a dark espresso.

Designers created a warm, eclectic feel with a coffee-forward espresso bar and lounge seating. When customers enter from the street, they immediately step down into a welcoming space anchored by a vintage rug and furniture sourced from local secondhand furniture shops. A custom three-dimensional abstract map of New York City is etched into panels in front of coffee bar, and a textured ceiling feature made of cardboard completes the space. Menus are hand-lettered pieces of paper clipped to backer boards.

“We retained the existing gallery shell and added a coffee bar and lounge-inspired seating,” said Claudine Losato, director of store design for Starbucks. “We also found an exposed brick wall we used as a focal point.”

Art is a constant thread throughout the store, with a permanent commissioned work above the banquette that tells the story of Starbucks coffee, created by Seattle artist Lars Bergquist.

“Chelsea is such an energizing place to be for artists and designers,” said Losato. “We’re excited to be a part of it.”

The store address is at 525 W 26th Ave., New York, NY

For more information on this news release, contact the Starbucks Newsroom.

SOURCE:  Starbucks Corporation

###

The Starbucks new store in Chelsea New York celebrates art and its connection to the community

The Starbucks new store in Chelsea New York celebrates art and its connection to the community

Posted on by

Starbucks partners with (RED)® for the eighth year to help fight AIDS

SEATTLE, 2015-12-1 — /EPR Retail News/ — For the eighth year, Starbucks is partnering with (RED)® to help fight AIDS. On World AIDS Day 2015 (Tuesday, Dec. 1), Starbucks will make a 10 cent (U.S.) donation for every handcrafted beverage sold in participating U.S. and Canada stores.

Starbucks donations go to the Global Fund to help finance HIV/AIDS programs in prevention, treatment, counseling, HIV testing and care services.  Since partnering with (RED) in 2008, Starbucks has generated more than $13 million for the fight.

Last fall, several Starbucks partners (employees) spent five days in Rwanda visiting hospitals and facilities that are changing lives with Global Fund dollars.

To learn more, please visit red.org and theglobalfund.org.

For more information on this news release, contact us.

SOURCE: Starbucks Corporation

###

Starbucks partners with (RED)® for the eighth year to help fight AIDS

Starbucks partners with (RED)® for the eighth year to help fight AIDS

Posted on by

Carrefour China opens new hypermarket in XiangYang China

Hubei, China, 2015-12-1 — /EPR Retail News/ — The Carrefour Zhongyuanlu Hypermarket  opened in XiangYang in Hubei province in the East of China, on November 20th.

The store has a sales area of 6,790 square meters and 18 check-outs, as well as a parking with 338 lots.

Carrefour China has more than 230 hypermarkets.

SOURCE: Carrefour

###

Carrefour China opens new hypermarket in XiangYang China

Carrefour China opens new hypermarket in XiangYang China

Posted on by

LVMH Environment Director Sylvie Bénard discusses challenges for COP21 and the Group’s commitment to fighting global warming

PARIS, 2015-12-1 — /EPR Retail News/ — France will host COP21, the 21st United Nations Climate Change Conference, from November 30 to December 11, 2015. LVMH Environment Director Sylvie Bénard discusses the challenges to be addressed by the meeting, of which LVMH is a partner, as well as the Group’s commitment to fighting global warming.

The world’s eyes will be on Paris during COP21 as participants seek a consensus on concrete measures to combat climate change. The goal is to reach a universal agreement, one that is concluded by all participants and binding in all countries, and at the same time flexible to take into account specific contexts in different countries. The agreement must be sustainable and dynamic, focused on a long-term objective of keeping global warming to below 2°C and encouraging more active measures to prevent climate change.

After the failure of climate talks in Copenhagen in 2009, COP21 is a critical juncture. Sylvie Bénard, the Environment Director of LVMH, spotlights the challenges for the conference, which the LVMH Group has joined as official partner.

Throughout COP21, LVMH invites you to discover some of the initiatives taken by the Group to help fight climate change, as well as insights from the heads of our Houses.

SOURCE: LVMH

Posted on by

Neiman Marcus Group LTD LLC to announce its first quarter financial results on December 14, 2015

DALLAS, 2015-12-1 — /EPR Retail News/ — Neiman Marcus Group LTD LLC will announce its first quarter financial results on Monday, December 14, 2015 with an investor conference call to be held at 2:30 p.m. Eastern Time (1:30 p.m. Central Time).

The audio webcast may be accessed on the Neiman Marcus Group LTD LLC website at www.neimanmarcusgroup.com simultaneously with the commencement of the call. Prior to the call, any necessary supplemental financial or statistical information will be posted to the Neiman Marcus Group LTD LLC website. Following the live broadcast, interested parties may replay the webcast by accessing this website.

Neiman Marcus Group LTD LLC is a luxury, multi-branded, omni-channel fashion retailer conducting integrated store and online operations under the Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman, Last Call, Horchow, CUSP, and mytheresa brand names. For more information, visit www.neimanmarcusgroup.com.

From time to time, the Company may make statements that predict or forecast future events or results, depend on future events for their accuracy or otherwise contain “forward-looking information.” These statements are made based on management’s expectations and beliefs concerning future events and are not guarantees of future performance.

The Company cautions readers that actual results may differ materially as a result of various factors, some of which are beyond its control, including but not limited to: weakness in domestic and global capital markets and other economic conditions and the impact of such conditions on the Company’s ability to obtain credit; general economic and political conditions or changes in such conditions, including relationships between the United States and the countries from which the Company sources its merchandise; economic, political, social or other events resulting in the short-or long-term disruption in business at the Company’s stores, distribution centers or offices; changes in consumer confidence resulting in a reduction of discretionary spending on goods; changes in the demographic or retail environment; changes in consumer preferences or fashion trends; changes in the Company’s relationships with customers due to, among other things, its failure to provide quality service and competitive loyalty programs, its inability to provide credit pursuant to its proprietary credit card arrangement or its failure to protect customer data or comply with regulations surrounding information security and privacy; the effects of incurring a substantial amount of indebtedness under the Company’s senior secured credit facilities and other debt instruments; the ability to refinance the Company’s indebtedness under its senior secured credit facilities and other debt instruments and the effects of any refinancing; the effects upon the Company of complying with the covenants contained in its senior secured credit facilities and other debt instruments; restrictions on the terms and conditions of the indebtedness under the Company’s senior secured credit facilities and other debt instruments may place on the Company’s ability to respond to changes in its business or to take certain actions; competitive responses to the Company’s loyalty program, marketing, merchandising and promotional efforts or inventory liquidations by vendors or other retailers; changes in the financial viability of the Company’s competitors; seasonality of the retail business; adverse weather conditions or natural disasters, particularly during peak selling seasons; delays in anticipated store openings and renovations; the Company’s success in enforcing its intellectual property rights; changes in the Company’s relationships with designers, vendors and other sources of merchandise, including changes in the level of goods and/or changes in the form in which such goods are made available to us for resale; delays in receipt of merchandise ordered due to work stoppages or other causes of delay in connection with either the manufacture or shipment of such merchandise; changes in foreign currency exchange or inflation rates; significant increases in paper, printing and postage costs; changes in key management personnel and the Company’s ability to retain key management personnel; changes in the Company’s relationships with certain of our buyers or key sales associates and the Company’s ability to retain our buyers or key sales associates; changes in government or regulatory requirements increasing the Company’s costs of operations; litigation that may have an adverse effect on the Company’s financial results or reputation; terrorist activities in the United States and elsewhere; the impact of funding requirements related to the Company’s pension plan; the Company’s ability to provide credit to its customers pursuant to its proprietary credit card program arrangement, including any future changes in the terms of such arrangement and/or legislation impacting the extension of credit to its customers; and the design and implementation of new information systems as well as enhancements of existing systems.

These and other factors that may adversely affect the Company’s future performance or financial condition are contained in its Annual Report in Form 10-K and other reports filed with and available from the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events, new information or future circumstances.

 

CONTACT: Stacie Shirley
Senior Vice President – Finance
and Treasurer
(214) 757-2967

Mark Anderson
Director – Finance
(214) 757-2934

Posted on by

Sonic Corp.to present at the Barclays Eat, Sleep, Play – It’s All Discretionary Conference on December 8, 2015 in New York City

OKLAHOMA CITY, 2015-12-1 — /EPR Retail News/ — Sonic Corp. (NASDAQ:SONC), the nation’s largest chain of drive-in restaurants, today announced that the company will be presenting at the Barclays Eat, Sleep, Play – It’s All Discretionary Conference on Tuesday, December 8, 2015 in New York City. The presentation will begin at 8:15 AM ET.

Investors and interested parties can access the presentation by visiting the Company’s investor relations website at http://ir.sonicdrivein.com/.

About Sonic
SONIC, America’s Drive-In, is the nation’s largest drive-in restaurant chain serving more than 3 million customers every day. Nearly 90 percent of SONIC’s 3,500 drive-in locations are owned and operated by local businessmen and women. Over the past 60 years, SONIC has delighted guests with signature menu items, more than 1.3 million drink combinations and friendly service by iconic Carhops. To learn more about Sonic Corp.(NASDAQ/NM: SONC), please visit sonicdrivein.com or follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

SONC-F

Sonic Corp.
Corey Horsch, 405-225-4800
Vice President, Investor Relations and Treasurer

Source: Sonic Corp.

News Provided by Acquire Media

Posted on by

NRF’s Thanksgiving Weekend Survey: more than 151 million people shopped in stores and/or online over the weekend compared to the 136 million in mid-November survey

WASHINGTON, 2015-12-1 — /EPR Retail News/ — Holiday shoppers were on their feet and online early over the Thanksgiving weekend as millions of people grabbed their friends and family and made the trek to their favorite stores, or sat down with their lists ready for some serious online shopping.

According to the National Retail Federation’s Thanksgiving Weekend Survey conducted by Prosper Insights & Analytics, more than 151 million people said they shopped either in stores and/or online over the weekend. This compares to the 136 million, who in a mid-November survey, said they planned to shop over the weekend. Specifically, nearly 102 million people say they shopped in stores over the Thanksgiving weekend, and more than 103 million say they shopped online.

Average spending per person over the weekend totaled $299.60*, with an average of $229.56 specifically going towards gifts, or 76.6 percent of total purchases (*NRF’s 2015 Thanksgiving weekend survey, including the spending amount, is not comparable to last year’s survey as the methodology has changed). Those under 35 were most likely to shop over the weekend. Specifically, 25-34 year olds spent an average of $425.08 on all holiday purchases, with 69.3 percent of that going towards gifts ($294.44).

Additionally, as of November 28, 77.6 percent of those polled said they had at least started their holiday shopping.

“We recognize the Thanksgiving weekend shopping experience is much different than it used to be as just as many people want that unique, exclusive online deal as they do that in-store promotion,” said NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay. “It is clear that the age-old holiday tradition of heading out to stores with family and friends is now equally matched in the new tradition of looking online for holiday savings opportunities.

“Retail is in the middle of an incredible revolution and evolution. As a result, NRF evolved what we have traditionally done in terms of examining the holiday weekend shopper to reflect these changing times. As the shopping environment changes so too must our analysis of it,” continued Shay.

Of those who shopped in stores over the weekend, 72.8 percent – 74.2 million shoppers – said they shopped on Black Friday, the biggest day of the weekend; another 34.6 million (34%) said they shopped on Thanksgiving Day and 46.8 million (45.9%) shopped on Saturday.

It is clear holiday shoppers were in the mood to find great online deals, too. Among digital bargain hunters, the survey found 41 million people (39.8%) said they shopped online on Thanksgiving Day and 75.3 million (73.1%) shopped online on Black Friday.

ADULTS UNDER 35 SIGNIFICANTLY MORE LIKELY TO HAVE SHOPPED OVER THE WEEKEND
More than half (53.8%) of 18-24 year olds and six in 10 (62.1%) 25-34 year olds said they shopped in stores over the weekend, compared to the 41.6 percent of other adults surveyed, and 57 percent of both age groups said they shopped online at some point, compared to 42 percent of average adults polled.

Thanksgiving-Weekend-2015-In-Store-and-Online-Shoppers

“Holiday shopping started well in advance of Thanksgiving weekend this year, but there’s no question that people were still incredibly eager to get their hands on the deals that retailers were offering on electronics, apparel, toys and even small appliances,” said Prosper’s Principal Analyst Pam Goodfellow. “The ease of online shopping through mobile devices now lets millions of people research what they want as well as make timely purchases any day of the weekend – a win-win for both retailers and shoppers.”

“Millennials have changed the game when it comes to Thanksgiving weekend shopping, making sure they were out early and often over the entire weekend in order to tackle their gift lists as well as their self-gifting lists,” continued Goodfellow.

WHEN AND WHERE PEOPLE SHOPPED
When it comes to when people showed up to shop on Thanksgiving Day, the survey found nearly half (49.2%) said they arrived at the store at or before midnight to begin shopping. That number jumps to 61.1 percent for 18-24 year olds and 60.2 percent for 25-34 year olds.

More than half of those shopping in stores over the weekend said they shopped at a department store (53.6%), and another 37.2 percent said they shopped at a discount store. Nearly one-third (32.4%) said they shopped at a clothing store and 35.1 percent said they shopped at an electronics store.

Smartphone and tablet devices served as their own channel for holiday shoppers this year. According to the survey, 56.7 percent of smartphone owners used their phone to research products, purchase holiday items, check in-store availability and other mobile shopping activities; 57.7 percent of tablet owners used their device to browse holiday deals and purchase items.

Additional survey findings for both in-store and online shoppers:

  • More than half (51.6%) of gift purchasers said they bought clothing items, and 32.8 percent bought toys. Another 31.9 percent bought books, DVDs and videos/video games, and 32.8 percent bought consumer electronics.
  • Nearly one-third (32.5%) said all of their purchases over the weekend were specifically driven by sales and promotions.
  • Seven in 10 (72.6%) gave retailers either an “A” or a “B” in terms of how they felt about the promotions over the weekend.
  • Two in five (42.9%) said they think retailers’ promotions from now until Christmas Day will be better than those offered over Thanksgiving weekend.
  • Half of those polled (50.4%) said they shopped in stores over the weekend because the deals were too good to pass up; 31.2 percent said they shopped because it is a tradition, and 25.5 percent said it provides them with something to do over the holiday weekend.

About the survey
*NRF’s 2015 Thanksgiving Weekend Survey is not comparable to the 2014 results survey. The methodology in our questions for when, where and how peopleshopped as well as what they spent is different from 2014, making this year’s data not comparable. 

The survey, conducted November 27-28, 2015 by Prosper Insights & Analytics for NRF, polled 4,281 consumers and has a margin of error of plus or minus 1.5 percentage points.

Prosper Insights and Analytics delivers executives timely, consumer-centric insights from multiple sources. As a comprehensive resource of information, Prosper represents the voice of the consumer and provides knowledge to marketers regarding consumer views on the economy, personal finance, retail, lifestyle, media and domestic and world issues.www.ProsperDiscovery.com.

NRF is the world’s largest retail trade association, representing discount and department stores, home goods and specialty stores, Main Street merchants, grocers, wholesalers, chain restaurants and Internet retailers from the United States and more than 45 countries. Retail is the nation’s largest private sector employer, supporting one in four U.S. jobs — 42 million working Americans. Contributing $2.6 trillion to annual GDP, retail is a daily barometer for the nation’s economy. NRF’s This is Retail campaign highlights the industry’s opportunities for life-long careers, how retailers strengthen communities, and the critical role that retail plays in driving innovation. nrf.com

Kathy Grannis Allen
Treacy Reynolds
(202) 783-7971
press@nrf.com
(855) NRF-Press

Posted on by

The National Council of Chain Restaurants Executive Director Rob Green: EPA cannot fix the failed Renewable Fuel Standard

WASHINGTON, 2015-12-1 — /EPR Retail News/ — The National Council of Chain Restaurants today issued the following statement from Executive Director Rob Green following the Environmental Protection Agency’s release of regulations that would increase the amount of corn-based ethanol used in the nation’s gasoline supply under the federal Renewable Fuel Standard:

“Today’s announcement, which is two years late, demonstrates once and for all that the EPA cannot fix the failed Renewable Fuel Standard. As expected, the EPA has once again bowed to political pressure from special interests and ignored the widespread harm caused by the RFS.

“The EPA has chosen to please a small group of ethanol lobbyists to the detriment of the nation’s small business restaurants and everyone who depends on the food chain across the country. The EPA’s failure demonstrates the need for Congress – who created this mess – to quickly pass legislation to eliminate the corn ethanol mandate and take the RFS off the menu.”

The EPA today released regulations that would increase the amount of corn ethanol used under the RFS in 2016. The long-delayed regulations also include retroactive numbers for the amount that was supposed to be used in 2014 and 2015.

A PricewaterhouseCoopers study conducted for NCCR concluded that if the corn ethanol mandate is left unchanged, chain restaurant industry costs will increase by up to $3.2 billion a year, with a typical chain restaurant location facing $18,000 in increased food commodity costs. NCCR’s RFS off the Menu campaign continues to highlight the negative consequences of the RFS on the food supply chain.

The National Council of Chain Restaurants is the leading trade association exclusively representing chain restaurant companies. For more than 40 years, NCCR has worked to advance sound public policy that best serves the interests of restaurant businesses and the millions of people they employ. NCCR members include the country’s most-respected quick-service and table-service chains. NCCR is a division of the National Retail Federation, the world’s largest retail trade group.

Treacy Reynolds
press@nrf.com
(855) NRF-Press

SOURCE: National Retail Federation

Posted on by

Sandy Moar claims My Co-op Story contest’s $5,000 story prize

Sandy Moar has come full circle.

Saskatoon, SK, Canada, 2015-12-1 — /EPR Retail News/ — She was left stranded with a dead car battery on a cold January night before an employee helped her outside the Red River Co-op Food Store on Main Street in Winnipeg, Man. Now she’s returned to that store to claim the My Co-op Story contest’s $5,000 story prize.

“I don’t even know what to say,” Moar said. “I’m filling up my freezer and filling up my car.”

With over 37,000 votes cast for the six best stories, Moar squeaked out a win in the tight race. Dawn Martens-Koop of Saskatoon, Sask., won the $5,000 prize in a random draw of voters.

Moar said this will help her family – her husband and two children – with her mother’s upcoming  birthday and Christmas celebrations. She also plans to share her good fortune and pay it forward.

SOURCE: Federated Co-operatives Limited

###

Sandy Moar claims My Co-op Story contest’s $5,000 story prize

From left: Peter Los (Red River Co-op Main Street Manager), Sandy Moar, Kristin Collins (Red River Co-op Market and Community Relations Manager)

Posted on by

Kimco Realty Corp. to live audio webcast its 2015 Investor Day Presentation on December 10, 2015

NEW HYDE PARK, N.Y., 2015-12-1 — /EPR Retail News/ — Kimco Realty Corp. (NYSE:KIM), invites you to listen to a live audio webcast of its 2015 Investor Day Presentation on Thursday, December 10, 2015 in New York City. The webcast information is as follows:

Event: KIMCO Investor Day 2015
When: Thursday, December 10, 2015, 1:00 P.M. – 5:00 P.M., EST
Where: Live Webcast can be accessed by clicking on the following link:
http://services.choruscall.com/links/kim151210 or by typing the same into your web browser.

If you are unable to participate during the live webcast, an archive version of the presentation will be available for one year on Kimco Realty’s website at investors.kimcorealty.com.

ABOUT KIMCO
Kimco Realty Corp. (NYSE: KIM) is a real estate investment trust (REIT) headquartered in New Hyde Park, N.Y., that is North America’s largest publicly-traded owner and operator of open-air shopping centers. As of September 30, 2015, the company owned interests in 710 shopping centers comprising 105 million square feet of leasable space across 39 states, Puerto Rico, and Canada. Publicly traded on the NYSE since 1991, and included in the S&P 500 Index, the company has specialized in shopping center acquisitions, development and management for more than 50 years. For further information, please visit www.kimcorealty.com, the company’s blog at blog.kimcorealty.com, or follow Kimco on Twitter at www.twitter.com/kimcorealty.

Kimco Realty Corp.
David F. Bujnicki, 1-866-831-4297
Vice President, Investor Relations and Corporate Communications
dbujnicki@kimcorealty.com

Source: Kimco Realty Corporation

Posted on by

DDR Corp. to issue financial results for the quarter ended December 31, 2015 on February 11, 2016

BEACHWOOD, Ohio, 2015-12-1 — /EPR Retail News/ — DDR Corp. (NYSE: DDR) will issue financial results for the quarter ended December 31, 2015 after the market closes on Thursday, February 11, 2016. The Company will conduct a conference call and audio webcast on Friday, February 12, 2016 at 10:00 a.m. ET.

To access the conference, dial 877-249-1119 (domestic), or 412-542-4143 (international) at least ten minutes prior to the scheduled start of the call.

The conference call webcast will be recorded and available for replay through the Investors portion of DDR’s website, http://ir.ddr.com/events.cfm.

About DDR Corp.
DDR is an owner and manager of 378 value-oriented shopping centers representing 116 million square feet in 41 states and Puerto Rico.  The Company’s portfolio is comprised primarily of large-format power centers located in top markets across the United States, and is actively managed to create long-term shareholder value.  DDR is a self-administered and self-managed REIT operating as a fully integrated real estate company, and is publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol DDR.  Additional information about the Company is available at www.ddr.com

SOURCE DDR Corp.

News Provided by Acquire Media

Posted on by

L Brands to broadcast its November 2015 Sales report on December 3

COLUMBUS, Ohio, 2015-12-1 — /EPR Retail News/ — In conjunction with L Brands’ sales release, you are invited to listen to a pre-recorded broadcast of the November Sales report. The broadcast will be available on the Internet on Thursday, Dec. 3 at 7:30 a.m. ET.

What: L Brands November Sales Report
When: 7:30 a.m. ET on Thursday, Dec. 3, 2015
Where: http://www.LB.com
How: Simply log on to the Web at the address above or dial 1-866-639-7583.
There is no security passcode.

To access the broadcast, click on the November Sales webcast link on the homepage.  The call will also be archived on www.LB.com.

ABOUT L BRANDS:
L Brands, through Victoria’s Secret, PINK, Bath & Body Works, La Senza and Henri Bendel, is an international company.  The company operates 3,003 company-owned specialty stores in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom, and its brands are sold in more than 700 additional noncompany-owned locations worldwide.  The company’s products are also available online at www.VictoriasSecret.com, www.BathandBodyWorks.com,www.HenriBendel.com and www.LaSenza.com.

Tammy Roberts Myers
Vice President, Communications
614-415-7072 tel.

Amie Preston
Chief Investor Relations Officer
614-415-6704 tel.

SOURCE: L Brands

Posted on by

All U.S. Best Buy locations now perform Level 1 data recovery

Minneapolis, MN, 2015-12-1 — /EPR Retail News/ — Pictures of your new baby. Video from the family holiday gathering. A big term paper.

Sometimes important data seems to disappear from your device.

Before you panic, head to your local Best Buy store. Geek Squad Agents just might be able to help.

All U.S. Best Buy locations are now able to perform Level 1 data recovery — that is, find deleted and formatted files — on fully functioning devices in Geek Squad Precincts. Before, devices would need to be sent to Geek Squad City in Kentucky for the service.

“Our stores now have the ability to save clients’ precious memories at a substantial savings and a quicker turnaround – just two days on average,” said Shahrooz Eslahi, a Geek Squad senior market manager.

Common examples of Level 1 data recovery include accidentally formatted hard drives, deleted school papers or lost pictures on memory cards.

Agents will perform a diagnosis for $49.99 and then provide a cost estimate. For pricing information, click here.

Devices that need Level 2 and Level 3 data recovery will continue to be sent to Geek Squad City. Examples of Level 2 include drives that are failing or non-functioning, and Level 3 consists of extreme damage or failure, such as broken hard drives.

“The Geek Squad recommends to all our clients that they take preventive measures, like using an external hard drive, Network Attached Storage (NAS) or cloud solution,” Shahrooz said. “But for those who have a disaster strike, we can now help them better than ever.”

You might want to find the Best Buy store location nearest you — just in case.

SOURCE: Best Buy

 

###

All U.S. Best Buy locations now perform Level 1 data recovery

All U.S. Best Buy locations now perform Level 1 data recovery

Posted on by

REWE Group-Verbrauchervoting 2015

Köln, Germany, 2015-12-1 — /EPR Retail News/ — Die REWE Group zeichnet seit 2011 gemeinsam mit der Stiftung Deutscher Nachhaltigkeitspreis und dem Medienpartner DIE WELT die überzeugendsten Produkte der REWE Group-Nachhaltigkeitswochen aus. Vom 7. bis 21. November konnte dieses Jahr im Internet über „Deutschlands nachhaltigste Produkte“ abgestimmt werden. Insgesamt standen 49 Produkte in den Kategorien Food und Non Food zur Wahl. Alle Produkte wurden im Vorfeld von dem wissenschaftlichen Institut CSCP (Centre on Sustainable Consumption and Production) in Wuppertal auf ihren nachhaltigen Beitrag hin geprüft und von der Jury des Deutschen Nachhaltigkeitspreises bestätigt.

Die Gewinner der Kategorie Food
Den ersten Platz in der Kategorie Food belegt der Iglo Rahmspinat. Iglo Rahmspinat macht sich stark für die Region: In Zusammenarbeit mit über 100 Familienbetrieben und Vertragslandwirten aus dem Münsterland wird Wert auf langfristige, regionale Kooperationen und nachhaltigen Anbau gelegt – und der Spinat wird direkt vor Ort weiterverarbeitet. Ebenso unter die „Top 3“ platzierten sich followfood Pizza Vegetariana Bio und ViO Mineralwasser.

Die Gewinner der Kategorie Non Food
Die meisten Stimmen in der Kategorie Non Food entfielen auf die Omniflora Fairtrade Rosen. Fairtrade setzt sich für die nachhaltige Verbesserung der Arbeits- und Lebensbedingungen der Arbeiterinnen und Arbeiter auf den Blumenfarmen ein. Außerdem werden besonders umweltschonende Anbaumethoden gefördert, das Bewusstsein für Nachhaltigkeit gestärkt und die Rückverfolgbarkeit der Herkunft der Rosen ermöglicht. Unter die besten drei Produkte schafften es auch die Alpina Umwelt-Raumfarbe sowie die Zewa Wisch&Weg Nachhaltigkeitsedition.

Die Gewinner konnten am 27. November im Rahmen der feierlichen Verleihung des Deutschen Nachhaltigkeitspreises in Düsseldorf ihre Auszeichnung von den Ausrichtern des Preises und dem britischen Musiker Marlon Roudette entgegennehmen.

Die REWE Group begrüßt wöchentlich rund 70 Millionen Kunden in Europa in ihren Märkten. Diese Vielzahl an Kontakten sieht der Handels- und Touristikkonzern als Chance, um möglichst viele Menschen für einen nachhaltigeren Lebensstil zu sensibilisieren. So auch im Rahmen der REWE Group-Nachhaltigkeitswochen, wo sich die Unternehmensgruppe besonders intensiv dafür einsetzt, das Bewusstsein der  Kunden für nachhaltigeren Konsum und Produkte mit ökologisch-sozialem Zusatznutzen zu stärken.

Der Deutsche Nachhaltigkeitspreis wird seit 2008 jährlich von der Stiftung Deutscher Nachhaltigkeitspreis e. V. in Zusammenarbeit mit der Bundesregierung, kommunalen Spitzenverbänden, Wirtschaftsvereinigungen, zivilgesellschaftlichen Organisationen und Forschungseinrichtungen vergeben. Mit fünf Wettbewerben, über 800 Bewerbern und 2.000 Gästen zur Abschlussveranstaltung ist der Deutsche Nachhaltigkeitspreis die größte Auszeichnung ihrer Art in Europa.

Die genossenschaftliche REWE Group ist einer der führenden Handels- und Touristikkonzerne in Deutschland und Europa. Im Jahr 2014 erzielte das Unternehmen einen Gesamtaußenumsatz von über 51 Milliarden Euro. Die 1927 gegründete REWE Group ist mit ihren 330.000 Beschäftigten und 15.000 Märkten in 12 europäischen Ländern präsent. In Deutschland erwirtschafteten im Jahr 2014 rund 228.000 Mitarbeiter in rund 10.000 Märkten einen Umsatz von 37 Milliarden Euro.

Zu den Vertriebslinien zählen Super- und Verbrauchermärkte der Marken REWE, REWE CENTER, REWE CITY und BILLA, der Discounter PENNY sowie die Baumärkte von toom Baumarkt und B1 Discount Baumarkt. Hinzu kommen die Bio-Supermärkte (TEMMA), innovative Convenience-Märkte (REWE To Go), das Gastrokonzept „Oh Angie!“ und E-Commerce-Aktivitäten REWE Lieferservice sowie Zooroyal und Weinfreunde. Zur Touristik gehören unter dem Dach der DER Touristik die Veranstalter ITS, Jahn Reisen und Travelix sowie Dertour, Meier’s Weltreisen und ADAC Reisen sowie die Geschäftsreisesparte FCm Travel Solutions und über 2.100 Reisebüros (u.a. DER Reisebüro, DERPART), die Hotelketten lti hotels, Club Calimera und PrimaSol Hotels und der Direktveranstalter clevertours.com.

Für Rückfragen:
Marco Sandner
REWE Group-Unternehmenskommunikation
Tel.: +49 221 149 1050
Mail: presse@rewe-group.com

SOURCE: REWE Group

Posted on by

De speelgoedinzamelingsactie van Albert Heijn in samenwerking met Goedzak is een groot succes

Zaandam, the Netherlands, 2015-12-1 — /EPR Retail News/ — De speelgoedinzamelingsactie van Albert Heijn in samenwerking met Goedzak is een groot succes. Klanten leveren massaal hun oude speelgoed in bij één van ruim 400 Albert Heijn-winkels. Zo krijgt speelgoed een tweede leven en maken Albert Heijn en Goedzak de feestdagen voor veel kinderen extra speciaal.

Zes supermarkten in Zoetermeer sloegen de handen ineen en zamelen speelgoed in voor de Speelgoedbank van stichting MOOI (zie foto). Eline Loijaard, supermarktmanager van Albert Heijn Rokkeveen in Zoetermeer: ”Klanten hebben massaal gehoor geven aan onze oproep. We hebben de afgelopen weken met de zes winkels uit Zoetermeer ruim 600 Goedzakken in ontvangst mogen nemen en overhandigd aan de Speelgoedbank van stichting MOOI.” Naar schatting zijn er landelijk vele duizenden zakken ingeleverd. Klanten kunnen nog tot en met 6 december hun speelgoed inleveren.

SOURCE: Albert Heijn

###

De speelgoedinzamelingsactie van Albert Heijn in samenwerking met Goedzak is een groot succes

De speelgoedinzamelingsactie van Albert Heijn in samenwerking met Goedzak is een groot succes

Posted on by

Foodstuffs ensures its berries are sourced from reputable suppliers following MPI directive regarding imported frozen berries

Auckland, New Zealand, 2015-12-1 — /EPR Retail News/ — Foodstuffs is aware of the directive issued by the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) Director General regarding a potential risk associated with packaged imported frozen berries – strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, and boysenberries.

It is our understanding that MPI has increased surveillance of imported frozen berries, and are introducing a testing regime.

MPI guidance for consumers is to apply good food safety hygiene when consuming frozen berries including;

– Wash your hands before eating and preparing food

– Berries can briefly be boiled before eating

– Immunocompromised persons and those with liver damage should avoid frozen berries or products containing frozen berries.

If consumers have any concern about their health or that of their family then they should seek advice from their local medical practitioner, or call the Ministry of Health’s Healthline (0800 611 116).

Foodstuffs ensures that its berries are sourced from reputable suppliers with efficient and comprehensive traceability systems and effective food safety management systems in place which have been accredited against recognised local and international standards. We seek ongoing assurances from our suppliers around the effectiveness of their food safety management systems by requesting annual audit certification. The suppliers food safety management systems may incorporate a micro analysis programme to validate the effectiveness of their systems; Foodstuffs has not been informed of any non-complying product or positive analysis results.

Foodstuffs North Island Support Centre (Auckland)
Address:
60 Roma Road, Mt Roskill, Auckland 1041
PO Box 27-480, Mt Roskill, Auckland 1440
DX Box CX 15021, Mt Roskill, Auckland 1440
Phone: +64 9 621 0600
Fax: +64 9 621 0601

SOURCE: FOODSTUFFS NEW ZEALAND

Posted on by

Philippines: SM showcases its third largest mall in the country: newly opened SM Seaside City Cebu

Pasay City, Philippines, 2015-12-1 — /EPR Retail News/ — Newly opened SM Seaside City Cebu is SM’s third largest mall in the country measuring 430,000 square meters in gross floor area and is one of the Philippines’ most picturesque, showcasing not just architectural excellence but also resilience in design.

Due to its proximity to the Mactan Channel, the mall draws marine inspiration from the “nautilus”. The sea creature’s unique shape and logarithmic pattern guided the building’s architectural shape and design. The nautilus, a spiral shell with pale, pearly chambers, is one of the finest examples of natural beauty and elegance.

Arquitectonica’s Peter Brannan, Managing Director for Asia says translating this design into mall features meant not only providing the usual retail, service and transport facilities. “It also has to act as the social hub, much like the marketplaces or town squares in the old, traditional communities,” Brannan said.

This prompted Arquitectonica to propose “community” features such as a landscaped roof deck that can act like a “Central Park” called the Sky Park.

The design also includes a central courtyard with a 150-meter modern bell tower which can be the centerpiece of community events like fiestas or New Year Event countdowns. Add to this the “Cube” sculpture at the facade of the mall which is an anagram for “Cebu”, serving currently as one of the more popular “selfie” spots for shoppers and tourists. Nearby at the complex is the Chapel of San Pedro Calungsod with a hundred walls, which has emerged as one of the City’s favorite wedding destinations.

Now in operation, the mall makes this communal spirit much more apparent. “We understand that Cebuanos have a very strong sense of community, so we wanted to make sure we gave them a venue in which they could celebrate this communal spirit,” Brannan said. The Sy family envisoned the 30-hectare SM Seaside City complex as a regional destination, bringing together local and foreign tourists from all walks of life mainly from the Visayas and Mindanao regions.

Beyond beauty is sustainability

Beyond the mall’s aesthetics, SM believes that investing in sustainability safeguards the welfare of the customers, the tenants, and the malls’s host communities. SM Prime Holdings, Inc. President Hans T. Sy said during his speech at the UNISDR General Meeting in London in November that depending on the location and assessment of SM’s projects, around 10% of capital expenditure is allocated to disaster resilience which requires making the mall structure resistant to risk from potential disasters. “My experience has proven that investing in resilience of our company’s assets makes good business sense,” Sy said.

For its Seaside mall, Architect Fides Hsu, Vice President of SM Engineering, Design and Development Corp. said SM Prime hired design experts who gave extra attention to the challenges of weather, especially typhoon and flooding given its location by the sea. SM Prime backfilled soil onto the reclaimed property specifically on the roads so that the whole complex where the mall sits is elevated by approximately 4.5 meters from the city roads. Due to its elevation, a lower carpark level was created to accommodate 1,700 vehicles. Furthermore, all necessary electrical and mechanical equipment are located on the roof deck.

In terms of seismic design or provisions for earthquakes, the building structure of SM Seaside was designed in compliance with Philippine building regulations such as the 2010 National Structural Code of the Philippines (NSCP), the Uniform Building Code (UBC 97), and the International Building Code (IBC 2010).

The mall also uses water treatment facilities that recycle used water by 90% and re-use this for the cooling tower, toilet flushing and irrigation.

To reduce energy consumption, the mall’s airconditioning uses a Building Management System (BMS) and high efficiency chillers. In addition, all storefront windows and skylights of the mall use double glazed low e-glass which prevent heat from penetrating by as much as 78%. Furthermore, the whole mall is equipped with LED lights, while mall escalators have an “auto start and stop” feature that is activated when in use or otherwise. Elevators are inverter type systems that save power of up to 30%.

“Even way back in the mid 80s when SM started building its malls, Mr. Hans T. Sy has been responding to issues of sustainability and disaster risk resilience. The older malls of SM, for example, have long been using the BMS and variable frequency drives for airconditioning that control mechanical motors to maximize usage of power,” Hsu said.

SM is committed to help protect the environment, more so, its host communities by acting as a temporary refuge during times of calamities. “SM Prime places crucial importance on disaster resilience, not as an additional cost, but as part of our core business strategy. It allows us to serve our communities better, to be competitive, and to increase value. But most of all, disaster resilience ensures the safety of our customers and the communities where we operate,” SM Prime’s Sy said.

# # #

For further information, please contact:
Ms. Corazon P. Guidote
Senior Vice President for Investor Relations
SM Investments Corporation
E-mail: cora.guidote@sminvestments.com
Tel. No. (632) 857-0117
www.sminvestments.com

###

View of the Sky Park atop SM Seaside City from an architect rendering

View of the Sky Park atop SM Seaside City from an architect rendering

Posted on by

GOME’s revenue up 7.9% YoY during the first 9 months of 2015

  • Offline Assets and Supply Chain Platform Sync Seamlessly with Online Platform
  • Proposed Acquisition of Non-Listed Retail Assets to Establish a Nationwide Total Retail Network
  • Sales Revenue: RMB48.173 billion, up 7.9% year-on-year
  • Sales Growth of Comparable Stores: up 2.3%; the Growth in the Second-tier Market: up 5.9%
  • E-Commerce Gross Merchandise Volume (including Gross Merchandise Volume of Marketplace): up 112.6% year-on-year; of which 43.7% from mobile terminals
  • Total number of stores increased to 1,224, covering 310 large and medium-sized cities

Hong Kong, 2015-12-1 — /EPR Retail News/ — GOME Electrical Appliances Holding Limited (HKSE: 493, “GOME” or “The Company”, together with its subsidiaries, “The Group”) today announced the Group’s operational update for the first three quarters of 2015 (“the reporting period”).

Outstanding Results under O2O Total Retail Strategy
During the Reporting Period, the Group continued to focus on further enhancing its consumer interface platforms with more interactive features and expanding its O2O Total Retail Ecosystem with the aim of attracting more customers and promoting sales growth. The Group continued to optimise its physical stores in first-tier market and accelerate the expansion of its store network in second-tier market. In addition, it promoted the market penetration of its e-commerce business nationwide.

During the Reporting Period, the Group opened 56 new stores and closed 49 underperforming stores in first-tier market. The Group opened 114 new stores and closed 29 stores in second-tier market. The total number of stores as at 30 September 2015 was 1,224, distributed across 310 large and medium-sized cities.

Accelerating Development under Total Retail O2O Strategy
GOME will continue to expand its O2O Total Retail Ecosystem and reinforce its nationwide O2O total retail experience. First of all, starting at the individual customer experience, GOME will improve on community-centric O2O, accelerate e-commerce growth and strengthen smart internet-tv terminals. Next, GOME will further develop its consumer interface platforms with more interactive features, riding on the strong synergy of mobile micro shops, smart stores, second-tier markets and gome.com.cn. GOME will complete the total retail value platform by strengthening its Big Data processing, procurement platform, logistics platform, after-sales platform, IT platform and financial platform. In doing so, GOME can improve the cooperation between the links in the O2O Total Retail Ecosystem, unleashing the unique competitive advantage of the Group’s “Open Omni-channel Retailer” strategy, and achieving the sustainable growth of its O2O Total Retail Ecosystem.

On 26 July 2015, GOME announced its proposed acquisition of the retail network and supply chain assets held by the controlling shareholder (“the Target Group”). The proposed acquisition would potentially achieve synergies in operations and corporate governance, completing the nationwide coverage of the online and offline assets, and its procurement, logistics, after-sales and supply chain platforms within the Total Retail Ecosystem. On 28 October 2015, GOME announced a supplemental agreement with its controlling shareholder in relation to the proposed acquisition of the Target Group. The total implied consideration for the transaction was reduced to HK$9,095 million – representing a discount of nearly 20% compared with the previously proposed consideration of HK$11,268 million – so as to enhance the attractiveness of the transaction to GOME’s shareholders.

If the acquisition is successful, the Target Group and the Listed Company together are expected to realise significant synergies, which are expected to enhance GOME’s overall profitability. Upon the completion of the acquisition, GOME will fully integrate listed and nonlisted offline resources, accelerate penetration into tier-2, tier-3 and tier-4 cities and to support the speedy nationwide coverage of E-Commerce. Through the acquisition, we will be able to upgrade and transform the current regional retail network of the Listed Company into a nationwide retail network and accelerate the implementation of the O2O Total Retail strategy. The synergies arising from the acquisition will lead to sales/market share growth, gross profit improvement and cash flow optimization, cost savings and enhanced corporate governance. Moreover, pursuant to the supplemental agreement and based on profit attributable to owners of the parent for the 6 months ended 30 June 2015, the combined pro forma net profit of the Group and the Target Group amounts to RMB943 million, resulting in an EPS accretion of approximately 3.6% (calculated according to the pro forma enlarged number of shares outstanding after the completion of the acquisition), as compared with 0.5% under the original terms of the acquisition, which further enhances returns for GOME’s shareholders.

“The acquisition of the controlling shareholder of retail assets can further enhance the competitiveness of GOME. It is critical for us to seize the market in the O2O new era,” said Mr. Wang Junzhou, CEO of GOME. “In future, with the ‘Internet +’ national policy, GOME will reinforce its strengths in retail network and supply chain assets, actively develop its online business, reap synergies online and offline, and accelerate implementation of its O2O Total Retail strategy. In doing so, GOME will be able to achieve industry-leading operating performance. We are confident of achieving the goal of ‘building another GOME’ by 2017.”

Notes: As a result of the Company’s announced acquisition of Artway and whitewash waiver application, the Company is currently under an offer period. As such, the announcement only provides an operational update for the first three quarters of 2015. Pursuant to the Code, the unaudited profit attributable to owners of the parent of the Company for the Reporting Period would constitute a profit forecast and will be required to be reported on by the Company’s financial advisers and reporting accountants under the Code if it was announced. There are practical difficulties in reporting on such unaudited financial information in accordance with the requirements of the Code within a short period of time and before the issue of this announcement. Hence, the Company will not disclose profit related information in our Q3 announcement.

-End-

About GOME Electrical Appliances Holding Limited
GOME Electrical Appliances Holding Limited has been listed on The Hong Kong Stock Exchange since July 2004 (HKSE: 00493). The GOME Group was founded in China in 1987 and is engaged in the retail business of electrical appliances and consumer electronics in China. It is the leading retail chain of electrical appliances and consumer electronics and the leading retail chain enterprise in China.

Please visit our website for more information: www.gome.com.hk

For further enquiries, please contact:

Hong Kong
Hill+Knowlton Strategies Asia
Celia Fong
Tel: (852) 2894 6349 / 9842 8809
Email: Celia.fong@hkstrategies.com

Samantha Wang
Tel: (852) 2894 6266 / 9418 0271
Email: samantha.wang@hkstrategies.com

Beijing
Maggie Zhang
Tel: (86 10) 5928 8178
Email: zhangyuan-cw@gome.com.cn