Daily Archives: August 5, 2016

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Whole Foods Market and Instacart launch one-hour delivery service in the Dallas area

DALLAS, 2016-Aug-05 — /EPR Retail News/ — Whole Foods Market and Instacart are launching delivery in the Dallas area, making it the 25th metro where customers can use Instacart’s delivery service to order from Whole Foods Market stores. Using Instacart, shoppers can now purchase and have their groceries delivered to their homes or offices in as little as one hour from select Whole Foods Market locations, and at prices that are the same as those found in stores.

“We’ve seen how much our customers love this fast and convenient way to receive their groceries right to their door, so we are thrilled to offer this service to the Dallas community,” said Mark Dixon, president of Whole Foods Market’s Southwest Region. “Instacart has given us a way to provide customers with the highest-quality, fresh and healthy groceries, even when they can’t make it into our stores.”

“We’ve seen incredible growth and momentum over the last 12 months in our existing Texas markets, and we’re excited to be expanding into Dallas,” said Chad Shepler, general manager at Instacart. “The customer demand in Dallas has been off the charts, and we’re proud to be able to give Dallas residents convenient and quick access to fresh groceries whenever they want.”

By ordering at Instacart.com or via the Instacart mobile app, Whole Foods Market customers add items to a virtual cart, choose a delivery window (within one hour, within two hours or at a scheduled time) and check out.   Orders are filled by Instacart personal shoppers. Customers with the Whole Foods Market iOS app can browse thousands of recipes, create shopping lists and then conveniently order the ingredients from the Instacart app. The seamless integration offers recipe inspiration, preparation and purchase in one simple, user-friendly experience.

Shoppers can sign up at delivery.wfm.com. For other FAQs, visit https://www.instacart.com/faq.

Contact:

Darrah Gist
darrah.gist@wholefoods.com
678.638.5888

Lauren Bernath
lauren.bernath@wholefoods.com
678.638.5805

Source: Whole Foods Market

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Meijer opens new 192,000-square-foot supercenter in Waukesha, Wisconsin

Meijer opens new 192,000-square-foot supercenter in Waukesha, Wisconsin

Meijer opens new 192,000-square-foot supercenter in Waukesha, Wisconsin

 

Grand Rapids, Mich., 2016-Aug-05 — /EPR Retail News/ — Meijer opened a new 192,000-square-foot supercenter today in Waukesha, Wis., bringing local shoppers better access to low prices on high-quality merchandise, fresh produce delivered daily, and a full-service pharmacy that makes family health care a priority.

“It has been a great privilege bringing the Meijer difference to customers in Wisconsin over the past 12 months and we look forward to continued expansion in the upcoming years,” CEO Hank Meijer said. “This is our sixth store in the state, and we are excited to continue our commitment to providing healthier, fresher options and build on our reputation for a great shopping experience here in Waukesha.”

The Waukesha store is one of nine new Meijer supercenters to open – and part of an investment of more than $400 million in new and remodeled stores – this year, which is creating 3,000 new jobs across the Grand Rapids, Mich.-based retailer’s six-state footprint. The Waukesha store is at 801 E. Sunset Drive.

In 2015, Meijer opened its first four Wisconsin supercenters in Grafton, Kenosha, Wauwatosa and Oak Creek. In addition to the Waukesha location, Meijer also opened a supercenter in Sussex earlier this summer. Meijer has made a major commitment to growth in Wisconsin and plans to open two to three additional stores per year through 2020, including potential locations in the Green Bay, Fox Valley, Greenfield, Manitowoc, and Sheboygan area in the next several years.

“We’re thrilled to open our doors to the Waukesha community today,” Store Director Phil Kelley said. “We’ve worked hard for this moment and can’t wait to provide our customers with our incredible combination of selection and quality at lower prices.”

The new Meijer store was built to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards and will be open 24 hours a day. The grocery options that Meijer offers include more than 600 varieties of farm-fresh produce and a full-service meat department that features fresh seafood, Certified Angus Beef and custom cuts of meat. The bakery specializes in custom-decorated cakes and fresh bread baked four times daily.

The opening celebration began with a ribbon-cutting event, followed by remarks from Meijer leadership and local officials. Store Director Phil Kelley demonstrated the store’s commitment to the community by presenting $25,000 to the City of Waukesha to help fund improvements at the Les Paul Performance Center, Cutler Park and Waukesha Public Library. The renovations could include building a concession area, restroom upgrades and improvements to the Waukesha Public Library Community Room.

Following the ribbon cutting ceremony, students from La Casa de Esperanza went back-to-school shopping with Meijer gifts cards to get a jump start on this year’s school supply list.

As part of its ongoing community support, Meijer donates more than 7 percent of its net profit to charitable organizations annually, and each of its stores works with local food pantries and banks to help fight hunger at the local level. Since 2008, the retailer’s Simply Give program has generated nearly $24 million for its food pantry partners throughout the Midwest. This year’s fall Simply Give campaign will run through Sept. 24 and all proceeds will be donated to the Food Pantry of Waukesha County.

In addition to the retailer’s traditional grocery and merchandise, garden center and 24-hour gas station, the new Waukesha pharmacy will offer drive-thru pick up and the company’s free prescription program. The prescription program includes leading oral generic antibiotics with a special focus on prescriptions most often filled for children, prenatal vitamins and medications for those with diabetes and high cholesterol. Since its inception in 2006, the program has filled more than 34 million free prescriptions, saving Meijer customers more than $473 million.

About Meijer:
Meijer is a Grand Rapids, Mich.-based retailer that operates 229 super centers and grocery stores throughout Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky and Wisconsin. As a pioneer of the “one-stop shopping” concept, Meijer stores have evolved through the years to include expanded fresh produce and meat departments, as well as pharmacies, comprehensive apparel departments, garden centers and electronics offerings. Additional information on Meijer can be found at www.meijer.com. Follow Meijer on Twitter @twitter.com/Meijer or become a fan at www.facebook.com/meijer.

Contact:

Joe Hirschmugl
joseph.hirschmugl@meijer.com
616-791-3943

Source: Meijer

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Meijer kicks off fall campaign of its signature hunger relief program, Simply Give

Meijer kicks off fall campaign of its signature hunger relief program, Simply Give
Meijer kicks off fall campaign of its signature hunger relief program, Simply Give

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., 2016-Aug-05 — /EPR Retail News/ — After a record-setting spring campaign tied to the Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give, Midwest retailer Meijer recently kicked off the fall campaign of its signature hunger relief program, Simply Give, across its six-state footprint in an effort to help local food pantry partners restock their shelves.

“Meijer is committed to helping end the problem of food insecurity in the Midwest,” Co-Chairman Doug Meijer said. “With the ongoing generous support of our customers, we can continue to stock the shelves of local food pantries and aid families in our own communities.”

How it works:

During each Simply Give campaign, customers are encouraged to purchase a $10 Simply Give donation card upon checkout. The donation will then be converted into a Meijer food-only gift card and given to the local food pantry selected by the store after the campaign concludes.

The fall Simply Give campaign will run now through Sept. 24. Simply Give donation cards can be purchased at all 229 Meijer stores and will benefit a local food pantry. Meijer Simply Give donation cards can be found on fixtures near the checkout, as well as in the grocery and pharmacy departments.

Since Meijer began its Simply Give program in 2008, nearly $24 million has been donated to help neighborhood food pantries keep their shelves stocked throughout the year.

In addition, Meijer will double match customers’ donations Sept. 1-3. That means for every $10 donation card purchase, Meijer will contribute $20, resulting in a total $30 donation.

The Simply Give program runs three times a year to help fulfill the needs of the retailer’s food pantry partners during the times of most need: Spring, Fall and Holiday. The partnering food pantries are rotated to ensure broad outreach in the communities. Instead of determining what food to donate to the food pantry partners, the Simply Give program allows the pantries the flexibility to choose the grocery items best suited for the families they serve.

To view a video on the Meijer hunger relief efforts, including Simply Give, please visit http://newsroom.meijer.com/meijer-simply-give-video.

About Meijer:
Meijer is a Grand Rapids, Mich.-based retailer that operates 229 supercenters and grocery stores throughout Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky and Wisconsin. As a pioneer of the “one-stop shopping” concept, Meijer stores have evolved through the years to include expanded fresh produce and meat departments, as well as pharmacies, comprehensive apparel departments, garden centers and electronic offerings. For additional information on Meijer, please visit www.meijer.com. Follow Meijer on Twitter @twitter.com/meijer and @twitter.com/meijerPR or become a fan at www.facebook.com/meijer.

Contact:

Christina Fecher
christina.fecher@meijer.com
616-735-7968

Source: Meijer

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Ingles Markets reports higher sales for the three months ended June 25, 2016 vs. same period last year

ASHEVILLE, N.C., 2016-Aug-05 — /EPR Retail News/ — Ingles Markets, Incorporated (NASDAQ:IMKTA) today reported higher sales for the three months ended June 25, 2016, compared with the three months ended June 27, 2015. Net sales increased despite significantly lower retail gasoline prices compared with the third quarter of last year and despite extra Easter sales in the third quarter of last fiscal year. Easter occurred in the second quarter of the current fiscal year. Net income totaled $12.7 million for the quarter ended June 25, 2016, compared with $13.8 million for the third quarter of fiscal year 2015.

For the nine months ended June 25, 2016, net income totaled $40.0 million compared with $43.1 million for the nine months ended June 27, 2015.

During fiscal year 2016, the Company incurred expenses related to preparing certain properties for redevelopment into new stores in future periods, including costs to tear down and write-off these properties. These expenses adversely affected net income comparisons between the current year three- and nine-month periods and those of the prior year.

Robert P. Ingle II, Chairman of the Board, stated, “We are pleased with this quarter’s sales growth and our store base capital investments that will benefit future periods.”

Third Quarter Results
Net sales increased by $11.2 million, or 1.2%, to $957.2 million for the three months ended June 25, 2016, from $946.0 million for the three months ended June 27, 2015. Lower gasoline sales due to a decline in the average sales price per gallon were offset by higher sales in other products. Excluding gasoline sales and the effect of extra Easter sales in last year’s quarter, retail grocery comparable store sales increased 2.6% over the comparative fiscal third quarter.

Gross profit for the June 2016 quarter increased 4.8% to $232.9 million, compared with $222.2 million for the third quarter of last fiscal year. Gross profit, as a percentage of sales, was 24.3% for the June 2016 quarter compared with 23.5% for the June 2015 quarter. Excluding gasoline sales, retail grocery gross margin increased 39 basis points comparing the June 2016 and June 2015 fiscal quarters.

Operating and administrative expenses for the June 2016 quarter totaled $199.4­ million, compared with $190.7 million for the June 2015 quarter. Most of the increase was due to higher personnel and other costs incurred to increase sales. Losses from asset disposals totaled $1.6 million during the current third quarter, compared with $0.3 million during last year’s third quarter.

Interest expense totaled $11.2 million for the three-month period ended June 25, 2016, and $10.6 million for the three-month period ended June 27, 2015. Total debt at the end of June 2016 was $898.2 million compared with $918.2 million at the end of June 2015.

Net income totaled $12.7 million for the three-month period ended June 25, 2016, compared with $13.8 million for the three-month period ended June 27, 2015. Net income, as a percentage of sales, was 1.3% for the June 2016 quarter and 1.5% for the June 2015 quarter. Basic and diluted earnings per share for Class A Common Stock were $0.64 and $0.63, respectively, for the quarter ended June 25, 2016, compared with $0.70 and $0.68, respectively, for the quarter ended June 27, 2015. Basic and diluted earnings per share for Class B Common Stock were each $0.59 for the quarter ended June 25, 2016, and $0.63 for the quarter ended June 27, 2015.

Nine Month Results
Nine month fiscal 2016 and 2015 sales each totaled $2.83 billion. Retail grocery comparable store sales, excluding the effect of gasoline increased 2.1%. Lower retail gasoline and fluid dairy prices were offset by increased sales of other products.

Gross profit for the nine months ended June 25, 2016, increased 3.3% and totaled $687.2 million compared with $665.2 million for the first nine months of last fiscal year. Gross profit, as a percentage of sales, was 24.3% for the June 2016 nine-month period compared with 23.5% for the June 2015 nine-month period. Retail grocery segment gross profit as a percentage of sales, excluding gasoline sales, increased 18 basis points comparing the first nine months of fiscal 2016 with the same fiscal 2015 period.

Operating and administrative expenses totaled $589.7 million for the nine months ended June 25, 2016, and $563.3 million for the nine months ended June 27, 2015. Losses from asset disposals totaled $0.9 million during the current nine-month period, compared with a gain of $0.3 million during last year’s nine-month period. Interest expense increased $0.2 million to $34.4 million for the nine-month period ended June 25, 2016, compared with $34.2 million for the nine-month period ended June 27, 2015.

Net income totaled $40.0 million for the nine-month period ended June 25, 2016, compared with $43.1 million for the nine-month period ended June 27, 2015. Net income, as a percentage of sales, was 1.4% for the nine months ended June 25, 2016, compared with 1.5% for the nine months ended June 27, 2015. Basic and diluted earnings per share for Class A Common Stock were $2.03 and $1.98, respectively, for the nine months ended June 25, 2016, compared with $2.19 and $2.13, respectively, for the nine months ended June 27, 2015. Basic and diluted earnings per share for Class B Common Stock were each $1.85 for the nine months ended June 25, 2016, compared with $1.99 of basic and diluted earnings per share for the nine months ended June 27, 2015.

Capital expenditures for the June 2016 nine-month period totaled $107.8 million, compared with $73.5 million for the June 2015 nine-month period. The increased capital expenditures this year are focused on store buildings opened this year (and scheduled to open early next year) as well as ongoing improvements to the existing store base. Capital expenditures for the entire fiscal year are expected to be approximately $120 million to $145 million.

The Company currently has $143.1 million available under its $175.0 million line of credit. The Company believes its financial resources, including the line of credit and other internal and anticipated external sources of funds, will be sufficient to meet planned capital expenditures, debt service and working capital requirements for the foreseeable future.

The comments in this press release contain certain forward-looking statements. Ingles undertakes no obligation to publicly release any revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect events or circumstances occurring after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, except as required by law.  Ingles’ actual results may differ materially from those projected in forward-looking statements made by, or on behalf of, Ingles.  Factors that may affect results include changes in business and economic conditions generally in Ingles’ operating area, pricing pressures, increased competitive efforts by others in Ingles’ marketing areas and the availability of financing for capital improvements.  A more detailed discussion of these factors may be found in reports filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission including its 2015 Form 10-K and 2016 Forms 10-Q.

Ingles Markets, Incorporated is a leading supermarket chain with operations in six southeastern states. Headquartered in Asheville, North Carolina, the Company operates 201 supermarkets. In conjunction with its supermarket operations, the Company operates neighborhood shopping centers, most of which contain an Ingles supermarket. The Company also owns a fluid dairy facility that supplies Company supermarkets and unaffiliated customers. The Company’s Class A Common Stock is traded on The NASDAQ Stock Market’s Global Select Market under the symbol IMKTA. For more information, visit Ingles’ website www.ingles-markets.com.

Contact:

Telephone: (828) 669-2941
Fax: (828) 669-3678

Source: Ingles

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T Galleria by DFS celebrates loyalty with its Fall 2016 campaign

HONG KONG, 2016-Aug-05 — /EPR Retail News/ — This fall, T Galleria by DFS, the world’s leading luxury travel retailer, asks the question, “What are you loyal to?” Celebrating loyalty in all its forms with its Fall 2016 campaign, T Galleria by DFS has teamed up with a cast of nine international influencers, global travelers and friends of the DFS brand to share the experiences and the values they are most loyal to. Starring American CEO and designer Tory Burch, French music producer Caroline de Maigret and British style editor Susie Bubble among others, including DFS’ own staff, the Fall 2016 campaign unfolds throughout August, September and October in-store, online and through DFS’ social media channels.

“This season we were particularly inspired by the many relationships that make up the unique T Galleria by DFS experience – from customers to sales staff, brands to retailers and influencers to fans – and we wanted to celebrate the value of loyalty, which is at the core of all these experiences,” said John Gerhardt, Senior Vice President, Creative Branding Direction, DFS Group. “Every person has a story to tell about where their loyalty lies and we were thrilled to explore that concept with our cast while taking an entire season to celebrate and thank our customers for the immense loyalty they show us every day when they shop at T Galleria by DFS.”

With 17 downtown T Galleria by DFS and 17 airport DFS stores in 14 countries – and the 18th T Galleria store set to open in Venice in October – fans of the brand will have many chances to join in on the celebration this season through an interactive, cartoon-inspired visual merchandising set-up as well as an immersive digital experience featuring campaign videos, cast interviews and travel guides at TGalleria.com.

For members of DFS Group’s LOYAL T program, the world’s most extensive, multi-tiered luxury rewards program, the campaign amplifies the special access, benefits and privileges enjoyed by those who demonstrate their “LOYAL T” to DFS. Every day, members who shop with DFS can earn and redeem points for every dollar they spend, gaining access to an increasing array of services the more they shop. Members who shop with DFS this season will enjoy exclusive gifts from their favorite brands, intimate member-only events and experiences as well as a chance to win one million LOYAL T points.

Join the campaign and share what you are loyal to, starting August 1. #LOYALT

Contact:

press.enquiries@dfs.com

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T Galleria by DFS celebrates loyalty with its Fall 2016 campaign
T Galleria by DFS celebrates loyalty with its Fall 2016 campaign

 

Source: DFS

 

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Weingarten Realty creates “at the market” equity share offering program

HOUSTON, 2016-Aug-05 — /EPR Retail News/ — Weingarten Realty (NYSE: WRI) announced that the Company has created an “at the market” equity share offering program through which it can sell common shares of beneficial interest having an aggregate offering price of up to $250 million, which includes common shares having an aggregate gross sales price of up to approximately $34.1 million that were unsold from the Company’s previous ATM equity share offering program.

The common shares will be offered through Robert W. Baird & Co. Incorporated, BB&T Capital Markets, a division of BB&T Securities, LLC, BTIG, LLC, Capital One Securities, Inc., Jefferies LLC, Scotia Capital (USA) Inc. and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, who will be acting as agents.

The sales, if any, will be made in “at the market” offerings as defined in Rule 415 of the Securities Act of 1933. In addition, the common shares may be offered and sold through privately negotiated transactions. The Company intends to use the proceeds from any offering for general trust purposes.

The Company has filed a registration statement (including a prospectus) with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) for the offering of common shares described in this communication. Before you invest, you should read the prospectus in that registration statement, the prospectus supplement and other documents the Company has filed with the SEC for more complete information about the Company and this offering.

You may obtain these documents for free by visiting EDGAR on the SEC website at www.sec.gov. Alternatively, the Company or the agents will arrange to send you the prospectus if you request it by contacting Robert W. Baird & Co. Incorporated at 777 E. Wisconsin Avenue, Milwaukee, WI 53202, Attn: Syndicate Department, or by calling 800-792-2473, or by emailing syndicate@rwbaird.com; BB&T Capital Markets, a division of BB&T Securities, LLC at 901 East Byrd Street, Suite 300, Richmond, VA 23219; BTIG, LLC at 825 Third Avenue, 6th Floor, New York, New York 10022, Attn: Equity Capital Markets, email: BTIGUSATMTrading@btig.com; Capital One Securities, Inc. at 201 St. Charles Street, Suite 1830, New Orleans, LA 70170, email: gabrielle.halprin@capitalone.com; Jefferies LLC at 520 Madison Avenue, 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10022, Attn: Equity Syndicate Prospectus Department, email:Prospectus_Department@jefferies.com; Scotia Capital (USA) Inc. at 250 Vesey Street, New York, New York 10281, Attn: Equity Capital Markets, or by telephone at (212) 225-6854; and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC at 375 Park Avenue, New York, New York, 10152, Attention: Equity Syndicate Department, or by telephone at (800) 326-5897, or by emailing cmclientsupport@wellsfargo.com.

This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of the Company’s common shares in any state or jurisdiction in which such an offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction.

Forward-Looking Statements
Statements included herein that state the Company’s or Management’s intentions, hopes, beliefs, expectations or predictions of the future are “forward-looking” statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 which by their nature, involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties. The Company’s actual results, performance or achievements could differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements. Reference is made to the Company’s regulatory filings with the SEC for information or factors that may impact the Company’s performance.

About Weingarten Realty Investors
Weingarten Realty Investors (NYSE: WRI) is a shopping center owner, manager and developer. At June 30, 2016, the Company owned or operated under long-term leases, either directly or through its interest in real estate joint ventures or partnerships, a total of 226 properties which are located in 18 states spanning the country from coast to coast. These properties represent approximately 44.7 million square feet of which our interests in these properties aggregated approximately 28.0 million square feet of leasable area.

Contact:
Michelle Wiggs,
(713) 866-6050

Source: Weingarten Realty Investors

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Albert Heijn wordt Partner van NOC*NSF

Albert Heijn wordt Partner van NOC*NSF
Albert Heijn wordt Partner van NOC*NSF

Zaandam, the Netherlands, 2016-Aug-05 — /EPR Retail News/ — Tijdens een bijeenkomst in het Olympisch stadion bekrachtigden Wouter Kolk, directeur Albert Heijn, en Gerard Dielessen, algemeen directeur NOC*NSF, een 4-jarige samenwerking tussen beide partijen. De samenwerking komt voort uit een gezamenlijke missie om Nederland meer in beweging te krijgen. Beide organisaties zijn diepgeworteld in de lokale Nederlandse samenleving en hebben het doel om een gezond leven te bevorderen. De officiële samenwerking start per januari 2017, maar 22 augustus van dit jaar vindt al een 1e pilot plaats waarin klanten uit de regio Utrecht kunnen sparen voor gratis proefsporten bij honderden sportclubs, om zo op een laagdrempelige manier kennis te kunnen maken met heel veel verschillende sporten.

Gerard Dielessen, algemeen directeur NOC*NSF: “Wij zijn erg blij met Albert Heijn als Partner voor de komende vier jaar. Albert Heijn wil haar klanten graag helpen bij gezonder leven en NOC-NSF vindt het belangrijk om meer mensen te laten bewegen. Dat lijkt me een prima uitgangspunt voor een unieke samenwerking.” Wouter Kolk, algemeen directeur van Albert Heijn: “We willen als landelijke supermarkt graag bijdragen aan een gezonde manier van leven en willen daarin een voortrekkersrol pakken. Bewegen hoort daar ook bij. We zijn dan ook zeer blij met deze samenwerking met NOC*NSF, waarbij we er samen naar streven om straks in elke buurt meer kinderen en volwassenen aan het sporten te krijgen.”

De Albert Heijn sportweken: gratis proefsporten
22 augustus zal gestart worden met een pilot waarin klanten van Albert Heijn in de regio Utrecht middels een spaaractie gratis kennis kunnen maken met verschillende sporten. Gedurende 10 weken kunnen klanten proefsporten bij honderden clubs, om zo met veel verschillende sporten in aanraking te komen zonder direct vast te zitten aan een abonnement of lidmaatschap. NOC*NSF gaat samen met betrokken sportbonden de sportclubs helpen om het brede aanbod op een rij te zetten en de nieuwe sporter op een sportieve manier te inspireren, ontvangen en begeleiden. De samenwerking tussen Albert Heijn en NOC*NSF brengt op unieke en laagdrempelige wijze sportvraag en sportaanbod bij elkaar.

Vertegenwoordigers van de media kunnen contact opnemen met een van de woordvoerders via telefoonnummer: 088-6592020, via e-mail: pers@ah.nl of via twitter @AlbertHeijnPers.

Source: Albert Heijn

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PHILIPPINES: SM Investments Corporation records 11% consolidated net income growth for H1 2016

Pasay City, Philippines, 2016-Aug-05 — /EPR Retail News/ — SM Investments Corporation (SM) posted consolidated net income of PHP15.0 billion for the January to June period, a growth of 11% over last year.

Excluding extraordinary items, recurring income grew by 8%. Consolidated revenues rose 8.5% to PHP151.1 billion in the first half from PHP139.2 billion in the same period last year. “Our strong first half performance reflects continued economic growth, boosted in part by election spending. We continue to focus on cost efficiencies and operating margin improvements.

With the merger of our retail businesses we now cater to a much wider range of consumer needs and we look forward to benefiting from increasing consumer spending,” SM President Harley T. Sy said.

During the period, the property business contributed the most to consolidated net income at 41%. This was followed by banks with 38% and retail with 21%.

Retail
SM Retail reported sustained growth in total sales of 9% to PHP105.1 billion, while net income rose 14% to PHP3.5 billion. Net margin expanded to 3.4% from 3.2% twelve months ago. At end-June 2016, SM Retail had a total of 328 stores, comprising 55 THE SM STORES, 47 SM Supermarkets, 45 SM Hypermarkets, 147 Savemore stores and 34 WalterMart stores.

The Food Retail Group pursued its aggressive expansion in both urban and rural communities nationwide, adding 12 mid-sized format Savemore stores, two SM Supermarkets, one SM Hypermarket and two WalterMart stores. Meanwhile, Alfamart increased its number of stores to 146 as of end-June from 99 at the start of the year.

THE SM STORE opened two stores in SM San Jose Del Monte in Bulacan in April and in SM Trece Martires in Cavite in May. As of the first half, the total gross selling area of all 55 department stores stood at 729,722 sqm.

Early this year, SM announced the merger of SM Retail with Sy family-owned specialty store assets with over 1,400 outlets. The merger received final approval from the Securities and Exchange Commission on 7 July 2016. The merger is seen to create value and boost earnings given the strong competitive position of the specialty stores and their synergies with SM malls.

Property
SM Prime Holdings reported consolidated net income of PHP12.6 billion. Recurring net income increased by 12% year-on-year. Consolidated revenues reached PHP39.2 billion, an increase of 9% from PHP35.9 billion in the same period last year. Rental revenues from retail and commercial spaces accounted for 56% of consolidated revenues and grew 13% in the period to PHP22.0 billion.

During the first half, SM Prime opened SM San Jose Del Monte in Bulacan and SM Trece Martires in Cavite, bringing total Philippine operating malls to 58 with a GFA of almost 7.5 million sqm.

With an additional six malls in China, SM Prime’s total GFA is 8.5 million sqm. The company is expected to open two more malls this year, namely Cherry SM Congressional in Quezon City and SM City East Ortigas. It is also expanding SM Center Molino in Cavite and SM City San Pablo in Laguna this year.

The housing group, led by SM Development Corporation (SMDC), recorded a 6% increase in real estate sales to PHP13.0 billion. As a result, net income stood at PHP3.2 billion, up 7%.

Reservation sales rose by 18% to 8,091 units, translating to a 20% increment in sales value worth PHP22.6 billion from PHP18.8 billion. Reservation sales were largely generated from Shore 2 Residences, Coast Residences and S Residences in Pasay City.

For the rest of the year, SM Prime plans to launch additional 6,000 to 8,000 units in cities of Quezon, Pasay and Tagaytay and economic housing in the provinces of Bulacan, Cavite and Cabanatuan.

SM Prime also successfully opened the iconic Conrad Manila in the Mall of Asia Complex in June this year with 347 rooms. This brings the total hotels in the company’s portfolio to seven with a combined 1,510 rooms.

Banking
BDO Unibank, Inc. (BDO) recorded an increase by 13% in net income to PHP13.2 billion on broad-based improvement across the bank’s businesses and a one-time gain from the consolidation of BDO Life.

Net interest income grew 17% in the six-month period to PHP31.7 billion. Customer loan portfolio grew 21% to PHP1.4 trillion while CASA deposits advanced by 23%.

BDO recently secured final regulatory approval for the acquisition of full interest in Generali Pilipinas Life Assurance Corp. (renamed as BDO Life Assurance). This is part of refocusing efforts on the insurance business to solidify the bank’s presence in the middle income market.

The bank also announced an agreement with TPG Growth for the latter to acquire a 40% stake in BDO’s rural bank subsidiary One Network Bank (ONB). The collaborative partnership is seen accelerating ONB’s expansion and coverage of the underserved market segments.

China Banking Corporation reported net income growth of 30% to PHP3.3 bilion for the first half, driven by strong growth in its core and fee-based businesses.

Net interest income was up 7% to PHP8.0 billion on the back of higher volume of earning assets. Net loans expanded 12% year-on-year to PHP324.0 billion. The CASA to total deposits ratio stood at 51.7%.
>Balance Sheet As of end-June 2016, total assets of SM grew 7% to PHP770.2 billion. SM maintains a healthy balance sheet with a conservative gearing ratio of 39% net debt to 61% equity

About SM Investments Corporation
SM Investments Corporation (SM) is one of the leading conglomerates in the Philippines with highly synergistic businesses in retail, banking and property development. SM has evolved into one of the most highly respected companies in the country owing to its progressive approach in business and its comprehensive sustainability programs for its host communities through SM Foundation and SM Cares. SM’s retail operations enjoy a strong brand franchise consisting of THE SM STORE and its food retail chains namely SM Supermarket, SM Hypermarket, Savemore and WalterMart stores.

SM’s property arm, SM Prime Holdings, Inc., is among the largest integrated property developers in the Philippines with interests in mall, residential, commercial and tourism development. SM’s interests in banking are in BDO Unibank, Inc. (BDO), the country’s largest and in China Banking Corporation (China Bank). Combined, these two banks have a network of over 1,000 branches nationwide.

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

Source: SM Investments Corporation

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BILLA frisch gekocht: Österreichs beliebtestes Kundenmagazin präsentiert neuen Onlineauftritt

Wiener Neudorf, Austria, 2016-Aug-05 — /EPR Retail News/ — Der Online Auftritt des BILLA Kundenmagazins frisch gekocht erstrahlt dieser Tage in neuem Design. Auf köstliche Rezeptideen können sich Kunden natürlich nach wie vor freuen, aber auf www.frischgekocht.at erwarten Hobbyköche und Kulinarikliebhaber ab sofort auch einige Neuerungen, wie eine Lifestyle-Rubrik, Videos zum Nachkochen köstlicher Gerichte und eine direkte Verlinkung zum BILLA Online Shop.

Frisch gekocht und frisch geliefert
Das neue Design der frisch gekocht Online Plattform ist dem des BILLA Online Shops, der seit Herbst vergangenen Jahres das Einkaufen per Mausklick revolutioniert, angepasst – und das aus gutem Grund. Denn ab sofort können Kunden ihr frisch gekocht Online Konto mit dem BILLA Online Shop verbinden und ihren Warenkorb auch auf der frisch gekocht Homepage einsehen. Damit wird das Stöbern nach Rezepten, das Planen von Zutaten sowie das Einkaufen aller Lebensmittel komfortabel miteinander verbunden. „Mit dem Relaunch der frisch gekocht Plattform wollen wir unseren Kunden einen neuen Service bieten: Rezepte entdecken und gleichzeitig alle Zutaten in den Warenkorb packen, das geht jetzt Hand in Hand“, erklärt BILLA Marketingleiterin Stephanie Schubert die neuen Funktionen.

Virtueller Gaumenschmaus
Zukünftig werden personalisierte Kontoeinstellungen, auf denen die Lieblingsrezepte gespeichert werden können, verfügbar sein. Schon jetzt finden Kunden auch eine Rubrik, die sich Lifestylethemen widmet, wie die neuesten Küchentrends, kulinarische Reisen oder auch Lokaltipps aus ganz Österreich. „Wir wollen unseren Online Usern erweiterten Content zugänglich machen. Dabei dreht sich nach wie vor alles um den Genuss von Lebensmitteln, aber in einem erweiterten Kontext, wie zum Beispiel unsere Serie der besten Eissalons Österreichs“, beschreibt Schubert den neuen frisch gekocht Webauftritt weiter.

Die Nummer 1 der österreichischen Kundenmagazine
frisch gekocht schreibt seit seiner Einführung im Jahr 2000 und seiner laufenden Weiterentwicklung eine Erfolgsgeschichte unter den heimischen Kundenmagazinen und hat Einzug in zahllose österreichische Küchen gehalten. Mit einer Auflage von über 400.000 Exemplaren und einer Leserreichweite von 18,3 Prozent (CAWI Print 2015) 1 ist frisch gekocht der Frontrunner unter den Kundenmagazinen. „Wir möchten mit dem Magazin unseren Kunden einen genussvollen Mehrwert leisten und ihnen zeigen, welche tollen Speisen jeder mit einfachen Lebensmitteln zaubern kann“, erklärt die Leiterin Corporate Publishing bei BILLA, Daniela Schwarz, die seit diesem Jahr die Corporate Publishing Abteilung und damit das Team um frisch gekocht anführt. Als beliebtestes Kundenmagazin des Landes erscheint frisch gekocht 10-mal jährlich im D+R Verlag unter der Chefredaktion von Sabine Lachinger. Für 1 Euro – für VorteilsClub Mitglieder sogar gratis – liegt das Kulinarikmagazin in allen BILLA Filialen Österreichs auf.

Bildtext zum übermittelten Bildmaterial:

Bild: Screenshot des neuen BILLA frisch gekocht Onlinemagazins

Credits: BILLA AG, Abdruck zu PR-Zwecken honorarfrei.

Über BILLA
BILLA und Österreich verbindet seit mehr als 60 Jahren eine einzigartige Erfolgsgeschichte: Als Pionier im heimischen Lebensmittelhandel sorgt BILLA dafür, dass in ganz Österreich täglich Lebensmittel und Produkte zu einem fairen Preis verfügbar sind. BILLA deckt damit als Nahversorger mit Hausverstand die ganze Range an Produkten ab: Das Angebot reicht von einer breiten Palette an Markenartikeln bis zu den erfolgreichen Eigenmarken, darunter die Ja! Natürlich Bio-Produkte, qualitativ hochwertige Produkte der BILLA Eigenmarke, bis hin zur Diskontlinie clever®. BILLA arbeitet ständig am Produktsortiment und Serviceangebot, um so den Bedürfnissen der Menschen in Österreich gerecht zu werden und diesen tagtäglich ein kulinarisches Erlebnis zu bieten.

BILLA gehört zur REWE International AG und ist Teil von einem der größten Lebensmittelhändler Europas. Nachhaltigkeit hat BILLA in seiner Unternehmensstrategie umfassend verankert: Heute sind rund 350 der rund 1.050 BILLA-Filialen in Österreich energieeffizient. Weitere zentrale Themen der BILLA-Unternehmensstrategie sind Gesundheit und die Förderung von verstärktem Ernährungsbewusstsein der Österreicherinnen und Österreicher. Der Verantwortung gegenüber seinen treuen Kunden, rund 18.400 Mitarbeitern und langjährigen Partnern wird BILLA auf vielfache Art und Weise gerecht.

Wer nicht von gestern sein will, beschäftigt sich mit morgen«, sagt der Hausverstand

Mehr Infos unter: www.billa.at oder shop.billa.at

Besuchen Sie uns auch auf Facebook unter https://www.facebook.com/billa.at

Rückfragehinweis:
Team Media Relations

REWE International AG, Industriezentrum NÖ-Süd, Straße 3, Objekt 16,
A-2355 Wiener Neudorf
Tel.: +43 2236 600 5265
E-Mail: mediarelations@rewe-group.at

Source: REWE Group

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Australia’s most well-known winemaker Sue Hodder joins team of wine judges for the New World Wine Awards 2016

Auckland, New Zealand, 2016-Aug-05 — /EPR Retail News/ — Sue Hodder, one of Australia’s most well-known winemakers and an international wine judge, will be part of the 13-strong team of wine judges that today begin judging the 1,325 wines entered in the New World Wine Awards 2016.

Ms Hodder said this is especially timely, off the back of her attendance last week at the Australian Wine Industry Technical Conference in Adelaide, which is one of the biggest international wine conferences in the world held only every three years.

“I’m looking forward to applying insights from that and sharing them with fellow judges at the New Worlds Wine Awards. I’m also really looking forward to being a judge at this major New Zealand wine show with peers of the highest calibre,” said Ms Hodder.

The independent panel of 13 expert wine judges is chaired by Jim Harré, and includes Jane Boyle, Terry Copeland, Simon Fell, Jack Glover, Sam Kim, Dr Alastair Leggat, Alastair Maling MW, Olly Masters, Simon Nunns, James Rowan, and Barry Riwai.

The judging panel will spend three days tasting up to 120 wines a day to get through the record number of entries. They use the same internationally recognised 20-point system as all other leading wine shows. The judges will award Gold, Silver and Bronze medals, with the best wines in each category re-tasted to determine the Champion wine of each varietal, plus the overall Champion Red and Champion White.

Chair of the judging panel, Jim Harré, said the New World Wine Awards has grown year-on-year to become such an important fixture on the wine calendar because of the credibility of the awards, the benefits to winemakers, and the unique focus of this wine show on affordability and availability of wines to consumers.

In order to be eligible for entry to the New World Wine Awards the wines entered must retail for $25 or less and there must be at least 5,000 bottles available for sale. This ensures the award-winning wines are more accessible for wine lovers than is often the case for other wine awards.

“The New World Wine Awards occupies an important niche, which recognises that wine lovers today are spoilt for choice, so they value having the guesswork taken out of choosing an affordable wine that is also high quality as judged by independent wine experts,” said Mr Harré.

As well as Sue Hodder, who has judged at wine shows around the world (UK, Canada, Germany and Australia), the wider panel of judges also have significant experience in judging at a range of wine shows around New Zealand and internationally. New judge, Alistair Maling, is one of the elite group of experts globally to hold the Master of Wine qualification.

“The calibre of the judging panel and integrity of the judging process are essential elements for any serious wine show, and I am delighted to welcome Sue, Alastair and Simon Fell to the judging panel for the first time, and to welcome back the other judges,” said Mr Harré.

The New World Wine Awards judging takes place from the 1-3 August at Westpac Stadium in Wellington. Award-winning wines will be announced in October 2016, and distributed nationwide in New World stores.

Contact:

Tel: +64 9 621 0600

Fax: +64 9 621 0601

Source: Foodstuff

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Chick-fil-A to come to the great city of Puyallup, Washington in early 2017

ATLANTA, 2016-Aug-05 — /EPR Retail News/ — It’s official – Chick-fil-A is coming to the great city of Puyallup, Washington in early 2017! We are excited to serve our guests in the community next year and committed to the state of Washington with 8-10 restaurants planned in the next five years. More details on our first location at 104 39th Ave. SW and the local owner will be available soon. In the meantime, here’s a bit about us:

Our Food

  • Our menu items are made with fresh, simple ingredients right in our kitchens.
    • We freshly squeeze lemons for our three-ingredient lemonade (lemons, water, sugar).
    • Our creamy Milkshakes are hand-spun.
    • Our chicken is 100 percent pure breast meat (no fillers or additives), hand-fileted and hand-breaded every day in each restaurant’s kitchen.
    • We hand-chop and prepare all of our salads fresh daily.
  • We’re partnering with regional farmers and suppliers to source as many regionally-grown ingredients as possible:
    • Chick-fil-A currently sources all potatoes used to make hash browns and Waffle Potato Fries from the Columbia River Basin.
    • All of the apples used to supply Chick-fil-A’s West Region are grown in the Pacific Northwest.
  • In 2014, Chick-fil-A became the first quick-service restaurant to commit to serving only chicken raised without antibiotics in all of our restaurants within five years.

Our People

  • Chick-fil-A franchise Owner/Operators live and work in the community in which their restaurants are located, and are highly involved in the day-to-day operations, as they only oversee one or two locations.
  • Creating a happy and valuable workplace experience for team members is important to Chick-fil-A franchise Owner/Operators. In fact, Chick-fil-A was the only restaurant brand named to the Top 10 “Best Companies to Work For” by 24/7 Wall Street.
  • Chick-fil-A provides leadership and scholarship opportunities for restaurant team members. Over the years, Chick-fil-A has awarded $34 million in scholarships.

Community

  • Chick-fil-A’s franchise Owner/Operators engage with and support local communities through Spirit Night fundraisers, charitable donations and other involvement with causes that matter to their community and guests.
  • Many Chick-fil-A franchise Owner/Operators offer a weekly Kid’s/Family Night with themes or events where they encourage families to come to together to have some fun while enjoying great food.

Media Hotline: (800) 404-7196

Email: cfapressroom@chick-fil-a.com

Twitter @ChickfilANews

Source: Chick-fil-A

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Advance Auto Parts to report its 2016 second quarter results on Tuesday, August 16, 2016

ROANOKE, Va., 2016-Aug-05 — /EPR Retail News/ — Advance Auto Parts, Inc. (NYSE: AAP), a leading automotive after market parts provider in North America, serving both professional installer and do-it-yourself customers, will report its 2016 second quarter results before market open on Tuesday, August 16, 2016. The Company will detail its results on a conference call scheduled to begin at 8:30 a.m. Eastern time on Tuesday, August 16, 2016, which will be made available concurrently on the Company’s website, AdvanceAutoParts.com. The call is also available by dialing (866) 908-1AAP. The pass code is Advance Auto Parts. A replay of the conference call will be available on the Advance website for one year.

About Advance Auto Parts
Advance Auto Parts, Inc., a leading automotive aftermarket parts provider in North America, serves both professional installer and do-it-yourself customers. As of April 23, 2016 Advance operated 5,086 stores and 125 Worldpac branches and serves approximately 1,300 independently owned Carquest branded stores in the United States, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Canada. Advance employs approximately 74,000 Team Members. Additional information about the Company, employment opportunities, customer services, and on-line shopping for parts, accessories and other offerings can be found on the Company’s website at AdvanceAutoParts.com.

Media Contact:
Anna Gurney
919-573-2608
anna.gurney@advance-auto.com

Investor Contact:
Zaheed Mawani
919-573-3848
zaheed.mawani@advanceautoparts.com

Source: Advance Auto Parts, Inc.

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Dollar Tree moves forward with plan to develop its 70 acre property along Volvo Parkway in Chesapeake, Virginia

CHESAPEAKE, Va., 2016-Aug-05 — /EPR Retail News/ — Dollar Tree, Inc. (NASDAQ: DLTR), North America’s leading operator of discount variety stores, today announced that it is moving forward with its existing plan to develop its 70 acre property along Volvo Parkway in Chesapeake, Virginia. The Company’s rezoning application was approved by Chesapeake City Council in September 2013 after a series of public hearings. Progress on the real estate development paused while the Company worked through its recent acquisition of Family Dollar.

The development plans include a broad mix of possible uses such as retail, office, civic, hotel, and multi-family, as well as a public parking deck. Among other things, the Company expects additional office space will allow it to expand organically by at least 100 new jobs annually over the next six years. Governor Terry McAuliffe, the Commonwealth of Virginia and the City of Chesapeake have facilitated the Company’s expansion through grants, tax credits, and the Greenbrier Tax Increment Financing (TIF). As a result, the Company has decided that the City of Chesapeake will be the center of much of its corporate growth. The City Council must approve the project in a public meeting.

Much of the new village-style development will be vertical, which maximizes open space for greenery, plazas, and spacious street-scapes. The development will directly benefit Dollar Tree’s associates and the general public by fostering uses such as restaurants, daycare, doctors’ offices, apartments and condominiums.

“Dollar Tree has seen tremendous growth over the past 30 years,” said Bob Sasser, Chief Executive Officer of Dollar Tree. “We have grown from a small number of stores to a leading retailer with more than 14,000 retail stores across North America. To facilitate our continued growth, we are investing in the development of corporate facilities.”

“We are proud to be part of the Hampton Roads community,” Sasser continued. “We are appreciative of the support we have received from the City of Chesapeake and the Commonwealth of Virginia throughout the past three decades. We are excited about this development and the opportunity to create more jobs, as we grow our business.”

About Dollar Tree, Inc.
Dollar Tree, a Fortune 200 Company, operates more than 14,000 stores across 48 states and five Canadian provinces. Stores operate under the brands of Dollar Tree, Family Dollar, and Dollar Tree Canada. To learn more about the Company, visit www.DollarTree.com.

A WARNING ABOUT FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS: Our press release contains “forward-looking statements” as that term is used in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements address future events, developments or results and typically use words such as believe, anticipate, expect, intend, plan, forecast, or estimate. For example, our forward-looking statements include statements regarding our plans to develop property in Chesapeake, Virginia and the benefits anticipated from such plans including job growth. For a discussion of the risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could affect our future events, developments or results, you should carefully review the “Risk Factors,” “Business” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” sections in our Annual Report on Form 10-K filed March 28, 2016, our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed June 9, 2016 and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. We are not obligated to release publicly any revisions to any forward- looking statements contained in this press release to reflect events or circumstances occurring after the date of this report and you should not expect us to do so.

Contact:

Randy Guiler
757-321-5284
Vice President, Investor Relations
www.DollarTree.com
DLTR-G

Source: Dollar Tree, Inc.

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The TJX Companies, Inc. to release its second quarter Fiscal 2017 sales and earnings results on August 16, 2016

FRAMINGHAM, Mass., 2016-Aug-05 — /EPR Retail News/ — The TJX Companies, Inc. (NYSE: TJX) today announced that it plans to release its second quarter Fiscal 2017 sales and earnings results on Tuesday, August 16, 2016, before 9:30 a.m. ET.

At 11:00 a.m. ET that day, Ernie Herrman, TJX’s Chief Executive Officer and President, will hold a conference call with stock analysts to discuss the Company’s second quarter Fiscal 2017 results, operations and business trends. A real-time webcast of the call will be available to the public at tjx.com. A replay of the call will also be available by dialing (866) 367-5577 through Tuesday, August 23, 2016, or at tjx.com.

About The TJX Companies, Inc.
The TJX Companies, Inc. is the leading off-price retailer of apparel and home fashions in the U.S. and worldwide. As of April 30, 2016, the end of the Company’s first quarter, the Company operated a total of 3,661 stores in nine countries, the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Germany, Poland, Austria, the Netherlands, and Australia, and three e-commerce sites. These include 1,163T.J. Maxx, 1,010 Marshalls, 534 HomeGoods and 8 Sierra Trading Post stores, as well as tjmaxx.com and sierratradingpost.com in the United States; 250 Winners, 104 HomeSense, and 45 Marshalls stores in Canada; 471 T.K. Maxx and 41 HomeSense stores, as well as tkmaxx.com, in Europe; and 35 Trade Secret stores in Australia. TJX’s press releases and financial information are also available at tjx.com.

Important Information at Website
Archived versions of the Company’s conference calls are available in the Investor Information section of tjx.com after they are no longer available by telephone as are reconciliations of non-GAAP financial measures to GAAP financial measures and other financial information. The Company routinely posts information that may be important to investors in the Investor Information section at tjx.com. The Company encourages investors to consult that section of its website regularly.

Contact:

Debra McConnell
Global Communications
(508) 390-2323

Source: The TJX Companies, Inc.

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Church’s opens retail outlet at SKP department store in Beijing

Beijing, China, 2016-Aug-05 — /EPR Retail News/ — Church’s has strengthened its presence in Asia with the opening of a new retail outlet in Beijing, within the prestigious SKP department store.

The space is located in the luxury footwear department on the second floor and houses the men’s footwear collections, including the classic Consul, Chetwynd and Shannon models.

In addition, Church’s has created a new and sophisticated interpretation of the legendary Shanghai to mark the occasion: a special edition model created exclusively for SKP and available in an unusual Baltic blue colour with matching studs.

Church’s was established in 1873 in Northampton and is a world leader in the manufacturing and distribution of high-end men’s and women’s footwear. Since 1999 it is part of the Prada Group which now holds 100% of Church’s capital.

Contact:

Church’s press office
Phone +39 – 02-65569311
Flavio.cerbone@church-footwear.com
www.church-footwear.com

Source: Prada

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Prada strengthens its presence in Amsterdam with store opening in the De Bijenkorf Mall

Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 2016-Aug-05 — /EPR Retail News/ — Prada strengthens its presence in Amsterdam with a new opening inside the De Bijenkorf Mall, located in the celebrated Dam square.

The store covers a total area of 115 square metres and houses the women’s and men’s leather goods and accessories collections.

A succession of large marble portals sets the rhythm of the interior, dividing it into three different spaces, each dedicated to a different product type.

The signature black-and-white marble chequered flooring – a legacy of Prada’s identity worldwide – is the common thread running through the design of the spaces. Walls clad in green fabric and black marble with Prada’s iconic cut-in display niches define the atmosphere. Polished steel counters with coloured saffiano leather detailing complete the furnishing.

For further information:

Prada Press Office
Ph. +39.02.541921
e-mail: ufficio.stampa@prada.com

Source: Prada

 

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Prada opens 670-square meter space store at the GUM Mall in Moscow

Moscow, Russia, 2016-Aug-05 — /EPR Retail News/ — Fashion is an experience in intimacy. The relationship between garment and wearer creates a personal narrative informed by texture and color, contrast and complement. Garments toy with perception – who we are, who we will be – realized in the way we dress. The Prada store at the GUM Mall in Moscow has evolved into a new constellation of intimate rooms featuring the Men’s and Women’s collections. The new experience embraces femininity and masculinity, light, texture, color, all within the two- level, 670-square meter space.

Overlooking Moscow’s Red Square, the new store features large windows that convey the interior spaces to the passers-by. Marble, velvet, and glass invite customers into the luxurious space. The interior preserves the original GUM vaulted ceiling, while the Prada’s classic black-and-white chequered marble floor pays homage to the original boutique in the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II in Milan. Comprising elegant rooms and retail salons, the store is replete with signature Prada colors and textures: velvet, marble, glass, in the familiar Encausto Green.

Prada at the GUM Mall embodies the twinned contradictions of the Prada brand. The retail experience is an investigation of space, culminating in the moments generated in grand rooms and unique salons. The intense design, detailing, and materiality reflect Prada’s century long commitment to craftsmanship and luxury since Mario Prada founded his first shop in Milan in 1913. Luxury and care are integral to the Prada GUM experience, manifested in the typology of highly crafted intimacy. Prada’s focus remains, as always, on customer service: the comfort, surprise, and delight of the customer is paramount.

For further information:

Prada Press Office
Ph. +39.02.541921
e-mail: ufficio.stampa@prada.com

Source: Prada

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Coach, Inc. to hold its fourth quarter and year end results conference call on August 9, 2016

NEW YORK, 2016-Aug-05 — /EPR Retail News/ — On Tuesday, August 9, 2016 at 8:30 a.m. (ET), Coach, Inc. (NYSE:COH) (SEHK:6388) will hold a conference call to discuss the company’s fourth quarter and year end results, which will be reported via press release earlier that morning.

To listen to the call, please dial: 1-888-405-2080 or 1-210-795-9977 and request the Coach earnings call led by Andrea Shaw Resnick. To listen to the audio webcast, go to www.coach.com/investors on the Internet. A telephone replay will be available for five business days beginning at 12:00 noon (ET) on August 9th. To access the replay, please call 1-866-352-7723 or 1-203-369-0080.

Coach, Inc. is a leading New York design house of modern luxury accessories and lifestyle brands. The Coach brand was established in New York City in 1941, and has a rich heritage of pairing exceptional leathers and materials with innovative design. Coach is sold worldwide through Coach stores, select department stores and specialty stores, and through Coach’s website at www.coach.com. In 2015, Coach acquired Stuart Weitzman, a global leader in designer footwear, sold in more than 70 countries and through its website at www.stuartweitzman.com. Coach, Inc.’s common stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol COH and Coach’s Hong Kong Depositary Receipts are traded on The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited under the symbol 6388.

Neither the Hong Kong Depositary Receipts nor the Hong Kong Depositary Shares evidenced thereby have been or will be registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and may not be offered or sold in the United States or to, or for the account of, a U.S. Person (within the meaning of Regulation S under the Securities Act), absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements. Hedging transactions involving these securities may not be conducted unless in compliance with the Securities Act.

Media Contact:

Andrea Shaw Resnick
212-629-2618
Global Head of Investor Relations and Corporate Communications

Christina Colone
212-946-7252
Director, Investor Relations

Source: Coach, Inc.

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Coach, Inc. announces the sale-leaseback of its global headquarters at 10 Hudson Yards in New York City

NEW YORK, 2016-Aug-05 — /EPR Retail News/ — Coach, Inc. (NYSE:COH) (SEHK:6388), a leading New York design house of modern luxury accessories and lifestyle brands, today announced the sale-leaseback of its global headquarters at 10 Hudson Yards in New York City. The Company received a purchase price of approximately $707 million (net of $77 million due to the developer of Hudson Yards) before transaction costs of $26 million, resulting in a gain of about $30 million which will be amortized over 20 years. Coach has simultaneously entered into a 20-year lease for the headquarters space.

Victor Luis, Chief Executive Officer of Coach, Inc., said, “We are very pleased to monetize our investment in Hudson Yards, where we were the first company to commit to the project and will be the largest tenant in the new building. We are bringing both our brands – Coach and Stuart Weitzman – together under one roof, in a modern work space, very much reflective of the Coach values and sensibility.”

“Coach has called New York City home since we were founded seventy-five years ago. We have long been part of this neighborhood and we are thrilled to be part of the new Hudson Yards development that is bringing opportunity, culture, and commerce to a great part of Manhattan. The overall design, the community integration with culture and the High Line as well as the modern amenities will continue to make Hudson Yards a sought-after destination.”

Coach, Inc. is a leading New York design house of modern luxury accessories and lifestyle brands. The Coach brand was established in New York City in 1941, and has a rich heritage of pairing exceptional leathers and materials with innovative design. Coach is sold worldwide through Coach stores, select department stores and specialty stores, and through Coach’s website at www.coach.com. In 2015, Coach acquired Stuart Weitzman, a global leader in designer footwear, sold in more than 70 countries and through its website at www.stuartweitzman.com. Coach, Inc.’s common stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol COH and Coach’s Hong Kong Depositary Receipts are traded on The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited under the symbol 6388.

Neither the Hong Kong Depositary Receipts nor the Hong Kong Depositary Shares evidenced thereby have been or will be registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and may not be offered or sold in the United States or to, or for the account of, a U.S. Person (within the meaning of Regulation S under the Securities Act), absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements. Hedging transactions involving these securities may not be conducted unless in compliance with the Securities Act.

This information to be made available in this presentation may contain forward-looking statements based on management’s current expectations. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to statements that can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as “may,” “will,” “can,” “should,” “expect,” “intend,” “estimate,” “continue,” “project,” “guidance,” “forecast,” “anticipated,” “moving,” “leveraging,” “targeting,” “on track to return,” “to achieve” or comparable terms. Future results may differ materially from management’s current expectations, based upon a number of important factors, including risks and uncertainties such as expected economic trends, the ability to anticipate consumer preferences, the ability to control costs and successfully execute our transformation and operational efficiency initiatives and growth strategies and our ability to achieve intended benefits, cost savings and synergies from acquisitions, etc. Please refer to Coach Inc.’s latest Annual Report on Form 10-K and its other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission for a complete list of risks and important factors.

Media Contact:

Andrea Shaw Resnick
212-629-2618
Global Head of Investor Relations and Corporate Communications

Christina Colone
212-946-7252
Director, Investor Relations

Source: Coach, Inc.

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JOY & PEACE recognized at The Marketing Events Awards 2016

JOY & PEACE recognized at The Marketing Events Awards 2016
JOY & PEACE recognized at The Marketing Events Awards 2016

 

Hong Kong, 2016-Aug-05 — /EPR Retail News/ — The Marketing Events Awards 2016 recognizes and honors the very best of Asia’s event marketing, management and planning industry. JOY & PEACE was delighted to have made it into the Top 5 finalist in 3 categories and eventually awarded with Silver in “Best Product Launch” at the presentation ceremony held on 21 July at The Mira Hong Kong.

The awards are judged by senior marketers across North Asia and Marketing magazine’s editorial board, who looked for the following key judging criteria – Challenge, Strategy, Execution and Result.

JOY & PEACE was competing against some international conglomerates including Mercedes Benz,Johnnie Walker, Volkswagen and many other submissions in other categories, including Adidas, McDonald and LVMH group. For the very first time, JOY & PEACE received Silver in “Best Product Launch” category,recognizing the team’s effort in pursuit of excellence.

The entries of 3 award categories are:

1. Best Product Launch – JOY & PEACE x VIVIENNE TAMFW 2016 Footwear Collection debuted at the New York Fashion Week

2. Best Use of Influencers – JOY & PEACE x VIVIENNE TAMFW 2016 Footwear Collection debuted at the New York Fashion Week

3. Best Small Event – The 20th Anniversary Fashion Event held in Shanghai 2015 Fall

Investor Relations:

Tel：+86 755 8287 7385
E-mail: ir@belle.com.cn

Source: Belle International

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Popeyes® Louisiana Kitchen announces the return of all-time customer favorite Beer Can Rip’n Chick’n

ATLANTA, 2016-Aug-05 — /EPR Retail News/ — Popeyes® Louisiana Kitchen is bringing back an all-time customer favorite inspired by a Southern cooking tradition – Beer Can Rip’n Chick’n.

Popeyes Beer Can Rip’n Chick’n is all-white meat chicken breast cut into strips and marinated in garlic, rosemary, cayenne and lemon zest – the seasonings that make Beer Can chicken a classic Southern experience. Served with a choice of Signature Side, Buttermilk Biscuit and Creamy Cayenne dipping sauce, it’s the perfect meal for only $3.99!

“Beer Can Rip’n Chick’n has all the flavor of the perfect Beer Can Chicken with all the fun of Rip’n Chick’n,” said Hector A. Muñoz, Chief Marketing Officer – US. “But make no mistake, there is no beer in Beer Can Rip’n Chick’n, it’s the marinade that makes it taste so good.”

Rip and dip some Beer Can Rip’n Chick’n before it’s gone and enjoy that Louisiana flavor by visiting your nearest Popeyes today!

Popeyes Beer Can Rip’n Chick’n is available at participating restaurants from August 1st through August 28th while supplies last. For more information or to find a Popeyes near you, please visit www.popeyes.com.

About Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen
Founded in 1972 in New Orleans, Popeyes is a leader in the New Orleans segment of the foodservice industry and is the world’s second largest quick-service chicken concept based on the number of units. As of April 17, 2016, Popeyes had 2,569 operating restaurants in the United States, the District of Columbia, three territories, and 26 foreign countries. For more information, visit the Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen Web site at www.popeyes.com.

Media Contact:

Coltrin & Associates
Jennifer Webb
212-221-1616
Jennifer_Webb@Coltrin.com

Source: Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen

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Shop Direct announces the appointment of Sally-Anne Newson as business development director

Shop Direct announces the appointment of Sally-Anne Newson as business development director
Shop Direct announces the appointment of Sally-Anne Newson as business development director

 

Liverpool,UK, 2016-Aug-05 — /EPR Retail News/ — Shop Direct, the UK’s second largest pureplay online retailer, has hired its first business development director to help grow commercial partnerships that can accelerate the company’s journey to becoming a world class digital retailer.

Sally-Anne Newson, who started at Shop Direct on 18 July 2016, brings 16 years of retail experience in business development – as well as in digital, marketing and trading – to the company.

She has previously held roles at online fashion retailer Atterley, where she was CEO; ASOS, where she was business development director, and the largest multi-channel retailer in Australia Woolworths Group, where she was head of multichannel retail. Sally-Anne also spent eight years at eBay in Australia, where she rose to head of buyer experience.

Key partnerships, including with blue chip companies like IBM and SAS, have helped to support Shop Direct’s ongoing transformation into a world class digital retailer, which has seen it become a £1.8bn turnover, 100% digital business.

Alex Baldock, CEO at Shop Direct, said:
“Building strong partnerships with innovative, like-minded companies is helping us offer the best experience for our customers. That’s why we’ve brought in Sally-Anne. She’s got the skills to take us even further; developing new and existing relationships to accelerate our journey towards world class.”

Sally-Anne commented:
“Shop Direct’s recent transformation has been stellar. I’m excited to be joining such an ambitious, digital business. Supplier relationships have been critical in Shop Direct’s transformation to date, and I can’t wait to continue creating and nurturing partnerships that can take us to the next level.”

ABOUT SHOP DIRECT
Shop Direct is the UK’s second largest pureplay online retailer, with annual sales of £1.8 billion. Our digital department store brands are Very.co.uk, Littlewoods.com, VeryExclusive.co.uk and Littlewoods.ie. We receive an average of 1.2 million website visits every day, with more than 60% of our sales completed on mobile devices.

We exist to make good things easily accessible to more people. With our department store range of famous brands, market-leading ecommerce and technology capabilities and unique financial services products offering flexible ways to pay, we’re well placed to deliver on that promise.

We sell more than 1,100 famous brands, including big name labels and our own exclusive brands. We have four million customers and deliver 48 million products every year. Our free click and collect service, Collect+, delivers to 5,800 stores across the UK, providing ease and convenience for customers.

For more information on Shop Direct, visit www.shopdirect.com or follow us on Twitter at @ShopDirect.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

Dave Lafferty
dave.lafferty@shopdirect.com
07552 283 266

Source: Shop Direct

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GameStop completes acquisition of AT&T authorized retailers: Cellular World Corp., Midwest Cellular, Inc., and Red Skye Wireless, Inc.

GRAPEVINE, TX, 2016-Aug-05 — /EPR Retail News/ — GameStop Corp.(NYSE: GME), a family of specialty retail brands that makes the most popular technologies affordable and simple, today announced that it has completed the acquisition of three national AT&T authorized retailers: Cellular World Corp.,Midwest Cellular, Inc., and Red Skye Wireless, Inc., adding 507 stores to its Technology Brands business.

In 2013, GameStop entered the mobile space by acquiring Spring Mobile, an AT&T authorized retailer with approximately 90 stores. Today, GameStop is AT&T’s largest authorized retailer with 1,421 AT&T Mobility stores. GameStop is also the largest retail distributor of Cricket Wireless with Cricket products and services available in 3,400 of its U.S. GameStop locations.

“Today’s announcement showcases the strength of our relationship with AT&T and fortifies our diversification efforts,” said Paul Raines, chief executive officer of GameStop. “With the continued investments in our Technology Brands business, we are on track to achieve our goal of generating $200 million of operating earnings in this growing segment by the end of 2019,” Raines added.

More information about the acquisitions will be discussed on the company’s second quarter earnings call on August 25, 2016.

About GameStop Corp.
GameStop Corp. (NYSE: GME), a Fortune 500 company headquartered in Grapevine, Texas, is a global, omnichannel video game, consumer electronics and wireless services retailer. GameStop operates more than 7,000 stores across 14 countries. The company’s consumer product network also includes www.gamestop.com; www.Kongregate.com, a leading browser-based game site; Game Informer® magazine, the world’s leading print and digital video game publication; and ThinkGeek, www.thinkgeek.com, the premier retailer for the global geek community featuring exclusive and unique video game and pop culture products. In addition, our Technology Brands segment includes Simply Mac and Spring Mobile stores. Simply Mac, www.simplymac.com, operates 74 stores, selling the full line of Apple products, including laptops, tablets, and smartphones and offering Apple certified warranty and repair services. Spring Mobile, www.springmobile.com, sells all of AT&T’s products and services, including DIRECTV through its 1,421 AT&T branded stores and offers pre-paid wireless services, devices and related accessories through its 70 Cricket branded stores in select markets in the U.S.

General information about GameStop Corp. can be obtained at the company’s corporate website. Follow GameStop on Twitter at www.twitter.com/GameStop and find GameStop on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GameStop.

Safe Harbor
This presentation contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements may include, but are not limited to, future financial and operating results and projections, the company’s plans, objectives, expectations and intentions, and other statements that are not historical facts. Such statements are based upon the current beliefs and expectations of GameStop’s management and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ from those set forth in the forward-looking statements. GameStop undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements. The following factors, among others, could cause actual results to differ from those set forth in the forward-looking statements: the inability to obtain sufficient quantities of product to meet consumer demand, including console hardware and accessories; the timing of release and consumer demand for new and pre-owned video game titles; our ability to continue to expand, and successfully open and operate new stores for, our collectibles and tech brands businesses; risks associated with achievement of anticipated financial and operating results from acquisitions; our ability to sustain and grow our console digital video game sales; the risks associated with international operations, wireless industry partnerships and operations and the completion and integration of acquisitions; increased competition and changing technology in the video game industry, including browser and mobile games and digital distribution of console games, and the impact of that competition and those changes on physical video game sales; and economic, regulatory and other events, including litigation, that could reduce or impact consumer demand or affect the company’s business. Additional factors that could cause GameStop’s results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements can be found in GameStop’s Annual Report on Form 10-K, as amended, for the fiscal year ended Jan. 30, 2016 filed with the SEC and available at the SEC’s Internet site at http://www.sec.gov or http://investor.GameStop.com.

Contact:
Matt Hodges
Vice President, Corporate Communications
GameStop Corp.
(817) 424-2130

Source: GameStop Corporation

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FMI partners with Trace Register for the 3rd Annual Traceability Leadership Forum

Seattle, Wash., 2016-Aug-05 — /EPR Retail News/ — Trace Register, the global leader in seafood traceability, will host its third annual Traceability Leadership Forum from 8:00 am to 11:30 am on Wednesday, August 10, 2016 at the New Orleans Marriott in New Orleans, Louisiana. This year’s event will take place as part of the Pre-Summit Sessions of the Food Marketing Institute’s and Grocery Manufacturers Association’s 2016 Global Sustainability Summit.

“As a featured educational opportunity for the nation’s food retailer, seafood, and sustainability executives, FMI is pleased to partner with Trace Register for the 3rd Annual Traceability Leadership Forum,” FMI’s Rick Stein, Vice President, Fresh Foods, said. “Retailers and stakeholders are committed to better understanding how technological advancements are streamlining the intensive process of verifying product requirements and ultimately enhance the consumer experience.”

Retailers and trading partners are invited to attend the forum and will have the opportunity to discuss and learn about the latest developments in traceability with regards to managing specifications in seafood supply chains, meeting regulatory compliance including the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), and the power of digital certificates in achieving corporate and social responsibility goals.

“We have a great line-up of speakers. Participants will learn how big data is becoming a powerful tool in seafood supply chains to deliver more consistent seafood while minimizing risk,” states Phil Werdal, CEO of Trace Register. “We will also share how powerful data analytical tools flag problems before they happen.”

Interested retailers can view a list of speakers and topics and register for the Traceability Leadership Forum (part of the Pre-Summit Sessions).

Agenda

Ryan Boudreaux, Whole Foods Market

Gary Bauer, Pontchartrain Blue Crab, Inc.

Is Implementing Digital Traceability Overwhelming? (Fact or Fiction)

Dag Heggelund, PhD., Trace Register

Peter Larkins, Trace Register

Seafood Supply Chains Meet Big Data Analytics

Ryan Stover, Whole Foods Market

George Parmenter, Delhaize America

(Hannaford | Food Lion)

Variation in Seafood Supply Chains

Howard Tenen, Quirch Foods

Meeting Current and Future Regulatory Compliance with Digital Traceability

Reese Antley, Wood’s Fisheries

Laura Picariello, Audubon Nature Institute

Digital Certificates, Validating a Fishery Improvement Project (FIP)

Peter Larkins, Trace Register

Digital Certificates, Helping Combat Human Trafficking

Food Marketing Institute proudly advocates on behalf of the food retail industry. FMI’s U.S. members operate nearly 40,000 retail food stores and 25,000 pharmacies, representing a combined annual sales volume of almost $770 billion. Through programs in public affairs, food safety, research, education and industry relations, FMI offers resources and provides valuable benefits to more than 1,225 food retail and wholesale member companies in the United States and around the world. FMI membership covers the spectrum of diverse venues where food is sold, including single owner grocery stores, large multi-store supermarket chains and mixed retail stores. For more information, visit www.fmi.org and for information regarding the FMI foundation, visit www.fmifoundation.org.

Contact:
Tel: 202-452-8444
Fax: 202-429-4519

Source: FMI

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Get Pop-Cultured with Barnes & Noble to end in an exciting way with huge celebration of all things Marvel on Saturday, August 6

New York, NY, 2016-Aug-05 — /EPR Retail News/ — Barnes & Noble, Inc. (NYSE: BKS), the nation’s largest retail bookseller and a leading retailer of content, digital media and educational products, today announced that Get Pop-Cultured with Barnes & Noble (www.bn.com/getpop-cultured) will come to an end in an exciting way with a huge celebration of all things Marvel on Saturday, August 6, starting at 7 PM. Customers are encouraged to visit their local Barnes & Noble store and explore the Marvel Universe plus get exclusive content samplers and sneak peeks, enjoy trivia, coloring, cosplay, a photo-op, and a very special offer on all Marvel graphic novels of buy 2 get the 3rd free, which will run through August 7.

At the fun event, Marvel fans will get an exclusive first look at the first story for Marvel’s new character, Mosaic, through a Make Mine Marvel sampler and the opportunity to pick up a Women of Power sampler, while supplies last. Fans will also have the chance to take a picture with an Everything You Need to Know About Marvel- Hulk Display/Standee and participate in Marvel-themed activities like trivia and coloring. Customers should contact their local store for a full list of the activities that will take place.

Plus, for one day only on August 6, Marvel’s Rocket and Groot: Stranded on Planet Strip Mall! will be available for only $7.00 at all Barnes & Noble stores, while supplies last.

Customers are encouraged to post pictures of themselves having fun at the Marvel celebration to their social media channels using the hashtag, #GetPopCultured.

* Of equal or lesser value. eBooks not included. While supplies last.

About Barnes & Noble, Inc.
Barnes & Noble, Inc. (NYSE: BKS) is a Fortune 500 company, the nation’s largest retail bookseller, and a leading retailer of content, digital media and educational products.  The Company operates 640 Barnes & Noble bookstores in 50 states, and one of the Web’s premier e-commerce sites, BN.com (www.bn.com).  The Nook Digital business offers a lineup of popular NOOK® tablets and eReaders and an expansive collection of digital reading and entertainment content through the NOOK Store®. The NOOK Store features more than 4 million digital books in the US (www.nook.com), plus periodicals and comics, and offers the ability to enjoy content across a wide array of popular devices through Free NOOK Reading Apps™ available for Android™, iOS® and Windows®.

General information on Barnes & Noble, Inc. can be obtained by visiting the Company’s corporate website at www.barnesandnobleinc.com.

Barnes & Noble®, Barnes & Noble Booksellers®, and Barnes & Noble.com® are trademarks of Barnes & Noble, Inc. or its affiliates. NOOK® and the NOOK logos are trademarks of Nook Digital, LLC or its affiliates.

For more information on Barnes & Noble, follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Tumblr, and like us on Facebook. For more information on NOOK, follow us on Twitter and like us on Facebook.

CONTACTS:
Mary Ellen Keating
Senior Vice President
Corporate Communications
Barnes & Noble, Inc.
(212) 633-3323
mkeating@bn.com

Alan McNamara
Senior Director
Corporate Communications
Barnes & Noble, Inc.
(212) 633-3379
amcnamara@bn.com

Source: Barnes & Noble, Inc.

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James Avery Jewelry opens new store at Woodlake Crossing in San Antonio, Texas James Avery Jewelry opens new store at Woodlake Crossing in San Antonio, Texas

KERRVILLE, TEXAS, 2016-Aug-05 — /EPR Retail News/ — James Avery Jewelry announces the opening of its new store today in San Antonio, Texas at Woodlake Crossing. To celebrate the grand opening, visitors may enter a drawing for a chance to win one of thirty James Avery gift cards valued at $50, $100, or $500.

John McCullough, Executive Vice President of Sales & Marketing at James Avery comments: “We invite everyone to visit the new store and attend the grand opening celebration on August 13th to discover not only what’s new, but to rediscover six decades of the artistry, craftsmanship and tradition of James Avery.”

The new location is under the direction of Store Manager, David Morris. Store hours are 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 12:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Sunday. The new store is located at 6914 FM 78, at the intersection of Woodlake Parkway and Seguin Road/FM 78, near Chick-fil-A.

About James Avery Jewelry®— James Avery Jewelry is a vertically integrated, family-owned company located in the heart of the Texas Hill Country. We offer finely crafted jewelry designs for men and women in sterling silver, 14K and 18K yellow and white gold and gemstones — designed by our own skilled artisans in Kerrville, Texas. James Avery Jewelry is designed to reflect on personal connections that are important in our customers’ lives. We are a multi-channel retailer with 71 James Avery stores in 6 states. Our jewelry is also available in 165 Dillard’s stores in Texas and in 22 additional states; and nationwide through JamesAvery.com. James Avery crafts jewelry in five Texas workshops — one each in Hondo, Fredericksburg and Kerrville and two in Comfort. For more information, visit JamesAvery.com.

About the Drawing— Odds of winning depend on total number of entries received. Thirty James Avery gift cards will be awarded: twenty-four $50 gift cards, three $100 gift cards, and three $500 gift cards. Entries accepted August 3 through August 13, 2016. Hourly drawings on August 13 between 11:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. during the Grand Opening celebration at the James Avery Jewelry store located at Woodlake Crossing. No purchase necessary. Must be at least 13 years old to enter. Only one entry per person per day. Winners need not be present to win. Employees and immediate family members not eligible for this gift card promotion.

Contact:

1.800.283.1770

Source: James Avery Jewelry

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Newegg marks second anniversary of its Australian operations with Newegg Premier discount and new eBay.com.au store

Los Angeles, CA, 2016-Aug-05 — /EPR Retail News/ — Newegg – the leading tech-focused e-retailer in North America with a growing international presence – today commemorates its second anniversary of serving customers in Australia with a limited-time discount on its Newegg Premier customer benefit program, plus a new eBay.com.au store to fuel growth in the country. Newegg – which began selling to customers in Australia in Q2 2014 – has steadily increased its foothold in the country and most recently recorded 300% growth in Australian revenue since November 2015.

“The strategy to expand Newegg’s international presence hinges on successfully reaching customers in key markets such as Australia,” said Danny Lee, Newegg CEO. “In two short years our Australian operation has grown significantly, and we are committed to continuing growth in the months and years ahead.”

While Australian customers have been able to shop Newegg since April 2014, product availability was limited, and international shipping increased the overall cost of delivering products to customers. Product availability has steadily increased since then, and in November 2015 Newegg began local order fulfillment from within Australia. Newegg now ships approximately 7,000 product SKUs from within Australia, with an additional 41,000 products available to Australian customers via Newegg’s North American channel. All told, Newegg more than tripled its Australian revenue in just the past seven months.

Newegg Premier for Australian Customers
To mark this anniversary, Newegg is discounting its Newegg Premier customer benefit program to $59 AUD (regularly $79 AUD – discount applied upon sign-up completion). Newegg Premier membership carries special benefits, including:

  • Free domestic shipping from Australia to Australia (excludes cross-border orders, some regional postal code restrictions apply)
  • No re-stocking fees
  • 20% off select promotional items

Click here for more information and to sign up for Newegg Premier at the discounted rate.

Newegg Store on eBay Australia
To further expand its reach in Australia, Newegg is opening a store on eBay Australia. Newegg – which also maintains eBay stores in the United States and the United Kingdom – has a longstanding relationship with eBay to reach customers who are accustomed to shopping on eBay. The product assortment available on Newegg’s eBay store in Australia primarily features computer components, and all products ship from within Australia. For more information and to shop Newegg’s eBay Australia store, visit www.stores.ebay.com.au/neweggaustralia.

To learn more about Newegg’s complete offering for Australian customers, visit www.newegg.com.au.

Source: Newegg

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HTC Vive Virtual Reality system now available at Newegg stores

Los Angeles, CA, 2016-Aug-05 — /EPR Retail News/ — Newegg – the leading tech-focused e-retailer in North America –announced today it is selling the HTC Vive Virtual Reality system. Designed from the ground up for room-scale VR, Vive is a first-of-its-kind system allowing true-to-life interactions and experiences.

“We believe the Vive represents an important step toward mass-adoption of virtual reality,” said Merle McIntosh, Newegg’s SVP of Sales & Marketing. “Our customers are eager to embrace the latest and greatest VR technology, and we are happy to add the Vive to our extensive VR offering.”

Since the early days of virtual reality, Newegg has been the destination of choice for customers interested in VR. The company offers not only VR headsets, but also every other aspect of the VR ecosystem: video cards, SSDs, memory and accessories customers need to make VR-ready PCs. And, for those who don’t want to upgrade or build their own, Newegg offers a broad selection of VR-ready desktops and notebooks.

Beyond the hardware itself, Newegg’s VR Central portal includes in-depth reviews of the latest games and takes customers step-by-step through the VR world. Visit http://www.newegg.com/VR to explore VR Central and to learn more about virtual reality hardware, news, accessories and games.

Source: Newegg