Daily Archives: September 10, 2016

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O’KEY Group S.A. announces the opening of its new hypermarket in Tyumen (Siberia)

MOSCOW, Russia, 2016-Sep-10 — /EPR Retail News/ — O’KEY Group S.A. (LSE: OKEY), one of the largest food retailers in Russia, announces the opening of a new hypermarket in Tyumen (Siberia), the Group’s 73rd hypermarket in Russia and 159th store in the total Group portfolio.

The new store is located on a busy highway, Profsoyuznaya Street, connecting the center of Tyumen with the part of the city beyond the river and serving massive traffic flows going out of the city to Tobolsk, Verkhny Bor and Salairsky Tract, including those heading to the countryside. A new residential complex is to be built in the territory adjacent to the hypermarket.

There is a spacious indoor parking for 416 cars on the first floor. The second floor is given to the hypermarket and smaller shops/food service facilities.

The 30,000 m2 building with the approximately 8,000 m2 O’KEY store is owned by the Group.

Previously, the Company opened two hypermarkets in Tyumen – at Shirotnaya Street in 2012 and Fedyuninskogo Street in 2015. What makes the new store different is not only the size (it is the largest O’KEY store in the city) but also the brand new look & feel of the selling space. Tyumen is the third city after Moscow and St Petersburg where the Company has implemented elements of the new in-store concept, navigation and merchandising.

Mr. Heigo Kera, the Chairman of the Board and the CEO of the Group, commented: “Tyumen offers considerable opportunities to O’KEY as the city keeps a high level of consumption and demand for high quality food products and the local residents are sensitive to the customer service level in stores. The region is among the leaders by the size of capital invested in the food production industry. This allows us to offer high-demand goods manufactured in the Tyumen Region with the lowest logistics burden. Today we have 36 local companies supplying their products to our stores and will make this list longer in the near term.”

COMPANY OVERVIEW

O’KEY is one of the largest retail chains in Russia. Its primary retail format is the modern Western European style hypermarket under the “O’KEY” brand reinforced by O’KEY supermarket. The Group is developing the innovative discounter format under the “DA!” brand. O’KEY is the first among Russian food retailers to launch e-commerce operations in St. Petersburg and Moscow based on hypermarket assortment. The Group opened its first hypermarket in St. Petersburg in 2002 and has demonstrated continuous growth ever since. As of September 9, 2016, O’KEY operates 159 stores across Russia – 73 hypermarkets, 37 supermarkets and 49 discounters.

For further information please contact:
Investor Relations
e-mail: ir@okmarket.ru www.okeyinvestors.ru

Source: O’KEY Group S.A.

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Natural Grocers opens new store at Cedar Rapids, Iowa

LAKEWOOD, Colo., 2016-Sep-10 — /EPR Retail News/ — Natural Grocers will open a new Cedar Rapids, Iowa store this fall, bringing 18 jobs to the community. Natural Grocers employs more than 3,000 people and operates 123 stores in 19 states. The Cedar Rapids store is located at 931 Blairs Ferry Road NE.

Open Interviews will take place on Thursday, September 8 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Hampton Inn & Suites, 1130 Park Place NE. Natural Grocers will be hiring store leadership, department managers, cashiers and a Nutritional Health Coach. Candidates must be at least 18 years of age. Applicants can apply for consideration at www.naturalgrocers.com/jobs.

What makes Natural Grocers a great place to work?

Just like its dedication to its customers and community, Natural Grocers has a 60 year history of caring for employees.

As part of the company’s five founding principles, Natural Grocers supports all employees by offering:

  • Competitive pay, including the exclusive Natural Grocers Vitamin Bucks program, which provides employees an extra $1 per hour worked of in-store spending money.
  • Birthday bonuses equal to 1 day’s pay, which originated from founder Margaret Isely’s tradition of celebrating the birthdays of all employees by preparing lunch for them. Once the company became larger, her children, the current executives of the company, implemented the policy of providing each employee with a full day’s pay on their birthday to say “thank you for working with us.”
  • Company-wide store discounts and credits of up to 30% on all Natural Grocers products, which provides employees substantial savings on high quality groceries and supplements and helps them retain more of the dollars they earn.
  • Natural Grocers also offers comprehensive benefits packages to the over 80% of its employees who are full time, including medical, dental and vision insurance; flexible spending and health savings accounts; short- and long-term disability and life insurance; a 401K savings plan; generous paid time off; and extensive free nutrition education programs.

“Commitment to our employees has always been a top priority — it is one of the founding principles on which we base our business practices,” said Kemper Isely, Co-President of Natural Grocers. “We cannot properly serve our customers without our talented staff and nutrition experts. The crew we’re putting in place in Cedar Rapids will be the experts in their field and will bring a great deal of knowledge and value to the Natural Grocers family and the local community.”

Natural Grocers will provide the Cedar Rapids community with fresh produce that is 100% USDA Certified Organic, as well as other healthy, affordable, organic and natural products. The store will feature a mix of national brands and a selection of locally produced products in a small, neighborhood market environment. The store will also feature a Nutritional Health Coach and offer free nutrition education classes to the public.

General Inquiries:  (877) 986-4600

Media Contacts:
Kevin Miller
Natural Grocers
kmiller@naturalgrocers.com
Office: (303) 986-4600

Krystal Covington
Natural Grocers
kcovington@naturalgrocers.com
720-515-3078

Source: Natural Grocers

 

 

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Natural Grocers to host an educational push on why organics are good4u, good for the environment and good for the economy

LAKEWOOD, Colo, 2016-Sep-10 — /EPR Retail News/ — Natural Grocers, the 61 year old family run chain, will stake its claim this September as the official “Organic Month Headquarters” The company, which sells only 100% USDA Certified organic produce, will host an educational push for the entire month of September, which is nationally recognized as “Organic Harvest Month.”

“Since we added produce racks to our stores in 1989, we have sold only organically grown produce. When the USDA finally established an officially recognized and regulated Organic standard in 2000, all the produce we sold already met that standard,” said Kemper Isely, Natural Grocers’ Co-President. “Other major grocery chains have recently begun to include organic options, but none of them sells exclusively 100% Organic Produce like we do. Our decision to sell only organic produce from the start is based upon our core founding principles of providing consumers with the highest quality product choices that are good4u, good for the environment and good for the economy. Claiming the title, ‘Organic Month Headquarters’ is our way of showcasing our commitment to organic produce and our customers.”

To learn more about Natural Grocers’ September offerings visit: https://www.naturalgrocers.com/organic-month-HQ/

What’s new at Natural Grocers, Your Organic Month Headquarters?

  • Free organic apples for the first 400 customers at each Natural Grocers location on September 1.
  • Free reusable shopping bag for the first 400 customers at each Natural Grocers location on September 1.
  • Free classes where customers can learn about the benefits of choosing organic foods along with easy ways to incorporate organic vegetables into their everyday meals, including healthy tailgating options. A class titled “Fall in Love with Organics” will offer one winner at each class the chance to take home $50 for organic shopping in the store, and a bag full of 100% organic produce valued at $50.* A second class titled “Elevate Your Tailgate,” will offer healthy tailgating options for football fans.
  • Free meal planners and recipes that educate customers on how they can incorporate more organic vegetables into their diets in an affordable way.
  • Sampling Saturdays each weekend with opportunities to sample a variety of organic produce.
  • An original song and video by Grammy Award-nominated Eco-Hip Hop artist DJ Cavem to inspire everyone to choose organic products. The song will be accompanied by a series of downloadable tips from DJ Cavem and Alkemia Earth on how to get your family to fall in love with eating more vegetables.

Reinventing Tailgating with Organics
Tailgating parties are known for their not so good for you food choices, but Natural Grocers has set out to offer game-day hosts the chance to enjoy a big game without the massive amounts of calories, artificial colors, preservatives and salt in traditional tailgating fare.

Natural Grocers will host an “Elevate Your Tailgate” class at every store; teaching football fans how to create a good4u tailgating party for their friends and family.

To showcase the new “good4u tailgating” concept the company will also host a free tailgating event in Denver Colorado on Thursday, September 8 from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. The event will include free “good4u snack kabobs,” and live music by Jakarta. Exact details of the event will be posted in early September.

For downloadable b-roll of Natural Grocers’ 100% organic produce visit https://vimeo.com/178940868 (Password organic).

* NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. A PURCHASE WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING. OPEN ONLY TO LEGAL RESIDENTS OF THE 50 UNITED STATES AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, 18 YEARS OR OLDER. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. Sweepstakes starts on September 1, 2016 and ends on September 30, 2016. For Official Rules and complete details, visit: www.naturalgrocers.com/sweepstakes. Sponsor: Vitamin Cottage Natural Food Markets, Inc.

General Inquiries:  (877) 986-4600

Media Contacts:
Kevin Miller
Natural Grocers
kmiller@naturalgrocers.com
Office: (303) 986-4600

Krystal Covington
Natural Grocers
kcovington@naturalgrocers.com
720-515-3078

Source: Natural Grocers

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Timberland kicks off its Serv-a-palooza season of community service

STRATHAM, N.H., 2016-Sep-10 — /EPR Retail News/ — Outdoor lifestyle brand Timberland kicks off its Serv-a-palooza season of community service with 50 planned service events around the globe, reinforcing the brand’s longstanding commitment to protect and restore the outdoors and support the communities where it does business. Highlighting the season will be the completion and reveal of a transformational urban greening project in New York City. Timberland® retail stores across the U.S. will also participate in Serv-a-palooza service events within their local communities.

“At Timberland we strive to be Earthkeepers in everything we do. That means protecting the outdoors and serving the communities around the world where our consumers and employees live, work and explore,” said Colleen Vien, sustainability director at Timberland. “These service events are a testament to that commitment, and to the passion our employees have for making things better. From restoring urban green spaces to helping community organizations achieve their goals, we’re proud to pull on our boots and make a difference. Service is truly a way of life at Timberland.”

To kick off the Serv-a-palooza season, today (September 7, 2016), more than 50 volunteers from Timberland’s Stratham-New Hampshire-based retail team will participate in a day of service at the Seacoast Science Center in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. This is one of many service projects being hosted by Timberland® retail stores across the U.S. throughout the month of September.

On September 8, Timberland will unveil the completed urban greening project at the United We Stand Garden in the Mott Haven neighborhood of South Bronx in New York City. Timberland and other volunteers have spent the summer revitalizing the 32,000-sq.-ft space, and will join together with partners from local non-profit GrowNYC to complete the project and officially open the transformed garden to the community. The event will commemorate 9/11; something Timberland has done every year since 2001 when employees were volunteering at a Bronx elementary school when tragedy struck. The United We Stand Garden is also the first project resulting from Timberland’s commitment to double its footprint in five U.S. cities by 2020. Each year, the brand will choose a different city with a Timberland® store and match its retail floor space with the creation or restoration of an equivalent amount of green space in that city. In 2017, Timberland employees and partners will pull on their boots in Philadelphia as the second community to be supported by Timberland’s urban greening commitment.

Finally, Timberland employees worldwide – from New Hampshire to Tokyo to Milan – will celebrate the brand’s 19th annual Serv-a-palooza initiative in September and October. 1,500 employees and partners are expected to volunteer at some 50 events in 15 countries – contributing an estimated 10,000 total hours of service. On September 15 alone, Timberland’s headquarters will close and more than 350 employees, local students, partners and community members will serve at seven locations in New Hampshire and Maine. All of these projects build upon Timberland’s Path of Service™ program, which was created in 1992 and offers employees up to 40 paid hours each year to volunteer in the community.

Examples of Timberland service activities taking place as part of this year’s Serv-a-palooza event include:

·      China: Plant trees and educate primary school children on how to protect the environment

·      United Kingdom: Park clean-up at the historic Chirk Castle

·      Vietnam: Renovate, repair and repaint a local kindergarden

·      France: Support park activities and urban greening projects with local youth to encourage engagement in the outdoors

·      New Hampshire: Improve grounds and deliver care packages to residents of the Manchester VA

To learn more about Timberland’s commitments to make products responsibly, protect the outdoors and support communities around the globe, visit timberland.com/responsibility.

About Timberland
Timberland is a global leader in the design, manufacturing and marketing of premium footwear, apparel and accessories for the outdoor lifestyle. Best known for its original yellow boot introduced in 1973, Timberland today outfits consumers from toe-to-head, with versatile collections that reflect the brand’s rich heritage of craftsmanship, function and style. Timberland markets lifestyle products under the Timberland® and Timberland Boot Company® brands, and industrial footwear and workwear under the Timberland PRO® brand. Its products are sold throughout the world in leading department and specialty stores as well as company-owned retail locations and online. Timberland’s dedication to making quality products is matched by an unwavering commitment to environmental and social responsibility – to make things better in terms of its products, the outdoors, and communities around the globe. To learn more about Timberland, a brand of VF Corporation (NYSE: VFC), please visit timberland.com or follow us along the modern trail @timberland.

For more information, please contact:
Katie Goudey
Cone Communications
(617) 939-8435
kgoudey@conecomm.com

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Timberland kicks off its Serv-a-palooza season of community service
Timberland kicks off its Serv-a-palooza season of community service

 

Source: Timberland

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GameStop to broadcast live from its annual consumer video game show, GameStop EXPO

GRAPEVINE, TX, 2016-Sep-10 — /EPR Retail News/ — GameStop (NYSE: GME), a family of specialty retail brands that makes the most popular technologies affordable and simple, announced today (09/09/16) that it will broadcast live for the third year from its annual consumer video game show, GameStop EXPO. Gaming fans who want to catch all the announcements and action, but may not be able to make it to the Anaheim Convention Center on September 14, can watch the event live via Twitch, the world’s leading social video platform and community for gamers.

The broadcast, powered by RAZER, will be hosted by the personalities from the well-known YouTube channel Kinda Funny, focused on gaming and nerd culture. Greg Miller, Colin Moriarty, Tim Gettys, and Nick Scarpino will lead the stream from the broadcast stage featuring news as it happens from the show floor, game previews and demos from top publishers and developers, and interviews with industry leaders, developers and special guests.

Beginning at 10:00 a.m. PDT and continuing until 5:00 p.m. PDT, gamers can watch the show at www.Twitch.tv/GameStop. The Kinda Funny hosts and their guests from across the industry will feature upcoming titles such as Destiny: Rise of Iron, Watch Dogs 2, Battlefield 1, Mafia 3, Horizon Zero Dawn, Final Fantasy XV, Tekken 7, Gears of War 4, Resident Evil 7, and much more.

Live Broadcast Schedule (Times and titles are subject to change, all are PDT):

10:00 a.m. Introduction to live broadcast
10:15 a.m. Make a Wish, a GameStop charity partner
10:30 a.m. Destiny: Rise of Iron
10:45 a.m. For Honor
11:00 a.m. Watch Dogs 2- segment sponsored by Prima
11:15 a.m. Star Trek: Bridge Crew
11:30 a.m. Battlefield 1
11:45 a.m. Infinite Air
12:00 p.m. Mafia 3- segment sponsored by Prima
12:15 p.m. Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2
12:30 p.m. PlayStation segment featuring Horizon Zero Dawn, PlayStation VR, & more
1:00 p.m. Final Fantasy XV
1:30 p.m. Hitman
1:45 p.m. Sniper Ghost Warrior 3
2:00 p.m. Killing Floor 2
2:15 p.m. World of Final Fantasy- segment sponsored by Prima
2:30 p.m. Rise of the Tomb Raider PS4
3:00 p.m. Tekken 7
3:15 p.m. FIFA 17
3:30 p.m. Xbox One segment featuring Gears of War 4- segment sponsored by Prima
3:45 p.m. Blizzard
4:00 p.m. DeFormers
4:30 p.m. Resident Evil 7
5:00 p.m. Rock Band Rivals

Registration for GameStop EXPO 2016 is open, with options including:

  • General admission passes for $40*
  • A limited number of VIP** passes for $110, which includes:
  • Early access to the show floor
  • VIP lounge access to recharge your body and devices
  • Exclusive swag bag of gaming goodies
  • Student passes for $20, available on-site only starting at 3:00 p.m. on Wednesday, September 2, 2015

Tickets can be purchased using PowerUp Rewards™ points or by credit card online at www.GameStop.com/EXPO and at your local GameStop store. To learn more about GameStop EXPO, details on the VIP experience, and to register for the show, visit www.GameStop.com/EXPO.

* Attendees must be 17 years of age or older or accompanied by an adult. Some activities or games may feature mature content. Exhibitors reserve the right to censor content for guests under the age of 17 even when a consenting parent or guardian is present.

** Adults who purchase VIP tickets do NOT have to purchase a VIP ticket for their children under the age of 17. Purchase a general admission ticket for your child and he/she will be allowed to accompany you to all VIP events. With this option General Admission children will not receive VIP swag bag.

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.

Contact:
Kyle Stephenson
GameStop – Public Relations
817-722-7735
KyleStephenson@GameStop.com

Source: GameStop

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NCR Corporation ranked seventh on the 2016 IDC Financial Insights FinTech Rankings

DULUTH, Ga., 2016-Sep-10 — /EPR Retail News/ — NCR Corporation (NYSE: NCR), a global leader in omni-channel solutions, today (September 9, 2016) announced it ranked seventh on the 2016 IDC Financial Insights FinTech Rankings. The most comprehensive vendor ranking within the financial services industry, the annual IDC FI FinTech Rankings is based on 2015 calendar year revenues attributed to financial institutions. This market position has been established based on NCR’s leadership in omni-channel solutions in the industry driven by SelfServ™,  APTRA™, and Digital Insight, which are all part of the NCR Cx Banking portfolio.

“Being recognized again as a top-10 technology provider in the industry by IDC Financial Insights is a reflection of our employees delivering value that our customers have to come to rely upon,” said Andy Heyman, President, NCR Financial Services. “Our sights are set on becoming #1 in the industry which will be the ultimate vote by our customers that we have delivered unprecedented value to their businesses.”

Now in its 13th year, the IDC Financial Insights FinTech Rankings categorize and evaluate the top global providers of financial technology based on calendar year revenues from financial institutions for hardware, software and/or services.  These providers supply the technological backbone of the financial services industry, an industry in which IDC Financial Insights forecasts worldwide spending on IT across the globe to reach half a trillion dollars by 2018.

The annual IDC Financial Insights FinTech Rankings has become an important measure of the health and direction of technology in the industry and the emergence of innovative solutions from new players. In addition, the IDC Financial Insights FinTech Rankings serve as a critical tool for financial services institutions to use during strategic planning and to review whenever they consider new investments in 3rd party solutions. IDC Financial Insights publishes a comprehensive report about the year’s findings that is available to view or download here.

In just the last five years, NCR has both acquired key assets to fuel its software leadership and invested in heavily in R&D – $230 million in 2015 alone – to reinvent itself as a digital business solutions company focused on delivering innovative solutions to its customers in the financial services, retail, and hospitality industries.

Additional indications of NCRs strong position within the financial services technology industry include:

  • NCR is the leading global provider of multivendor software, with over 27% market share
  • NCR’s Digital Insight solutions help power 8 out the top 10 mobile apps in the US (MagnifyMoney)
  • NCRs SelfServ™ ATM family is the No. 1 ATM platform globally

For more information about the rankings, visit HERE and follow on Twitter @IDC and look for #FinTechRankings.

About NCR Corporation
NCR Corporation (NYSE: NCR) is a leader in omni-channel solutions, turning everyday interactions with businesses into exceptional experiences. With its software, hardware, and portfolio of services, NCR enables more than 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 over 30,000 employees and does business in 180 countries. NCR is a trademark of NCR Corporation in the United States and other countries.

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

About IDC Financial Insights
IDC Financial Insights assists financial service businesses and IT leaders, as well as the suppliers who serve them, in making more effective technology decisions by providing accurate, timely, and insightful fact-based research and consulting services. Staffed by senior analysts with decades of industry experience, our global research analyzes and advises on business and technology issues facing the banking, insurance, and securities and investments industries. International Data Corporation (IDC) is the premier global provider of market intelligence, advisory services, and events for the information technology market. IDC is a subsidiary of IDG, the world’s leading technology, media, research, and events company. For more information, please visit www.idc.com/financial, email info@idc-fi.com, or call 508-620-5533. Visit the IDC Financial Insights Community at http://idc-community.com/financial.

News Media Contact:
Aaron Gould
NCR Public Relations
212.589.8556
aaron.gould@ncr.com

Source: NCR Corporation

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USDA FSIS: PT Farm, LLC recalls lamb products that may be contaminated with E. coli

WASHINGTON, 2016-Sep-10 — /EPR Retail News/ — PT Farm, LLC, a North Haverhill, N.H. establishment, is recalling approximately 15 pounds of lamb products that may be contaminated with E. coli, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today (Sept. 9, 2016).

The lamb products, a neck and one leg, were derived from a carcass produced on Sept. 6, 2016 and were shipped to a retail store in Somerville, Massachusetts and sold at their retail counter on Sept. 7, 2016.

The problem was discovered on Sept. 7, 2016 when the establishment was notified of an E. coli positive water supply sample result and resulting “water boil” notice initiated by the North Haverhill Municipality Water Department located in North Haverhill, New Hampshire.

FSIS and the company are concerned that some product may be frozen and in consumers’ freezers.

Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase.

FSIS routinely conducts recall effectiveness checks to verify recalling firms notify their customers of the recall and that steps are taken to make certain that the product is no longer available to consumers. When available, the retail distribution list(s) will be posted on the FSIS website at www.fsis.usda.gov/recalls.

Media and consumers with questions regarding the recall can contact Peter L. Roy, company owner, at (603) 787-9199.

Consumers with food safety questions can “Ask Karen,” the FSIS virtual representative available 24 hours a day at AskKaren.gov or via smartphone at m.askkaren.gov. The toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854) is available in English and Spanish and can be reached from l0 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Eastern Time) Monday through Friday. Recorded food safety messages are available 24 hours a day. The online Electronic Consumer Complaint Monitoring System can be accessed 24 hours a day at: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/reportproblem.

PREPARING PRODUCT FOR SAFE CONSUMPTION
USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline
1-888-MPHOTLINE or visit
www.fsis.usda.gov
Wash hands with warm, soapy water for at least 20 seconds before and after handling raw meat and poultry. Wash cutting boards, dishes and utensils with hot, soapy water. Immediately clean spills.Keep raw meat, fish and poultry away from other food that will not be cooked. Use separate cutting boards for raw meat, poultry and egg products and cooked foods.

Color is NOT a reliable indicator that meat has been cooked to a temperature high enough to kill harmful bacteria.

The only way to be sure the meat or poultry is cooked to a high enough temperature to kill harmful bacteria is to use a thermometer to measure the internal temperature.

– Fish: 145°F
– Beef, pork, lamb chops/steaks/roasts: 145°F with a three minute rest time
– Ground meat: 160°F
– Poultry: 165°F
– Hot dogs: 160°F or steaming hot

Refrigerate raw meat and poultry within two hours after purchase or one hour if temperatures exceed 90º F. Refrigerate cooked meat and poultry within two hours after cooking.
USDA Recall Classifications
Class I This is a health hazard situation where there is a reasonable probability that the use of the product will cause serious, adverse health consequences or death.
Class II This is a health hazard situation where there is a remote probability of adverse health consequences from the use of the product.
Class III This is a situation where the use of the product will not cause adverse health consequences.

Contact:
Congressional and Public Affairs
Veronika Medina
(202) 720-9113
Press@fsis.usda.gov

Source; USDA

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Sainsbury’s to open 200 Click & Collect points by the end of the year

Sainsbury’s to open 200 Click & Collect points by the end of the year
Sainsbury’s to open 200 Click & Collect points by the end of the year

 

London, 2016-Sep-10 — /EPR Retail News/ — Following its recent acquisition of Home Retail Group plc, owner of Argos and Habitat, Sainsbury’s today ( 09 September 2016) unveiled plans for customers to shop whenever and wherever they like, by launching up to 200 newly-designed digital Click & Collect points in stores across the UK.

• Building on Argos’s exclusive Click & Collect partnership with eBay, following Sainsbury’s successful acquisition of Home Retail Group plc
• Customers can collect Tu clothing, eBay purchases and DPD parcels under one roof
• Customers can also collect online Argos orders in 30 of the 200 Sainsbury’s stores

Customers are increasingly choosing Click & Collect as a delivery option and Click & Collect points serve as a one-stop destination for customers wanting to collect online orders while doing the rest of their shopping.

Up to 200 Click & Collect points will be open in Sainsbury’s stores by the end of the year, enabling customers to order online and collect locally. New digital collection points for Argos’s exclusive Click & Collect partnership with global e-commerce leader eBay will launch in Sainsbury’s Click & Collect stores. Customers will be able to pick up their Tu clothing, eBay and DPD parcel deliveries from a Sainsbury’s store near them, making their lives easier and freeing up valuable time. 30 Sainsbury’s Click & Collect points will also offer Argos online collection.

Tablets will be available in all the new Click & Collect points to enable customers to ‘check in’ digitally, which will significantly speed up the time it takes from arriving in store to receiving parcels for collection.

Mike Coupe, Chief Executive of J Sainsbury plc, said: “Our vision in bringing these two successful retail businesses together is to combine Sainsbury’s leadership in food retailing with Argos’s digital strength and non-food capability. We are excited about the potential of this combination and today’s announcement is a clear demonstration of how this ambition will benefit customers, bringing them a broader range of quality goods and services whenever and wherever they want.”

John Rogers, Chief Executive of Sainsbury’s Argos, said: “It’s an exciting time in retail. As customer shopping habits change, people increasingly want flexibility, speed and choice both online and in-store. We are pleased to be bringing Argos’s products and services to Sainsbury’s customers via the new digital collection points, which are a demonstration of both businesses working closely together to bring benefits to customers at pace.”

Tanya Lawler, UK Vice President, eBay, said: “We know that shoppers love to Click and Collect. Building upon our exclusive Click and Collect partnership with Argos, by establishing 200 further collection points in Sainsbury’s stores, means even greater choice and convenience for shoppers.”

Press Enquiries please contact: press_office@sainsburys.co.uk or call 020 7695 7295.

Source: Sainsbury

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The John Lewis Partnership comments on its Managing Director Andy Street running for the office of the Mayor of the West Midlands

London, 2016-Sep-10 — /EPR Retail News/ — The John Lewis Partnership notes recent speculation that Andy Street, Managing Director, John Lewis is to run for the office of the Mayor of the West Midlands.

Andy has indicated to the Chairman that he is interested in running for the office, but at this stage has not been formally selected. A formal process within the Conservative party will now take place.

Should Andy be successful in his application to be the Conservative Party candidate, he has agreed with the Chairman that he should step down from his role and a further announcement will be made to confirm the succession plan for the future leadership of the John Lewis brand.

Notes to editors
The John Lewis Partnership – operates 46 John Lewis shops across the UK, johnlewis.com, 350 Waitrose shops, waitrose.com and business to business contracts in the UK and abroad. The business has annual gross sales of over £11bn. It is the UK’s largest example of an employee-owned business where all 91,500 staff are Partners in the business.

Waitrose – winner of the Best Supermarket1 and Best Food Retailer2 awards- currently has 350 shops in England, Scotland, Wales and the Channel Islands, including 61 convenience branches, and another 27 shops at Welcome Break locations. It combines the convenience of a supermarket with the expertise and service of a specialist shop – dedicated to offering quality food that has been responsibly sourced, combined with high standards of customer service.  Waitrose also exports its products to 59 countries worldwide and has eight shops which operate under licence in the Middle East. Waitrose’s omnichannel business includes the online grocery service Waitrose.com, as well as specialist online shops including waitrosecellar.com for wine and waitrosekitchen.com for cookware, utensils and kithchen gadgets.

¹ Which? Customer Survey
² Verdict Customer Satisfaction Awards

John Lewis – John Lewis operates 46 John Lewis shops across the UK (32 department stores, 12 John Lewis at home and shops at St Pancras International and Heathrow Terminal 2) as well as johnlewis.com. It is part of the John Lewis Partnership, the UK’s largest example of worker co-ownership and all 30,000 John Lewis staff are Partners in the business. John Lewis  ‘Best In-Store Experience 2016’, ‘Best Clothing Retailer 2016,’ ‘Best Electricals Retailer 2016,’ ‘Best Furniture Retailer 2016,’ ‘Best Homewares Retailer 2016’ and ‘Best Click & Collect Retailer 2016’1, typically stocks more than 350,000 separate lines in its department stores across fashion, home and technology. Johnlewis.com stocks over 280.000 products and is consistently ranked one of the top online shopping destinations in the UK. John Lewis Insurance offers a range of comprehensive insurance products – home, car, wedding and event, travel and pet insurance and life cover – delivering the values of expertise, trust and customer service expected from the John Lewis brand.

1Verdict Consumer Satisfaction Awards 2016

You can follow John Lewis on the following social media channels:
www.johnlewis.com/twitter
www.johnlewis.com/facebook
www.johnlewis.com/youtube.

General enquiries:

For further information please contact:

John Lewis press office

Peter Cross
Communications Director, John Lewis
Email: peter.cross@johnlewis.co.uk
Mobile: 07764 697674
Telephone: 020 7592 6274

Gillian Taylor
Head of Communications, John Lewis
Email: gillian.e.taylor@johnlewis.co.uk
Mobile: 07979 157931
Telephone: 020 7592 5635

Katie Robson
Senior Communications Manager, John Lewis Partnership
Email: katie.robson@johnlewis.co.uk
Mobile: 07764 675608

Source: John Lewis Partnership

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Zara marks entry in Vietnam with first store at Ho Chi Minh City’s Vincom Center

Arteixo, Spain, 2016-Sep-10 — /EPR Retail News/ — Zara opens its doors to its first store in Vietnam at Ho Chi Minh City’s Vincom Center. The new store has a total space of 2,400 square meters spread over two floors to include over 1,800 square meters of commercial space. The store displays all the brand’s latest collections (Woman, Basic, TRF, Kids and Man).

Zara’s Vincom Center store showcases an elegant façade which includes full height windows framed by metallic meshing to invite the attention of passers-by. The essence of the new store image can be summed up in four words: beauty, clarity, functionality and sustainability. A sleek white surface spans the ceiling and walls so that the limits within the store are no longer defined. This helps to create the illusion of space and freedom while creating a backdrop which enhances the beauty of the fashion creations. The space invites the customer to enjoy as never before the experience of feeling, touching, observing and interacting with the merchandise.

The store at Vincom Center also incorporates all the green-building criteria stipulated by Zara’s parent group Inditex. In accordance with the Group’s environmental plan, Sustainable

Inditex, eco-efficient stores consume 30% less energy and half as much water compared with a conventional store. The Group’s aim is to ensure that all of its stores are eco-efficient by 2020.

For any press request please contact with:

Communication and Corporate Affairs Division
Edificio Inditex
Avda. de la Diputación s/n
15143 – Arteixo
A Coruña – ESPAÑA

Tlf: +34 981 185 400
Fax: +34 981 185 544
comunicacion@inditex.com

Source: Inditex

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NRF: September Import cargo volume should be at near-peak levels despite Hanjin Shipping bankruptcy

WASHINGTON, 2016-Sep-10 — /EPR Retail News/ — Import cargo volume at the nation’s major retail container ports should be at near-peak levels this month even as retailers work to cope with the Hanjin Shipping bankruptcy, according to the monthly Global Port Tracker report released today (September 9, 2016) by the National Retail Federation and Hackett Associates.

“Hanjin should not significantly affect volume for the month since alternative arrangements to unload those containers or shift cargo elsewhere should be dealt with by the time the numbers are tallied,” NRF Vice President for Supply Chain and Customs Policy Jonathan Gold said. “But millions of dollars worth of merchandise is in limbo at the moment, and retailers are working hard to make sure it ends up on store shelves in time for the holidays.”

Ports covered by Global Port Tracker handled 1.63 million Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units in July, the latest month for which after-the-fact numbers are available. That was up 3.2 percent from June and up 0.7 percent from July 2015. One TEU is one 20-foot-long cargo container or its equivalent.

August was estimated at 1.67 million TEU, down 0.4 percent from last year, and is expected to have been the busiest month of the annual shipping-cycle buildup to the holiday shopping season. September is forecast at 1.62 million TEU, down 0.2 percent from last year; October at 1.63 million TEU, up 5.3 percent from last year; November at 1.53 million TEU, up 3.8 percent, and December at 1.49 million TEU, up 3.6 percent.

Those numbers should bring 2016 to a total of 18.6 million TEU, up 1.8 percent from last year. Total volume for 2015 was 18.2 million TEU, up 5.4 percent from 2014. The first half of 2016 totaled 9 million TEU, up 1.6 percent from the same period in 2015.

“Despite the apparent slowdown in economic activity being reported around the world, the volume of imports continues to grow slowly, much along the lines that we have been projecting,” Hackett Associates Founder Ben Hackett said.

Global Port Tracker, which is produced for NRF by the consulting firm Hackett Associates, covers the U.S. ports of Los Angeles/Long Beach, Oakland, Seattle and Tacoma on the West Coast; New York/New Jersey, Hampton Roads, Charleston, Savannah, Port Everglades and Miami on the East Coast, and Houston on the Gulf Coast. The report is free to NRF retail members, and subscription information is available at www.nrf.com/PortTracker or by calling (202) 783-7971. Subscription information for non-members can be found at www.globalporttracker.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

Contact:
J. Craig Shearman
(202) 626-8134
press@nrf.com
(855) NRF-Press

Source: NRF

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Kimco Realty Corp. management to present at Barclays Global Financial Services Conference on September 13, 2016

NEW HYDE PARK, N.Y., 2016-Sep-10 — /EPR Retail News/ — Kimco Realty Corp. (NYSE:KIM) announced today (9/9/2016) that its management will participate in the Barclays Global Financial Services Conference on Tuesday, September 13, 2016 in New York City. Kimco management will provide a general overview of the company followed by a question and answer session. The webcast information is as follows:

Event:   Kimco Realty Corp. Management Presentation at Barclays Global Financial Services Conference

When:   Tuesday, September 13, 2016 from 11:15 A.M. – 11:55 A.M. EDT

Where:   Live webcast can be accessed by clicking on the following link:    Kimco Barclays Global Financial Services Conference or by entering
https://cc.talkpoint.com/barc002/091216a_js/?entity=23_EKYDJMP in your browser.

If you are unable to participate during the live webcast, audio from the conference will be available until March 12, 2017 at the link above.

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 June 30, 2016, the company owned interests in 537 U.S. shopping centers comprising 86 million square feet of leasable space across 36 states and Puerto Rico. 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.

Contact:

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

Source: Kimco Realty Corporation

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NACS releases statement regarding Hensarling’s intention to mark up the Financial Choice Act

Alexandria, VA, 2016-Sep-10 — /EPR Retail News/ — Lyle Beckwith, senior vice president of government relations of the National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS), today (9/9/2016) released the following statement regarding House Financial Services Committee Chairman Jeb Hensarling’s announced intention to mark up the Financial Choice Act, which includes a provision to repeal debit swipe fee reform:

“NACS is deeply disappointed that Rep. Hensarling will try to repeal debit swipe fee reform.  Repeal would allow the credit card Goliaths to resume price-fixing of debit-card fees and block smaller card networks from competing with them for business.

“Even with reform, the dominance of the Visa-MasterCard duopoly means retailers and consumers in the United States pay the highest swipe fees in the world—up to seven or eight times European levels.  Without the vital protections of debit reform and the small measure of competition it has introduced to the market, consumers would face higher prices and smaller merchants would face even greater burdens—especially convenience store owners.  Higher swipe fees, which on average are the fastest-growing expense and second-largest operating cost for retailers, cost American consumers tens of billions of dollars every year.

“We strongly urge Congress to put the interests of merchants and consumers ahead of the credit card giants by voting against the Financial Choice Act.”

Six years ago, debit reform passed (with bipartisan support in the Senate) as an amendment to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform package. The reform stated that centrally price-fixed swipe fees on debit transactions had to be “reasonable and proportional” to the cost of processing the transaction. Importantly, the reform ensured that competition among debit networks continued.

Debit swipe fee reform has helped both merchants and consumers alike. Merchants have seen transparency for the first time when a customer swipes a debit card. And according to an economic report released by the Merchants Payments Coalition, cutting debit fees put $5.8 billion in consumers’ hands through lower prices and created 37,500 new jobs annually.

Founded in 1961 as the National Association of Convenience Stores, NACS (nacsonline.com) is the international association for convenience and fuel retailing. The U.S. convenience store industry, with more than 154,000 stores across the country, conducts 160 million transactions a day, sells 80% of the fuel purchased in the country and had total sales of $575 billion in 2015. NACS has 2,100 retail and 1,700 supplier member companies, which do business in nearly 50 countries.

Contact:

(703) 684-3600 (phone)
(703) 836-4564 (fax)

Source: NACS

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Banana Republic announces style icon Olivia Palermo as its first women’s global style ambassador

NEW YORK, 2016-Sep-10 — /EPR Retail News/ — Banana Republic is excited to announce that international style icon Olivia Palermo is the brand’s first women’s global style ambassador. Through the partnership, Palermo will be integrated throughout Banana Republic’s global marketing, starting in Fall 2016 and will extend through 2017.

Palermo brings a fresh perspective to the versatile lifestyle brand focused on contemporary classics. To kick off the expansive partnership, Palermo will personally curate a selection of more than a dozen limited-edition direct-to-consumer women’s styles that will be available for immediate purchase live from Banana Republic’s Spring 2017 New York Fashion Week presentation on September 10 at 3:30 p.m. EST. The exclusive, early-release capsule will be sold on bananarepublic.com and at the brand’s Flatiron location in New York.

“We are thrilled to collaborate with Olivia to bring her signature, versatile style to the Banana Republic customer,” said Lexi Tawes, SVP Global Merchandising & Digital, Banana Republic. “She leads such a full, modern lifestyle that our customers relate to and admire. Nobody makes it look more effortless than Olivia.”

“I’ve always admired Banana Republic as a go-to for versatile, sophisticated styles and I’m so honored to be the first women’s style ambassador,” said Palermo. “Being able to express my creativity and style with what I wear has always been a big part of my life. Banana Republic makes it so easy to create a wardrobe with quality classics that transition across each season.”

Palermo joins Banana Republic’s style ranks with pro basketball star Kevin Love, who was announced earlier this year as Banana Republic’s first men’s global style ambassador. Love was previously featured in the Spring and Summer 2016 campaigns and has been working with the brand across social platforms. Palermo and Love campaigns debut globally this September in stores and through advertising.

To further inspire customers this fall, Banana Republic is launching a campaign challenge to “Turn It Up”—and dress the part. It’s a call-to-action to make more of an effort to dress stylishly with individuality because confidence is the best accessory. Look sharp and make your mark. A first impression only happens once.

Developed in partnership with Chandelier Creative, the campaign will complement Palermo and Love campaigns through advertising in early September 2016.

Shot by Inez and Vinoodh and styled by Edward Enninful, the campaign features models Eva Dolezalova, Anais Mali and Ollie Edwards wearing covetable fall product, including a new Italian wool suiting collection. Studio imagery spotlights the quality, fit and details of garments, ranging from an essential Italian wool tie coat to the softest cashmere sweater.

ABOUT BANANA REPUBLIC (@BananaRepublic)
Banana Republic is a global apparel and accessories brand focused on delivering versatile, contemporary classics, designed for today with style that endures. Through thoughtful design, Banana Republic provides a wardrobe of favorites to style and wear time and time again in new ways. Banana Republic offers fragrances, clothing, eyewear, jewelry, shoes and handbags with detailed craftsmanship and luxurious materials. Founded in San Francisco, Banana Republic is a division of leading global specialty retailer, Gap Inc. (NYSE: GPS). Customers may shop Banana Republic in more than 750 company-operated and franchise retail locations worldwide and online. For more information about Banana Republic, its products and stores, please visit BananaRepublic.com.

Contact:  Banana Republic fashion inquiries: BR_press@gap.com

Source:  Banana Republic