Daily Archives: May 18, 2017

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Amazon announces two new additions to its Fire Tablet lineup—the all-new Fire 7 and Fire HD 8

Amazon announces two new additions to its Fire Tablet lineup—the all-new Fire 7 and Fire HD 8

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  • Fire 7, the next generation of Amazon’s best-selling tablet, is now thinner and lighter with an improved 7” IPS display, longer battery life, and improved Wi-Fi connectivity—still only $49.99
  • Fire HD 8, the next generation of Amazon’s highest customer-rated tablet, offers a stunning 8” HD display with over 1 million pixels, up to 12 hours of battery life, and 16 GB of storage—now only $79.99
  • Millions of Fire Tablet customers have asked Alexa to play music and videos, read audiobooks, set timers, get the news and weather, and more

SEATTLE, 2017-May-18 — /EPR Retail News/ — Amazon today (May 17, 2017) announced two new additions to its Fire Tablet lineup—the all-new Fire 7 and all-new Fire HD 8. Amazon’s best-selling tablet is now even better—Fire 7 features a thinner and lighter design, an improved 7” IPS display with higher contrast and sharper text, longer battery life with up to 8 hours of mixed use, 8 GB of storage with support for up to 256 GB of expandable storage, and better Wi-Fi connectivity, plus Alexa—all for only $49.99. The all-new Fire HD 8—the next-generation of Amazon’s highest customer-rated tablet—offers a stunning 8” HD display with over 1 million pixels, a quad-core processor, up to 12 hours of battery life, 16 GB of storage with support for up to 256 GB more, plus Alexa—now only $79.99. Both Fire Tablets are available for pre-order starting today.

“We think customers should expect more from their tablet—better hardware, more features, access to tons of great content—but shouldn’t have to pay a premium for it,” said Kevin Keith, General Manager, Fire Tablets. “Our approach is to offer premium products at non-premium prices. The all-new Fire 7 is thinner and lighter, offers an improved display, longer battery life, and better Wi-Fi connectivity—while keeping the same low price of $49.99. For only $30 more, the all-new Fire HD 8 offers a vibrant 8” HD widescreen display, up to 12 hours of battery life, faster performance, and 16 GB of storage. Plus, both tablets include Alexa—it’s an incredible value we think customers will love.”

For less than $50, Fire 7 is thinner and lighter than the previous generation Fire. With an improved 7-inch IPS display, Fire 7 offers higher contrast and sharper text, making books, web content, videos and more look crisp and colorful. Fire 7 also offers improved battery life with support for up to 8 hours, and a choice of 8 GB or 16 GB of internal storage with up to 256 GB of expandable storage via microSD card, giving customers the ability to enjoy more videos, music, games, and photos—even while offline.

For only $30 more, Fire HD 8 offers a widescreen 8” 1280 x 800 HD display with over a million pixels for a bright, vivid picture. It also includes up to 12 hours of battery life for all-day power, and 16 GB or 32 GB of internal storage, plus up to 256 GB of expandable storage via microSD card.

Both of Amazon’s latest Fire Tablets include:

  • Alexa—Simply press and ask to play videos, enjoy music, listen to audiobooks, ask questions, shop, find news, display the weather, and more on your Fire tablet.
  • Quad-core 1.3 GHz processor—Quickly and easily switch between apps, stream movies, and browse the web without waiting for your tablet to catch up.
  • Durability—As measured in tumble tests, Fire 7 and Fire HD 8 are both more durable than the latest generation iPad.
  • Front- and rear-facing cameras—Video chat with friends and family with the front-facing camera; take and share photos, and save them for later with free, unlimited cloud storage for all photos taken on Fire devices.
  • Fast Wi-Fi connectivity—dual-band Wi-Fi with support.
  • Screen Sharing—let an Amazon expert guide you remotely through any feature on your screen, available 24×7, 365 days a year—for free.
  • Amazon-exclusive features—Alexa, ASAP, X-Ray, Second Screen, Amazon FreeTime, Family Library, Blue Shade, On Deck, Prime Video downloads, and more.
  • World-class content ecosystem—Access to millions of movies, TV shows, songs, books, magazines, apps, and games—with free, unlimited cloud storage for all Amazon content.
  • New color options—Black, Punch Red, Marine Blue, and Canary Yellow.

Endless Entertainment

Alexa on Tablets

Alexa makes it easy to have your favorite entertainment right at your fingertips. With a simple long-press of the home button, you can ask Alexa to play your favorite movie or TV show, read aloud the latest audiobook you’ve been reading, open a game or app, turn off the lights, or adjust the temperature controls. You can even ask Alexa for the news, weather, jokes, questions, and more. Alexa provides natural-language responses, combined with on-screen information on the tablet’s display—ask for the weather and see the week’s forecast, ask to play a song and see the album cover. Since bringing Alexa to Fire Tablets last year, customers have asked Alexa for millions of songs, jokes, the weather, trivia, movies, audiobooks, and more every week.

World-Class Content for the Whole Family

Amazon offers access to millions of movies, TV shows, songs, books, apps, games, audiobooks, and magazines. This includes hundreds of thousands of exclusives, such as the entire 16-album collection from Garth Brooks, the best-selling solo artist in U.S. history, available only on Amazon Music as well as Amazon Music Original playlists, which feature original songs and covers from a wide range of artists like Ryan Bingham, Hurray for the Riff Raff, Ingrid Michaelson, Joshua Radin, and more. Fire devices offer free, unlimited cloud storage for all Amazoncontent, plus all of the exclusive features that customers love. Among others, these include ASAP, which helps you get to the movies and TV shows you want to watch even faster, and Blue Shade, which removes harmful blue light for a more comfortable nighttime reading experience on a tablet. Parents can also take advantage of world-class parental controls with Amazon FreeTime, the service that encourages learning before play and gives parents the ability to set educational goals and screen time limits by content type, including innovative features like Learn First and Bedtime.

Ultimate Portability

Fire 7 and Fire HD 8 offer beautiful displays, up to 256 GB of expandable storage via microSD card, and all-day battery life, making them the perfect tablets for watching movies, playing games, reading books, listening to music, and much more whether jumping on a plane or heading out on a family trip. Both tablets also support offline downloads for Prime members, Netflix plans, and Showtime subscribers, plus On Deck, a feature that automatically downloads popular Prime movies, TV shows, and Amazon Original Series so customers never have to worry about being caught without entertainment.

Even Better with Prime

Fire Tablet customers that are Prime members have access to millions of movies, TV episodes, songs, books, and much more included as part of their member benefits. Tens of millions of Prime members around the world enjoy the many benefits of Prime. In the U.S. that includes unlimited access to award-winning movies and TV episodes with Prime Video; unlimited access to Prime Music, Audible Channels for Prime, Prime Reading, Prime Photos, Twitch Prime; early access to select Lightning Deals, one free pre-released book a month with Kindle First, and more. Prime was built on the foundation of unlimited fast, free shipping and today, members receive unlimited Free Two-Day Shipping on more than 50 million items, Prime FREE One-Day Shipping and Prime FREE Same-Day Delivery in more than 5,000 cities and towns, and two-hour delivery with Prime Now in more than 30 major cities. If customers are not yet members, they can start a free trial of Amazon Prime at amazon.com/prime.

The Fire Family

Fire 7 is $49.99 and Fire HD 8 is $79.99—both will start shipping on June 7. Order the new Fire 7 at www.amazon.com/fire7; order the new Fire HD 8 at www.amazon.com/firehd8.

Protective covers are also available for Fire 7 and Fire HD 8 in multiple colors and can stand in both landscape and portrait orientations. Fire 7 protective covers are $24.99 and Fire HD 8 covers are $29.99.

In addition to Fire 7 and Fire HD 8, Amazon also today introduced the Fire 7 Kids Edition tablet and Fire HD 8 Kids Edition tablet. Both will also start shipping on June 7—order Fire 7 Kids Edition at www.amazon.com/fire7-kids-edition; order Fire HD 8 Kids Edition at www.amazon.com/firehd8-kids-edition.

As a special introductory offer, Fire Tablets are available in a multi-pack option—so that every member of the family can enjoy one. Buy any three Fire Tablets—including the all-new Fire 7, Fire HD 8, Fire 7 Kids Edition, and Fire HD 8 Kids Edition—and save 20 percent.

About Amazon

Amazon is guided by four principles: customer obsession rather than competitor focus, passion for invention, commitment to operational excellence, and long-term thinking. Customer reviews, 1-Click shopping, personalized recommendations, Prime, Fulfillment by Amazon, AWS, Kindle Direct Publishing, Kindle, Fire tablets, Fire TV, Amazon Echo, and Alexa are some of the products and services pioneered by Amazon. For more information, visit www.amazon.com/about and follow @AmazonNews.

Media Hotline:
Amazon-pr@amazon.com
www.amazon.com/pr

Source: Amazon.com, Inc.

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Amazon adds all-new Fire 7 Kids Edition and Fire HD 8 Kids Edition to its Fire tablet lineup

Amazon adds all-new Fire 7 Kids Edition and Fire HD 8 Kids Edition to its Fire tablet lineup

 

  • All-New Fire 7 Kids Edition includes Fire 7 tablet with 16 GB of storage and 8 hours battery life, a year of Amazon FreeTime Unlimited, a kid-proof case, and a 2-year worry-free guarantee—still only $99.99
  • Introducing an 8” HD screen option—the Fire HD 8 Kids Edition comes with 32 GB of storage and up to 12 hours of battery life, a year of Amazon FreeTime Unlimited, a kid-proof case, and a 2-year worry-free guarantee—only $129.99
  • Amazon FreeTime Unlimited now offers over 15,000 age-appropriate books, videos, educational apps, and games, plus access to over 55,000 hand-curated websites and YouTube videos, plus Parent Dashboard and Discussion Cards

SEATTLE, 2017-May-18 — /EPR Retail News/ — Amazon today (-May 17, 2017) announced two new additions to its best-selling Fire tablet lineup—the all-new Fire 7 Kids Edition and all-new Fire HD 8 Kids Edition. Fire 7 Kids Edition and Fire HD 8 Kids Edition tablets are built around three ideas:

1. Despite best intentions, kids break things—Fire Kids Edition tablets come with a kid-proof case available in blue, pink or a new yellow color option, and a two-year worry-free guarantee—if they break it, send it back and we’ll replace it. No questions asked.

2. Parents don’t want to worry about the bill—Including access to over 55,000 age-appropriate websites and YouTube videos, plus a year of Amazon FreeTime Unlimited, which offers more than 15,000 books, videos, educational apps, and games that have been curated for age-appropriateness—at no additional cost.

3. Kids want a real tablet, not a toy—Fire 7 Kids Edition features a 7” IPS display, quad-core processor, 16 GB of storage with up to 256 GB of expandable storage via a microSD card slot, and up to 8 hours of battery life. For only $30 more, Fire HD 8 Kids Edition offers a 1280×800 widescreen 8” HD display, quad-core processor, 32 GB of storage with up to 256 GB of expandable storage via a microSD card slot, and up to 12 hours of battery life.

Fire 7 Kids Edition is $99.99 (a total value of over $225) and is available for pre-order today at www.amazon.com/fire7-kids-edition. Fire HD 8 Kids Edition is $129.99 (a total value of over $270) and is available for pre-order today at www.amazon.com/firehd8-kids-edition.

“Our Kids Edition tablets are built from the ground up just for kids and we’re thrilled to be the #1 best-selling kids tablet in the U.S. today,” said Kurt Beidler, Director of Kids & Family, Amazon. “These new tablets offer even greater value for our customers with a new 8” HD screen option, increased battery life and storage, plus more popular FreeTime Unlimited books, videos, educational apps, and games, and new FreeTime features like Parent Dashboard and Discussion Cards—all while keeping our prices incredibly low.”

Endless Fun for Kids

Fire 7 Kids Edition and Fire HD 8 Kids Edition comes with a year of Amazon FreeTime Unlimited, the all-in-one subscription service that gives kids ages 3-12 unlimited access to over 15,000 age-appropriate books, videos, educational apps, and games. Kids can enjoy new titles like Pete the Cat, Cupcake Diaries, Fruit Ninja, LEGO Batman: Beyond Gotham, Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, Just Add Magic, and more—available from popular brands like Disney, Nickelodeon, Amazon Studios, PBS Kids, HarperCollins, and Simon & Schuster. New titles are regularly added to the FreeTime Unlimited catalog and parents can add titles they own into their child’s FreeTime profile, such as Netflix or Minecraft. FreeTime Unlimited can also be used on Fire Tablets, Kindle e-Readers, Amazon Fire TV, and compatible Android phones and tablets.

Amazon FreeTime also includes a kid-friendly web browser that provides kids with controlled access to over 55,000 YouTube videos and websites. All of the content is kid-friendly and age-appropriate, hand-selected by the Amazon FreeTime team. Parents can also add additional websites if they choose to.

All the Tools Parents Want

Over 10 million kids (and their parents) enjoy the award-winning Amazon FreeTime service, which provides the perfect balance between giving kids the freedom of choice and unlimited access to the content they love, while providing parents peace of mind that what their kids are viewing on their devices is age-appropriate. Amazon FreeTime offers world-class parental controls that encourage learning before play, and gives parents the ability to set educational goals and screen time limits by content type, including innovative features like Learn First and Bedtime.

“Amazon’s Fire Kids Edition tablets strike a remarkable balance between what kids and parents want in a dedicated kids tablet,” said Stephen Balkam, Founder & CEO, Family Online Safety Institute. “These tablets offer age-appropriate digital content that’s both fun and educational for kids, plus a suite of parental controls and features to help parents teach kids how to use technology responsibly.”

Additionally, Amazon recently introduced Parent Dashboard and Discussion Cards, new FreeTime features which offer a whole new way for parents and kids to connect over digital content. With Discussion Cards, parents can easily familiarize themselves with the FreeTime content their kids are viewing, such as books, videos, educational apps, and games to encourage discussion and engagement with their kids. Discussion Cards are found within the new Parent Dashboard, a mobile optimized website that also provides daily activity reports to help parents review the digital content their kids are using in FreeTime and determine how to manage time limits and educational goals. Parent Dashboard and Discussion Cards are available at http://parents.amazon.com.

The Fire Family

Fire 7 Kids Edition is $99.99—order at www.amazon.com/fire7-kids-edition; Fire HD 8 Kids Edition is $129.99—order at www.amazon.com/firehd8-kids-edition. Both tablets will begin shipping on June 7.

In addition to the Fire Kids Edition tablets, Amazon also today introduced the all-new Fire 7 and all-new Fire HD 8 tablets. To learn more about the Fire 7 visit www.amazon.com/fire7; to learn more about the Fire HD 8 visit www.amazon.com/firehd8.

As a special introductory offer, Fire tablets are available in a multi-pack option—so that every member of the family can enjoy one. Buy any three Fire tablets—including the all-new Fire 7, Fire HD 8, Fire 7 Kids Edition, and Fire HD 8 Kids Edition—and save 20 percent.

About Amazon

Amazon is guided by four principles: customer obsession rather than competitor focus, passion for invention, commitment to operational excellence, and long-term thinking. Customer reviews, 1-Click shopping, personalized recommendations, Prime, Fulfillment by Amazon, AWS, Kindle Direct Publishing, Kindle, Fire tablets, Fire TV, Amazon Echo, and Alexa are some of the products and services pioneered by Amazon. For more information, visit www.amazon.com/about and follow @AmazonNews.

Media Hotline:
Amazon-pr@amazon.com
www.amazon.com/pr

Source: Amazon.com, Inc.

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Walgreens to present findings of five clinical studies at the 22nd ISPOR Annual International Meeting

Studies examine pharmacy initiatives focused on medication adherence and outcomes

DEERFIELD, Ill, 2017-May-18 — /EPR Retail News/ — Walgreens will present the findings of five recently completed clinical studies at the 22nd Annual International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR) Annual International Meeting, May 20-24 in Boston. Clinical abstracts from the studies being presented focus primarily on Walgreens efforts to improve medication adherence and patient outcomes through various pharmacy initiatives.

“We’re continually seeking to uncover new and innovative approaches to help improve outcomes for our patients,” said Chet Robson, medical director, clinical programs and quality, Walgreens. “The research we are presenting at ISPOR demonstrates the impact and effectiveness of various pharmacy programs and services and how they can serve to benefit patients and payers.”

The studies to be presented at ISPOR (https://www.ispor.org/Event/Index/2017Boston) include:

  • Analysis of 90-day prescription refill at retail programs, and their impact on improving adherence to medications included in the CMS Star quality measures, demonstrating significantly greater adherence among Medicare Part D patients
  • A study that observes adherence rates among Walgreens Medicare Part D patients for whom pharmacists initiated late-to-refill reminder calls. Greater impact is shown among patients with 90-day medication fills than on 30-day fills
  • An exploration of factors associated with medication self-synchronization (aligning multiple medications to be refilled on the same day), in which findings reveal medication self-synchronization is associated with age, copay amount, selected maintenance medication indicators, day supply indicators and total number of prescriptions
  • Examination of the Universal Medication Schedule (UMS) as a means of standardizing prescriptions that demonstrates UMS prescribing is associated with significantly higher adherence to oral diabetic medications for older adults with low education who receive a multi-daily regimen. Walgreens collaborated with Northwestern University on this research
  • A study exploring length of therapy and factors associated with HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) medication adherence, demonstrating significantly higher adherence among older age groups, males, users of HIV-specialized services, and those with private insurance. The study found that patients used PrEP on average for seven to eight months in the first year.

About Walgreens
Walgreens (www.walgreens.com), one of the nation’s largest drugstore chains, is included in the Retail Pharmacy USA Division of Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc. (NASDAQ: WBA), the first global pharmacy-led, health and wellbeing enterprise. More than 10 million customers interact with Walgreens each day in communities across America, using the most convenient, multichannel access to consumer goods and services and trusted, cost-effective pharmacy, health and wellness services and advice. Walgreens operates 8,175 drugstores with a presence in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, along with its omnichannel business, Walgreens.com. Approximately 400 Walgreens stores offer Healthcare Clinic or other provider retail clinic services.

Contacts:

Scott Goldberg
847-315-7649
scott.goldberg@walgreens.com
http://news.walgreens.com
@WalgreensNews
facebook.com/Walgreens

Source: Walgreens

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UNHCR turns on new solar plant in Jordan’s Azraq refugee camp funded by IKEA Foundation

Azraq, 2017-May-18 — /EPR Retail News/ — The UN Refugee Agency, UNHCR, switched on today (17 May 2017) the newly constructed solar plant in Jordan’s Azraq refugee camp. Funded by the IKEA Foundation’s Brighter Lives for Refugees campaign, the solar farm has brought power to a population that lived for two years without electricity and will contribute to the Jordan national energy strategy to achieve a green economy by 2020.

The 2-megawatt solar photovoltaic (PV) plant provides electricity to 20,000 Syrian refugees living in almost 5,000 shelters in Azraq camp, covering the energy needs of the two villages connected to the national grid. Each family can now connect a fridge, a TV, a fan, have light inside the shelter and charge their phones, which is critical for refugees to keep in contact with their relatives abroad.

Azraq camp opened its doors in April 2014 and is located in a desert area in northern Jordan, with hot summers and harsh winters. The lack of electricity has been one of the main challenges faced by its residents, making daily activities difficult, such as cooking, washing the clothes, studying or walking safely to the washroom at night, especially for women and children.

The introduction of electricity will help address these challenges and significantly improve the well-being of Azraq residents. For the last two years, refugees have been living with the sole support of solar lanterns distributed on their arrival and 476 solar street lights installed in one of the villages, both funded by the IKEA Foundation.

The Azraq’s solar farm is the first solar plant built in a refugee setting in the world. In Jordan, where the cost of electricity is high, the solar plant will allow UNHCR to provide electricity to Azraq camp residents free of cost, savings that will be invested in other needed assistance.

The solar farm will result in immediate savings of US$ 1.5 million per year and it will reduce CO2 emissions by 2,370 tons per year. Once the solar plant is upgraded from 2 to 5 Megawatts and operating at full capacity, it will produce three times these savings and reduction in CO2 emissions and cover all of Azraq’s energy needs. Connected to the national grid, any extra electricity generated will be sent back free of cost, supporting the host community energy needs.

The construction of the Azraq solar plant has also meant an income opportunity to over 50 refugees who have been trained and employed to help build the solar farm under the supervision of the Jordanian solar company Mustakbal, which led the works on site. Part of these refugees will be also in charge of the maintenance works in the future.

“Today marks a milestone. Lighting up the camp is not only a symbolic achievement; it provides a safer environment for all camp residents, opens up livelihoods opportunities, and gives children the chance to study after dark. Above all, it allows all residents of the camps to lead more dignified lives,” said Kelly T. Clements, UNHCR Deputy High Commissioner. “Once again the partnership between IKEA Foundation and UNHCR has shown how we can embrace new technologies, innovation and humanity while helping refugees.”

The solar plant, which cost 8.75 million euros, has been entirely funded by the IKEA Foundation through the Brighter Lives for Refugees campaign that raised 30.8 million euro for UNHCR projects. For each LED light-bulb sold during the campaign period, the IKEA Foundation donated 1 euro to UNHCR to bring renewable energy and education to refugees.

“The world’s first solar farm in a refugee camp signals a paradigm shift in how the humanitarian sector supports displaced populations. UNHCR Jordan will save millions of dollars, while reducing carbon emissions and improving living conditions for some of the world’s most vulnerable children and families”, said Per Heggenes, CEO of the IKEA Foundation. “We are very grateful to everyone involved—especially the IKEA customers and co-workers who took part in the Brighter Lives for Refugees campaign, the UNHCR, the Jordanian government, EDCO, and most of all, the Syrian and Jordanian people who made this project a reality”, he concluded.

Providing renewable energy sources to refugees and their host communities is one of the priorities for UNHCR globally. Innovative partnerships such us the one with IKEA Foundation help UNHCR find forward looking and sustainable solutions for the refugee community.

For more information please contact:
[ENG] Olga Sarrado Mur
UNHCR External Relations
sarrado@unhcr.org
962 79 761 7799

[ARA] Mohammad Hawari
UNHCR External Relations
hawari@unhcr.org,
+962 79 895 6781

Radu Dumitraşcu
Communications Manager
IKEA Foundation
radu.dumitrascu@ikeafoundation.org
+31 6 556 98 570<

Source: IKEA

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M&S extends its nationwide food redistribution scheme to include chilled food

London, 2017-May-18 — /EPR Retail News/ — Marks & Spencer (M&S) today (17 May 2017) announces the extension of its nationwide food redistribution scheme to include chilled food such as meat, dairy items, poultry and ready meals, as part of its Plan A target of reducing food waste by 20% by 2020.

Launched in October 2015, the existing scheme has helped M&S to connect all its stores* to local food charities and community groups – from soup kitchens for the homeless to community cafés supporting local families with meals. To date M&S has donated 1.25 million meals to 595 food charities across the UK and Northern Ireland. By adding chilled food to the fruit, vegetables, bread, cakes and groceries and dry packaged goods and tins already donated – M&S will play a key role in helping charities feed people in need of a safe, sufficient and nutritious diet.

M&S works in partnership with Neighbourly, the social network for social good, to connect local charities with their local M&S store. The site has allowed M&S to remove some of the main logistical barriers to redistributing chilled food, including ensuring that all those charities registered have refrigeration to transport and store chilled food, as well as having the correct food hygiene credentials in place.

During the last month, 130 M&S stores have begun redistributing surplus chilled food to their local charities. M&S will review the extension at the end of May with a view to roll out to further stores where the charity partner has the approved infrastructure in place. The chilled launch follows a pilot in 70 M&S stores this Christmas which aimed to find the most effective and safe way of redistributing surplus chilled food to ensure it is put to the best possible use.

Commenting on the new chilled food donations, Louise Nicholls, Head of Responsible Sourcing, Packaging & Plan A at M&S said: “Addressing food waste is a key area of focus for M&S and we have been working hard to reduce food waste whilst ensuring that, where there is food surplus, we put it to the best possible use. Over the last year our partnership with Neighbourly has allowed us to connect our stores to local food projects and help support our local communities. By extending our food surplus scheme to include chilled food we’ll be able to go even further in helping charities support those in need with safe and nutritious food.”

Nick Davies, Founder of Neighbourly, added: “People often under-estimate how determined companies like Marks & Spencer are to help protect the planet and the communities they serve. For 10 years now the Plan A initiative has guided behind-the scenes efforts to tackle climate change, source sustainably and reduce waste whilst never compromising safety or the customer experience. Their request for help with chilled food is just the latest step in an ambitious journey and Neighbourly is delighted to assist – it’s good for society, good for business and good for the soul.”

Dr David Moon, Head of Food Sustainability WRAP, said: “WRAP estimates that approximately 47,000 tonnes of surplus food – the equivalent of 90 million meals – is currently being redistributed to feed people in the UK every year. This is a great move by M&S and opens up a new area of surplus food that can go to feed people, rather than potentially being wasted. No food should go to waste when there are options like redistribution, and Courtauld 2025 signatories have responded with a collective ambition to double the amount of surplus food they redistribute by 2020. This move by M&S is a great example of the kind of action that will help make that ambition a reality.”

Further information on how charities can register is available on the M&S page of the Neighbourly website.

Case study – M&S Yeovil   

Through the food surplus redistribution scheme, M&S Yeovil has donated nearly 18,500 meals to Yeovil Community Meals Service which delivers freshly cooked, ready to eat meals for older people in the community, those with mobility problems, dementia or those who are recently home from hospital. Last month, M&S Yeovil added chilled food to the scheme which has seen a 25% rise in the number of meals donated.

About M&S’s approach to food waste:

  • Our primary aim is to reduce the amount of waste we create in the first place
  • We have invested in new stock forecasting and planning systems to improve the accuracy of our food allocation and distribution at our stores;
  • We believe we have the most comprehensive supplier engagement schemes and we are very active in working with our suppliers to ensure they are engaged in:
    • Reducing waste – over 70% are now zero waste to landfill; and
    • Redistributing more – as well as increasing redistribution from our stores, we are working closely with our suppliers to help them redistribute more direct from their depots.
    • We have also increased the volume of short life food products that we sell at a discount to our customers and this process now consistently clears the majority of products that would otherwise have been disposed of.
    • M&S was given advice from Westminster City Council, its primary authority, that it is satisfied with the safety procedures M&S has place for the chilled food donations.
    • Where there is food surplus, we will work with charity partners through the Neighbourly platform to ensure that it is put to the best possible use.
    • Charities that can make use of surplus food items and make regular collections from the back of their local store will need to join neighbourly.com and create a profile for their project. To find out more, send an email to food@neighbourly.com or telephone 0117 917 5317.
    • The Neighbourly platform will enable better connections between customers, communities, suppliers and our own employees.
    • We are also committed to helping our customers reduce their food waste by developing packaging innovations that protect food and keep it fresher for longer.
    • Any surplus left over goes to anaerobic digestion (a process that turns food waste into electricity – some of which is bought back to power M&S stores) – absolutely nothing goes to landfill.
    • For further information, please see the M&S Plan A website

About Plan A 

Plan A is Marks & Spencer’s sustainable business plan that tackles both today’s and tomorrow’s sustainable retail challenges. Launched in 2007, the plan is focused on customer, employee and supplier engagement and includes commitments that tackle issues such as climate change, waste, raw materials, health and being a fair partner.

About Neighbourly 

Neighbourly is an award-winning social platform that matches charities and community projects with people and companies that can help. It uses technology to connect and enable communities, individuals and organisations to help local causes through volunteering, financial and food donations. M&S has partnered with Neighbourly to deliver Spark Something Good, its major Plan A employee and customer volunteering initiative. Visit www.neighbourly.com/ or follow @nbrly

Media enquiries:
M&S Corporate PR
020 8718 1919

Source: Marks & Spencer

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Lowe’s to host 1Q 2017 financial results conference call on May 24, 2017

MOORESVILLE, N.C., 2017-May-18 — /EPR Retail News/ — In conjunction with the Lowe’s Companies, Inc. (NYSE: LOW) first quarter 2017 earnings press release, you are invited to listen to its conference call to be broadcast live over the internet on Wednesday, May 24, 2017 at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time with: Robert A. Niblock, chairman, president and chief executive officer; Michael P. McDermott, chief customer officer; and Marshall A. Croom, chief financial officer.  Supplemental slides will be available fifteen minutes prior to the start of the conference call.

What: First Quarter 2017 Earnings Conference Call Webcast

When: 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time on Wednesday, May 24, 2017

Visit Lowe’s Investor Relations website at http://www.Lowes.com/investor

Where: Click on Webcasts and then on Lowe’s First Quarter 2017 Earnings Conference Call

How: Listen live online and view the supplemental slides by following the directions above

A webcast replay of the call can be accessed from 12:00 p.m. ET on May 24, 2017 through August 22, 2017 by visiting http://www.Lowes.com/investor and clicking on Webcasts and then on Lowe’s First Quarter 2017 Earnings Conference Call.

Lowe’s Companies, Inc. (NYSE: LOW) is a FORTUNE® 50 home improvement company serving more than 17 million customers a week in the United States, Canada and Mexico. With fiscal year 2016 sales of $65.0 billion, Lowe’s and its related businesses operate or service 2,365 home improvement and hardware stores and employ over 290,000 people. Founded in 1946 and based in Mooresville, N.C., Lowe’s supports the communities it serves through programs that focus on K-12 public education and community improvement projects. For more information, visit Lowes.com.

Media Inquiries:
704-758-2917
PublicRelations@Lowes.com

SOURCE: Lowe’s Companies, Inc.

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Price Rite seeks applicants to fill up 85 positions for its new Utica store

Utica, NY, 2017-May-18 — /EPR Retail News/ — Price Rite Supermarkets announced that it is accepting job applications for its 64th store, the 32,000-square-foot Price Rite of Utica, located at 501 Bleeker Street, scheduled to open in June 2017.  The supermarket chain, known for its everyday low prices, is looking to hire approximately 85 employees for full- and part-time positions including cashiers, stocking clerks, produce and meat department team members and supervisory roles.

Interested candidates are encouraged to apply online by visiting www.PriceRiteSupermarkets.com/Join-Our-Team, clicking “apply today” and selecting Utica, NY from the dropdown menu to view available positions and fill out an online employment application. Prescheduled interviews will be conducted Tuesday, May 16 and Wednesday, May 17 at Utica Working Solutions, so candidates are encouraged to apply today to ensure applications are reviewed in time to be scheduled for these sessions. Price Rite is seeking applicants with the personality to provide customers with friendly, efficient service, and previous supermarket or other retail experience is preferred, but not required. A great place to shop and work, Price Rite offers its employees flexible scheduling, competitive pay rates, holiday, sick and vacation pay and over 30 career opportunities.

“Price Rite greatly values its associates, as it takes a team effort to deliver a great shopping experience for our customers,” said Neil Duffy, president of Price Rite Supermarkets. “We look forward to welcoming new team members to our Utica store and making them a part of our tight-knit Price Rite family,”

The new Price Rite of Utica will employ the supermarket chain’s convenient format featuring a broad array of groceries containing both private label items and national brands, including deliveries of fresh produce from around the corner and around the world six days per week, with a wide variety of ethnic products to cater to Price Rite’s diverse customer base; packaged meats, including a selection of organic and natural items, grass-fed offerings, Grade A poultry and USDA Choice cuts; baked goods; and dairy and frozen food, along with organic and natural including the new Wholesome Pantry Organic line, a private label line of free-from and organic products void of 110 ingredients and containing no artificial additives, flavors or preservatives. Price Rite of Utica will also feature some of the industry’s leading “green technologies,” including glass doors on dairy cases and energy-efficient lighting and refrigeration throughout the entire store.

For more information, please visit www.PriceRiteSupermarkets.com.

About Price Rite
Price Rite is a registered trademark of Wakefern Food Corp., a retailer owned cooperative based in Keasbey, NJ and the largest supermarket cooperative in the United States. Price Rite opened its first store in West Springfield, MA in 1995 and currently operates 63 grocery stores while employing more than 4,000 people in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Maryland, and Virginia. Price Rite offers expanded produce departments and a curated selection of quality food products at exceptional prices. Through its support of local food banks, the annual Check-Out Hunger fundraising campaign and partnership with Feed The Children, Price Rite is a committed member of its local community.  For more information, please visit www.priceritesupermarkets.com.

Contact:
Phone: 1-877-352-8850

Source: Price Rite Supermarkets

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Unibail-Rodamco issues two new bonds

Paris, Amsterdam, 2017-May-18 — /EPR Retail News/ — Unibail-Rodamco took advantage of improving market conditions to issue two new bonds:
• A €500 Mn bond with a 12-year maturity and a 1.5% fixed coupon;
• A €500 Mn bond with a 20-year maturity and a 2.0% fixed coupon.

The total demand for these 2 bonds reached €2.7 billion.

The net proceeds from the bonds will be used for general corporate purposes and will further extend Unibail-Rodamco’s debt maturity profile.

Unibail-Rodamco is rated A (stable outlook) by Standard & Poor’s and Fitch Ratings.

About Unibail-Rodamco
Created in 1968, Unibail-Rodamco SE is Europe’s largest listed commercial property company, with a presence in 11 EU countries, and a portfolio of assets valued at €40.5 billion as of December 31, 2016. As an integrated operator, investor and developer, the Group aims to cover the whole of the real estate value creation chain. With the support of its 1,990 professionals, Unibail-Rodamco applies those skills to highly specialised market segments such as large shopping centres in major European cities and large offices and convention & exhibition centres in the Paris region.

The Group distinguishes itself through its focus on the highest architectural, city planning and environmental standards. Its long term approach and sustainable vision focus on the development or redevelopment of outstanding places to shop, work and relax. Its commitment to environmental, economic and social sustainability has been recognised by inclusion in the FTSE4Good and STOXX Global ESG Leaders indexes. The Group is a member of the CAC 40, AEX 25 and EuroSTOXX 50 indices. It benefits from an A rating from Standard & Poor’s and Fitch Ratings.

For more information, please visit our website: www.unibail-rodamco.com

For further information, please contact:
Investor Relations:
Aurélia Baudey-Vignaud
+33 1 76 77 58 02
aurelia.baudey-vignaud@unibail-rodamco.com

Media Relations:
Pauline Duclos-Lenoir
+33 1 76 77 57 94
pauline.duclos-lenoir@unibail-rodamco.com

Source: Unibail-Rodamco

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NRF survey: Graduation spending expected to reach $5.6 billion, the highest number in the survey’s history

Washington, 2017-May-18 — /EPR Retail News/ — Consumers say they will spend more than ever on graduation gifts this year as they stuff greeting cards with gift cards and cash, according to the annual survey released today (May 17, 2017) by the National Retail Federation and Prosper Insights & Analytics.

With more consumers buying for graduates this year – 36 percent compared with 34 percent in 2016 – total spending is expected to reach $5.6 billion. That’s the highest number in the survey’s 11-year history, topping last year’s previous record of $5.4 billion.

“As students mark the end of one chapter in their lives and start the next, friends and family will help prepare them for this new journey,” NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay said. “From gift cards to clothing and electronics, retailers will have their shelves stocked with a variety of options.”

Cash will once again be the most popular gift, given by 53 percent of those surveyed as they seek to help students with the costly transition from high school to college or college to the “real world.” However, cash gifting is at a survey low in 2017, dropping about 10 percent from highs recorded in 2007 and 2009. Greeting cards follow at 41 percent, gift cards at 33 percent, apparel at 16 percent and electronics at 11 percent.

“This graduation season we are seeing more young Millennials giving gifts to their peers,” Prosper Principal Analyst Pam Goodfellow said, noting that 48 percent plan to do so, up from 42 percent last year. “While greeting cards are most likely to be exchanged among 18-24-year-old, gift cards, cash, and apparel are other popular options. In fact, this group is nearly twice as likely to give clothing than the overall average.”

While ages 18-24 are the most likely to give a gift to graduates (at 48 percent), they maintain the smallest budgets at $78.42. The biggest spending is likely to come among parent-age 45-54-year-olds at $119.84 as well as those in the grandparent bracket of 65+, who plan to spend an average $112.34.

The survey, which asked 7,335 consumers about their Graduation gifting plans, was conducted May 2-9 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 1.2 percentage points. Full data results will not be published on NRF.com but news media and analysts who require additional information can contact press@nrf.com.

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

About NRF
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.

Contact:
Ana Serafin Smith
(202) 626-8189
press@nrf.com
(855) NRF-Press

Source: NRF

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Intershop client Alko wins 2017 ‘IT Project of the Year’ award from Management Events 600 Minutes Executive

  • Finnish state owned drinks retailing company wins 2017 ‘IT Project of the Year’ from Management Events 600 Minutes Executive
  • B2B and B2C omni-channel commerce featuring more than 5,000 items

Jena, Germany, 2017-May-18 — /EPR Retail News/ — Finnish state owned monopoly for the retailing of alcoholic drinks, Alko has won the 2017 ‘IT Project of the Year’ award from Management Events 600 Minutes Executive for its omni-channel commerce project with Intershop.

Leaving PWC and Finnline behind, the state owned business went live with its new e-commerce site in November 2016 in order to further improve the buying experience for its consumer and business customers. The new online Alko service offers deliveries to business addresses, pick-up points and purchases may also be collected from Alko stores. Featuring 5,000-6,000 items, www.alko.fi replaces a more static web presence with B2B shopping capability with a feature-rich, user-friendly online shopping site for both B2C and B2B markets.

The project, managed by omni-channel commerce consultancy, Accenture Interactive started shortly after a change in Finnish law regarding the publication of alcohol pricing online. Intershop was selected as the platform of choice following extensive competitor analysis. The decision was based on best solution fit, trust in Intershop’s partner network, and relevant references.

About Intershop
Intershop Communications AG (founded in Germany 1992; Prime Standard: ISH2) is the leading independent provider of omni-channel commerce solutions. Intershop offers high-performance packaged software for internet sales, complemented by all necessary services. Intershop also acts as a business process outsourcing provider, covering all aspects of online retailing up to fulfillment. Around the globe more than 300 enterprise customers, including HP, BMW, Würth, and Deutsche Telekom run Intershop solutions. Intershop is headquartered in Jena, Germany, and has offices in the United States, Europe, Australia, and China. More information about Intershop can be found online at www.intershop.com.

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

Contact:
Intershop Public Relations
HEIDE RAUSCH
Head of Corporate Communication
Phone: +49 3641 50-1000
Fax: +49 3641 50-1309
mailto:pr@intershop.de

Source: Intershop Communications AG

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EROSKI retoma la inversión en aperturas propias con la inauguración de un supermercado en San Sebastián

EROSKI retoma la inversión en aperturas propias con la inauguración de un supermercado en San Sebastián

 

  • Contempla una inversión anual de en torno a los 100 millones de euros durante los próximos años
  • La apertura, mañana jueves, de este nuevo supermercado EROSKI en San Sebastián ha supuesto la creación de 43 puestos de trabajo y una inversión de 1,7 millones
  • Durante los últimos años, ha impulsado la apertura de franquicias y sus inversiones han estado focalizadas en la transformación de su red de tiendas al modelo “contigo”, hasta superar las 500 tiendas de nueva generación

ELORRIO,España, 2017-May-18 — /EPR Retail News/ — EROSKI inaugurará esta tarde un supermercado en el número 2 de la plaza Arroka de San Sebastián. Tras haber impulsado el desarrollo de franquicias durante los últimos años, la cooperativa retoma así la apertura de tiendas propias. En los últimos ejercicios, ha concentrado sus inversiones principalmente en la remodelación de sus establecimientos al nuevo modelo comercial “contigo”, superando ya los 500 supermercados e hipermercados de nueva generación.

Esta inauguración pone inicio a un nuevo ciclo de aperturas de tiendas propias para el que, junto al plan de transformación al modelo “contigo” de tiendas ya existentes, EROSKI contempla una inversión anual en torno a los 100 millones de euros. Estas aperturas de tiendas propias se concentrarán en la zona norte y este de la península, desde Galicia hasta Cataluña y las Islas Baleares, regiones donde EROSKI cuenta con una posición muy reconocida por el consumidor y representa en torno a un 18% de cuota de mercado.

43 nuevos puestos de trabajo y 1,7 millones de inversión

El nuevo supermercado EROSKI dispone de una sala de ventas de 1.192 metros cuadrados y aparcamiento de 80 plazas y responde al modelo “contigo” cuyos ejes se centran en la especialización en frescos, la amplia variedad de productos para mayor libertad de elección del consumidor y una sólida apuesta por los productos locales. Su puesta en marcha ha generado 43 puestos de trabajo y ha contado con una inversión de 1,7 millones.

Entre sus señas de identidad destaca la apuesta por la atención personalizada al cliente con la incorporación de mostradores en las secciones de panadería, carnicería, charcutería y pescadería. Una atención personalizada que tendrá un desarrollo progresivo con una mayor adecuación de las ofertas y promociones a cada consumidor a través de la tarjeta EROSKI Club, que ya cuenta con más de 225.000 Socios y Socias Cliente en Gipuzkoa.

Además, en línea con la promoción de la práctica de una alimentación saludable que EROSKI realiza, el nuevo supermercado cuenta con una novedosa sección de Alimentación Ecológica y Dietética, y también con una amplia gama de alimentos  para personas que sigan dietas sin gluten, bajas en azúcar, bajas en sal, bajas en grasas… En su apuesta por una alimentación más saludable y sostenible, una de las señas de identidad de este supermercado EROSKI es la amplia variedad de alimentos de producción local, con un gran protagonismo de los frescos locales de temporada.

En el apartado ambiental, este nuevo establecimiento reduce un 60% su consumo energético respecto a un supermercado convencional, debido a un diseño climático y de las instalaciones de frío de última generación, así como a un sistema de iluminación LED de control centralizado para una gestión energética más eficiente.

Acto oficial de inauguración esta tarde

Aunque el nuevo supermercado abrirá sus puertas al público mañana jueves en horario de 9 de la mañana a 9 de la noche, las y los trabajadores, familiares y Socios y Socias Cliente de EROSKI inaugurarán el establecimiento esta tarde a las 19:00 horas. Estarán acompañados por el director de Comercio del Gobierno Vasco, Juan E. Andrade, así como por representantes de EROSKI.

Datos de contacto con el Departamento de Comunicación:
944 158 642
comunicacion@eroski.es

Source: Eroski

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Henning’s Cheese recalls certain Colby Jack cheese due to lack of verification of proper pasteurization

Henning’s Cheese recalls certain Colby Jack cheese due to lack of verification of proper pasteurization

 

Kiel, Wisconsin, 2017-May-18 — /EPR Retail News/ — Henning’s Cheese located in Kiel, Wisconsin, announced today (May 17, 2017) that it is voluntarily recalling a limited amount of its Colby Jack cheese due to a temporary pasteurizer malfunction. Due to the malfunction, verification of proper pasteurization is not possible.  No illnesses have been reported related to consumption of this product and no other Henning’s Cheese products are affected by this recall.

About 1,000 pounds of product were distributed statewide. Consumers should only be concerned with Colby Jack cheese sold on or after April 10, 2017 in one and two pound blocks.  The product will contain a date code of 1007 on a small label on the bottom of the cheese block.

Consumers who have purchased Henning’s Colby Jack cheese from retail stores are urged to return it to the place of purchase or to Henning’s Cheese store for a full refund.  Consumers with questions may contact Henning’s Cheese, Monday through Friday from 7am – 3 pm (CST), at 920-894-3032.

Consumers Contact:

Henning’s Cheese
920-894-3032

Source: FDA

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The Culinary Circle® brand adds eight new items to its premium food offerings

The Culinary Circle® brand adds eight new items to its premium food offerings

 

New cheese stuffed crust pizzas, wing sauces, and indulgent gelatos aim to make eating occasions more festive and flavorful

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn, 2017-May-18 — /EPR Retail News/ — The Culinary Circle® brand today (May 16, 2017) announced that it is adding eight new items to its lineup to meet consumer demand for premium artisan products, inspired by today’s food and flavor trends. The new items include:

  • Two new cheese stuffed crust pizzas with popular topping combinations: pepperoni and three meat. The new Culinary Circlepizzas feature a mozzarella-filled crust and a hefty amount of premium toppings, perfect for kids or entertaining. The Culinary Circle pizza line includes 28 different pizzas in a variety of styles, flavors and crust types — from thin and flatbread to self-rising, multigrain, biscuit and the new cheese stuffed.
  • Three new wing sauces in palate-pleasing flavors. These flexible finishing sauces are perfect for pairing with chicken tenders, shrimp, or even sautéed beef or pork cubes for a simple, quick and tasty appetizer.
    • Bold & Peppery features a punch of vinegar and cayenne peppers with savory tomato and molasses
    • Parmesan Garlic combines Italian seasonings with robust Parmesan cheese and garlic for a rich, creamy sauce
    • Asian brings together a blend of chili peppers with honey, rice wine and sesame for a sweet and spicy flavor
  • Three delectable new gelatos for consumers who want to upgrade their indulgences: Caramel Cookie Crunch, Mint Fudge and Chocolate Peanut Butter. The new Culinary Circle gelatos feature on-trend flavors while offering a decadent, but lower-in-fat alternative to ice cream.

“Consumers are still making time to indulge and enjoy the foods they love, including pizzas, snacks and desserts, even though they are striving to eat better,” said Bekah Swan, Vice President of Private Brands at SUPERVALU. “The Culinary Circle brand seeks to address consumer demand for new, premium products that offer quality ingredients and unique flavors at an affordable price. As a brand committed to helping consumers elevate every eating occasion, we’re excited to be bringing these new additions to the grocery aisle.”

Did you know?

Please pass the pizza: It’s estimated that Americans eat an average of 46 slices (23 pounds) of pizza each year. (Source: Packaged Facts) Pepperoni is the favorite pizza topping, followed by sausage, mushroom and cheese/plain. (Source: Harris poll, FoxNews.com, 2016)

Going for global flavors: There’s a distinct international influence on menus today. According to Mintel, Asian cuisine increased 6 percent in menu incidence in the last several years.

“I scream” for gelato: Demand for gelato is booming. Sales of gelato increased 32 percent in 2016. (Mintel, Food Business News, 2016)

Culinary Circle products are available at SUPERVALU retail banners, including CUB®, FARM FRESH FOOD & PHARMACY™, HORNBACHER’S®, SHOP ‘N SAVE® and SHOPPERS FOOD & PHARMACY®, as well as independent local grocery retailers nationwide. For further information and to find a local retailer carrying Culinary Circle products, visit www.culinarycircle.com or connect on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/TheCulinaryCircle.

Editor’s note: Images of individual products mentioned in this release available upon request.

About Culinary Circle®
Launched in 2008, the Culinary Circle® brand is part of the SUPERVALU family of brands. With more than 200 premium items to choose from, Culinary Circle helps consumers elevate everything they make into a delicious success. The brand’s expansive array of inspiring foods is carefully curated to please sophisticated palates and make every eating occasion more festive and flavorful.

About SUPERVALU INC.
SUPERVALU INC. is one of the largest grocery wholesalers and retailers in the U.S. with annual sales of approximately $12 billion. SUPERVALU serves customers across the United States through a network of 2,363 stores including 1,902 stores operated by wholesale customers serviced primarily by the Company’s food distribution business and 217 traditional retail grocery stores operated under five retail banners in six geographic regions (store counts as of February 25, 2017). Headquartered in Minnesota, SUPERVALU has approximately 29,000 employees. For more information about SUPERVALU, visit www.supervalu.com.

Contact:
Mike Wilken
952-828-4558
michael.wilken@supervalu.com

Source: SUPERVALU INC.

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Perry Ellis management to host meetings at the B. Riley 18th Annual Investor Conference on May 24th, 2017

MIAMI, 2017-May-18 — /EPR Retail News/ — Perry Ellis International, Inc. (NASDAQ:PERY) announced today ( May 17, 2017) that the company will be participating at the B. Riley 18th Annual Investor Conference on May 24th, 2017 at 10:00 AM (Pacific) at the Loew’s Santa Monica Beach Hotel, CA.  Perry Ellis management will host meetings at the conference.

About Perry Ellis International
Perry Ellis International, Inc. is a leading designer, distributor and licensor of a broad line of high quality men’s and women’s apparel, accessories and fragrances. The Company’s collection of dress and casual shirts, golf sportswear, sweaters, dress pants, casual pants and shorts, jeans wear, active wear, dresses and men’s and women’s swimwear is available through all major levels of retail distribution. The Company, through its wholly owned subsidiaries, owns a portfolio of nationally and internationally recognized brands, including: Perry Ellis®, An Original Penguin® by Munsingwear®, Laundry by Shelli Segal®, Rafaella®, Cubavera®, Ben Hogan®, Savane®, Grand Slam®, John Henry®,  Manhattan®, Axist®, Jantzen® and Farah®.  The Company enhances its roster of brands by licensing trademarks from third parties, including: Nike® and Jag® for swimwear, and Callaway®, PGA TOUR®, and Jack Nicklaus® for golf apparel. Additional information on the Company is available at http://www.pery.com.

CONTACT:

Annette Ramos
Investor Relations
305-592-2830

Source: Perry Ellis International, Inc./globenewswire

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Kingston, Pennsylvania’s Mendy Majesky wins $100,000 in the 2017 Price Chopper and Market 32 Bags2Riches contest

From L. to R., Glen Bradley, Golub Corporation Group VP of Marketing and Business Intelligence; Menachem “Mendy” Majesky, Bags2Riches 2017 Grand Prize Winner; Trevor Sulcoski, Edwardsville Price Chopper Store Manager; and Mona Golub, Golub Corporation VP of Public Relations and Consumer Services celebrate Mendy’s win.

 

Edwardsville, PA, 2017-May-18 — /EPR Retail News/ —  Last Friday, the grand prize of $100,000 in the 2017 Price Chopper and Market 32 Bags2Riches contest was awarded to Kingston, Pennsylvania’s Mendy Majesky. A small reception was held in his honor at the Price Chopper at 180 Narrows Shopping Center in Edwardsville, where he does his regular shopping. Majesky collected tickets with the help of his wife and young children, who enjoyed gluing the stickers into the contest booklet. However, it was his online entry which brought him the grand prize. When asked about his plans for the winnings, Mejesky said that since his family had just moved to the area less than a year ago, they are happy to have the resources to pay some house expenses, and then they plan to make donations to various charities.

“Congratulations to the Majesky family! It’s a thrill to award the grand prize of our Bags2Riches promotion to a loyal Price Chopper shopper, like Mendy”, said Mona Golub, vice president of public relations and consumer services. “Sometimes, people are doubtful as to who wins contests like these, but we’ve had winners of significant prizes in each of the six states in which we operate. Bags2Riches has been a fantastic promotion, both for us and for the nearly 200,000 of our customers who participated and won prizes.”

The Bags2Riches Giveaway contest ran through March 25, 2017. For every $25 spent using an AdvantEdge card at any of the 136 Price Chopper and Market 32’s located throughout the northeast, shoppers received one game ticket. There were three ways to win — the first, one in every four tickets was an instant winner and revealed a prize; the second, some tickets revealed a special PIN that could be registered online to win; and the third way to win was to collect related stickers within a specific category.

Prizes included cash of up to $1 million, a new Cadillac XT5 SUV, a Kitchen Makeover, a luxury cruise, a hot tub, free groceries for a year, free gas for a year, Price Chopper and Market 32 gift cards, or free/discounted food prizes.

More than $6 million in prizes and discounts were available. More than 700,000 Instant Win game tickets were redeemed by customers and more than 2.7 million PINs were entered online.

About The Golub Corporation:

Based in Schenectady, NY, the Golub Corporation owns and operates 136 Price Chopper and Market 32 grocery stores in New York, Vermont, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts and New Hampshire. The American owned, family-managed company prides itself on longstanding traditions of innovative food merchandising, leadership in community service, and cooperative employee relations. Golub’s 20,000 teammates collectively own more than 44% of the company’s privately held stock, making it one of the nation’s largest privately held corporations that is predominantly employee-owned. For additional information, visit www.pricechopper.com

Contact:
Mona Golub
Price Chopper
518-379-1480

Jon Pierce, APR
Pierce Communications
518-427-1186

Source: Price Chopper

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BESTSELLER partners with Euroman and Eurowoman to celebrate the city of Aarhus with an exclusive Aarhus magazine

BESTSELLER partners with Euroman and Eurowoman to celebrate the city of Aarhus with an exclusive Aarhus magazine

BRANDE, Denmark, 2017-May-18 — /EPR Retail News/ — In 2017, Aarhus – the home of 800 BESTSELLER colleagues – is European Culture Capital. To celebrate this and to showcase the many amazing things that Aarhus has to offer – BESTSELLER has teamed up with Danish lifestyle fashion magazines Euroman and Eurowoman to pay homage to the city with an exclusive Aarhus magazine.

FROM THE LATIN QUARTERS TO THE URBAN CULTURAL HUB GODSBANEN, TO THE WORLD RENOWN AROS ART MUSEUM. FROM STREET FOOD TO MICHELIN STARS. AARHUS HAS A WIDE ARRAY OF AMAZING SPACES TO DISCOVER. THE NEW AARHUS MAGAZINE TAKES THE READER ON A JOURNEY AND LETS THEM EXPERIENCE FOOD, FASHION, MUSIC, INTERIOR DESIGN, INTERVIEWS AND EVEN LOVE LETTERS TO THE CITY.

AN UNUSUAL COLLABORATION

“As official partner of Aarhus 2017 we wanted to do something out of the ordinary to celebrate the city, so when Euroman/Eurowoman approached us with the idea of a lifestyle fashion magazine about Aarhus we saw it as a great opportunity – not just to give something back to Aarhus, but also to promote our own agenda in a new innovative way,” says BESTSELLER Communication Manager Jesper Stubkier about the decision to enter into a ‘joint-venture like’ collaboration with a magazine provider.

The BESTSELLER Identity team and the BESTSELLER Communication team have worked closely together with the editorial teams of Euroman and Eurowoman to create just the right look and content to promote Aarhus and BESTSELLER. “It’s been a unique occasion to highlight all the great things going on in Aarhus on the fashion and lifestyle scene – hopefully attracting even more creative minded people to Aarhus and BESTSELLER. In that sense, it’s been a destination branding, meets employer branding, meets local engagement sort of activity. On the bottom line, we hope to make our colleagues proud of this local initiative, and that the citizens of Aarhus will receive it well,” Jesper finishes.

ABOUT THE AARHUS MAGAZINE

The magazine will be distributed along with the June issues of Euroman and Eurowoman, and will be available free of charge at selected locations throughout Aarhus and at our Aarhus office.

Contact:

E-mail: contact@bestseller.com
Phone: + 45 99 42 32 00

Source: BESTSELLER

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BESTSELLER RØMERHUS opens on 1 June

BESTSELLER RØMERHUS opens on 1 June

 

BRANDE, Denmark, 2017-May-18 — /EPR Retail News/ — Customers are in for a very special experience, when BESTSELLER RØMERHUS opens its doors for the first time on 1 June. Architecture, art, design and delicious treats will set the stage for a fashion store quite out of the ordinary.

Focus has been on creating an immaculate atmosphere when visiting BESTSELLER RØMERHUS. The exterior architecture is worth a visit in itself, but the interior settings will not be outshined. All store inventory has been conceived as individual pieces of furniture rather than the typical solution with large wall displays, and the interior decoration is supplemented with furniture from renown designers such as &tradition, HAY and Jean Prové.

CEILING ARTWORK BY LEMMERZ

The ceiling of the two-story store is supported in the centre by large tree-shaped pillars ending up in a great vault above the store. Like the crown of a tree on top of the pillars, the artist Christian Lemmerz has created a gigantic artwork entitled ‘Dark Rain’. Lemmerz describes the piece as ‘the unconscious mind’s projections on the inside of the skull,’ and the dramatic look helps give the store yet another dimension and sets the stage for an extraordinary retail experience.

BRAND DIVERSITY

For the first time in BESTSELLER history, BESTSELLER’s own brands and collections will be accompanied by other fashion brands in the store. Danish streetwear brand SECRETSAMPLES is one of them. SECRETSAMPLES is characterised by textiles and patterns found in African countries, and all designs are handmade by Kenya’s first registered fairtrade production. The combination of minimalistic designs and colourful African prints represents an exciting addition to the classic collections.

In addition to the wide range of clothes, you can also buy cool fashion and design items, such as books from Kinfolk and nail polish from Uslu Airlines. Top it off with organic sweets from Hey Yum or marshmallows from The Mallows.

STORE OPENING

On 1 June at 9.30 and the following three days, the store will be buzzing with a full schedule, and you can look forward to goodiebags, magazine launches, performances and strong opening offers.

FACTS ABOUT BESTSELLER RØMERHUS:

Opening date

1 June 2017 09.30 – with a special opening programme from 1-3 June.

BESTSELLER brands

VERO MODA, Y.A.S, ONLY, ONLY & SONS, PIECES, JACQUELINE DE YONG, JACK & JONES, SELECTED, OBJECT, NOISY MAY, VILA, BIANCO, J. LINDEBERG.

Selected brands

HAY, Mario Badescu, Mast Brothers, Simply Chocolate, Hey Yum, Kinfolk, SECRETSAMPLES, Honest Skincare, Pico, Men’s Society, Carmax, The Mallows, LAKRIDS by Johan Bülow, Uslu Airlines.

Interior design

Vitra, &tradition, FLOS, By Lassen, LINNEA EK BLÆHR, HAY, Curtis Jere, McCollin Bryan, Fil de Fer, Gubi, Dinesen. Story inventory has been designed by RIIS Retail.

Contact:

E-mail: contact@bestseller.com
Phone: + 45 99 42 32 00

Source: BESTSELLER

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Co-op Foundation and #iwill campaign to create more opportunities for young people to make a difference in their communities

MANCHESTER, England, 2017-May-18 — /EPR Retail News/ — Co-op Foundation has been awarded a £1 million grant from the #iwill fund, to create more opportunities for young people to make a difference in their communities.

A charity set up by the Co-op, the Foundation supports disadvantaged communities across the UK, and will contribute an additional £1 million to match the #iwill grant. The £2 million combined pot will fund a network of projects that inspire young people to take practical action to tackle loneliness.

The #iwill fund, launched in November 2016, supports the aims of the UK-wide #iwill campaign to increase the number of young people taking part in social action – activities such as campaigning, fundraising and volunteering, which make a positive difference to communities while developing young people’s skills.

The Co-op Foundation has supported youth social action since 2009, through programmes like ‘Community Apprentice’. Run by the charity Envision, this works with school and college students to address social issues they care about. The young people design a project, pitch for funds to set it up, then reflect on what they’ve learned and the difference they’ve made.

Working with Envision and other youth partners, the Foundation is now focusing on how young people’s passions and skills can be harnessed to tackle loneliness – an issue the Co-op has been campaigning on for the last two years.

In Bristol, ‘Community Apprentice’ participant Giordana wanted to reduce loneliness faced by refugees, inspired by her own experience of moving to the UK. With classmates, she researched free activities that refugees could join and produced a leaflet, persuading a local business to fund it. Links were formed with charities, who shared the leaflet with refugees in the city, along with food donations the young people had collected.

Jim Cooke, Co-op Foundation Manager said: “Young people are incredibly community-minded, and the majority want to get more involved in local life. But particularly in less affluent parts of the country, there aren’t enough high-quality youth social action opportunities available.

“This funding will build a new generation of involved and active citizens. It will also tackle loneliness, by helping young people form stronger connections and develop valuable life skills.”

More information about the Co-op Foundation’s work with young people can be found on coop.co.uk/foundation. The new #iwill fund opens to applications from 12 June 2017, when further details will be published on the Foundation’s website.

Notes to editor

About Co-op Foundation

The Co-op Foundation (registered charity number 1093028) helps disadvantaged communities to overcome their challenges by putting co-operative values into practice. It aims to connect and empower people so they can work together to make things better. More information can be found at www.coop.co.uk/foundation and on Twitter @Coop_Foundation

About the #iwill campaign – The #iwill campaign is being coordinated by the charity Step Up To Serve (Charity No.1154588). It was launched in 2013 after Government research into how the business, education, public and voluntary sectors could support young people to engage in social action (campaigning, fundraising and volunteering) between the ages of 10 and 20. – HRH The Prince of Wales is Patron of Step Up To Serve and the #iwill campaign. To date more than 700 organisations from across UK society have pledged to support the campaign goal of enabling more than 60% of 10-20 year-olds to participate in social action. – More information can be found at www.iwill.org.uk and @iwill_campaign

Media Contact:

Sarah Dawson
Corporate PR Manager
0161 692 2468
Mobile: 07702506126
Email: sarah.dawson2@coop.co.uk
coop.co.uk
@Coopukpress

Source:  Co-op

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PetSmart announces new Dog Therapy Training Course

Course is Ideal for Pet Parents Who Want to Give Back to their Communities with the Power of Pets

PHOENIX, 2017-May-18 — /EPR Retail News/ — PetSmart, North America’s leading pet specialty retailer, today ( May 17, 2017) announced a new Dog Therapy Training Course – a first for a national pet retailer to offer this unique dog training program. The new dog therapy training service prepares pet parents and their dogs for Therapy Dog evaluation, which is conducted by third parties dedicated to registering therapy pets. Once officially registered, the therapy dog and pet parent can work together to give back to their community, delivering emotional support to those who need it at senior living facilities, hospitals, schools, libraries, funeral homes, community centers and other locations.

The new six-week training course, available for $119, is rolling out this month at select stores and is expected to be available across the majority of PetSmart’s 1,500-plus store chain by the end of the year.
The course is led by an Accredited Pet Trainer who delivers therapy training techniques designed to prepare pet parents and their dogs for the evaluation required to become a registered therapy dog through organizations like Pet Partners.

According to the Human Animal Bond Research Institute (HABRI), animal-assisted interventions and support can reduce people’s stress, depression and anxiety and help with conditions like post-traumatic stress disorder. Research also shows that classroom pets can motivate children to improve their reading performance. Therapy dogs can help hospital patients — especially children — battling illness with long hospital stays, as well as seniors, where trained therapy dog visits to nursing homes and senior living facilities reduce loneliness, generate smiles and lift spirits.

“We are thrilled to be the first national pet retailer to offer this unique training program, and we look forward to the positive impact this new course will have on pet parents and their dogs, as well as in local communities across North America,” said Joanna Zucker, vice president of Services for PetSmart. “We listened to our pet parents, who told us they wanted this new level of training. Our dog training services range from puppy training and beginner training to advanced and trick training. This new offering provides another way for pet parents to deepen their connection with their dog and a powerful way to give back.”

Pet parents interested in PetSmart’s Dog Therapy Training are encouraged to contact local stores to learn more.

About PetSmart®
PetSmart, Inc. is the largest specialty pet retailer of services and solutions for the lifetime needs of pets. At PetSmart, we love pets, and we believe pets make us better people. Every day with every connection, PetSmart’s passionate associates help bring pet parents closer to their pets so they, together, can live more fulfilled lives. This vision impacts everything we do for our customers, the way we support our associates and how we give back to our communities. We employ approximately 55,000 associates, operate more than 1,500 pet stores in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico, as well as 204 in-store PetSmart® PetsHotel® dog and cat boarding facilities. PetSmart provides a broad range of competitively priced pet food and products, as well as pet-focused services such as dog training, pet grooming, pet boarding, PetSmart® Doggie Day Camp® and pet adoption. PetSmart, together with nonprofits PetSmart Charities® and PetSmart Charities™ of Canada, invite more than 3,000 animal welfare organizations to bring adoptable pets into stores so they have the best chance possible of finding a forever home. Through this in-store adoption program and other signature events, PetSmart has facilitated more than 7.3 million adoptions – more than any other brick-and-mortar organization. The company’s portfolio of digital resources for pet parents includes PetSmart.com, PetFoodDirect.com, Pet360.com, petMD.com, Pawculture.com, AllPaws, an online pet adoption platform that helps potential pet parents find the perfect pet to adopt based on their home, family and lifestyle, as well as BlogPaws, the world’s first pet blogger and influencer network. Through these digital platforms, PetSmart offers the most comprehensive online pet supplies and pet care information in the U.S. In celebration of its 30th anniversary, PetSmart launched its Buy a Bag, Give a Meal™ program in March 2017. For every bag of cat or dog food purchased March 1 – Dec. 31, 2017, PetSmart will donate a meal to pets in need and expects to donate more than 60 million meals in 2017.*

Follow PetSmart on Twitter: @PetSmart
Find PetSmart on Facebook: www.facebook.com/PetSmart
See PetSmart on YouTube: www.YouTube.com/PetSmart

*Ends 12/31/17. 5 oz. dog food, 1.5 oz. cat food donated to PetSmart Charities to feed dogs and cats in need. See details at petsmart.com/giveameal. The actual number of meals donated is based on dog and cat food bags sold. The meal donation estimate is based on historic sales for similar time periods. No guaranteed amount. Rescue Bank and Feeding America will help distribute a large portion of the pet food donation in the U.S.

Contact:
Phone: 623.587.2177

Source: PetSmart Inc.

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Wendy’s now offers a variety of fresh salads, hand-prepared in-restaurant EVERY SINGLE DAY

Wendy’s now offers a variety of fresh salads, hand-prepared in-restaurant EVERY SINGLE DAY

 

DUBLIN, Ohio, 2017-May-18 — /EPR Retail News/ — To the haters, the doubters and the fast food skeptics – Wendy’s wishes YOU a Happy National Salads Month. That’s right, Wendy’s breaks the fast food cliché and offers a variety of fresh salads, hand-prepared in-restaurant EVERY SINGLE DAY using quality ingredients. Plus, you can pick it up via the drive-thru in record timing.

In today’s non-stop world, Wendy’s remains committed to daily in-house ingredient prep: washing and chopping heads of lettuce, hand-slicing tomatoes and topping every salad entrée with a freshly grilled, all-white meat chicken breast. Thanks to the supply chain Wendy’s established in 1969, fresh ingredients and produce are delivered to every restaurant two to three times a week, ensuring a freshness you can taste.

Wendy’s salad line-up is made to suit everyone’s cravings, from savory to sweet and simple to bold—and they’re all available in full size and half sizes.

  • Fresh Mozzarella Chicken Salad: Built on a blend of spring mix and iceberg and romaine lettuce, the salad is topped with a freshly grilled, all-white meat chicken breast, mozzarella cheese, and juicy grape tomatoes. From there, it’s drizzled with a creamy basil pesto sauce, topped with crunchy French bread croutons and finished with the Marzetti® Simply Dressed® Light Balsamic Vinaigrette. It’s only around for a limited time, so get it while you can!
  • Apple Pecan Chicken Salad: This menu favorite combines hand-picked red and green apples, roasted pecans, delicious cranberries and creamy blue cheese crumbles. Served on a bed of Wendy’s signature lettuce blend and topped with freshly grilled chicken and Marzetti® Simply Dressed® Pomegranate Vinaigrette, there’s a reason this salad has become customer’s go-to pick.
  • Power Mediterranean Chicken Salad: Mediterranean flavor mixed with a savory sundried tomato grain blend makes this salad stand out with quinoa, chick peas, white beans, fire-roasted vegetables and sundried tomatoes. It’s topped with crumbled feta, freshly grilled, all-white meat chicken breast, creamy hummus and Marzetti® Simply Dressed® Light Balsamic Vinaigrette.
  • Taco Salad: Wendy’s signature chili makes this dish a classic. Paired with hand-diced tomatoes and shredded cheddar cheese over a bed of hand-chopped iceberg and romaine lettuce, this is a fresh spin on the original Taco Salad. Continue the flavor indulgence by adding sour cream, crunchy tortilla chips and a fiery salsa blend made with ancho chili peppers and roasted tomatoes to kick this salad up a notch.

Find each of these salad options at participating Wendy’s.

About The Wendy’s Company
The Wendy’s Company (NASDAQ: WEN) is the world’s third largest quick-service hamburger restaurant chain. The Wendy’s system includes more than 6,500 restaurants in 30 countries and U.S. territories. For more information, visit www.aboutwendys.com.

CONTACTS:
Bry Roth
614-764-3138
Bry.Roth@wendys.com

Amy Baker
214-259-3408
Amy.Baker@ketchum.com

SOURCE: Wendy’s

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Dunkin’ Donuts to serve free taste of its newest coffee beverage, Frozen Dunkin’ Coffee on Friday, May 19

Dunkin’ Donuts to serve free taste of its newest coffee beverage, Frozen Dunkin’ Coffee on Friday, May 19

 

  • Dunkin’ to surprise select guests at counters this week with $1,000 in cash as part of “Freeze the Day with $1K” celebration
  • DD Perks® members will earn a free beverage (200 points) with the purchase of Dunkin’ Frozen Coffee on May 19

CANTON, MA, 2017-May-18 — /EPR Retail News/ — Temperatures are starting to heat up outside, but this week brings one of the coolest days of the year inside Dunkin’ Donuts restaurants, as the brand serves a free taste of its newest coffee beverage, Frozen Dunkin’ Coffee. On Friday, May 19, Dunkin’ Donuts will offer all guests the chance to experience the smooth, rich frozen taste of Frozen Dunkin’ Coffee with a complimentary sample (3.5-ounce) from 10 AM to 2 PM at participating Dunkin’ Donuts restaurants nationwide, while supplies last.

To build excitement heading towards this fantastic Frozen Friday, over the next five days Dunkin’ Donuts will help guests “Freeze the Day with $1K,” surprising select customers at counters throughout the country with $1,000 cash. Lucky guests will receive a special Freeze the Day themed prize pack, including the $1,000 check and a summer’s supply of Frozen Dunkin’ Coffee. No purchase necessary, 18+. For official rules and additional information, visit: http://dunkinpromotions.com/.

This week Dunkin’ Donuts is also celebrating Perks Week, with special daily deal offers for both existing DD Perks® Rewards members and anyone who enrolls in the program during the week. Friday’s offer will make enjoying Dunkin’s newest frozen beverage even cooler: coinciding with the nationwide tasting event on May 19, DD Perks members will earn a free beverage (200 points) with the purchase of Dunkin’ Frozen Coffee, with a limit of one bonus point offer per DD Perks member.

Finally, Dunkin’ Donuts is also giving guests a special, shareable way to show excitement for their free taste of Frozen Dunkin’ Coffee, offering a one-day-only Snapchat Geofilter on May 19. The fun design makes the day a Frozen Friday by adding an icy motif to your image, and can be unlocked at any of Dunkin’ Donuts’ U.S. locations on May 19 only.

Dunkin’ Donuts introduced Frozen Dunkin’ Coffee at the beginning of May as a permanent addition to its coffee lineup, capturing the same authentic taste and quality of Dunkin’ Donuts’ Original Blend coffee, now blended frozen. Frozen Dunkin’ Coffee is crafted with a special extract featuring 100% Arabica coffee to bring forward the signature flavor of the brand’s premium coffee, blended with ice and dairy for a rich, sweet and creamy beverage to keep guests energized any time of day.

To meet the personal preferences of any coffee drinker, Frozen Dunkin’ Coffee can be customized with any Dunkin’ Donuts flavor swirl or flavor shot as well as the choice of cream or whole or skim milk. The coffee extract featured in Frozen Dunkin’ Coffee was created specifically to complement all varieties of Dunkin’ Donuts’ coffee flavors, including Coconut Crème Pie and Butter Pecan, both available now for a limited time.

Frozen Dunkin’ Coffee joins Dunkin’ Donuts’ existing menu of high-quality coffee choices perfect for staying energized during warmer weather, including iced coffee and espresso beverages, Cold Brew coffee, and ready-to-drink bottled iced coffees.

To learn more about Dunkin’ Donuts, visit www.DunkinDonuts.com, or subscribe to the Dunkin’ Donuts blog to receive notifications at https://news.dunkindonuts.com/blog.

About Dunkin’ Donuts

Founded in 1950, Dunkin’ Donuts is America’s favorite all-day, everyday stop for coffee and baked goods. Dunkin’ Donuts is a market leader in the hot regular/decaf/flavored coffee, iced coffee, donut, bagel and muffin categories. Dunkin’ Donuts has earned a No. 1 ranking for customer loyalty in the coffee category by Brand Keys for 11 years running. The company has more than 12,200 restaurants in 45 countries worldwide. Based in Canton, Mass., Dunkin’ Donuts is part of the Dunkin’ Brands Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: DNKN) family of companies. For more information, visit www.DunkinDonuts.com.

Contact:

Lindsay Cronin
Dunkin’ Brands
781-737-5200
Lindsay.Cronin@dunkinbrands.com

Source: Dunkin’ Donuts

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NCR VP of Financial Services Jose Resendiz to present at the Self-Service Banking Europe 2017

LONDON, 2017-May-18 — /EPR Retail News/ — NCR Corporation (NYSE: NCR), a global leader in omni-channel solutions, today (May 16, 2017) announced that Jose Resendiz, NCR Vice President of Financial Services, will present at Retail Banking Research’s (RBR) Self-Service Banking Europe 2017, Europe’s leading ATM and self-service banking conference for over a decade. The event takes place on May 23-24, 2017 in London.

On May 23, Jose will be presenting a keynote presentation titled ‘Are you ready for the digital future?’, discussing customer experience in today’s digital world, showcasing real-world examples of how financial institutions are creating amazing and differentiated omni-channel experiences for their customers around the world.

“RBR is delighted that Jose Resendiz has agreed to give a keynote presentation at this year’s conference,” said Dominic Hirsch, managing director, RBR. “His experience and focus on digital banking are a perfect fit for the way the ATM industry and this conference are evolving. We are excited that NCR’s major commitment to the event provides the European banking community with its first public opportunity to explore the company’s new SelfServ 80 Series ATM family.”

Self-Service Banking Europe 2017 (formerly ‘European ATMs’) is RBR’s flagship European conference and the region’s premier ATM and self-service banking event. It brings together 600 banks, independent deployers, payment providers, hardware vendors, software suppliers, schemes, networks and service companies and a range of other key industry stakeholders at a unique event. The event will take place at the Park Plaza Riverbank Hotel in London.

NCR will also be exhibiting its industry-leading omni-channel solutions at booth #18.

About Self-Service Banking Europe 2017
Self-Service Banking Europe 2017 is RBR’s flagship European ATM conference and the region’s largest self-service banking event. It brings together over 600 banks, IADs and other industry stakeholders from more than 40 countries. The conference is based around a two-day speaker agenda comprising case studies by the world’s leading financial institutions and thought leadership sessions from industry experts. Delegates also have the opportunity to explore the latest ATM and self-service solutions in a dedicated exhibition area. For more information visit www.rbrlondon.com/ssbeurope or follow #SSBEurope on Twitter.

About RBR
RBR is the leading provider of strategic research and consulting services to organisations active in the areas of banking and retail automation, cards and payments. The company assists its clients by providing independent advice and intelligence through published reports, consulting, newsletters and events. For more information visit www.rbrlondon.com or follow @RBRLondon on Twitter.

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 nearly 700 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, Ga., 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

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

Source: NCR Corporation

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RioCan Real Estate Investment Trust declares 11.75 cents per unit for the month of May

TORONTO, ONTARIO, 2017-May-18 — /EPR Retail News/ — RioCan Real Estate Investment Trust (“RioCan”) (TSX:REI.UN) today (May 15, 2017) announced a distribution of 11.75 cents per unit for the month of May. The distribution will be payable on June 7, 2017 to unitholders of record as at May 31, 2017.

About RioCan

RioCan is Canada’s largest real estate investment trust with a total enterprise value of approximately $14.6 billion as at March 31, 2017. RioCan owns and manages Canada’s largest portfolio of shopping centres with ownership interests in a portfolio of 300 Canadian retail and mixed use properties, including 15 properties under development, containing an aggregate net leasable area of 46 million square feet. For the past 25 years, we have shaped the future, sensibly cultivated growth, and taken our stakeholders and partners wherever they needed to go. Currently, we have approximately 6,250 retail tenants and 700 employees with a presence from coast to coast. We know that there is a home for every retailer. Whether we find it today or build it for tomorrow, we deliver real vision, solid ground. For more information, visit www.riocan.com.

Contact Information:
RioCan Real Estate Investment Trust
Christian Green
Assistant Vice President, Investor Relations & Compliance
416-864-6483
www.riocan.com

Source: RioCan

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eBay for Charity partners with Shawn Carter Foundation to help individuals facing socio-economic hardships further their education

eBay for Charity partners with Shawn Carter Foundation to help individuals facing socio-economic hardships further their education

 

Shoppers will be entered in a sweepstakes to win a VIP Day at Roc Nation Headquarters and bid on unforgettable experiences and memorabilia to help students further their education.

San Jose, California, 2017-May-18 — /EPR Retail News/ — This graduation season, eBay for Charity is partnering with Ms. Gloria Carter, co-founder of the Shawn Carter Foundation to help individuals facing socio-economic hardships further their education at post-secondary institutions. The eBay for Charity auctions, which kick off on May 15 at 8:00 a.m. PDT, will provide fans with the opportunity to donate and bid on unforgettable experiences and signed memorabilia from celebrities such as Demi Lovato, Nick Jonas, CC Sabathia and Andre Ward. 100 percent of proceeds from these items will benefit the Shawn Carter Foundation.

“I have always taught my kids the importance of working hard for what you want. I’ve made it my mission to empower youth by giving them access to higher education,” said Ms. Gloria Carter, Co-Founder of the Shawn Carter Foundation. “With graduation season upon us, I’m thrilled to partner with eBay for Charity for a special auction to raise funds for students in need.  The auction includes wonderful items and experiences generously donated by our supporters. There’s plenty to bid on and best of all, 100% of proceeds will go to the Shawn Carter Foundation, so know you’ll be helping to give young people facing hardships the tools they need to pursue their education and dreams.”

Fans will also have the opportunity to donate directly to the Shawn Carter Foundation and will be automatically entered to win a VIP Day at Roc Nation Headquarters. The final VIP Day will include a meeting with Roc Nation executives, hosting a listening session with members of Roc Nation’s A&R and marketing teams, a photoshoot on Roc Nation’s famous gold couch and dinner for two at The 40/40 Club with accommodation & flights included.

Shoppers can make donations in the form of symbolic gifts ranging from $10 to $100. $10 will assist students who cannot afford public transportation fare to get to class. $25 will help college students who struggle to afford a college meal plan. $50 will help to defray the cost of required academic materials that tuition does not cover. And, $100 will help to fund one day on the college bus tour, including campus visits, for a student who will be first in the family to attend college.

“eBay for Charity is honored to partner with the Shawn Carter Foundation this graduation season, to support disadvantaged students who want to continue their education,” said Claire Dixon, eBay’s Vice President of Global Communications and Global Impact. “Together with an amazing roster of celebrities, we’ve sourced unforgettable experiences and unique memorabilia with all proceeds benefitting the Shawn Carter Foundation. At eBay for Charity, we are focused on creating opportunity for all by enabling our users to support great causes when they buy or sell.”

The auction will feature unique experiences and memorabilia including a VIP lounge party at the 40/40 Club in New York City or Made in America VIP passes, to a chance to meet the New York Yankees’ CC Sabathia or the Seattle Mariners’ Robinson Cano. Signed guitars from Nick Jonas and DNCE are also up for auction as part of this charitable campaign.

This initiative will launch on May 15 at 8:00 a.m. PDT and will run until May 24, 2017 at 4 p.m. PDT at eBay.com/SCF.

Watch a video featuring Ms. Gloria Carter on this initiative here.

About eBay for Charity

eBay for Charity is a platform that enables members of the eBay community to donate to causes in the U.S. and abroad. Sellers can donate anywhere between 10-100 percent of the proceeds and buyers can add a donation to their purchase during checkout. To date, more than $725 million dollars have been raised on eBay for Charity. For more information, visit www.ebay.com/charityshop.

About Shawn Carter Foundation

The Shawn Carter Foundation was founded as a public charity in 2003 by Ms. Gloria Carter and her son, Shawn Carter.  The mission of the Shawn Carter Foundation (SCF) is to help individuals facing socio-economic hardships further their education at post secondary institutions. In doing so, the goal is to significantly increase the educational, social, and economic prospects of traditionally underserved students so they can fulfill their potential and become positive contributors to the global community.

Since the Foundation’s inception, over $4MM have supported initiatives to empower youth and communities in need through the Foundation’s programs: Scholarship Fund, College Prep and Exposure, International Exposure, Professional Development, Scholar Support and Community & Goodwill Programs. www.shawncartersf.com.

Contacts:
Kari Ramirez
(408) 219-5120
press@ebay.com

Kaila Frisone
(212) 691-2800
Frisone@sunshinesachs.com

Source: eBay

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Entrust Energy joins Retail Energy Supply Association as its newest member

Entrust Energy Joins RESA’s Efforts to Promote Retail Markets That Benefit Consumers

Harrisburg, PA, 2017-May-18 — /EPR Retail News/ — The Retail Energy Supply Association (RESA), the nation’s leading organization representing competitive retail energy suppliers dedicated to creating and sustaining vibrantly competitive electricity and natural gas markets for the benefit of consumers, welcomes Entrust Energy as its newest member.

“RESA member companies are dedicated to providing value to natural gas and electric customers in competitive markets across the United States. We are pleased to welcome Entrust Energy to our group of innovative and forward-thinking energy suppliers,” said RESA President Darrin Pfannenstiel.

“Entrust Energy is pleased to join the Retail Energy Supply Association and support its efforts to preserve and promote competitive retail energy markets that provide value and innovative products and services to customers,” said Layne Loessin, Entrust Energy’s President & CEO.

Entrust Energy is a retail energy company delivering electricity and natural gas to homes and businesses in competitive energy markets throughout the United States. For more information about Entrust Energy, visit: www.entrustenergy.com.

MEDIA INQUIRIES:
Bryan Lee
301-717-2988

Source: RESA

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ScanSource and Intelisys executives named to 2017 CRN® Women of the Channel list

Greenville, SC, 2017-May-18 — /EPR Retail News/ — ScanSource Communications, a leading global provider of communications products and a sales unit of ScanSource, Inc., and Intelisys Inc., a ScanSource company and the nation’s leading Technology Services Distributor, announced today (May 16, 2017) that CRN®, a brand of The Channel Company, has named five leaders to its prestigious 2017 Women of the Channel list:

  • Carol Beering, Senior Vice President, Sales Operations, Intelisys
  • Yvette McKenzie, Vice President of Merchandising, ScanSource Communications
  • Stacey Pompei, Vice President, Supplier Management & General Counsel, Intelisys
  • Samantha Zuniga-Juarez, Director of Support Services, West and Central Region, Intelisys
  • Diane Frazzetta, Director of Support Services, East Region, Intelisys

The executives who comprise this annual list span the IT channel, representing vendors, distributors, solution providers and other organizations that figure prominently in the channel ecosystem. Each is recognized for her outstanding leadership, vision and unique role in driving channel growth and innovation.

CRN editors select the Women of the Channel honorees based on their professional accomplishments, demonstrated expertise and ongoing dedication to the IT channel.

Ms. McKenzie was named Vice President of Merchandising for ScanSource Communications in 2017, where she manages, supports and cultivates supplier relationships. She has been with ScanSource for more than 16 years, having served in various management and senior executive roles in North America, including Vice President of Merchandising for ScanSource POS and Barcode. Prior to her current role, Ms. McKenzie spent more than three years working in ScanSource’s Latin America business unit, where she served as Vice President of Operations, interim business unit President and Vice President of Merchandising for the POS and Barcode business unit in Miami and Mexico.  During her time at ScanSource, Ms. McKenzie has managed the launch and support of strategic vendors, overseen channel marketing strategies, helped to integrate business practices in multiple geographies, implemented high-level branding campaigns and developed strategic training programs for merchandising.

“Yvette has been instrumental to the continued growth of ScanSource, with her career spanning technologies and geographies,” said Rich Long, president of ScanSource Communications. “Her extensive channel relationships, as well as her ability to develop new programs and tools for our partners play an integral role in the ScanSource Communications business unit. We are very pleased that she has been recognized by CRN for her hard work and dedication to the ScanSource team.”

Acquired by ScanSource in 2016, Intelisys is home to a culture of performance that honors the Sales Partner community it supports. On a wall at the company’s Petaluma, CA, headquarters appear the words, “The Best of the Best Supporting the Best of the Best”. The efforts and contributions of these four women are simultaneously exceptional and commonplace in an environment wholly dedicated to supporting the community that ultimately makes each of their roles possible.

“From Carol, our SVP, Sales Operations, to Stacey, Samantha and Diane, the most senior Supplier and Sales Partner support positions—all are women who work diligently together to answer the needs and support the demands of our Sales Partners as they grow their businesses,” said Rick Dellar, Intelisys Co-Founder. “Each of these women is an incredible asset to Intelisys and our Partner community, and role model within the industry. We are pleased that their leadership and dedication to the channel has been recognized by CRN.”

Ms. Beering joined Intelisys in 2003. In her role as Senior Vice President, Sales Operations, Carol is responsible for the systems and structures that support Intelisys’ Sales Partners and Supplier Partners, as well as the Order Management and Audex teams. In her role, she oversees the Supplier Management, Partner Support, Sales Administration and Information Services departments, among other strategic and key initiatives.

Reporting directly to Beering, is Ms. Pompei, who after a 14-year partnership as corporate attorney for Intelisys and other sales entities took on the dual role of Vice President, Supplier Management & General Counsel, in 2015 with Intelisys.

Ms. Zuniga-Juarez, Director of Partner Support Services, West and Central Regions, joined Intelisys in 2003; and Ms. Frazzetta, Director of Support Services, East Region, joined Intelisys in 2014. Both women are responsible for monitoring and assuring the effectiveness of the overall partner experience for Intelisys Sales Partners, and also report to Carol Beering.

“These extraordinary executives support every aspect of the channel ecosystem, from technical innovation to marketing to business development, working tirelessly to keep the channel moving into the future,” said Robert Faletra, CEO of The Channel Company “They are creating and elevating channel partner programs, developing fresh go-to-market strategies, strengthening the channel’s network of partnerships and building creative new IT solutions, among many other contributions. We congratulate all the 2017 Women of the Channel on their stellar accomplishments and look forward to their future success.”

The 2017 Women of the Channel list will be featured in the June issue of CRN Magazine and online at www.CRN.com/wotc.

About Intelisys

Intelisys, a ScanSource company, is the nation’s leading Technology Services Distributor of business communications services, including voice, data, access, cable, collaboration, wireless and cloud. Intelisys is dedicated to one thing – serving the needs and accelerating the success of the industry’s top producing telecom sales agents, IT Solution Providers, VARs, MSPs and integrators, as they leverage the power of recurring revenue in their businesses.

Today Intelisys is leading the way as its Sales Partners make the pivot and experience the shift away from traditional telco services into a new era of cloud-based solutions. Under contract with more than 130 of the world’s leading telecom carriers, cloud services providers and technology partners, Intelisys delivers the services end users demand exclusively through a network of Sales Partners, supporting those Sales Partners via the most exceptional back office support team ever assembled in the channel. To learn more, visit www.Intelisys.com or talk to Intelisys at 800-615-8330.

About ScanSource, Inc.

ScanSource, Inc. (NASDAQ: SCSC) is a leading global provider of technology products and solutions, focusing on point-of-sale, barcode, physical security, video, voice, data networking and technology services.  ScanSource’s teams provide value-added solutions and operate from two segments, Worldwide Barcode, Networking and Security and Worldwide Communications and Services. ScanSource is committed to helping its resellers and sales partners choose, configure, and deliver the industry’s best solutions across almost every vertical market in North America, Latin America, and Europe.  In August 2016, ScanSource entered the recurring revenue telecom and cloud services market through its acquisition of Intelisys, the industry’s leading technology services distributor. Founded in 1992, ScanSource is headquartered in Greenville, South Carolina and was named one of the 2016 Best Places to Work in South Carolina. ScanSource ranks #685 on the Fortune 1000. For more information, please visit www.scansource.com.

About the Channel Company

The Channel Company enables breakthrough IT channel performance with our dominant media, engaging events, expert consulting and education, and innovative marketing services and platforms. As the channel catalyst, we connect and empower technology suppliers, solution providers and end users. Backed by more than 30 years of unequaled channel experience, we draw from our deep knowledge to envision innovative new solutions for ever-evolving challenges in the technology marketplace. www.thechannelco.com

Contact:

Melissa Andrews
Public Relations Manager
Phone: 864.286.4425

Source: ScanSource, Inc.

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New mobile ordering now available for all Rewards members through Wawa mobile app

New Mobile Ordering Option Provides Added Convenience and Value for All Wawa Rewards Members, with a registered gift card, across Wawa’s Six-State Operating Area

Wawa, PA, 2017-May-18 — /EPR Retail News/ — Ordering Wawa’s fresh food and beverages is about to get a lot more convenient for Wawa Rewards members! Beginning May 17, 2017, Wawa will officially announce that mobile ordering is available for all Wawa Rewards members at all stores across its six-state operating area through the Wawa mobile app. Customers can order their favorite Wawa built-to-order food and beverages through their mobile device, whenever and wherever they want.

According to a recent survey of Wawa Rewards members, more than 67 percent of respondents said they have ordered or purchased food using their phone within the last month. As more customers use mobile apps for ordering and purchases, Wawa introduced the mobile ordering option to give customers more flexibility when it comes to placing orders for their freshly made Wawa foods and drinks.

“We are thrilled to offer this exciting new enhancement as an added convenience to our Wawa Rewards members at all of our stores,” said Jim Morey, Wawa’s Executive Vice President. “At Wawa, we exist to go beyond filling customer orders, to fulfill customers’ lives every day. This new mobile ordering enhancement takes that commitment to the next level. We recognize that our customers are increasingly busy and constantly on-the-go, and by offering mobile ordering, we will be able to offer a convenience that allows our customers to order wherever they are, at any time they want.”

In addition to mobile ordering, Wawa customers can use the Wawa app to:
• Pay in-store with a registered gift card.
• Sign up for, earn and redeem Wawa Rewards.
• Check hours of operation and find directions to the nearest Wawa.
• Check fuel prices and get real-time fuel prices at Wawa fuel stores.
• View nutrition information and plan a meal.

About Wawa Rewards

The Wawa mobile app which features the Wawa Rewards program is free and can be downloaded using the App Store for Apple devices and through Google Play for Android devices. Register a Wawa gift card to earn Wawa Rewards, place mobile orders and check your balance. Reload your card anytime. Free Xfinity Wi-Fi in all Wawa stores makes using the app and paying in-stores even easier and faster.

Wawa Rewards launched in January of 2015, and all of Wawa’s 750 stores accept mobile payments through the Wawa mobile app, enabling customers to make in-store purchases with more convenience than ever before, using a registered Wawa gift card from their smartphones. In 2016, more than ten million rewards were distributed to members.

For more information on Wawa Rewards visit www.wawarewards.com.

About Wawa, Inc.

Wawa, Inc., a privately held company, began in 1803 as an iron foundry in New Jersey. Toward the end of the 19th Century, owner George Wood took an interest in dairy farming and the family began a small processing plant in Wawa, PA in 1902. The milk business was a huge success, due to its quality, cleanliness and “certified” process. As home delivery of milk declined in the early 1960’s, Grahame Wood, George’s grandson, opened the first Wawa Food Market in 1964 as an outlet for dairy products. Today, Wawa is your all day, every day stop for fresh, built-to-order foods, beverages, coffee, fuel services, and surcharge-free ATMs. In 2015, Wawa was named “America’s Most Beloved Convenience Store” by a Market Force study of 7,000 consumers, and in 2016 Wawa was recognized in Forbes as one of America’s Best Large Employers, a survey-based ranking of employers offering the best associate experiences and strongest opportunities. A chain of more than 750 convenience retail stores (510 offering gasoline), Wawa stores are located in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia and Florida.

Contact:
public.relations@wawa.com

Source: Wawa, Inc.

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Apranga Group opens two Orsay stores in Lithuania

Apranga Group opens two Orsay stores in Lithuania

 

Vilnius, Lithuania, 2017-May-18 — /EPR Retail News/ — Apranga Group, the largest fashion retailer in the Baltics, signed the franchise agreement with Orsay GmbH and opened two Orsay stores: one in Kaunas, in the shopping mall Mega and the other in Panevezys, in the shopping mall Ryo. Stores cover 192 sq. m. and 128 sq. m. area respectively. Apranga Group intends to present 6 Orsay stores to Lithuanian market in the first stage of development.

The brand Orsay is designated for youthful and modern women, who are very partial to fashion, want to express their personal femininity and appreciate the value for money. This brand established in the year 1975, in Germany. Currently brand manages almost 680 stores in 31 countries. The sales of the brand totalled to EUR 410 million in 2016.

Apranga Group is a unique fashion retailer in the Baltic States with a strong diversified portfolio of trademarks orientated to 6 different market segments: economy, youth, business, luxury, footwear and Zara. Currently, Apranga Group operates a chain of 184 stores in Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia.

The turnover of the retail chain operated by Apranga Group reached EUR 214.2 million in 2016, and increased by 7.7%. Profit before income tax increased by 7.3% and reached EUR 13.3 million in 2016.

Shares of Apranga are listed on Baltic equity list on the Nasdaq Vilnius Stock Exchange.

Rimantas Perveneckas
Apranga Group Director General
+370 5 2390801

CONTACT FOR INVESTORS:
Saulius Bačauskas
APB Apranga Finance and Economics Director
Tel. +370 5 2390 808, +370 5 2390 843
Fax. +370 5 2390 800
E-mail: s.bacauskas@apranga.lt

Source: Apranga Group

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GameStop raised nearly $1.2 million during its in-store donation campaign for Autism Speaks

For the second year, GameStop and its family of retail brands show their passion for autism awareness while raising funds for Autism Speaks®

GRAPEVINE, Texas, 2017-May-18 — /EPR Retail News/ — GameStop, a family of specialty retail brands that makes the most popular technologies affordable and simple, announced today (May 16, 2017) that it collected nearly $1.2 million as part of its World Autism Month in-store donation campaign. In its second year supporting autism awareness, GameStop, along with its Spring Mobile AT&T, Simply Mac, Think Geek, Kongregate and Game Informer brands, invited customers and associates to donate to this important cause through an in-store and online donation campaign. All donations received directly benefit Autism Speaks.

“Our guests and associates never cease to amaze us with their passion and generosity for helping raise understanding and acceptance of people with autism,” said Matt Hodges, vice president of corporate communications for GameStop. “We were touched by the numerous stories of our guests who made donations in honor of a family member or friend impacted by autism. Plus, we were inspired to see our store associates from California to New Jersey going the extra mile in providing inclusive gaming days and special needs fairs for families impacted by autism locally.”

Some GameStop associates experience autism first hand. Christopher Hutton, GameStop district leader in Dallas-Fort Worth area, has worked for GameStop for more than seven years and is personally impacted by Asperger’s, a high functioning form of autism. He believes that a little education and communication can go a long way in increasing understanding and acceptance of people with autism.

“Early on I decided to be frank with my colleagues about how Asperger’s affects me. When you’re straightforward about who you are, there are a lot of ‘aha’ moments for others,” said Hutton. “I also help my staff learn to interact with our customers who have autism. Interacting with them is a huge deal to them. I see their patience level go up when they realize that the customer is really happy to be here. The moment you start to identify with someone, you uncover things that can help you with your personal growth. You never know what you’ll say to someone that will change your perspective, or inspire them.”

A portion of the donations raised through the GameStop campaign will help fund Autism Speaks’ specially trained Autism Response Team, which provides information, tools and resources to help people with autism and their families make informed decisions.

In addition, the money raised will fund Autism Speaks’ science programs that are advancing innovative research into causes and better treatments for autism and its related conditions.

“What an amazing example GameStop and its customers have set by raising more than $2.4 million in the last two years. With their donations, GameStop and its customers are helping to enhance lives across the autism spectrum,” said Angela Geiger, Autism Speaks president and CEO. “We’re thrilled that this donation can help us reach even more individuals and families who are affected by autism.”

ABOUT AUTISM
Autism, or autism spectrum disorder, refers to a broad range of conditions characterized by challenges with social skills, repetitive behaviors, speech and nonverbal communication, as well as by unique strengths and differences. We now know that there is not one autism but many subtypes, most caused by a combination of genetic and environmental influences. An estimated 1 in 68 children is on the autism spectrum.

ABOUT AUTISM SPEAKS
Autism Speaks is dedicated to promoting solutions, across the spectrum and throughout the life span, for the needs of individuals with autism and their families. We do this through advocacy and support; increasing understanding and acceptance of autism spectrum disorder; and advancing research into causes and better interventions for autism spectrum disorder and related conditions. We empower people with autism and their families with resources, online tools and information covering the life span. To find resources, join a fundraising walk or make a donation, go to www.AutismSpeaks.org.

ABOUT GAMESTOP CORP.
GameStop Corp. (NYSE:GME), a Fortune 500 and S&P 500 company headquartered in Grapevine, Texas, is a global, multichannel video game, consumer electronics and wireless services retailer. GameStop operates more than 7,500 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. Our Technology Brands segment includes 1,522 Simply Mac, Spring Mobile AT&T and Cricket stores. Simply Mac, www.simplymac.com, sells the full line of Apple products, including laptops, tablets, and smartphones and offers Apple certified warranty and repair services. Spring Mobile, www.springmobile.com, sells all of AT&T’s products and services, including DIRECTV and offers pre-paid wireless services, devices and related accessories through its 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 and @GameStopCorp. on Twitter and find GameStop on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GameStop.

Media Contacts:

Autism Speaks
CJ Volpe
(646) 385-8532
CJ.Volpe@autismspeaks.org

GameStop Corp.
Martha Sotelo
(817) 424-2099
MarthaSotelo@gamestop.com

Source: GameStop Corp./globenewswire

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Kongregate launched its first original title on Steam, GRIDD: Retroenhanced

GRIDD, Regularly Priced at $11.99, is 10% Off for a Limited Time Only on Steam

SAN FRANCISCO, 2017-May-18 — /EPR Retail News/ — Kongregate, a leading publisher of mobile, web, and PC games, today ( May 16, 2017 ) launched their first original title on Steam, GRIDD: Retroenhanced. GRIDD is a fast-paced arcade style shoot ‘em up, with ‘80’s inspired graphics modernized for today’s high-powered gaming devices. It is regularly priced at $11.99 but is currently 10% off for a limited time on Steam.

From Italian indie developer, Antab Studio, GRIDD: Retroenhanced is a unique mix of anti-gravity racing fused with an old school arcade shooter. It takes the traditional top down arcade shooter gameplay and turns it on its head with a fully 3D point of view, dynamic camera angles, and a next-gen, neon visual style. Players are dropped into the role of an elite hacker violating an AI-protected super advanced mainframe. They will have to race through cyberspace, avoiding the viruses sent by the AI and eventually go head-to-head with the corrupted artificial intelligence system.

“GRIDD is our love letter to games, hacking movies, and cyberpunk culture that emerged from the 1980’s,” said Andrea Tabacco of Antab Studio. “We wanted to return players to the arcade halls of their youth but with graphics and gameplay enhancements that take full advantage of today’s technology.”

“It’s fitting that GRIDD is the first original title we’re bringing to Steam as a publisher,” said John Cooney, Director of Premium Games at Kongregate. “The game’s stellar quality level and just plain fun gameplay are exactly why we’re diversifying into Steam publishing. Our goal is to support talented developers know matter what platform they’re working on and the team at Anatab Studios blew us away with GRIDD: Retroenhanced. We’re honored they decided to work with Kongregate.”

GRIDD: Retroenhanced is now available on Steam and is coming soon to Xbox One & The Windows Store. It will be regularly priced at $11.99, but is 10% off for a limited time. You can find more information about the game at the official website.

Developers interesting in learning more about Kongregate’s Steam publishing program should contact them at bd@kongregate.com.

GRIDD: Retroenhanced game assets can be downloaded here: http://kon.gg/2q3V8wm

About Kongregate
Kongregate is a leading mobile game publisher and web gaming portal. Kongregate’s mobile publishing focuses on free to play mid- and hard-core titles. Working closely with mobile game developers Kongregate provides consulting, analytics, marketing, launch support, and game features such as cross promotion, guilds, and chat. Kongregate’s mobile games have been downloaded tens of millions of times and have hundreds of millions of gameplays.  Kongregate’s web portal features over 100,000 free games played by tens of millions of gamers per month.  Kongregate is a wholly-owned subsidiary of GameStop Corporation and is based in San Francisco. The company was founded in 2006 by brother-and-sister team Jim and Emily Greer.

About Antab Studio
Antab Studio is a small indie team of 3 based in Milan, Italy.  The team is directed by Andrea Tabacco, a 11 year veteran of various studios including Ubisoft and Forge Reply.  They have produced a variety of of mobile and PC titles, headlined by the GRIDD series of games for Windows Phone and Android devices.

Contact:
Michelle Shaw
Kongregate Marketing
press@kongregate.com

Source: GameStop Corp./globenewswire