Daily Archives: June 5, 2017

Posted on by

JAPAN: Rakuten Pay smartphone app payment service now available at Lawson stores

Tokyo, 2017-Jun-05 — /EPR Retail News/ — Rakuten, Inc. and Lawson, Inc. today ( June 1, 2017) announced that the two companies have concluded a basic agreement for the introduction of “Rakuten Pay,” Rakuten’s smartphone app payment service, to Lawson stores. Based on the agreement, from August 2017 customers will be able to make payments with Rakuten Pay at 13,169 Lawson stores nationwide (as of April 2017), including Lawson, Natural Lawson and Lawson Store 100 stores. This will be the first time that Rakuten Pay has been adopted by  a major national chain for use in all of its stores

Rakuten Pay is a payment service that allows users to make payments smoothly at brick-and-mortar stores via a dedicated app. Payments can also be made using a combination of Rakuten Super Points and payment with the credit card registered to the user’s Rakuten membership ID. Users can also earn one Rakuten Super Point for every 200 yen (tax included) spent on purchases made through the app.

In addition to “QR Pay,” where the user scans a QR code displayed on a smartphone or tablet in the store, or “Self Pay,” where the user inputs the amount themselves, a new “Barcode Pay” payment method has been added to the Rakuten Pay app which allows users to present a barcode displayed on the app at Lawson stores nationwide to make the payment.

Rakuten Group and Lawson have been collaborating on a variety of services, such as the introduction of Rakuten’s electronic money service Rakuten Edy to all Lawson stores in August 2007, and the launch of a convenience store pick-up service in 2016, where users can collect products ordered  from Rakuten Ichiba and Rakuten Books at Lawson stores throughout the country , as well as Rakuten Mobile SIM cards and devices from Lawson stores in Tokyo. The two companies are also collaborating on a variety of Rakuten member campaigns connected to Lawson stores around the country.

Going forward, Rakuten aims to provide more convenient services and functions, and to further increase satisfaction for both users and partner stores.

Source: Rakuten, Inc.

Posted on by

LCP adds three retail parades and a portfolio of industrial units to its property portfolio

London, 2017-Jun-05 — /EPR Retail News/ — More than 100,000 sq ft of commercial property has been added to LCP’s property portfolio, the leading commercial property investment and management company has revealed.

The recent additions include three retail parades and a portfolio of industrial units.

James Buchanan, investment director at LCP, said: “We pride ourselves on our proactive management across both our retail and industrial sites, maximising opportunities as well as developing a close relationship with our tenants.”

The sites include Alton Manor Centre, Belper, Derbyshire, which comprises four local and convenience units, including Tesco Express, totalling 7,560 sq ft; eight local and convenience units totalling 6,936 sq ft in High Street Chellaston, Derbyshire, including Lifestyle Express and Hannells; and six retail units totalling 9,501 sq ft in Brough Park, Brough, Hull. Tenants include Lloyds Pharmacy and Johnson Cleaners.

The Ispace Industrial Portfolio consists of 85,115 sq ft space in nine industrial units across three sites in Sheffield and Hull. Tenants include Edmundson Electrical and Rexel Senate Ltd.

Contact:

Tel: 020 7233 5255
Email: propertyenquiry@lcpproperties.co.uk

Source: LCP

Posted on by

Weis Markets earns final approval to open a café selling beer and wine in its Oley store

SUNBURY, PA and OLEY, PA, 2017-Jun-05 — /EPR Retail News/ — Weis Markets today (June 2, 2017)  received final Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board (PLCB) approval to open a café selling beer and wine in its Oley store. The café is now open for business.

The store, which is located at 61 King’s Plaza, has a 30-seat café selling beer for on premise consumption and take-out. The cafe offers more than 800 varieties, including an extensive collection of local craft beers such as Weyerbacher, Victory and Saucony Creek. The café will also sell 180 varieties of domestic and imported wines for take-out.The café is open Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to midnight and on Sunday from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Weis Markets now has 51 in-store cafes selling beer and wine in Pennsylvania including four in Berks County, four in Lehigh County and four in Northampton County.

Source: Weis Markets

Posted on by

MIGROS STÄRKT PRÄSENZ IN DER REGION INTERLAKEN

MIGROS STÄRKT PRÄSENZ IN DER REGION INTERLAKEN

 

Schönbühl, Switzerland, 2017-Jun-05 — /EPR Retail News/ — Die Migros zieht ins Einkaufscenter Oberland Shopping in Matten bei Interlaken. Sie wird dort im Oktober 2017 einen Supermarkt eröffnen. In Wilderswil wird die Migros Aare im Lauf von 2018 zudem in die Realisierung eines Voi Migros Partner investieren.

Die Genossenschaft Migros Aare übernimmt per August dieses Jahres die frei werdende Fläche von Spar im Einkaufscenter Oberland Shopping in Matten bei Interlaken. Sie wird dort einen Migros-Supermarkt realisieren. Die entsprechende Fläche beträgt 1‘150 Quadratmeter. Der Supermarkt soll im Oktober 2017 für die Kundinnen und Kunden bereit sein. Die Migros Aare wird dazu rund 2,9 Mio. Franken in den Standort Matten bei Interlaken investieren.

«Auf Grund seiner Lage direkt an der Autobahnausfahrt und seiner erweiterten Ladenöffnungszeiten – das Oberland Shopping ist auch sonntags geöffnet – sehen wir an diesem für uns neuen Standort ein grosses Erfolgspotenzial und ein Einzugsgebiet, das zum Beispiel auch in Richtung Spiez, Brienz und Meiringen reicht», so Reto Sopranetti, Leiter des Direktionsbereichs Supermarkt der Migros Aare. Da die Migros-Filiale in Interlaken einem anderen Format entspricht, sieht er kaum eine Überschneidung. «Der Supermarkt in Matten bei Interlaken ist aus unserer Sicht eine ideale Ergänzung unseres Gesamt­angebotes in der Region Interlaken und entlang der angrenzenden Gebiete und stärkt unsere Präsenz», sagt Sopranetti.

Optimale Nahversorgung für Wilderswil
Zu diesem Gesamtangebot gehört bald auch ein Voi Migros Partner in Wilderswil: Dieser wird im Lauf von 2018 realisiert. Die Migros Aare wird dazu den bestehenden Supermarkt entsprechend umbauen, technisch modernisieren und dafür rund 1,5 Mio. Franken investieren. Die Verkaufsfläche bleibt unverändert. Während des rund einen Monat dauernden Umbaus wird die Filiale geschlossen sein.

Voi Migros Partner ist das Kleinladen- und Nahversorgungskonzept der Migros Aare: Die Voi – «voi» italienisch für «Sie» – werden von selbständigen Detaillisten geführt. Erhältlich sind sowohl die bekannten Migros- als auch viele Markenprodukte, eine Frischbackstation garantiert frisches Brot bis Ladenschluss. Ergänzend zu den Migros-Eigenmarken sind lokale Produkte zu finden; inbegriffen ist bei Voi auch ein kleines, aber feines Wein- und Biersortiment. Insgesamt findet die Kundschaft gegen 5’000 Artikel, was dem fünf- bis sechsfachen eines Discounters entspricht.

Medienkontakt:

Andrea Bauer
Mediensprecherin
TEL: +41 58 565 87 08
E-MAIL: andrea.bauer@migrosaare.ch

Source: Migros

###

Posted on by

Wal-Mart announces shareholder voting results for its Annual Shareholders’ Meeting

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark., 2017-Jun-05 — /EPR Retail News/ — Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE:WMT) today (June 2, 2017 ) announced shareholder voting results for its Annual Shareholders’ Meeting. Approximately 92.7 percent of all outstanding shares were present or represented by proxy at the meeting.

The company reported that shareholders approved the election of each of Walmart’s 11 director nominees. Each director nominee received affirmative votes from approximately 94 percent or more of the shares voted, excluding abstentions and broker non-votes, as follows (all percentages are rounded to the nearest 1/100 of 1 percent):

Director Nominee For Against
James I. Cash, Jr. 98.95% 1.05%
Timothy P. Flynn 99.40% 0.60%
Carla A. Harris 98.17% 1.83%
Thomas W. Horton 99.40% 0.60%
Marissa A. Mayer 94.31% 5.69%
C. Douglas McMillon 99.27% 0.73%
Gregory B. Penner 97.16% 2.84%
Steven S Reinemund 94.44% 5.56%
Kevin Y. Systrom 94.45% 5.55%
S. Robson Walton 94.43% 5.57%
Steuart L. Walton 97.48% 2.52%

Shareholders voted on a non-binding advisory resolution to establish the frequency of future advisory shareholder votes to approve the compensation of Walmart’s named executive officers, with approximately 98.74 percent of the shares present in person or represented by proxy voting to hold such future advisory votes annually. The Board of Directors had recommended a frequency of one year.

Shareholders voted to approve, on a non-binding, advisory basis, the compensation of Walmart’s named executive officers described in Walmart’s 2017 proxy statement, with approximately 83.14 percent of the shares present in person or represented by proxy voting in favor of this proposal. The Board of Directors had recommended a vote for this proposal.

Shareholders also ratified the appointment of Ernst & Young LLP as Walmart’s independent accountants, with affirmative votes from approximately 99.23 percent of the shares that were present in person or represented by proxy at the meeting and entitled to vote.

The Board of Directors had recommended a vote against each of the four shareholder proposals, and each proposal failed to receive affirmative votes from a majority of the total shares that were represented at the meeting and entitled to vote and, accordingly, they did not pass. The approximate percentages of the shares present or represented by proxy at the meeting that were voted in favor of each of the four shareholder proposals are as follows:

  • Request to adopt an independent chairman policy: approximately 15.15 percent of the shares that were present or represented by proxy at the meeting and entitled to vote.
  • Shareholder proxy access: the proposal was not formally presented at the meeting. However, the company received proxies representing approximately 26.24 percent of the shares in support of this proposal.
  • Request for independent director with environmental expertise: approximately 2.13 percent of the shares that were present or represented by proxy at the meeting and entitled to vote.
  • Request for annual reporting of additional demographic information about full- and part-time associates in the U.S.: less than 0.01 percent of the shares that were present or represented by proxy at the meeting and entitled to vote.

The official voting results for each item voted on by shareholders will be disclosed in a report to be filed next week with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

About Walmart
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE: WMT) helps people around the world save money and live better – anytime and anywhere – in retail stores, online, and through their mobile devices. Each week, over 260 million customers and members visit our 11,723 stores under 59 banners in 28 countries and e-commerce websites in 11 countries. With fiscal year 2017 revenue of $485.9 billion, Walmart employs approximately 2.3 million associates worldwide. Walmart continues to be a leader in sustainability, corporate philanthropy and employment opportunity. Additional information about Walmart can be found by visiting http://corporate.walmart.com, on Facebook at http://facebook.com/walmart and on Twitter at http://twitter.com/walmart.

Source: Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.

Posted on by

Amazon further expands in California with plans to open its first fulfillment center in Fresno

Amazon will continue its growth in California’s Central Valley and create 1,500 new full-time jobs in Fresno

SEATTLE, 2017-Jun-05 — /EPR Retail News/ — Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN) today (Jun. 2, 2017) announced plans to open its first fulfillment center in Fresno. This will be Amazon’s fifth fulfillment center in California’s Central Valley, with three operating fulfillment centers located in Tracy and Patterson, and a fourth facility under construction in Sacramento.

Other Amazon California customer fulfillment facilities are located in San Bernardino, Redlands, Moreno Valley, Rialto, Eastvale and Newark. Additionally, there are more than 460,000 authors, sellers, and developers in California growing their businesses and reaching new customers via Amazon products and services.

“We are very excited to expand our network into Fresno and throughout the San Joaquin Valley as a region,” said Akash Chauhan, Amazon’s Vice President of North American Operations. “There are several factors we consider when deciding on where to place a new fulfillment center. Most importantly, we look to see where we can improve Prime benefits with faster shipping speeds for customers and where there is a dedicated workforce that can raise the bar of our operational excellence. We know we’ll find talent in abundance in Fresno to join the Amazonteam.”

Amazon employees at the 855,000-square-foot fulfillment center will specialize in handling smaller-sized items such as books, electronic devices and children’s toys.

Mayor Lee Brand of Fresno said, “On behalf of the people of the City of Fresno, it is my pleasure to welcome Amazon to our wonderful city. We look forward to their fulfillment team joining our rapidly growing business community and building on the positive momentum that is energizing our economy. Amazon will not only provide quality jobs, they’ll also bring a tradition of volunteering and partnering with local small businesses that are vital to our overall success. We are thankful for the job opportunities Amazon will offer to our residents and we will embrace Amazon and make them part of the fabric of our great city.”

“In just five years, Amazon has become one of the fastest-growing and largest employers in the Central Valley, providing thousands of Californians with good-paying jobs,” said Panorea Avdis, Director of the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz). “Whether it’s the California Competes Tax Credit program, site selection or permitting assistance, GO-Biz partners with companies to help them expand and grow their operations. Thanks in part to a partnership with the state, Amazon continues to be a strong driver of job creation and positive economic impact, and we are thrilled to see them expand into Fresno and the lower Central Valley.”

Full-time employees at Amazon receive competitive hourly wages and a comprehensive benefits package, including healthcare, 401(k) and company stock awards starting on day one. Amazon also offers regular full-time employees maternity and parental leave benefits and access to innovative programs like Career Choice, where it will pre-pay up to 95 percent of tuition for courses related to in-demand fields, regardless of whether the skills are relevant to a career at Amazon. Since the program’s launch, more than 9,000 employees are pursuing degrees in game design and visual communications, nursing, IT programming and radiology, to name a few.

To learn more about working at an Amazon fulfillment center, visit www.AmazonDelivers.Jobs.

The project is being developed by Dermody Properties and Seefried Industrial Properties.

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.

Posted on by

Amazon original one hour series The Last Tycoon to premiere on Friday, July 28 exclusively on Prime Video

All nine episodes of the original dramatic series—starring Matt Bomer, Kelsey Grammer and Lily Collins, and executive produced by Academy Award nominee Billy Ray and Christopher Keyser—will be available globally on Prime Video in more than 200 countries and territories

SEATTLE, 2017-Jun-05 — /EPR Retail News/ — Amazon today (Jun. 2, 2017) announced its new original one hour series The Last Tycoon, starring Golden Globe winner Matt Bomer (White Collar, The Normal Heart), multi-Golden Globe and Emmy winner Kelsey Grammer (Frasier, Boss) and Lily Collins (The Blind Side, The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones), will premiere on Friday, July 28 exclusively on Prime Video. From F. Scott Fitzgerald’s last work, which celebrated its 75th anniversary last year, The Last Tycoon—inspired by the life of legendary film mogul Irving Thalberg—follows Hollywood’s Golden Boy, Monroe Stahr (Bomer), as he battles father figure and boss Pat Brady (Grammer) for the soul of their studio. In a world darkened by the Great Depression and the growing international influence of Hitler’s Germany, The Last Tycoon illuminates the passions, violence, and towering ambition of 1930s Hollywood. Customers can watch the pilot episode online at Amazon.com/The-Last-Tycoon before the full season’s remaining eight episodes air on July 28. The show will be available on PrimeVideo.com for Prime Video members in more than 200 countries and territories around the globe.

A co-production with TriStar Television, The Last Tycoon also stars Rosemarie DeWitt (La La Land) as Rose Brady, Dominique McElligott (House of Cards) as Kathleen Moore, Enzo Cilenti (The Martian) as Aubrey Hackett, Mark O’Brien (Arrival) as Max Miner, and Koen De Bouw (Professor T.) as Tomas Szep. Guest stars include Jennifer Beals (Taken) as Margo Taft, Saul Rubinek (Unforgiven) as Louis B. Mayer, and Eion Bailey (Once Upon a Time) as Clint Frost. Academy Award nominee Billy Ray (Captain Phillips, The Hunger Games) writes and directs multiple episodes and the series is executive produced by Ray, Christopher Keyser (Tyrant, Party of Five), who serve as showrunners, Joshua D. Maurer (Rubicon), Alixandre Witlin (Georgia O’Keeffe), David A. Stern (Rosemary’s Baby) and Scott Hornbacher (Mad Men). Noted Pulitzer-winning Fitzgerald scholar A. Scott Berg serves as consulting producer with Perri Kipperman (Billions) serving as co-executive producer. The series is made possible by an array of behind-the-scenes artists, including Academy Award-winning production designer Patrizia von Brandenstein (Amadeus),Emmy-winning costume designer Janie Bryant (Mad Men), Emmy-nominated Director of Photography Danny Moder (The Normal Heart), and Academy Award-winning composer Mychael Danna (Life of Pi).

“It’s thrilling to watch F. Scott Fitzgerald’s extraordinary work brought to life through the eyes of Billy and Chris, and this incredible cast,” said Joe Lewis, Head of Comedy, Drama and VR, Amazon Studios. “This great team has created a stunning portrayal of 1930s Hollywood. We’re excited to share the series with Prime members this summer.”

Prime members will be able to stream The Last Tycoon exclusively via the Amazon Prime Video app for TVs, connected devices including Fire TV, mobile devices and online. Members can also download the series to mobile devices for offline viewing at no additional cost to their membership.

The Last Tycoon was part of Amazon’s pilot season last year, a unique development process that gives all customers an opportunity to stream and review pilots in order to help choose the next Amazon Original Series that are then made available to Prime members. Below are what customers have said about the pilot:

  • “A beautifully rendered, intelligent portrait of Hollywood in the 1930s, and exploration of the fascinating world of Irving Thalberg. For admirers of all that, and Fitzgerald’s book—not to mention those who think ‘they don’t make them like they used to’–this show is a must-see.”
  • “An excellent drama with killer fashion and set design.”
  • “The overall quality and feel of the show is fantastic. The storyline quickly engages the viewer, pulling them into the world of Brady American Studios and 1930s Hollywood. All of the different elements meld together to bring a show that is a true masterpiece.”
  • “This has Emmy written all over it. Lots of times. Acting, directing, writing, sets & costumes; this thing has it all and we can believe the question about whether it gets produced isn’t really a question at all.”

The entire first season of The Last Tycoon will be available for Prime members to stream and enjoy using the Amazon Video app for TVs, connected devices including Amazon Fire TV, and mobile devices, or online at Amazon.com/The-Last-Tycoon, with other Amazon Original Series online at Amazon.com/originals, at no additional cost to their membership. Eligible customers who are not already Prime members can sign up for a free trial at www.amazon.com/prime. For a list of all Amazon Video compatible devices, visit www.amazon.com/howtostream.

About Amazon Video

Amazon Video is a premium on-demand entertainment service that offers customers the greatest choice in what to watch and how to watch it. Amazon Video is the only service that provides all of the following:

  • Prime Video: Thousands of movies and TV shows, including popular licensed content plus critically-acclaimed and award-winning Amazon Original Series and Movies from Amazon Studios like Transparent, The Man in the High Castle, Love & Friendship, and kids series Tumble Leaf, available for unlimited streaming as part of an Amazon Prime membership. Prime Video is also now available to customers in more than 200 countries and territories around the globe at www.primevideo.com.
  • Amazon Channels: Over 100 video subscriptions to networks like HBO, SHOWTIME, STARZ, PBS KIDS, Acorn TV, and more, available to Amazon Prime members in the US as add-ons to their membership. To view the full list of available channels, visit www.amazon.com/channels.
  • Rent or Own: Hundreds of thousands of titles, including new release movies and current TV shows available for on-demand rental or purchase for all Amazon customers.
  • Instant Access: Customers can instantly watch anytime, anywhere through the Amazon Video app on compatible TVs, mobile devices, Amazon Fire TV, Fire TV Stick, and Fire tablets, or online. For a list of all compatible devices, visit www.amazon.com/howtostream.
  • Premium Features: Top features like 4K Ultra HD, High Dynamic Range (HDR) and mobile downloads for offline viewing of select content.

In addition to Prime Video, the Prime membership includes unlimited fast free shipping options across all categories available on Amazon, more than two million songs and thousands of playlists and stations with Prime Music, secure photo storage with Prime Photos, unlimited reading with Prime Reading, unlimited access to a digital audiobook catalog with Audible Channels for Prime, a rotating selection of free digital games and in-game loot with Twitch Prime, early access to select Lightning Deals, exclusive access and discounts to select items, and more. To sign-up for Prime or to find out more, visit: www.amazon.com/prime.

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:

206-266-7180
Amazon-pr@amazon.com
www.amazon.com/pr

Source: Amazon.com, Inc.

Posted on by

Macy’s announces the appointment of Yasir Anwar to the role of EVP and chief technology officer

  • Appointment Is Part of Broader Restructuring of Technology Team to Expand Technological Capabilities and Further Drive Mobile and Digital Growth
  • Mike Robinson to Assume Role of Executive Vice President, Product Management and Customer Experience

CINCINNATI, 2017-Jun-05 — /EPR Retail News/ — Macy’s, Inc. (NYSE:M) today (Jun. 1, 2017) announced the appointment of Yasir Anwar to the role of executive vice president and chief technology officer effective immediately. In this new role, Anwar will oversee all technology functions for Macy’s, Inc. Anwar will drive the alignment of Macy’s, Inc.’s technology efforts with the company’s strategy. He will be responsible for the teams that build the end-to-end ecommerce experience, enterprise-shared services, infrastructure, field services and functional IT support.

Mike Robinson has been named executive vice president, product management and customer experience. In this role, Robinson will manage all aspects of product management, portfolio and user experiences for digital, store and omnichannel systems. Robinson will oversee a unified product and portfolio vision, allowing customers to shop seamlessly and easily across all Macy’s, Inc. channels.

“Maximizing our technology capabilities and continuing the strong growth of our digital and mobile platforms is a high priority for Macy’s, Inc. and we are restructuring our technology teams to support these efforts,” said President and Chief Executive Officer Jeff Gennette. “Bringing the Macy’s technology teams together under Yasir’s leadership will result in faster time to market and decision making through a streamlined IT organization that will create nimble platforms for continuous business transformation. Mike’s focus on product and customer experience will ensure that our best customer continues to be able to shop the way she lives both on-line and in-store.”

Anwar and Robinson will report to R.B. Harrison, chief omnichannel and operations officer.

About Yasir Anwar

Yasir Anwar joined macys.com as vice president, engineering in May 2012. He was promoted to group vice president, engineering in April 2014 and senior vice president, digital technology in April 2016. Anwar was appointed chief technology officer in February 2017. As a founder of MacysLabs, Anwar introduced lean development practices and established lean delivery teams to transform the delivery model, with a focus on experimentation and customer testing. Prior to joining Macy’s, Anwar was the head of engineering at Walmartlabs, where he built next generation platforms for Walmart Global eCommerce. Previously, Anwar was the head of engineering for Samsclub.com and led architecture for Walmart.com.

About Macy’s, Inc.

Macy’s, Inc. is one of the nation’s premier retailers. With fiscal 2016 sales of $25.778 billion and approximately 140,000 employees, the company operates more than 700 department stores under the nameplates Macy’s and Bloomingdale’s, and approximately 125 specialty stores that include Bloomingdale’s The Outlet, Bluemercury and Macy’s Backstage. Macy’s, Inc. operates stores in 45 states, the District of Columbia, Guam and Puerto Rico, as well as macys.com, bloomingdales.com and bluemercury.com. Bloomingdale’s stores in Dubai and Kuwait are operated by Al Tayer Group LLC under license agreements. Macy’s, Inc. has corporate offices in Cincinnati, Ohio, and New York, New York.

(NOTE: Additional information on Macy’s, Inc., including past news releases, is available at www.macysinc.com/pressroom).

Macy’s Media:
Blair Fasbender Rosenberg
212-333-3810

Macy’s Investors:
Monica Koehler
513-579-7780

Source: Macy’s, Inc.

Posted on by

Sainsbury’s expands its range of non-dairy milks in stores nationwide

Sainsbury’s expands its range of non-dairy milks in stores nationwide

 

Sainsbury’s reveals it has doubled its range of non-dairy milks in 300 stores nationwide

London, 2017-Jun-05 — /EPR Retail News/ — How do you take your coffee? The answer is no longer black or white. Modern milk substitutes such as oat, almond, rice, coconut and hemp have now joined soy in the rapidly increasing choices of alternatives for customers who avoid dairy milks, for health or personal preference reasons. Today (02 June 2017) Sainsbury’s is giving customers even more choice by doubling its range of non-dairy milks in 300 of its stores to help cater for those choices.

After seeing growth in this category of 11.5% last year, and 28.8% over two years, Sainsbury’s is adding 18 new plant based milks to it aisles. Within the new range, Sainsbury’s will be the only major supermarket stocking dairy alternatives from the iconic Califia Farm brand, including iced coffee in 1litre or 750ml ‘take home’ packs and drink-of-the-moment, cold brew coffees with nut milk.

Some examples of the new products customers can find in Sainsbury’s are:

  • Califa Farms Almond Milks & Cold Brew Coffees; a premium nut-milk based product. Califia Farms use Californian almonds to produce these products and are the 3rd largest brand in the US with a strong Californian heritage. The range is vegan friendly and these products are exclusive to Sainsbury’s*.
  • Plenish; These premium nut-based milks are made with just three simple ingredients. All natural, the range has no additives, preservatives or sweeteners.

James Curtis, Milks Buyer at Sainsbury’s said “We’re delighted with the performance of our dairy alternative milk range over the last year. By adding these fantastic quality, great tasting branded lines like Califia Farms, we will be a real destination shop for customers looking to replace regular milk with non-dairy alternatives.  In particular, we expect cold brew coffees made with nut milks and additional dairy products like Kefir to continue to build in popularity over the coming months and years.”

For more information visit www.sainsbury’s.co.uk

Contact:

press_office@sainsburys.co.uk
020 7695 7295

Source: Sainsbury

###

Posted on by

NRF: Retail industry employment down by 8,500 jobs in May from April

WASHINGTON, 2017-Jun-05 — /EPR Retail News/ — Retail industry employment decreased by 8,500 jobs in May from April, the National Retail Federation said today (June 2, 2017), while average hourly earnings were up 2.5 percent on a year-over-year basis, in line with growth in recent months. The numbers exclude automobile dealers, gasoline stations and restaurants. The overall economy gained 138,000 jobs in May, the Labor Department said.

“Though job growth in the retail industry decelerated in May, employment overall is above what is needed to keep sustained growth in the economy,” NRF Chief Economist Jack Kleinhenz said. “Solid fundamentals in the job market are encouraging for retail spending, as employment gains generate additional income for consumers and consequently increase spending.”

“We’ve seen a seesaw of gains and losses in retail employment over the past several months, reflective of the ongoing transformation of our industry,” Kleinhenz said. “While we are looking for a new equilibrium in retail employment, it will take time for the industry to adjust to rapid changes in consumer spending habits and demographic patterns.”

“We are optimistic that in the months ahead Congress and the Administration will continue to make progress on the regulatory reform agenda and make policy changes like comprehensive tax reform to help the economy grow and create new jobs,” Matthew Shay, NRF President and CEO said.

On a three-month moving average on a seasonally adjusted basis, retail employment shows a decline of 17,900 jobs. The Labor Department said April unemployment fell to 4.3 percent, the lowest it has been in more than a decade.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics data, the retail industry currently has over 548,000 job openings.

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

Source: NRF

Posted on by

US Foods to acquire food and food-related products distributor F. Christiana

ROSEMONT, Ill, 2017-Jun-05 — /EPR Retail News/ — US Foods announced today (June 02, 2017) that it has agreed to acquire F. Christiana, a broadline distributor of food and food-related products concentrating on the important center-of-the-plate categories as well as dairy and dry goods.

Family-owned for three generations, F. Christiana has nearly $100 million in annual sales and serves more than 1,800 independent restaurant, hotel, and independent deli/convenience store customers throughout Louisiana, southern Mississippi and parts of southern Alabama.

“F. Christiana has an excellent reputation in the independent operator space,” said Keith Knight, south region president, US Foods. “When combined with their success in key strategic markets such as New Orleans and Baton Rouge, this acquisition will further enhance our position with new and existing customers in Louisiana.”

“We see many similarities between US Foods and F. Christiana, most important of which is the passion for bringing value to its customers to help them succeed,” said Nick Christiana, general manager, F. Christiana. “With the size and scale of US Foods, our customers will have increased access to new and innovative products and business solutions to help them continue to grow their businesses profitably.”

F. Christiana will continue to operate under the F. Christiana name and will remain in the 70,000 square foot facility where it conducts business today.

The transaction is expected to close by mid-June. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

About US Foods

US Foods is one of America’s great food companies and a leading foodservice distributor, partnering with approximately 250,000 chefs, restaurants and foodservice operators to help their businesses succeed. With nearly 25,000 employees and more than 60 locations, US Foods provides its customers with a broad and innovative food offering and a comprehensive suite of e-commerce, technology and business solutions. US Foods is headquartered in Rosemont, Ill. and generates approximately $23 billion in annual revenue. Discover more at www.usfoods.com.

Media Contact:
Sara Matheu
(847) 720-2392
Sara.Matheu@usfoods.com

Investor Contact:
Main IR Contact
ir@usfoods.com
General IR Number: 1-847-720-2815

Source: US Foods

Posted on by

Dollar General opens its 14th distribution center located at Janesville, Wisconsin

Dollar General opens its 14th distribution center located at Janesville, Wisconsin

 

Major retailer invests $100 million and creates more than 500 jobs to support Midwest stores

GOODLETTSVILLE, Tenn., 2017-Jun-05 — /EPR Retail News/ — This morning (June 03, 2017), nearly 1,000 Dollar General (NYSE: DG) employees, their families and company executives were joined by U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan along with state and local dignitaries to celebrate the grand opening in Janesville, Wisconsin, of the discount retailer’s 14th distribution center. The distribution center represents a local investment of approximately $100 million and the creation of more than 500 local jobs.

“Dollar General is excited to celebrate the grand opening of our Janesville distribution center and it is an honor to welcome Speaker Ryan to our facility as well as state and local leaders who supported this project,” said Todd Vasos, Dollar General’s chief executive officer. “We have built a strong team in Janesville, and this new facility strengthens our distribution network and our ability to serve customers. We are delighted to have a strong presence in Wisconsin and look forward to a longstanding partnership with the community as we continue to focus on our mission of Serving Others.”

Construction began on the approximately one-million-square-foot facility in November 2015 and shipping from the facility began in January 2017. The Janesville distribution center serves approximately 800 stores in nine states in the upper Midwest. With the completion of this project and its more than 130 store locations in the state, Dollar General now has more than 1,300 employees in the state of Wisconsin.

Negotiations with the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation, and local and county representatives produced an incentive package that ultimately solidified Dollar General’s commitment to Wisconsin.

“Congratulations to Dollar General on the opening of its new facility, which is creating hundreds of new jobs in the region. It will have a very positive impact on Rock County and the rest of the state,” said Governor Scott Walker. “The pro-business climate in Wisconsin is attracting more companies like Dollar General to our state, which is part of the reason Chief Executive Magazine just placed us on its Top 10 list of the Best States for Business.”

“I am thrilled Dollar General has decided to build its new distribution center in my hometown, Janesville,” said House Speaker Paul Ryan. “I believe the employees and employers in the Badger State can compete with anyone, and with pro-growth policies like tax and regulatory reform, we can help to continue to create jobs.”

As part of the celebration, Dollar General donated $10,000 to the Hedberg Public Library to support its literacy and outreach initiatives.

“Dollar General has been an outstanding addition to our local economy and great community partner,” said Josh Smith, Rock County administrator. “We look forward to continuing to work with them as a strong member of our community for years to come.”

“The City of Janesville is proud to be able to say that it is home to a key component of one of the fastest growing retailers in the United States,” said Gale Price, economic development director, City of Janesville. “In addition to the over 500 jobs that will be added to the Janesville and Rock County economy, Dollar General and its employees are engaged in important community activities that help make Janesville a community of choice.”

Dollar General’s 13 other distribution centers are located in Alachua, Florida; Ardmore, Oklahoma; Bessemer, Alabama; Bethel, Pennsylvania; Fulton, Missouri; Indianola, Mississippi; Jonesville, South Carolina; Lebec, California; Marion, Indiana; San Antonio, Texas; Scottsville, Kentucky; South Boston, Virginia; and Zanesville, Ohio. The company has begun construction on its 15th distribution center in Jackson, Georgia, and is planning for its 16th distribution center in Amsterdam, New York.

Clayco Inc. served as general contractor for the Janesville distribution center. Leo A Daly did the building design and Élan Design Lab, Inc. did the civil design work.

For additional information, photographs or items to supplement a story, please contact the Media Relations Department at 1-877-944-DGPR (3477) or via email at dgpr@dg.com.

About Dollar General Corporation

Dollar General Corporation has been delivering value to shoppers for over 75 years. Dollar General helps shoppers Save time. Save money. Every day!® by offering products that are frequently used and replenished, such as food, snacks, health and beauty aids, cleaning supplies, clothing for the family, housewares and seasonal items at low everyday prices in convenient neighborhood locations. Dollar General operated 13,601 stores in 44 states as of May 5, 2017. In addition to high quality private brands, Dollar General sells products from America’s most-trusted brands such as Procter & Gamble, Kimberly-Clark, Unilever, Kellogg’s, General Mills, Nabisco, Hanes, PepsiCo and Coca-Cola. Learn more about Dollar General at www.dollargeneral.com.

Follow Dollar General:
Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest

Contact(s):

Dollar General Corporation
Media Hotline, 877-944-DGPR (3477)
Dan MacDonald | dmacdona@dg.com
Crystal Ghassemi, APR | cghassem@dg.com

Source: Dollar General Corporation

###

Posted on by

Starbucks to expand distribution portion of its Carson Valley Roasting Plant and Distribution Center in Minden, Nevada

Starbucks to expand distribution portion of its Carson Valley Roasting Plant and Distribution Center in Minden, Nevada

 

Seattle, 2017-Jun-05 — /EPR Retail News/ — Starbucks operations in Nevada’s Carson Valley plans to grow substantially over the next year with the addition of 700,000 square feet to the distribution portion of the Starbucks Carson Valley Roasting Plant and Distribution Center in Minden, Nev. The expansion will bring nearly 100 new jobs to the location in the first year after completion, bringing the distribution workforce to nearly 350.

A June 7 ceremonial groundbreaking kicks off the $50 million project, which will wrap up in summer 2018. Only the distribution portion of the 341,000-square-foot building will be enlarged, allowing Starbucks to increase capacity and streamline regional sourcing. The roasting side of the operation will be unchanged.

“We serve all of California, Nevada and Utah, as well as parts of Arizona and Asia Pacific,” said Todd McCullough, director of distribution at the facility. “We do everything here from coffee to syrups to behind-the-bar supplies.”

McCullough, who has worked at the Carson Valley Roasting Center and Distribution Center since it opened in 2003, said the expansion will create a range of new jobs for managers, supervisors, coordinators and distribution partners.

Lisa Granahan, economic vitality manager for Douglas Country, where the distribution center is located, said Starbucks provides vital balance in a local economy where a third of the workforce holds lower-paying tourism and leisure positions.

“It’s been a target of the country and our Economic Vitality Program to grow more of the industrial sector,” said Granahan. “We’re just extremely pleased to see Starbucks expansion and the additional jobs, and further diversification of our community. I also believe this could bolster the number of working families in our community. We have seen a decline in our school system over the years. We’d just really love to see our school numbers rise again.”

The Carson Valley facility is also the site of the first Starbucks Inclusion Academy. Launched in 2014, it provides six weeks of training to help individuals with disabilities gain meaningful work experience in manufacturing, warehousing and distribution.

Its success has prompted Starbucks to expand the program to the York Distribution Center in York, Penn., in 2015 and launch the Starbucks Retail Inclusion Academy in Baltimore in April. McCullough said 27 members of the Inclusion Academy’s eight graduating classes have been hired by Starbucks and expansion will create additional job opportunities for grads.

“We think the Inclusion Academy is outstanding,” said Granahan.

Starbucks was named Business of the Year for Douglas County in 2016. Granahan said Starbucks earned the honor for a variety of reasons, including its growth, benefits programs, sustainability efforts and ongoing connection with the area.

“Starbucks has made an impact from a community involvement perspective, volunteering thousands of hours and making other sizable donations to local nonprofits,” said Douglas County Manager Lawrence Werner. “It is safe to say other businesses that are considering locating in the county take note of Starbucks decision to be here.”

MEDIA CONTACT:

Global
Phone: 206 318 7100
Email: press@starbucks.com

SOURCE: Starbucks Corporation

###

Posted on by

StubHub launches enhanced suite of tools for ticket sellers in North America

StubHub launches enhanced suite of tools for

 

The new price setting recommendation tool dubbed “pricing assistant,” makes the process to sell tickets easier and more successful than ever before.

San Jose, California, 2017-Jun-05 — /EPR Retail News/ — StubHub, the world’s largest ticket marketplace, launched an enhanced suite of tools for ticket sellers in North America, including a new price setting recommendation tool dubbed “pricing assistant,” making the process to sell tickets easier and more successful than ever before.

The new pricing assistant tool is now live within StubHub’s simple and guided step-by-step ticket listing process, in which sellers are informed about how to set pricing based on the best chance of making a sale, with the capability to easily adjust list prices and respond to the market dynamics with a few clicks, on any device – on the StubHub mobile app or desktop – anytime, anywhere.

“Our new seller tools are part of StubHub’s strategic journey to develop the simplest and most intuitive ticket listing and successful selling process for our customers,” said StubHub General Manager of North America Perkins Miller. “Pricing assistant and the tools supported within it are part of StubHub’s mission to innovate with technology to ultimately enable fans to connect with others and the live events they love.”

The pricing assistant tool uses algorithms based on the industry’s most sophisticated data from StubHub’s 15-year history, merging seat and section pricing data, recent transactions for listings of similar value and event type, plus current market activity.

Accompanying the new price recommendation tool are email alerts – and coming soon, push notifications – to help sellers quickly respond to the market and adjust pricing to increase their chance of selling tickets.

Finally, other developments to make the selling process even easier include a new seller landing page, now live with how-to-list-your-tickets instructional videos, as well as updated map and market activity pages within the sell flow process, providing sellers the most thorough and transparent view of ticket pricing and market value to better inform the entire listing process.

Contact:
(408) 376-7400

Source: eBay

###