Daily Archives: August 14, 2017

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SSP America to open Deschutes Brewery and Hopworks Urban Brewery to Portland International Airport

Local Deschutes Brewery and Hopworks Urban Brewery Partner with SSP America

London, 2017-Aug-15 — /EPR Retail News/ — SSP America, a division of SSP Group, a leading operator of food and beverage brands in travel locations worldwide, has been awarded by the Port of Portland Commission two new contracts to bring renowned local craft brewers, Deschutes Brewery and Hopworks Urban Brewery to Portland International Airport. The award-winning Deschutes Brewery, an Oregon craft beer pioneer, will join the Concourse D concessions program and Hopworks Urban Brewery (HUB), Portland’s first eco-brewpub, will join Concourse E. The Port of Portland Commission approved the contracts at its Wednesday, August 9 meeting.

“With more than 260 craft breweries throughout the state and 19 million annual brewery visitors, the craft beer industry is a cornerstone of the Pacific Northwest experience and a tradition embraced by locals and tourists alike,” said Chris Czarnecki, Port of Portland director of PDX terminal business and properties. “For that reason, it’s our pleasure to welcome two of Oregon’s most celebrated breweries to the food and beverage program at PDX, where they will further the local presence so widely appreciated by our passengers.”Family and employee owned since 1988, Deschutes Brewery has become the cornerstone of Central Oregon’s flourishing craft brew culture. Known for its generous use of whole hops in its defining beers, the brewery also keeps fans on the edge of their bar stools with the release of small batch experimental beers each season. Now available in 29 states and Washington D.C., Deschutes’ flagship brewpub in Bend has been joined by a main brewing facility, a pub in Portland that is known for its scratch kitchen led by Executive Chef Jill Ramseier, and coming in 2021, a new east coast brewery in Roanoke, Virginia.

Founded in 2007 by Brewmaster, Christian Ettinger, HUB is the definitive modern day Portland brewpub with a robust and hearty menu. Utilizing organic malts and a combination of locally-sourced, organic, and Salmon-Safe hops, the 20-barrel brewery produces 13,500 barrels of beer a year for its three brewpubs and distribution throughout the Northwest. HUB is a family-owned and operated business, the first Certified B Corporation brewery in the Pacific Northwest, and donates 1% of their beer sales to environmental causes.

“We fell in love with our planet while traveling the world in search of great beer,” said HUB brewmaster and founder, Christian Ettinger. “As champions of sustainability, we couldn’t be more honored to become beer ambassadors for the best brewing city on earth in the best airport in the country. We are so excited to welcome travelers to Portland with a cold pint of organic beer in our new, beautifully designed pub!”

SSP America’s Chief Executive Officer Michael Svagdis commented: “At SSP America we believe restaurants are at the heart of every community’s story, and airports play a leading role in telling that story. Bringing these two extraordinary breweries to PDX is a wonderful example of our passion for community anchored dining at the airport.”

Source: SSP

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Amazon announces collaboration with Robert Kirkman and Skybound Entertainment to develop television projects to debut exclusively on Prime Video

Collaboration with groundbreaking comic creator and multiplatform powerhouse sets focus on growing original genre content exclusively for Prime Video

SEATTLE, 2017-Aug-15 — /EPR Retail News/ — Amazon today (Aug. 11, 2017) announced it has closed an overall deal with prolific creator Robert Kirkman (The Walking Dead, Invincible) and a first-look deal with Kirkman’s Skybound Entertainment, co-founded by longtime collaborator David Alpert. Kirkman and Skybound—the entities behind television hits The Walking Dead, Fear the Walking Dead and Outcast—will develop television projects to debut exclusively on Prime Video. This collaboration comes on the heels of Amazon Studios’ new expanded push into science fiction, fantasy and horror programming. Skybound Entertainment’s co-presidents of film and television, Bryan and Sean Furst, will oversee the Amazon project slate in conjunction with Kirkman and Alpert.

“Robert is a gifted storyteller who shares our passion for elevated genre storytelling that pushes boundaries,” said Sharon Tal Yguado, Head of Event Series, Amazon Studios. “Robert and the team at Skybound are some of the most innovative and fearless creatives in the business. Together, we plan to explore immersive worlds and bold ideas for Prime Video.”

“At Skybound Entertainment we strive to tell the best stories in the most unique and creative ways in an effort to always break new ground,” said Robert Kirkman. “A forward thinking company like Amazon is the perfect home for us. Their new foray into genre fiction has us at peak optimism for what can be accomplished during this unprecedented partnership. Sharon Tal Yguado has been an instrumental force in the success of Walking Dead and Outcast from day one. Being able to not only continue that relationship, but also expand it into new territory with the vast resources of Amazon, means great things are ahead for myself, David Alpert, Skybound and fans of awesome entertainment. Look out world, here we come!”

First and foremost a comic creator, Kirkman has seen groundbreaking success in the adaptation of his comic book titles into major franchises in all forms of content. In 2010, his Eisner award winning series, The Walking Dead, was developed into an AMC television series. It has become a worldwide phenomenon as the highest-rated basic cable drama of all time and is the #1 show on television among the coveted 18-49 demo. The property has also been extended into a blockbuster game franchise, licensing business and ongoing publishing success. Kirkman also serves as consulting producer of The Talking Dead, the popular talk show hosted by Chris Hardwick that deep dives into each week’s episode of both The Walking Dead and its companion series Fear the Walking Dead. Kirkman is co-creator, writer and producer of The Walking Dead’s companion series, Fear the Walking Dead. He is also executive producer of the AMC series Robert Kirkman’s Secret History of Comics, and the pre-apocalyptic drama, Five Year, that is being developed for multiple territories including Germany, India, Brazil, and Italy. Kirkman’s popular demonic-exorcism comic, Outcast, was adapted, produced and airs on Cinemax. For the big screen, Kirkman will produce Invincible based on his long-running popular comic book. The project will be written, directed and produced by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg for Universal Pictures. Other credits include AIR featuring Norman Reedus and Academy Award nominee, Djimon Hounsou. Additional Kirkman comics include Super Dinosaur, Battle Pope, Astounding Wolf-Man, and Thief of Thieves.

Skybound Entertainment, the multiplatform entertainment company led by Robert Kirkman and David Alpert, is responsible for such television hits including The Walking Dead, Fear the Walking Dead and Outcast. Moving into the digital content space, Skybound produced the first-ever narrative VR series, GONE, for Samsung’s Milk VR platform and in 2017 will produce VR horror series Lies Within, which is the first project out of Skybound’s partnership with interactive theatrical company Delusion. The company currently has a number of different film projects in development including properties for their two-year first look deal with Universal. Skybound Entertainment recently announced its expansion with the opening of Skybound North, a Vancouver-based production division of the company. Skybound North is led by former LucasFilm Animation executive, Catherine Winder (The Angry Birds Movie, Star Wars: The Clone Wars). Comic book titles published by Skybound include: The Walking Dead, Invincible, Outcast, Birthright, Green Valley, Horizon, and Demonic. Skybound Entertainment’s interactive division works with partners including Telltale’s The Walking Dead, Free Range Games’ Labyrinth, Night School Studios’ Oxenfree, Pipeworks’ Superfight, and Overkill’s The Walking Dead. Skybound also creates a wide range of merchandise, including tabletop card games Superfight and Red Flags, apparel, board games, and action figures.

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.

About Skybound Entertainment

Founded in 2010, Skybound Entertainment is a multiplatform entertainment company that houses projects ranging from television, film, digital content, comics, interactive gaming, and live events. Skybound Entertainment is responsible for such television hits including The Walking Dead, Fear the Walking Dead and Outcast. Moving into the digital content space, Skybound produced the first-ever narrative VR series, Gone, for Samsung’s Milk VR platform and in 2017 will produce VR horror series Lies Within, which is the first project out of Skybound’s partnership with interactive theatrical company Delusion. Skyboud recently announced the film adaptation of Robert Kirkman’s second-longest running comic series Invincible, with Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg attached to direct, write, and produce the movie for Universal.

Additional newly announced Skybound projects include Five Year, Mastermind and Heroes and Villains: The History of Comics.

Media Hotline:

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

Source: Amazon.com, Inc.

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Sainsbury’s trials 30-minute Click & Collect grocery service via Chop Chop app

Sainsbury’s trials 30-minute Click & Collect grocery service via Chop Chop app

 

Trial taking place from Sainsbury’s Pimlico store via the Chop Chop app. Customers pay via app and pick up shopping just 30 minutes after ordering online

London, 2017-Aug-15 — /EPR Retail News/ — Sainsbury’s is today (11 August 2017) launching a trial that enables customers to order their shopping via the Chop Chop app and pick it up from store just 30 minutes later, for no fee.

The launch will see the retailer become the UK’s first supermarket to offer sub one-hour collection options. The trial is taking place at Sainsbury’s Pimlico store, where the supermarket’s one-hour delivery service Chop Chop is already available.

During the trial, which is limited to the Android version of the Chop Chop app, customers will be able to select and pay for up to 25 items for collection in 30 minutes, seven days a week, with no fee for the service. The orders will be packed and ready for the customer to retrieve by showing their order number at the store’s Chop Chop desk. This number will be available via the app or can be sent in an email depending on the preference of the customer.

Clodagh Moriarty, Director of Online at Sainsbury’s commented, “We want to offer a customer experience that is differentiated in terms of price but also in terms of service, with complete customer autonomy and excellent flexibility.

The way customers are shopping is changing as they look for faster and more convenient options and we want to continue leading the way in giving them the services they need to shop wherever and whenever they want. We were the first UK supermarket to introduce one-hour delivery last year and we’re now delighted to be the first to trial a 30 minute Click & Collect service. It’s an exciting time for the business and we hope to see a positive response from our shoppers.”

Contact:

press_office@sainsburys.co.uk
020 7695 7295

Source: Sainsbury

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Brand new My Little Pony range launches at Argos

Brand new My Little Pony range launches at Argos

 

Milton, Keynes, 2017-Aug-15 — /EPR Retail News/ — Brand new My Little Pony range launches ahead of My Little Pony: The Movie Top picks include mermaid-like ‘Twinkle the Seapony’, ‘Princess Twilight Sparkle and Spike the Dragon Friendship Set’ and the ‘Canterlot and Seaquestria Castle’. Prices range from just £2.99 to £82.99

Summer’s about to blow your horseshoes off, as the brand new My Little Pony toys and accessories range launches at the UK’s number one toy retailer, Argos.

With 33 new products available now, from character figurines to playsets and movie scene collections, prices range from just £2.99 to £82.99 – perfect for pocket money and blockbusters gifts alike.

The new My Little Pony: The Movie will see Twilight Sparkle, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy and Rarity embark on an epic journey to save Ponyville from an evil dark force. And thanks to Argos, favourite movie moments can be recreated at home.

Although eager fans will have to wait until 20 October to see ‘My Little Pony: The Movie’ in cinemas, they can get their hands-on toys from the film right now.  From cute character toys to spectacular castles, there is sure to be something for everyone looking to join the pony club. Some top picks include:

• The Pinkie Pie Swimming Seapony (£21.99) can be placed in water to swim on her own. Underwater, her tail sparkles and glows!
• Best friends, Spike the Dragon and Princess Twilight Sparkle (£26.99) come in a duo set and will serenade each other when held together
• The Canterlot and Seaquestria Castle (£82.99) allows fans to place the figures on the slide or in the bubble-shaped elevator and have them ride from Canterlot down to the kingdom of Seaquestria.

The 35 new My Little Pony products at Argos join a wider My Little Pony range which includes lunch boxes, backpacks and pencil cases, so everyone can be a proud little show pony.

Linzi Walker, Chief Toy Buyer, at Argos said: “We love this new range of My Little Pony toys for children, and have no doubt they will too!  In a year of blockbuster animated film releases, it’s great to offer children the chance to enjoy PonyVille beyond the movie screen. Plus, it’s an incredible 35 years since My Little Pony toys were first launched – and with the trend for nostalgia continuing, I’m sure many grown-ups will enjoy them just as much.”

Available online, in-store or on the Argos app, customers can get over 20,000 products how they want, when they want.  Argos’s market-leading Fast Track services add some horse-power with nationwide same-day home delivery for just £3.95, seven days a week, and faster collection in 800+ stores for no charge.

Source: Argos

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Unibail-Rodamco SE to implement shares repurchase programme of up to 750 million euros

Paris, Amsterdam, 2017-Aug-14 — /EPR Retail News/ — The Management Board of Unibail-Rodamco SE, pursuant to the authorization granted by the Annual General Meeting of April 25, 2017, has decided to implement a programme to repurchase shares of Unibail-Rodamco SE for an aggregate amount of up to 750 million euros (excluding costs and fees).

The repurchase programme is expected to run until October 10, 2017 and will be executed in compliance with the EU Regulation of 16 April 2014 on market abuse and the French financial markets Authority regulation.

All repurchased shares will be canceled in accordance with Article L. 225-209 of the French Commercial Code.

As the execution of this opportunistic repurchase programme will depend on market conditions, the full amount may not be reached. The programme does not affect the Company’s level of comfort for its loan-to-value ratio of around 40%.

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

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

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Meijer hosts in-store parties for incoming college students across the Midwest

Meijer hosts in-store parties for incoming college students across the Midwest

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., 2017-Aug-14 — /EPR Retail News/ — Midwest retailer Meijer is getting ready to welcome more than 42,000 incoming college freshmen as they head to campus this fall during widely-popular shopping parties dubbed “Meijer Mania.”

The annual Back-to-College events celebrate incoming students in style during a night of fun—complete with a DJ, photo booth and interactive contests—while helping them collect their last-minute dorm and classroom essentials. The retailer kicks off the Meijer Mania events next week and will host a total 20 events at 18 colleges across the Midwest through early September.

“Our Meijer Mania events provide students the opportunity to shop for their first living spaces away from home and share a fun-filled bonding experience with classmates,” said Cathy Cooper, Senior Director of Promotions and Sponsorships at Meijer. “We are pleased to partner with so many colleges and universities to help ease the transition of moving into a new living environment for these students.”

Meijer began throwing in-store parties for incoming college freshmen more than 15 years ago to give students a chance to get to know their peers in a fun atmosphere, and introduce the Meijer brand to those who may not have grown up shopping at the Midwest supercenter—some of whom may learn how to pronounce the retailer’s name for the first time, Cooper said.

In total, more than 42,000 students—about 2,000 freshmen per event—will bus from campus to their local Meijer store for a night of festivities. Typically, a DJ will get the crowd pumped up while students participate in interactive games and contests, snap pictures in the photo booth, and stock their carts with snacks and school supplies. Meijer also provides samples and coupons, and occasionally hosts big-ticket giveaways.

One of retail’s leading shopping seasons, back-to-school and college is a $75 billion industry, according to the National Retail Federation. Meijer Mania events help spread out the spending during a time when college students and their families are busy preparing for the school year.

About Meijer:

Meijer is a Grand Rapids, Mich.-based retailer that operates more than 230 supercenters and grocery stores throughout Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky and Wisconsin. A privately-owned and family-operated company since 1934, Meijer pioneered the “one-stop shopping” concept and has evolved through the years to include expanded fresh produce and meat departments, as well as pharmacies, comprehensive apparel departments, pet departments, garden centers, toys and electronics. Additional information on Meijer can be found at www.meijer.com. Follow Meijer on Twitter @twitter.com/Meijer and @twitter.com/MeijerPR or become a fan at www.facebook.com/meijer.

SOURCE: Meijer

 

Contact: Joe Hirschmugl, 616-791-3943, Joseph.Hirschmugl@meijer.com

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A.S. Watson Group wins the “Top Ten Retailer in Hong Kong – Gold Award” in the Retail Asia-Pacific Top 500 Awards 2017

Watsons and PARKnSHOP Win Six “Top 10 Retailer” Titles in Asia Markets

HONG KONG, 2017-Aug-14 — /EPR Retail News/ — A.S. Watson Group (ASW) has won the “Top Ten Retailer in Hong Kong – Gold Award” in the Retail Asia-Pacific Top 500 Awards 2017 organised by Asia Retail Publishing. The Group’s flagship brand Watsons was ranked high amongst other retail companies in five markets, including Malaysia, Taiwan, Thailand, Singapore and the Philippines, while PARKnSHOP supermarket also won the Asia Top Ten retailers in supermarket category.

Jointly organized by Retail Asia Publishing, Euromonitor International and KPMG, the annual Retail Asia Pacific Top 500 Awards recognise retail companies with best performance in the market. The top 500 retail companies in Asia from 14 key economies across Asia-Pacific were ranked in terms of business performance, based on Euromonitor International’s retailing data and analysis, while the top ten retailers from each market/retail format category will be awarded.

SOURCE: A.S. Watson Group

Watson House, 1-5 Wo Liu Hang Road, Fo Tan,Shatin, N.T., Hong Kong

+852 2606 8833
+852 2690 2836
grouppr@aswatson.com