Daily Archives: September 19, 2017

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NCR deploys omni-channel solutions to reinvent fan experience at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta

Sets a new standard for sports and entertainment venues

Duluth, Ga., 2017-Sep-19 — /EPR Retail News/ — NCR Corporation (NYSE: NCR), a global leader in omni-channel solutions, today ( September 15, 2017 ) announced that it has successfully deployed solutions at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, home of the National Football League’s Atlanta Falcons and Major League Soccer’s Atlanta United FC. Creating a frictionless, engaging event experience that begins the moment a fan leaves their home was an important priority for AMB Sports & Entertainment (AMBSE), who operate the Atlanta Falcons, Atlanta United FC and Mercedes-Benz Stadium, and they turned to NCR for its expertise across all types of consumer touchpoints.

With the variety of sports and entertainment options that consumers have at home or at their favorite bar, it’s critical that teams and venue operators find ways to revitalize the in-stadium game day experience – and many are doing so through the use of technology.  From empowering fans to order from their seats or quickly get cash at an ATM to creating the ultimate in-suite service for those special occasions, NCR enables an omni-channel fan experience.

NCR’s expertise in transforming the fan experience at major global sporting venues such as SunTrust Park in Atlanta, Royal Arena in Copenhagen and FedExField in Landover, Maryland, will help AMBSE define and create a unique, engaging environment for visitors of the new stadium.

“NCR’s solutions put Mercedes-Benz Stadium at the forefront of venue technology by providing amazing flexibility, control and connectivity,” said Jared Miller, chief digital officer and senior vice president, analytics and technology, AMBSE. “By partnering with NCR, we will ensure our fans and guests will have an unparalleled interactive and engaging experience, helping to make Mercedes-Benz stadium the marquee sports and entertainment venue globally.”

“Today’s fans expect easy-to-use, reliable technology that increases the speed of service and enhances their in-stadium experience. With Atlanta’s new Mercedes-Benz Stadium, we delivered on this,” said Don Zimmerman, general manger & vice president Hospitality, NCR Corporation. “NCR is helping AMBSE to reinvent the fan experience, while allowing fans to stay closer to what’s happening on the field.”

Supporting the local community
As part of a unique partnership with AMBSE, the NCR Foundation will continue to support local nonprofits in the Westside neighborhoods surrounding the stadium, including The Boys & Girls Club and The Hollis Innovation Academy. By organizing volunteer events, NCR will help nonprofits build capacity and strengthen capabilities to better serve the Westside communities.

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. NCR encourages investors to visit its web site which is updated regularly with financial and other important information about NCR.

Website: 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 Contact:
Tim Henschel
NCR
770.299.5100
tim.henschel@ncr.com

Source: NCR Corporation

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The Children’s Place to ring the Nasdaq Opening Bell to celebrate the 20th anniversary of its market listing

SECAUCUS, N.J., 2017-Sep-19 — /EPR Retail News/ — The Children’s Place, Inc.(Nasdaq:PLCE), the largest pure-play children’s specialty apparel retailer in North America, will celebrate the 20th anniversary of its Nasdaq stock market listing on September 19th. In honor of this event, Jane Elfers, President and Chief Executive Officer, will ring the Opening Bell at 9:30 AM Eastern Time.

Ms. Elfers stated, “We are honored to celebrate our 20th anniversary with Nasdaq. We are proud of our relationship with Nasdaq and proud of the significant value that we have created for our shareholders.”

About The Children’s Place, Inc.
The Children’s Place is the largest pure-play children’s specialty apparel retailer in North America.  The Company designs, contracts to manufacture, sells at retail and wholesale, and licenses to sell fashionable, high-quality merchandise at value prices, primarily under the proprietary “The Children’s Place,” “Place” and “Baby Place” brand names.  As of July 29, 2017, the Company operated 1,026 stores in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico, an online store at www.childrensplace.com, and had 161 international points of distribution open and operated by its 7 franchise partners in 19 countries.

Forward Looking Statement

This press release contains, and the above referenced conference call may contain, forward-looking statements made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including but not limited to statements relating to the Company’s strategic initiatives and adjusted net income per diluted share.  Forward-looking statements typically are identified by use of terms such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “plan,” “project,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “estimate” and similar words, although some forward-looking statements are expressed differently.  These forward-looking statements are based upon the Company’s current expectations and assumptions and are subject to various risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results and performance to differ materially. Some of these risks and uncertainties are described in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including in the “Risk Factors” section of its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended January 28, 2017. Included among the risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results and performance to differ materially are the risk that the Company will be unsuccessful in gauging fashion trends and changing consumer preferences, the risks resulting from the highly competitive nature of the Company’s business and its dependence on consumer spending patterns, which may be affected by weakness in the economy that continues to affect the Company’s target customer, the risk that the Company’s strategic initiatives to increase sales and margin are delayed or do not result in anticipated improvements, the risk of delays, interruptions and disruptions in the Company’s global supply chain, including resulting from foreign sources of supply in less developed countries or more politically unstable countries, the risk that the cost of raw materials or energy prices will increase beyond current expectations or that the Company is unable to offset cost increases through value engineering or price increases, and the uncertainty of weather patterns. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date they were made.  The Company undertakes no obligation to release publicly any revisions to these forward-looking statements that may be made to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.

Contact:  
Robert Vill
Group Vice President
Finance
(201) 453-6693

Source: Children’s Place, Inc./globenewswire

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Cold Stone Creamery brings back Pumpkin Cheesecake Ice Cream, Creme Brulee Ice Cream and Pumpkin Cheesecake Ice Cream Pie this fall

Two Creations and a Pumpkin Cheesecake Ice Cream Pie Available for a Limited Time

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., 2017-Sep-19 — /EPR Retail News/ — Cold Stone Creamery®
(www.ColdStoneCreamery.com) is getting cozy this fall with the return of Pumpkin Cheesecake Ice Cream, Creme Brulee Ice Cream and Pumpkin Cheesecake Ice Cream Pie, available for a limited time.

As the weather shifts to cooler temperatures, pumpkin flavors emerge in a variety of delicious treats like Pumpkin Cheesecake Ice Cream, which can be mixed with HEATH® Bar, Carameland Whipped Topping to create the Harvest Pumpkin Cheesecake™ Creation™. Creme Brulee Ice Cream is another fall flavor returning to Cold Stone®, which goes great with Blueberries, Strawberries and Caramel to create the Creme Berry Brulee™ Creation™.

“The season is upon us and that means we are bringing back two of our indulgent fall flavors for guests to enjoy all season long,” said Kate Unger, senior vice president of Cold Stone Creamery. “Rich and decadent flavors like Pumpkin Cheesecake and Creme Brulee continue to trend this time of year and we are excited to add these two super-premium Ice Cream flavors, along with our Pumpkin Cheesecake Ice Cream Pie to the menu this fall.”

Pumpkin Cheesecake Ice Cream Pie is the perfect celebration dessert for any gathering with family and friends. Made with Pumpkin Cheesecake Ice Cream in a Graham Cracker Pie Crust, topped with Cinnamon Frosting and drizzled with Caramel, this dessert will surely impress.

The fall Ice Cream flavors will be in stores from September 13 – November 23, 2017, and the Pumpkin Cheesecake Ice Cream Pie will be in stores and online (www.ColdStoneCakes.com) from November 2 – November 23, 2017.

 Promotional Creations™:
o Harvest Pumpkin Cheesecake™ – Pumpkin Cheesecake Ice Cream with HEATH® Bar, Caramel and Whipped Topping
o Creme Berry Brulee™ – Creme Brulee Ice Cream with Blueberries, Strawberries
and Caramel

 Promotional Pie:
o Pumpkin Cheesecake Ice Cream Pie – Pumpkin Cheesecake Ice Cream in a Graham Cracker Pie Crust, topped with Cinnamon Frosting and drizzled with Caramel

About Cold Stone Creamery
Cold Stone Creamery delivers the Ultimate Ice Cream Experience through a community of franchisees who are passionate about ice cream. The secret recipe for smooth and creamy ice cream is handcrafted fresh daily in each store, and then customized by combining a variety of mix-ins on a frozen granite stone. Headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona, Cold Stone Creamery is owned by parent company Kahala Brands™, one of the fastest growing franchising companies in the world, with a portfolio of 22 quick-service restaurant concepts. The Cold Stone Creamery brand operates approximately 1,500 locations in over 28 countries.

CONTACT:
Jessica Benedick
Cold Stone Creamery
480.362.4837
jbenedick@kahalamgmt.com

Source: Cold Stone Creamery

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SPAR Norway tackles food waste with 50% off on all freshly baked bread one hour before closing time

Norway, 2017-Sep-19 — /EPR Retail News/ — SPAR Norway is aiming to reduce food waste by 270 tons a year. How does it hope to achieve this? By offering a 50 percent discount on all freshly baked bread one hour before closing time.

Before officially launching the bread waste reduction scheme in August, it was first tested in selected SPAR stores, which reported a 16% reduction in bread waste. On an annual basis, this correlates to a saving of 270 tons of bread.

The stores that participated in the trial noticed a boost in foot traffic in the last hour of trading and received positive feedback from customers who expressed their appreciation of the scheme.

The positive results from the test stores were achieved without any advertising or marketing so it is hoped that even better results will be achieved with the official launch in all SPAR stores.

SPAR Norway’s Marketing Director, Martin Munthe-Kaas, said: “It has never been more important to take care of the environment and we must all do our bit to help this cause. Food waste is one of the greatest environmental challenges of our time and a study from 2015 states that in Norway, 355,000 tons of food is wasted each year. This number must be reduced and we hope that our new food waste scheme will go some way to helping this happen.”

To ensure full resource utilisation, any surplus bread unsold will be given to pig farmers to supplement the pigs food. Instore communication material such as posters and shelf markers have been shipped to 259 SPAR and 28 EUROSPAR stores across the country to create awareness of the campaign.

Contact:

SPAR International
Email: info@spar-international.com
Tel: +3120 626 6749

Source: Spar International

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Visa named to the 2017 Dow Jones Sustainability North America Index

SAN FRANCISCO, 2017-Sep-19 — /EPR Retail News/ — Visa (NYSE:V) today (Sep. 18, 2017) announced the company has been named to the 2017 Dow Jones Sustainability North America Index (DJSI), one of the most prestigious indices for corporate responsibility and sustainability performance. The Index recognizes companies that are leading in their industry in global economic, environmental and social contributions. In addition to Visa’s recognition on the DJSI, Visa also was named to the FTSE4Good Index and Ethisphere’s World’s Most Ethical Companies list earlier this year.

“At Visa, we are inspired by our mission to connect the world through digital payments and help individuals, businesses and economies to thrive,” said Douglas Sabo, vice president and head of Corporate Responsibility and Philanthropy at Visa Inc. “As we continue to fulfill our mission, we are proud of the leadership we demonstrate in operating responsibly, ethically and sustainably.”

According to the results of the annual review process, Visa outperformed its industry averages in 16 of 21 topic areas. Visa’s highest scoring areas include corporate governance, corporate citizenship and philanthropy, IT security, talent attraction and retention and codes of business conduct.

Visa recently published its annual Corporate Responsibility Report, titled “Everyone, Everywhere,” which provides a comprehensive view of Visa’s sustainability commitments and progress. Areas of focus include Visa’s work to transform commerce, expand financial access, invest in its people, operate responsibly and strengthen communities.

About Visa Inc.

Visa Inc. (NYSE: V) is the world’s leader in digital payments. Our mission is to connect the world through the most innovative, reliable and secure payment network – enabling individuals, businesses and economies to thrive. Our advanced global processing network, VisaNet, provides secure and reliable payments around the world, and is capable of handling more than 65,000 transaction messages a second. The company’s relentless focus on innovation is a catalyst for the rapid growth of connected commerce on any device, and a driving force behind the dream of a cashless future for everyone, everywhere. As the world moves from analog to digital, Visa is applying our brand, products, people, network and scale to reshape the future of commerce. For more information, visit usa.visa.com/aboutvisa, visacorporate.tumblr.com and @VisaNews.

About S&P Dow Jones Indices

S&P Dow Jones Indices is the largest global resource for essential index-based concepts, data and research, and home to iconic financial market indicators, such as the S&P 500® and the Dow Jones Industrial Average®. More assets are invested in products based on our indices than products based on indices from any other provider in the world. Since Charles Dow invented the first index in 1884, S&P DJI has become home to over 1,000,000 indices across the spectrum of asset classes that have helped define the way investors measure and trade the markets. S&P Dow Jones Indices is a division of S&P Global (NYSE: SPGI), which provides essential intelligence for individuals, companies, and governments to make decisions with confidence. For more information, visit www.spdji.com.

Media Relations:
Marni Goldberg
202-313-1253
globalmedia@visa.com

Cone Communications
Brittany Straughn
617-939-8426
bstraughn@conecomm.com

Source: Visa Inc.

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The Kroger Co. donated $3.5 million to support Hurricanes Harvey and Irma recovery efforts

CINCINNATI, 2017-Sep-19 — /EPR Retail News/ —  The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR) and its family of stores announced today (Sept. 18, 2017) it has donated $3.5 million, to date, to support recovery efforts in regions affected by Hurricanes Harvey and Irma.

“I’m proud of how quickly the Kroger team was able to mobilize after the storms to provide our associates, customers and trusted partners with the resources they need to restore their lives and communities,” said Jessica Adelman, Kroger’s group vice president of corporate affairs. “While it has been a devastating time for so many, this is when Kroger is at its very best. Kroger will be there every step of the way to help our communities rebuild.”

The Kroger Co. Foundation provided $200,000 in grants to benefit food banks in the Atlanta and Houston regions. Collectively, with the support of its manufacturing teams and vendors, Kroger has supplied more than $1 million in product donations, including food, water, pet food and toiletries, to help local disaster-relief nonprofits aiding first responders, shelters and families.

Kroger has awarded $700,000 in financial grants to its associates through Helping Hands, an internal support fund that aids associates during hardships.

Across the country, customers have come together to support storm relief by giving $1.5 million at local stores to benefit the American Red Cross.

Along with product donations and financial support, the Kroger mobile pharmacy has visited affected regions to help refill thousands of medical prescriptions for displaced patients. Nurse practitioners from the company’s The Little Clinic are presently in Houston providing affected patients with free healthcare.

At The Kroger Co., we are dedicated to our purpose: to Feed the Human SpiritTM. We are 450,000 associates who serve nearly nine million customers in 2,793 retail food stores under a variety of local banner names in 35 states and the District of Columbia. Our Family of Companies operates an expanding ClickList offering – a personalized order online service – in addition to 2,258 pharmacies, 783 convenience stores, 307 fine jewelry stores, 222 retail health clinics, 1,472 supermarket fuel centers and 38 food production plants in the United States. Our Company has been recognized as one of America’s most generous companies for our support of more than 100 Feeding America food bank partners, breast cancer research and awareness, the military and their families, and more than 145,000 community organizations including schools. As a leader in supplier diversity, we are a proud member of the Billion Dollar Roundtable.

SOURCE: The Kroger Co.

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SSP America to develop Flying Saucer Draught Emporium and Flying Square Live at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport

SSP America to develop Flying Saucer Draught Emporium and Flying Square Live at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport

 

Flying Saucer Draught Emporium and Flying Square Live to Join Airport’s Terminal D

London, 2017-Sep-19 — /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 Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) a contract to develop an airside Flying Saucer Draught Emporium as well as an entertainment and bar concept called DFW Flying Square Live created in partnership with acclaimed restauranteur and Dallas Fort Worth native Shannon Wynne, owner of the legendary Fort Worth-based Flying Saucer Draught Emporium.

With its original location at Sundance Square in Fort Worth, Flying Saucer Draught Emporium has 16 locations in 6 states. SSP America and Wynne aim to replicate the brand’s successful street side presence by creating two separate spaces in Terminal D—a pub and a stunning, entertainment jewel crowning to include an elevated performance area featuring live and local music. Both spaces will feature custom cocktails and an impressive collection of craft beers and elevated gastropub fare.

Commented Shannon Wynne, “We are happy to finally have our brand represented at DFW. As one of the leaders in the craft beer movement in Texas starting 22 years ago we have tried to spread the word about great craft brewing and grow its popularity. With Saucers throughout the southeast I think we have great name recognition and will be popular with world travelers.”

SSP America’s Vice President, Business Development Bob Stanton commented: “Our goal at SSP America is to deliver restaurants that offer airport passengers a taste of place which we’re sure to accomplish by collaborating with Shannon, his team and our local partners Charles Bush Consulting, Renee Brooks and JBJ Management. As a proud member of the DFW community for many years, we are truly grateful to have been awarded this contract and will do all we can to ensure passengers experience the charm and hospitality of North Texas when dining at Flying Saucer and enjoying live music at DFW Flying Square Live.”

“We are constantly looking at ways we can enhance our eating experience as well as retail experience,” said Zenola Campbell, vice president of concessions at DFW Airport. “Today’s consumer really wants to be engaged, they want to have great tasting food, and they want to experience the same type of relationship inside the terminal as they do outside.”

Source: SSP

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Tesco provides update on its “Bags of Help” programme

Tesco provides update on its “Bags of Help” programme

 

CHESHUNT, England, 2017-Sep-19 — /EPR Retail News/ — One question people often ask us is: “Where does the money I pay for carrier bags go at Tesco?”

We’re incredibly proud of the way money for Tesco carrier bags goes to help local communities, and we want be clear about the way we run our “Bags of Help” programme.

Each year we raise over £30m from sales of carrier bags at Tesco. We make no profit at all on sales of these bags, and the money goes to fund great causes across the country – everything from restoring scout huts to buying kids’ football kits, training coaches and investing in our green spaces.

Crucially, though, we made a decision when we started the “Bags of Help” programme to give customers the chance to choose where their money goes. After all, it’s customers’ money – so it’s only right customers can decide which local projects to fund.

To do that, we work with a charity called Groundwork. It’s their role to get the money to where it’s most needed – which means assessing and managing thousands of grant applications, then ensuring the funds awarded are properly spent.

To help Groundwork administer the programme, we pay a small proportion of the bag charges to the charity. It adds up to around £2.7m each year. That might sound a lot, but when you consider that every two months we hand out grants of up to £7,000 in each one of our 565 UK regions, it’s vital that we have a recognised charity partner to help manage the UK’s largest carrier bag charity scheme.

Groundwork have a team of over 60 people running the programme and identifying local projects in every corner of the country. We also pay for voting booths and tokens to give our customers the chance to vote on which schemes to fund. All told, it means around 10% of all the money raised from bag charges in over 2,500 stores and online goes towards running the programme. This money gives power to our customers to decide where their money is spent.

Every day, the money we raise from bags is making a huge difference in hundreds of communities. You can find out more about the way we run our Bags of Help projects here.

We are a team of 480,000 in 11 markets dedicated to serving shoppers a little better every day.

For more information please contact the Tesco Press Office on 01707 918 701

Source: Tesco

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First Data to provide secure commerce solutions for Valley National Bank merchant clients

First Data and Valley National Bank join forces to enable growth for businesses across the Valley National Bank franchise

NEW YORK, 2017-Sep-19 — /EPR Retail News/ — Today (15 Sep 2017) First Data (NYSE: FDC), a global leader in commerce-enabling technology, and Valley National Bank, the wholly-owned subsidiary of Valley National Bancorp (NYSE:VLY), announced that they have entered into a long-term agreement to provide secure commerce solutions for the bank’s merchant clients. The referral relationship will provide First Data’s cutting-edge solution suite, including First Data’s Clover platform, to Valley National Bank’s business client base across their network of more than 200 branches in New Jersey, New York, and Florida.

“Valley National Bank has a long history of providing its clients with superior service, and we are thrilled to be in business with this terrific partner,” said Chris Foskett, Executive Vice President, Head of Business and Corporate Development, First Data. “Like Valley National Bank, First Data is focused on bringing personalized service and customized solutions to our clients. We look forward to supporting Valley National Bank’s clients with our innovative solution suite.”

“We are excited about the opportunity to partner with First Data as we continue to focus on simplifying payment processing solutions for our commercial clients,” remarked Valley National Bank Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Consumer Banking Officer, Dianne Grenz. “This new relationship will help us deliver the unique and innovative solutions our business clients need to be successful in today’s global commerce industry.”

As part of the long-term deal, Valley National Bank’s merchant clients will have access to First Data’s Clover platform, a comprehensive suite of hardware and software point-of-sale solutions that supports businesses of all sizes. The platform features 300 apps designed to help businesses run more efficiently, as well as the recently-announced Clover Flex, a smart payment terminal that fits comfortably as a handheld device or on the countertop. The Clover platform also features Clover Capital, a financing solution designed to help small and mid-sized merchants meet their ongoing liquidity requirements by providing rapid access to capital.

In addition, First Data’s Clover platform allows for easy integration with software that caters to specific business segments, such as restaurants, hair salons, or specialty retailers. Through these integrations Clover can meet the unique needs of merchants across a variety of verticals. Valley National Bank will also have access to First Data’s eCommerce solution set, which includes a range of tools for everyone from local small businesses to large retailers to seamlessly accept online or mobile transactions.

For more information, visit valleynationalbank.com/clover.

About First Data

First Data (NYSE: FDC) is a global leader in commerce-enabling technology, serving approximately six million business locations and 4,000 financial institutions in more than 100 countries around the world. The company’s 24,000 owner-associates are dedicated to helping companies, from start-ups to the world’s largest corporations, conduct commerce every day by securing and processing more than 2,800 transactions per second and $2.2 trillion per year.

About Valley

Valley National Bancorp is a regional bank holding company headquartered in Wayne, New Jersey with approximately $23 billion in assets. Its principal subsidiary, Valley National Bank, currently operates over 200 branch locations in northern and central New Jersey, the New York City boroughs of Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens and Long Island, and Florida. Valley National Bank is one of the largest commercial banks headquartered in New Jersey with Executive Offices in Manhattan and West Palm Beach. Helping communities grow and prosper is the heart of Valley’s corporate citizenship philosophy. For more information about Valley National Bank and its products and services, please visit www.valleynationalbank.com.

Media Contact:
Liidia Liuksila
First Data
212-515-0174
Liidia.Liuksila@FirstData.com

Marc Piro
Valley National Bank
973-686-5461
mpiro@valleynationalbank.com

Source: First Data

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Amazon to open new fulfillment center in the Charter Township of Shelby, Michigan in 2018

New 1-million-square-foot site will be the third Amazon fulfillment center in Michigan

SEATTLE, 2017-Sep-19 — /EPR Retail News/ — Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN) today (Sep. 14, 2017) announced plans to open a new fulfillment center in the Charter Township of Shelby, Mich. When the site opens in 2018, Amazon will create 1,000 new full-time jobs with benefits.

“Michigan has been a great place to do business for Amazon and we look forward to adding a new fulfillment center to better serve our customers in the region,” said Sanjay Shah, Amazon’s vice president of North American operations. “The state has been a source of exceptional talent for Amazon, and we’re proud to be creating great jobs with benefits for Michiganders.”

At the new 1-million-square-foot fulfillment center in the Charter Township of Shelby, employees will pick, pack and ship large items like household decor, sporting equipment and gardening tools.

“Amazon’s announcement to open another new fulfillment center in Michigan once again shows the company’s commitment to our state and the great people who live here,” Gov. Rick Snyder said. “As we continue to see an increasing convergence between the tech and manufacturing sectors, Amazon’s continued investment here proves the value of Michigan’s diverse, hard-working talent pool and reformed business climate.”

Since 2016, Amazon has announced multiple facilities in Michigan including three fulfillment centers and one sortation center in Livonia, Romulus, Brownstown and the Charter Township of Shelby, as well as a corporate office in Detroit. The new fulfillment center will bring Amazon’s workforce in the Great Lakes State to more than 3,500.

“We are proud Amazon has made its home in Macomb,” said Macomb County Executive Mark Hackel. “The economic advantage of Macomb County has aligned perfectly with the corporate growth strategy of Amazon. This partnership is built upon technological innovation, emerging workforce development, and community prosperity. Together with Amazon, we are bringing a million square foot fulfillment center and 1,000 jobs to Macomb County.”

Full-time employees at Amazon receive highly-competitive pay, health insurance, disability insurance, retirement savings plans and company stock. The company also offers up to 20 weeks of maternity and parental paid leave and innovative benefits such as Leave Share and Ramp Back, which give new parents flexibility with their growing families.

“We are very proud to welcome Amazon to Shelby Township,” Township Supervisor Rick Stathakis said. “Everyone knows what an amazing success Amazon is, and, the fact that Amazon chose to expand its operations in Shelby Township, lets the world know Shelby Township has the services, infrastructure and ability to meet the needs of the top business organizations in the world. We look forward to the new tax revenue and the successful reclamation of this former industrial plant into a new, innovative, hi-tech distribution center adding more than 1,000 new jobs to our community.”

Amazon also offers full-time employees innovative programs like Career Choice, where the company 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, over 10,000 employees have pursued 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 amazondelivers.jobs.

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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Zenith reveals the world’s most accurate mechanical watch — Defy Lab

Zenith reveals the world’s most accurate mechanical watch — Defy Lab

 

Paris, 2017-Sep-19 — /EPR Retail News/ — Zenith has revealed Defy Lab, the world’s most accurate mechanical watch thanks to a groundbreaking oscillator. The triple certified watch marks a major advance in measuring time, embodying Zenith’s constant drive for innovation and high precision.

Zenith unveiled the Defy Lab and its groundbreaking oscillator during a press conference at the Zenith Manufacture in Le Locle, Switzerland, hosted by Jean-Claude Biver, President of the LVMH Watch Division, Julien Tornare, CEO of Zenith and Guy Semon, CEO of the LVMH Watch Division R&D Institute.  Presented as the most accurate mechanical watch in the world, the Defy Lab is both an evolution and an improvement on the balance and hairspring regulator invented in January 1675 by the scientist Christiaan Huygens. This advance constitutes an outright challenge to the fundamental operating principle of mechanical watches.

To achieve this performance, the timepiece is equipped with a single element oscillator that measures just 0.5 mm in thickness, replacing the traditional balance-and-spring assembly. The Defy Lab beats at a frequency of 15 Hz with an amplitude of +/- 6 degrees – three times the frequency of the iconic Zenith El Primero movement. This gives it exceptional accuracy, with a daily rate precise to just 0.3 seconds, and a 60-hour power reserve. Insensitive to temperature gradients, gravity and magnetic fields, the Defy Lab maintains the same degree of precision for 95% of its power reserve. This is also the first watch with a case made from Aeronith, an aluminum composite lighter than titanium, aluminum or carbon fiber.

The accuracy of mechanical watches enters a new dimension with this innovative watch from the Swiss manufacture. The watch has been awarded triple certification: chronometer certification from the Besançon Observatory on behalf of the International Bureau of Weights and Measures, displayed in the viper’s head stamp; for thermal behavior, the ISO-3159 standard spectrum has been broadened; and the watch meets ISO-764 magnetic criteria.

Contact:

LVMH Moët Hennessy – Louis Vuitton
22, avenue Montaigne, 75008 Paris – France
Tel: +33 (0)1 44 13 22 22
Fax: +33 (0)1 44 13 22 23

Source: LVMH

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Nordstrom opens its doors to its new CF Sherway Gardens store; its third location in Toronto

SEATTLE, 2017-Sep-19 — /EPR Retail News/ — Leading fashion retailer Nordstrom, Inc. (NYSE: JWN) opened the doors this morning to its new CF Sherway Gardens store, making it the third location in Toronto following openings at CF Toronto Eaton Centre and Yorkdale Shopping Centre last fall. The two-level, 140,000 square-foot store offers customers five shoe departments, a full-service bistro-style restaurant and bar, a coffee bar, expansive beauty and accessory areas and a curated selection of popular fashion brands for men, women and children.

“We want our Sherway Gardens store to be an inclusive place to shop and we’ve worked hard to bring in a balanced offering of the best fashion the market has to offer in a wide range of prices,” said Jennifer Gross, store manager at Nordstrom Sherway Gardens “We look forward to serving customers on their terms through a more convenient west end location.”

CF Sherway Gardens completes the company’s planned full-line expansion of six stores in Canada. The retailer also serves customers at CF Chinook Centre in Calgary, CF Rideau Centre in Ottawa, CF Pacific Place in Vancouver, CF Toronto Eaton Centre and Yorkdale Shopping Centre in Toronto.

“Our journey with Nordstrom began in 2012 when we jointly announced their entry into Canada through Cadillac Fairview shopping centres,” said John Sullivan, President and CEO, Cadillac Fairview. “Today, we are thrilled to stand alongside Nordstrom to celebrate the opening of their store with us at CF Sherway Gardens and the first to serve shoppers in Toronto’s west end.”

Customers can shop a great selection of brands, including shoes from Kate Spade New York, Vince Camuto, Ted Baker London, Tory Burch, Steve Madden and Nike, as well as handbags from Rebecca Minkoff and Celine Dion. The women’s apparel offering includes, among others, Madewell, Rag & Bone, Alice + Olivia, Veronica Beard and Free People. The store’s expansive Beauty department features brands such as Charlotte Tilbury, Tom Ford, MAC, Nars, Chanel, Diptyque, Jo Malone, and an area dedicated to Korean beauty products called KBeauty, a first for the company. Men’s brands include Billy Reid, John Varvatos, Canali, Hugo Boss, Wings and Horns and more. The store also houses an At Home department featuring bed, bath, dining and home décor and gifts.

The store offers many services to make shopping easy, convenient and fun for customers, including: complimentary Personal Stylists and Beauty Stylists, a Beauty Concierge, ‘Nordstrom to You’ a mobile personal stylist service, a cell phone charging station, kids’ shoe-tying classes and a first-walker shoe fitting experience, on-site alterations and tailoring, certified shoe and bra fitters, prosthesis services, Nordstrom Rewards, UnionPay and more.

Opening day festivities began with a Beauty Bash hosted by Nordstrom just outside its mall entrance at 8 a.m. Nordstrom’s team of beauty and fragrance experts provided customers with free skincare consultations, demonstrations and makeup updates for the fall season. More than 300 employees welcomed the first customers through the doors when the store officially opened at 10 a.m.

Earlier in the week, Nordstrom hosted and underwrote Nordstrom Night Out, an opening party for 1,500 guests. Local nonprofits Big Brothers Big Sisters of Toronto and St. Joseph’s Health Centre Foundationwere the beneficiaries of more than $145,000 in ticket sale proceeds.

The company plans to open six Nordstrom Rack stores in Canada next year, including: Vaughan Mills in Toronto on March 22, 2018; Deerfoot Meadows in Calgary on April 26, 2018; One Bloor in Toronto on May 3, 2018; and three stores in fall 2018 at The Ottawa Train Yards in Ottawa, South Edmonton Common in Edmonton, and Heartfeld Town Centre in Mississauga. Nordstrom Rack is the off-price division of Nordstrom, Inc. offering customers a wide selection of on-trend apparel, accessories and shoes at everyday savings of 30-70 percent off regular prices.

About Nordstrom
Nordstrom, Inc. is a leading fashion retailer based in the U.S. Founded in 1901 as a shoe store in Seattle, today Nordstrom operates 356 stores in 40 states, including 121 full-line stores in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico; 224 Nordstrom Rack stores; two Jeffrey boutiques; and two clearance stores. Additionally, customers are served online through Nordstrom.com, Nordstromrack.com and HauteLook. The company also owns Trunk Club, a personalized clothing service serving customers online at TrunkClub.com and its seven clubhouses. Nordstrom, Inc.’s common stock is publicly traded on the NYSEunder the symbol JWN.

CONTACT:
John Bailey
Nordstrom, Inc.
(206) 303-3018

SOURCE: Nordstrom, Inc.

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EROSKI eleva las compras de pescado con sello azul ‘MSC’ de pesca sostenible a más de 789 toneladas durante el primer semestre

EROSKI eleva las compras de pescado con sello azul ‘MSC’ de pesca sostenible a más de 789 toneladas durante el primer semestre

 

  • Las compras de bacalao Skrei han superado las 360 Tn, las de anchoa del Cantábrico las 313 Tn y las de bonito del norte las 115 Tn
  •  La previsión de la cooperativa es que la comercialización de pescado certificado con el sello azul ‘MSC’ alcance los dos millones de kilos en tres años
  •  EROSKI se compromete en su Política de Pesca Sotenible a apoyar a las pesquerías respetuosas con el ecosistema marino para ofrecer al consumidor opciones para una alimentación más saludable y sostenible

ELORRIO, ESPANA, 2017-Sep-19 — /EPR Retail News/ — EROSKI, en la primera campaña desde que lograra la certificación ‘MSC’ para la comercialización de pescado fresco con certificado de sostenibilidad, ha elevado sus compras de pescado con sello azul ‘MSC’ de pesca sostenible a más de 789,5 toneladas a cierre del primer semestre del presente ejercicio.

Concretamente, la cooperativa ha comprado más de 360 toneladas de bacalao Skrei, más de 313 de anchoa del Cantábrico y más 115 de bonito del norte. EROSKI da así un paso más en la consolidación de su liderazgo en frescos y en la comercialización de alimentos más responsables como base para una alimentación saludable y sostenible, pilar básico de su modelo comercial “contigo”.

“El pescado fresco con certificado de sostenibilidad gana espacio y diversidad de especies en los mostradores de nuestras pescaderías, con muy buena valoración por parte de los consumidores. Esta certificación internacional es una garantía de que el pescado fresco con ecoetiqueta azul procede de pesquerías sostenibles con su trazabilidad garantizada y una muestra de nuestro compromiso con nuestros clientes de ofrecerles nuevas opciones para una alimentación más saludable y más responsable”, ha señalado el director de Salud y Sostenibilidad de EROSKI, Alejandro Martínez Berriochoa.

Primera cadena de distribución minorista en España en superar la auditoría MSC

EROSKI se convirtió el pasado marzo en la primera cadena de distribución minorista en España que supera la auditoría de la organización internacional Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) para la certificación de la cadena de custodia del pescado fresco proveniente de caladeros sostenibles. La certificación de los mostradores de las pescaderías de EROSKI ha sido progresiva y alcanza los 348 mostradores de pescado fresco y seis plataformas logísticas de pesca. EROSKI ha comercializado bacalao, anchoa del Cantábrico y Bonito del Norte con el sello azul y la previsión de la cooperativa es ir introduciendo nuevas especies y que la comercialización de pescado certificado con la ecoetiqueta ‘MSC’ alcance los dos millones de kilos en tres años.

La organización internacional Marine Stewardship Concil (MSC) ha unido fuerzas con EROSKI para educar y concienciar al consumidor sobre la necesidad de proteger y salvaguardar los recursos marinos a través de un consumo sostenible de productos del mar. Además, ha colaborado con la cooperativa en la formación de 2.160 personas que atienden en sus mostradores de pescadería.

EROSKI lidera en España la apuesta por la ecoetiqueta ‘MSC’ en el canal de fresco, un compromiso que es un apoyo fundamental para los productores que están apostando por la sostenibilidad.

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

Source: Eroski

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Marks and Spencer: Jill McDonald new Managing Director, Clothing, Home & Beauty to start on 2nd October 2017

London, 2017-Sep-19 — /EPR Retail News/ — Further to the announcement made on 3rd May 2017, and in accordance with paragraph 9.6.12 of the Listing Rules, Marks and Spencer Group plc today (13 Sep 2017) confirms that Jill McDonald will take up the new position of Managing Director, Clothing, Home & Beauty on 2nd October 2017.

As previously announced, CEO Steve Rowe, will relinquish his Clothing, Home & Beauty accountabilities to Jill on her arrival, and CFO Helen Weir, will hand over responsibility for the Clothing, Home & Beauty Supply Chain & Logistics.

For further information, please contact: 
Corporate Press Office
020 8718 1919

Source: Marks and Spencer

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SONIC’s Carhop Classic meal deal complete with SONIC Cheeseburger and Onion Rings for only $2.99

SONIC’s Carhop Classic meal deal complete with SONIC Cheeseburger and Onion Rings for only $2.99

 

OKLAHOMA CITY, 2017-Sep-19 — /EPR Retail News/ — SONIC® Drive-In’s (NASDAQ: SONC) new Carhop Classic meal deal delivers guests the classic tastes they love at an incredible value complete with a SONIC Cheeseburger and Onion Rings for only $2.99*.

The Carhop Classic includes SONIC’s Cheeseburger, made with a 100-percent pure beef quarter-pound patty, fresh tomatoes, chopped onions and crinkle cut pickles all stacked on a toasted bakery-quality bun. The bundle also includes SONIC’s delicious Onion Rings that are handmade daily and ready to order at every drive-in. Cheeseburger fans can complete their meal by adding on one of SONIC’s many drink combinations including the classic Cherry Limeade.

“Our iconic Cheeseburgers are a classic item that we’ve had on the menu at SONIC since 1953 and is still a fan favorite,” said Lori Abou Habib, chief marketing officer for SONIC. “We constantly seek new ways to give our guests a fun eating experience, and the Carhop Classic deal is a great way for Cheeseburger lovers to also enjoy our handmade Onion Rings at a great deal any time of day.”

SONIC’s Carhop Classic is available for a limited only, so grab a friend and head to the drive-in to get this flavorful deal before it’s gone.

* Tax not included. See menu for details.

About SONIC®, America’s Drive-In®

SONIC, America’s Drive-In is the nation’s largest drive-in restaurant chain serving approximately 3 million customers every day. More than 90 percent of SONIC’s 3,500 drive-in locations are owned and operated by local business men and women. For 64 years, SONIC has delighted guests with signature menu items, 1.3 million drink combinations and friendly service by iconic Carhops. Since the 2009 launch of SONIC’s Limeades for Learning® campaign in partnership with DonorsChoose.org, SONIC has donated $8.4 million to public school teachers’ classrooms nationwide to fund essential learning materials and innovative teaching resources to inspire creativity and learning in their students. To learn more about Sonic Corp. (NASDAQ/NM: SONC), please visit sonicdrivein.com and please visit or follow us on Facebook and Twitter. To learn about SONIC’s Limeades for Learning initiative, please visit LimeadesforLearning.com.

Contact:
Rebeka Mora
512-542-2804
Rebeka.Mora@cohnwolfe.com

Source: SONIC Drive-In

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British Land: Meadowhall received resolution to grant planning consent for £300 million extension

British Land: Meadowhall received resolution to grant planning consent for £300 million extension

 

London, 2017-Sep-19 — /EPR Retail News/ — Meadowhall, one of the UK’s most successful regional shopping destinations, has received a resolution to grant planning consent for a £300 million extension that will transform the centre’s leisure offering for its 24 million annual visitors. Councillors unanimously voted in favour of the 330,000 sq ft development.

The extension will integrate with the front of the existing centre featuring dining and entertaining options, a new cinema, café court, gym, open-air terrace and space for leisure, event and community use.

The Leisure Hall will follow a £60 million refurbishment that is transforming the look and feel of the existing centre. This work will be completed during the autumn, ahead of the peak Christmas trading period, and has directly benefited the local economy with 70% of the work commissioned from companies within 25 miles of the centre.

In anticipation of increasing customer interest in Meadowhall as a result of this comprehensive refurbishment, 40 retailers have invested more than £34 million in redesigning and refitting their existing stores to fit the new contemporary feel. These include All Saints, Hollister, House of Fraser and Hugo Boss with a further 30 currently underway. In the 12 months to June 2017, all 61 occupiers with leases due to expire renewed their tenancies and eight of these retailers increased the size of their space within the centre in advance of the refurbishment’s completion.

30 new brands have also signed at Meadowhall over the last 18 months, with Flannels, Tag Heuer, Nespresso, Neal’s Yard and Godiva all adding to the centre’s premium offer.

Charles Maudsley, Head of Retail, Leisure and Residential for British Land, said:
“We are delighted with the Planning Committee’s decision and will now work with our partners and other stakeholders over the coming months on the detail of the Leisure Hall to ensure Meadowhall delivers the maximum benefits for customers, retailers and the wider Sheffield City Region.

“The refurbishment completing later this year, our continued leasing success, significant store investment by retailers and the Leisure Hall proposals are all significant steps in the centre’s continued evolution.”

Notes to Editors

About British Land:
Our portfolio of high quality UK commercial property is focused on Retail around the UK and London Offices. We own or manage a portfolio valued at £19.1 billion (British Land share: £13.9 billion) as at 31 March 2017 making us one of Europe’s largest listed real estate investment companies.

Our strategy is to provide places which meet the needs of our customers and respond to changing lifestyles – Places People Prefer. We do this by creating great environments both inside and outside our buildings and use our scale and placemaking skills to enhance and enliven them. This expands their appeal to a broader range of occupiers, creating enduring demand and driving sustainable, long term performance.

Our Retail portfolio is focused on Regional and Local multi-let centres, and accounts for 48% of our portfolio. Our Offices portfolio comprises three office-led campuses in central London as well as high quality standalone buildings and accounts for 49% of our portfolio. Increasingly our focus is on providing a mix of uses and this is most evident at Canada Water, our 46 acre redevelopment opportunity where we have plans to create a new neighbourhood for London.

Sustainability is embedded throughout our business. Our places, which are designed to meet high sustainability standards, become part of local communities, provide opportunities for skills development and employment and promote wellbeing. Our industry-leading sustainability performance led to British Land being named a European Sector Leader in the 2016 Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark for the third year running.

In April 2016, British Land received the Queen’s Award for Enterprise: Sustainable Development, the UK’s highest accolade for business success for economic, social and environmental achievements over a period of five years.

Enquiries:
Investor Relations:
Cressida Curtis
British Land
020 7467 2938

Media:
Pip Wood
British Land
020 7467 2838

Jackie Janssen
British Land
020 7467 3449

Nick Thornton
Aver
020 3514 2148

Amanda McNally
Aver 0
20 3514 2137

Further details can be found on the British Land website at www.britishland.com

Source: British Land

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CVS Pharmacy to acquire six of ProMedica’s outpatient pharmacy locations in Ohio

CVS Pharmacy and ProMedica will work together to ensure patients experience a seamless transition of care

WOONSOCKET, R.I. & TOLEDO, Ohio, 2017-Sep-19 — /EPR Retail News/ — CVS Pharmacy and ProMedica announced today (September 13, 2017) that CVS Pharmacy will acquire six of ProMedica’s outpatient pharmacy locations in Ohio. CVS Pharmacy will take over operations of ProMedica Pharmacy Counter, located at 3316 Navarre Ave. in Oregon, and will convert it to CVS Pharmacy in early November. The remaining five Toledo-area outpatient pharmacies acquired by CVS Pharmacy will be closed and all pharmacy files will be transferred to nearby CVS Pharmacy stores, beginning in mid-October.

CVS Pharmacy and ProMedica are working together to ensure the transition will be seamless for patients and their access to pharmacy care is not interrupted. The outpatient pharmacies that will close are listed below:

Additional information on closure dates will be communicated to patients in the upcoming weeks.

ProMedica will retain ownership of its other outpatient pharmacies at ProMedica Toledo Hospital, ProMedica Monroe Hospital and ProMedica Fostoria Hospital. ProMedica will also continue to operate its specialty, adherence (blister packaging) and home infusion pharmacies, as well as its home medical equipment business.

“ProMedica and CVS Pharmacy are working closely together to ensure patients experience a seamless transition of services and that their access to pharmacy care is not interrupted,” said Neeraj Kanwal, MD, senior vice president of inpatient and retail pharmacy at ProMedica. “We’re confident our patients will benefit from CVS Pharmacy’s unique clinical services.”

CVS Pharmacy offers a wide array of pharmacy services, including medication adherence programs, automatic refills to help patients take their medications on time and as directed, immunizations, text alerts to inform patients when their prescriptions are ready, and digital tools to help patients manage their prescriptions.

“We’re pleased to partner with ProMedica and look forward to bringing our innovative pharmacy care programs and services to its patients in Ohio,” said Alisa Ulrey, area vice president, CVS Pharmacy. “We are committed to continuing ProMedica and Pharmacy Counter’s tradition of providing excellent care to patients, and are excited to introduce our industry-leading offerings to patients.”

CVS Pharmacy expects to hire many of the Pharmacy Counter employees currently working at these locations.

“We’d like to thank our employees for their commitment to our patients and the high-quality service they provided over the years,” said Dr. Kanwal.

About CVS Pharmacy

CVS Pharmacy, the retail division of CVS Health (NYSE: CVS), is America’s leading retail pharmacy with over 9,700 locations. It is the first national pharmacy to end the sale of tobacco and the first pharmacy in the nation to receive the Community Pharmacy accreditation from URAC, the leading health care accreditation organization that establishes quality standards for the health care industry. CVS Pharmacy is reinventing pharmacy to help people on their path to better health by providing the most accessible and personalized expertise, both in its stores and online at CVS.com. General information about CVS Pharmacy and CVS Health is available at www.cvshealth.com.

About ProMedica

ProMedica is a mission-based, not-for-profit healthcare organization serving northwest Ohio and southeast Michigan. The 12-hospital system has more than 15,000 employees, nearly 2,100 physicians and advanced practice providers with privileges, and more than 800 healthcare providers employed by ProMedica Physicians. Additionally it offers a health plan, Paramount, which serves 331,000 members including more than 230,000 members in the statewide Medicaid plan. Driven by its Mission to improve your health and well-being, ProMedica offers a full range of diagnostic, medical and surgical specialties in areas such as emergency medicine and trauma, behavioral health, heart and vascular, oncology, orthopaedics, neurology, and women’s and children’s services. The health system has been nationally recognized for its advocacy programs and efforts to raise awareness about hunger as a health issue. For more information about ProMedica, please visit

www.promedica.org/aboutus. 

Media Contacts:

Amy Lanctot
Senior Manager, Public Relations
Amy.Lanctot@CVSHealth.com
401-770-2931

Tedra White
Director of Media and Public Relations
tedra.white@promedica.org
419-262-0371

Source: CVS Health

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ASDA predicts over two million British pumpkins to be sold this year

ASDA predicts over two million British pumpkins to be sold this yea
  • A good summer has helped Asda pumpkin growers produce a bumper crop already being harvested, almost a month earlier than normal
  • Sales of British pumpkins expected to be 61% higher than in 2015

LEEDS, UK, 2017-Sep-19 — /EPR Retail News/ — Trick or treaters can get creative with unlimited ghoulish carvings this year, as Asda has already started harvesting over two million pumpkins – more than ever before – following a sizzling summer.

This year, Asda’s pumpkins will be bigger than ever due to the recent bouts of warm weather and plentiful rain, which has helped the Halloween staple to flourish. The extra-large pumpkins, from varieties named ’Big Doris’ and ‘Gladiator’, weigh up to 30 kilos- almost six times the common varieties of pumpkins, which weigh on average five kilos.

Planted back in May, the weather conditions have helped the crop develop and harvest being brought forward, with each individual vegetable going from seed to fully-fledged pumpkin in 110 days, making for a fang-tastic Halloween for Brits.

Kevin Curson, Asda Pumpkin Grower, comments: “The British weather can be your best friend or worst enemy when it comes to harvest time. We planted the pumpkin seeds several months back and have since been blessed with the weather, which has boosted the size and number of pumpkins we’re harvesting.

We’d been checking on the pumpkins regularly and were surprised to see that the weather conditions meant we had to bring forward the start of harvest to September 1st. Whilst earlier than expected, we always ensure we’re picking pumpkins when they’re at their best, so it was important to get the operation moving quickly.”

Jon Wynn, Asda Vegetable Technical Manager, said: “In recent years, we’ve seen a huge increase in the demand for pumpkins as more households adopt Halloween as an annual tradition.

Thanks to a bumper crop, Asda will have over two million pumpkins available of all shapes and sizes and in perfect condition for creepy carving and trick or treating.”

In two years, Asda has seen almost double the amount of pumpkin sales around Halloween. In 2015, 1.35 million pumpkins were sold, with 2.2 million predicted for this year.

Available in store from October 5th, Asda’s pumpkins come in three sizes; Medium, Large and Extra Large.

Kevin Curson’s top pumpkin tips: To look after pumpkins at home prior to carving, Brits should keep them stored in a dry and cool environment. Let them get plenty of air around them.

Source: ASDA

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BRC analysis spells out potential cost to shoppers of leaving the EU without a tariff-free trade deal

London, 2017-Sep-19 — /EPR Retail News/ — The outcomes of the Brexit negotiations are hugely important to the UK’s retail and food production industries. The UK is a net importer of food – 40 per cent of the food we eat comes from outside the UK, with around a third from the EU-27 alone. In comparison, only 12 per cent of the UK’s non- food imports come from the EU. People in the UK spend around £201 billion a year on food and non-alcoholic drinks.

In April the BRC’s Tariff Roadmap highlighted the need to put UK consumers at the heart of the Brexit negotiations to protect them from the costs of unwanted new tariffs, particularly when it comes to food bills.

Modern food retail relies on complex but responsive supply chains to ensure that customers get the products they want year round, at consistently good quality, and at competitive prices. This is dependent upon us being able to source food across national borders to supplement food production in the UK, without tariffs and unaffected by non-tariff barriers to trade. The alternative, a no-deal Brexit, would mean defaulting to a system which could raise food tariffs by 22 per cent on average.

Helen Dickinson OBE, Chief Executive of the BRC said:

“At a time when household income is already squeezed by inflation and wage growth moving in opposite directions, it’s of the utmost importance that the Government does all it can in the trading negotiations, to limit any further cost increases that could further adversely impact the finances of the UK’s consumers.”

The Tariff Roadmap makes the case for transitional measures to ensure that tariff-free trade continues after the UK’s exit from the EU in March 2019. This is important to avoid rising costs and provide greater certainty for consumers and businesses. Achieving as frictionless trade as possible with the EU will help to keep prices down and maintain greater choice and food security for consumers. Perishable food has a short shelf-life and getting it through the food supply chain in a timely manner requires as little disruption as possible at every stage of the process, including at our ports.

Avoiding a no deal Brexit is key. The BRC will work with government to secure a fair Brexit for consumers by ensuring prices remain low and choice and confidence remains high.

Read IFS Study: How might Brexit affect food prices?

Source: BRC

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DDR declares third quarter 2017 common stock dividend of $0.19 per share

BEACHWOOD, Ohio, 2017-Sep-19 — /EPR Retail News/ — DDR Corp. (NYSE: DDR) declared its third quarter 2017 common stock dividend of $0.19 per share. The common stock dividend is payable on October 10, 2017 to shareholders of record at the close of business on September 26, 2017.

ABOUT DDR Corp.

DDR is an owner and manager of 298 value-oriented shopping centers representing 100 million square feet in 34 states and Puerto Rico. The Company owns a high-quality portfolio of open-air shopping centers in major metropolitan areas that provide a highly-compelling shopping experience and merchandise mix for retail partners and consumers. The Company actively manages its assets with a focus on creating long-term shareholder value. DDR is a self-administered and self-managed REIT operating as a fully integrated real estate company, and is publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol DDR. Additional information about the Company is available at www.ddr.com.

Safe Harbor

DDR Corp. considers portions of the information in this press release to be forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, both as amended, with respect to the Company’s expectation for future periods. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are based upon reasonable assumptions, it can give no assurance that its expectations will be achieved. For this purpose, any statements contained herein that are not historical fact may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. There are a number of important factors that could cause our results to differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements, including, among other factors, local conditions such as supply of space or a reduction in demand for real estate in the area; competition from other available space; dependence on rental income from real property; the loss of, significant downsizing of or bankruptcy of a major tenant; redevelopment and construction activities may not achieve a desired return on investment; our ability to buy or sell assets on commercially reasonable terms; our ability to complete acquisitions or dispositions of assets under contract; our ability to secure equity or debt financing on commercially acceptable terms or at all; our ability to enter into definitive agreements with regard to our financing and joint venture arrangements or our failure to satisfy conditions to the completion of these arrangements; the success of our deleveraging strategy; and any impact or results from the Company’s portfolio transition or any change in strategy. For additional factors that could cause the results of the Company to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements, please refer to the Company’s Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly revise these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that arise after the date hereof.

SOURCE: DDR Corp.

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DDR refinances two revolving credit facilities, increasing borrowing capacity to $1.0 billion

BEACHWOOD, Ohio, 2017-Sep-19 — /EPR Retail News/ — DDR Corp. (NYSE: DDR) announced today (Sept. 13, 2017) that it has refinanced its two revolving credit facilities, increasing borrowing capacity to $1.0 billion and extending their maturities. The company also extended the maturity on $200 million of its $400 million unsecured term loan.

“The refinancing of our lines of credit and term loan mark the successful completion of the maturity extension and liquidity improvement portion of our balance sheet restructuring. As a result of this transaction and $975 million of recent unsecured debt and perpetual preferred transactions, DDR’s weighted average debt maturity is now among the longest in the shopping center REIT sector, and our upsized credit facility can absorb approximately four years of existing debt maturities.  Our focus is now on completion of the deleveraging process, which we expect to conclude by mid-2018,” commented David Lukes, Chief Executive Officer.  “We very much appreciate the support of our lender group during this balance sheet restructuring process.”

The amended $950 million unsecured revolving credit facility, up from $750 million, has an initial maturity of September 1, 2021 with two six-month extension options, and contains an accordion feature that provides for up to $1.45 billion of potential total capacity. DDR also refinanced its $50 million unsecured revolving credit facility provided solely by PNC Bank, National Association, matching the borrower financial covenants of the $950 million unsecured revolving credit facility.  Based on DDR’s current credit rating, pricing on the refinanced revolving credit facilities remains the same as the prior facilities.

DDR also recast $200 million of its existing $400 million unsecured term loan. The new recast portion of the unsecured term loan has a maturity of January 31, 2023 and the remaining portion of the unsecured term loan has a maturity date of January 20, 2018 with two one-year extension options. The company anticipates repaying the earlier maturing portion of the term loan as part of its previously announced deleveraging plan. Pricing of the unsecured term loan remains unchanged at LIBOR plus 110 basis points, based on DDR’s current credit rating.

JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC served as Joint Bookrunners, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. served as Administrative Agent, and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, Citizens Bank, N.A., RBC Capital Markets and U.S.Bank National Association served as Joint Lead Arrangers on the amended $950 million revolving credit facility.

Wells Fargo Securities, LLC and PNC Capital Markets LLC served as Joint Bookrunners, Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. served as Administrative Agent, and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, PNC Capital Markets LLC, and KeyBanc Capital Markets Inc. served as Joint Lead Arrangers on the amended $400 million unsecured term loan.

ABOUT DDR
DDR is an owner and manager of 298 value-oriented shopping centers representing 100 million square feet in 34 states and Puerto Rico. The Company owns a high-quality portfolio of open-air shopping centers in major metropolitan areas that provide a highly-compelling shopping experience and merchandise mix for retail partners and consumers. The Company actively manages its assets with a focus on creating long-term shareholder value. DDR is a self-administered and self-managed REIT operating as a fully integrated real estate company, and is publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol DDR.

SAFE HARBOR
DDR Corp. considers portions of the information in this press release to be forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, both as amended, with respect to the Company’s expectation for future periods. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are based upon reasonable assumptions, it can give no assurance that its expectations will be achieved. For this purpose, any statements contained herein that are not historical fact may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. There are a number of important factors that could cause our results to differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements, including, among other factors, local conditions such as supply of space or a reduction in demand for real estate in the area; competition from other available space; dependence on rental income from real property; the loss of, significant downsizing of or bankruptcy of a major tenant; redevelopment and construction activities may not achieve a desired return on investment; our ability to buy or sell assets on commercially reasonable terms; our ability to complete acquisitions or dispositions of assets under contract; our ability to secure equity or debt financing on commercially acceptable terms or at all; our ability to enter into definitive agreements with regard to our financing and joint venture arrangements or our failure to satisfy conditions to the completion of these arrangements; the success of our deleveraging strategy; and any impact or results from the Company’s portfolio transition or any change in strategy. For additional factors that could cause the results of the Company to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements, please refer to the Company’s Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly revise these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that arise after the date hereof.

SOURCE: DDR Corp.

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CarMax to fill 50 positions for new store in Colma, CA slated to open in November

RICHMOND, Virginia, 2017-Sep-19 — /EPR Retail News/ — CarMax, Inc. (NYSE: KMX), the nation’s largest retailer of used cars, announced today (September 14, 2017) it is hiring to fill 50 positions for a new CarMax store in Colma, CA slated to open in November. Job applicants hired for the Colma location will be the recipients of special compensation incentives and sign-on bonuses – the largest in CarMax history for these positions.

Entry-level associates are eligible for a starting pay of up to $25/hour. Additionally, all Colma associates will receive bonus compensation of $200 on every paycheck to help with cost of living expenses – a total of more than $5,000 every year. The associates will also receive a New Store Bonus awarded semi-annually during the first two years of employment totaling $2,000.

Associates will receive the following sign-on bonuses for joining CarMax’s team:

  • $3,000-$7,500 for automotive technicians (based on experience level)
  • $3,000 for sales consultants and service advisors
  • $1,500 for reconditioning associates

For 13 consecutive years, CarMax has been named one of FORTUNE magazine’s 100 Best Companies to Work For® and applications are now being accepted at www.jobs.carmax.com.

The company will be hosting a job fair on September 21, 2017 at the Colma Community Center located at 1520 Hillside Boulevard. Refreshments will be served and applicants will be eligible for a raffle prize drawing for a VISA gift card.

“Experience in the automotive industry isn’t a requirement in order to work at CarMax,” said Davi Rodrigues, location general manager of CarMax in Colma. “We focus on hiring people with high integrity and the company provides award-winning training and development to help our associates build great careers.”

Who is CarMax Hiring?

  • CarMax is seeking applicants for full and part-time positions.
  • Available positions include sales, business office, and service operations positions including inventory associates, service advisors and technicians.
  • Technicians require previous automotive experience, however most positions do not.
  • Many CarMax associates have worked for other major retailers, such as Target, Lowe’s, Wal-Mart and Macy’s.

Why Work at CarMax?

  • CarMax is committed to hiring people with strong values of integrity, transparency and respect. We live these values every day and they drive how we treat our associates and our customers.
  • CarMax offers unmatched training and support for associate career growth.
  • CarMax offers competitive pay and a comprehensive benefits package.
  • Stores are equipped with climate controlled, state-of-the-art service bays with quality equipment
  • CarMax associates also receive discounts on car purchases and other services.
  • CarMax is recognized as one of FORTUNE magazine’s 100 Best Companies to Work For®, 15 Best Workplaces in Retail and 100 Best Workplaces for Millennials, as well as one of TRAINING Magazine’s “Training Top 125” companies in America.

How Can Job Seekers Apply?

The new Colma store will be located at 401 Serramonte Boulevard and will be joining the company’s Pleasanton, Fremont, Santa Rosa and San Jose stores as CarMax’s fifth location in the Bay Area.

About CarMax

CarMax is the nation’s largest retailer of used cars and operates more than 175 stores in 39 states nationwide. CarMax revolutionized the auto industry by delivering the honest, transparent and high-integrity car buying experience customers want and deserve. For more than 20 years, CarMax has made car buying more ethical, fair and stress-free by offering a no-haggle, no-hassle experience and an incredible selection of vehicles. CarMax makes selling your car easy too, by offering no-obligation appraisals good for seven days. At CarMax, we’ll buy your car even if you don’t buy ours®. CarMax has more than 24,000 associates nationwide and for 13 consecutive years has been named as one of the FORTUNE 100 Best Companies to Work For®. During the 12 months ending February 28, 2017, the company retailed 671,294 used cars and sold 391,686 wholesale vehicles at its in-store auctions. For more information, access the CarMax website at www.carmax.com.

Media Contact:

Lindsey Duke
CarMax Public Relations
(855) 887-2915
pr@carmax.com
@CarMax
facebook.com/CarMax

Source: CarMax

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M-INDUSTRIE STEIGT INS ONLINE-GESCHÄFT IN CHINA EIN

M-INDUSTRIE STEIGT INS ONLINE-GESCHÄFT IN CHINA EIN

 

Zürich, Switzerland, 2017-Sep-19 — /EPR Retail News/ — Die M-Industrie geht eine Kooperation mit der chinesischen Onlinehandels-Plattform NetEase Kaola ein. Unter dem Namen „Orange Garten“ vertreibt die M-Industrie auf Kaola ein ausgewähltes Sortiment an Migros-Produkten.

Die M-Industrie ist mit NetEase Kaola eine Kooperation eingegangen. NetEase Kaolo ist die Nummer eins im Cross-Border E-Commerce in China. Die M-Industrie führt auf Kaola einen Online-Shop unter dem Namen „Orange Garten“, auf dem Migros-Produkte wie Kaffee, Snacks und Getränke angeboten werden. Ein Ausbau des Sortiments auf Kaola wie auch der Vertrieb über weitere chinesische Online-Kanäle sind in Planung. Angesprochen wird die chinesische Mittelschicht, die ausländische Produkte mit Qualitätsnachweis bevorzugt. Die Ware wird von den Unternehmen der M-Industrie in der Schweiz produziert und an ein Logistikcenter in China verschifft, von wo aus sie über lokale Vertriebspartner zum Endkonsumenten gelangt. https://mall.kaola.com/675665

„Wir verfolgen die Entwicklung im asiatischen Onlinehandel seit einiger Zeit. Mit der steigenden Kaufkraft legen die Chinesen zunehmend Wert auf sichere und hochwertige Lebensmittel. Mit unserem Schweizer Qualitätsverständnis und den hohen Produktionsstandards decken wir dieses Bedürfnis optimal ab. Auf Kaola testen wir nun mit einem ausgewählten Sortiment, wie unsere Produkte bei den chinesischen Konsumenten ankommen, sagt Walter Huber, Leiter M-Industrie und Mitglied der Generaldirektion des Migros-Genossenschafts-Bundes.

Der Name „Orange Garten“ nimmt Bezug auf die Geschichte und Werte der Migros und wird neu für die Vermarktung von Migros-Produkten im Ausland eingesetzt. Um den chinesischen Kunden die Werte hinter den Produkten aufzuzeigen, wurde zudem eine eigene Website unter diesem Namen entwickelt. Sie richtet sich als Informations- und Imageplattform gezielt an den chinesischen Markt. www.orangegarten.cn

Kurzportrait M-Industrie

Die M-Industrie gehört mit ihren 25 leistungsstarken Unternehmen in der Schweiz und 7 Produktions­betrieben sowie diversen Handelsplattformen im Ausland zur Migros-Gruppe. Sie bietet über 20’000 hochwertige Food- und Near-Food-Produkte zum besten Preis-Leistungs-Verhältnis an und ist damit einer der grössten Eigenmarkenproduzenten weltweit. Die M-Industrie setzt auf den Industriestandort Schweiz; ihr Geschäft – basierend auf den Werten Leistungs­fähigkeit, Qualität und Zuverlässig­keit – baut sie laufend aus. Als Industriegruppe der Migros ist sie nahe am Markt, setzt Trends und überrascht mit innovativen Produkten und Dienstleistungen. Sie exportiert Schweizer Qualitätsprodukte in über 50 Länder. Zu ihren Kunden gehören nam­hafte internationale Grossunternehmen. Die M-Industrie produziert verantwortungsvoll und nachhaltig. Sie transportiert die Waren wenn immer möglich mit der Bahn. Mit über 13’000 Mitarbeitenden, darunter 538 Lernende in über 30 Berufen, ist sie eine bedeutende Arbeitgeberin in der Schweiz. www.mindustrie.com

Über NetEase Kaola

Seit der Gründung im Januar 2015 hat sich NetEase Kaola (www.kaola.com) zur führenden Online-Handelsplattform für importierte Produkte in China entwickelt. Kaola möchte chinesischen Verbrauchern hochwertige ausländische Produkte über eine sichere Lieferkette anbieten, die das geistige Eigentum der Hersteller schützt und den Handel gefälschter Waren unterbindet. Auf Kaola.com werden mehr als 5‘000 Marken aus über 80 Ländern verkauft.
Kaola unterhält 12 Niederlassungen in China, Deutschland, den USA, Italien, Japan, Südkorea, und Australien. Kaola verfügt über die grösste Zolllagerfläche Chinas (knapp 300.000 m² werden bereits genutzt).

Über NetEase, Inc

NetEase, Inc. (NASDAQ: NTES) ist ein führendes Internetunternehmen in China, das Onlinedienste für Content, Communities, Kommunikation und Handel anbietet. NetEase betreibt einige der beliebtesten chinesischen PC- und Handyspiele, Werbe- und E-Mail-Dienste sowie Onlinehandelsplattformen. Über Lizenzvereinbarungen mit Blizzard Entertainment, Mojan AB und weiteren globalen Spieleentwicklern, bietet NetEase zudem einige sehr beliebte internationale Online-Spiele in China an. Nähere Informationen finden Sie unter: http://ir.netease.com/

Contact:
Monika Weibel
Migros-Genossenschafts-Bund
Mediensprecherin Migros
TEL: 058 570 38 23
E-MAIL: monika.weibel@mgb.ch

Source: Migros

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DAS ERSTE MFIT IN ST. GALLEN FEIERT ERÖFFNUNG

DAS ERSTE MFIT IN ST. GALLEN FEIERT ERÖFFNUNG

 

Gossau, Switzerland, 2017-Sep-19 — /EPR Retail News/ — Das MFIT Trainingszentrum im Shoppingcenter Silberturm in St. Gallen feiert vom 15. bis 17. September 2017 mit Tagen der offenen Tür seine Eröffnung. Auf knapp 1000 Quadratmetern steht eine moderne Infrastruktur für Kraft- und Herz-Kreislauf-Training an Geräten, Gruppenkurse und Fitness-Checks zur Verfügung. Dazu gehört auch ein SensoPro, ein innovatives, in der Schweiz entwickeltes Fitnessgerät.

Wo früher Pakete und Briefe sortiert wurden, wird bald trainiert: Auf der Fläche der ehemaligen Post St. Fiden im Shoppingcenter Silberturm in St.Gallen eröffnet die Migros Ostschweiz mit Tagen der offenen Tür vom 15. bis 17. September ein neues MFIT. Insgesamt betreibt die Migros Ostschweiz nun elf MFIT Trainingszentren. „Das MFIT Silberturm ist für uns ein ganz spezieller Standort, da es der erste in der Stadt St. Gallen ist“, sagt Claudia Bachmann, Regionenleiterin MFIT. Die Migros Ostschweiz hat rund 2 Mio. Franken in den Ausbau des neuen MFIT investiert. Interessierte haben an den Tagen der offenen Tür die Möglichkeit, das Trainingszentrum zu besichtigen. Beim Abschluss eines Jahresabos profitieren sie von 150 Franken Rabatt. Trainingsstart im neuen MFIT ist am Montag, 18. September 2017.

SensoPro: Innovatives Fitnessgerät aus der Schweiz
Das Trainingskonzept vom MFIT baut auf den Säulen Kraft- und Herz-Kreislauf-Training an Geräten, Gruppenkurse und Fitness-Checks auf. Letztere sind im Jahresabo inbegriffen, denn bei MFIT gilt: Was trainiert wird, wird gemessen. “Mit der Ermittlung der genauen Daten bezüglich Körperzusammensetzung, Koordination, Kraft und Ausdauer können wir das Training individuell auf jeden einzelnen Kunden anpassen und effizient gestalten”, erklärt Claudia Bachmann. Im neuen MFIT steht den Kunden zudem ein SensoPro zur Verfügung. Dieses innovative Trainingsgerät wurde vom Schweizer Kaspar Schmocker während seines Sportstudiums entwickelt, produziert wird es in Thun. Es verbindet effizientes Koordinationstraining mit Ausdauer-, Kraft- und Reaktionstraining. Die Migros Ostschweiz führt den SensoPro in den kommenden Monaten in all ihren MFIT Trainingszentren sowie den Fitnessparks Winterthur, Einstein St.Gallen sowie im Säntispark ein. „Wir erachten den SensoPro als echte Innovation, da er sich sowohl für Rehapatienten wie auch für Spitzensportler eignet und auch in kurzen Trainings einen klaren Mehrwert bietet“, sagt Claudia Bachmann.

Leiter mit Erfahrun
Leiter des neuen MFIT Silberturm ist Ramon Fischer. Der 27-jährige Fitnessinstruktor mit eidgenössischem Fachausweis kennt MFIT bestens: Er startete seine Karriere 2014 als Instruktor beim MFIT Frauenfeld und ist heute stellvertretender Leiter des MFIT Arbon.  „Mir gefällt das Konzept von MFIT. Angefangen bei der Ausstattung der Zentren über die internen Schulungen der Instruktoren nach neusten wissenschaftlichen Erkenntnissen bis hin zum umfangreichen Fitness-Check, dem Kursprogramm oder dem Kinderhort. Man spürt, dass der Kunde und sein Ziel im Vordergrund stehen“, sagt er. Im neuen MFIT führt er ein Team von acht Mitarbeitenden und 15 Gruppenkursleitenden.

Check für den Verein Atelier im Sandkasten
Im Rahmen der Medieninformation vom 15. September 2017 überreichte Claudia Bachmann einen Check im Wert von 5000 Franken an die Stadt St.Gallen, vertreten durch Barbara Affolter, Leiterin der Fachstelle Kultur. Die Stadt hat entschieden, den Betrag dem Verein Atelier im Sandkasten zukommen zu lassen. Er betreibt ein Atelier für Kreative, in dem Arbeitsbereiche zur gemeinsamen Nutzung zur Verfügung stehen. Zurzeit ist der Verein unter der Leitung von Präsident Marcio Ferreira Dos Santos daran, das Atelier vom Feldliquartier in ein altes Textilgebäude beim Friedhof Bruggen zu verschieben.

Contact:
Genossenschaft Migros Ostschweiz
Frau Natalie Brägger
Kommunikation / Kulturprozent / Sponsoring
Industriestrasse 47
9201 Gossau
TEL: 071 493 24 46
FAX: 071 493 27 89
E-MAIL: natalie.braegger@gmos.ch

Source: Migros

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Mall of Switzerland: a destination for fashionistas of all ages

Mall of Switzerland: a destination for fashionistas of all ages

An array of international fashion brands join the Mall with the fist Original Penguin store opening in Switzerland

Zurich/Ebikon, 2017-Sep-19 — /EPR Retail News/ — With the opening of the Mall of Switzerland in Ebikon (Lucerne) on 8 November 2017, central Switzerland gets not only the second largest shopping and leisure centre in the country, but also a unique fashion destination with many leading brands. Some of the fashion brands, including Original Penguin, opening in the Mall will be celebrating their entry into the Swiss market. Established brands will also be present in the Mall of Switzerland, such as Guess and Marc O’Polo, making the mall a destination for fashionistas of all ages.

NEW YORKER: young and trendy
With approximately 1,000 locations in 40 countries, NEW YORKER is one of the largest fashion companies in Europe. The NEW YORKER collection consists mainly of fashion, denim, sports and streetwear for a young, fashion-conscious audience. Added to this is a
wide selection of accessories and underwear. NEW YORKER’s own sub-brands FSBN, FB SISTER (sports and street wear), AMISU (trendy and up-market DOB), menswear SMOG, CENSORED (underwear and swimwear) and ACCESSORIES will all be available in the Mall of Switzerland’s store.

Original Penguin: cult brand with retro charm
The roots of the American brand Original Penguin go back to the fifties, when in 1955 Abbot Pedderson, a salesman with the underwear manufacturer Munsingwear, on a business trip to New York city, took the wrong taxi by mistake after a long wait at the airport and found himself in downtown Manhattan outside a taxidermist’s shop. He decided to buy one of the small art deco penguins, called it Pete, and set off back to Minneapolis.
When Pete’s head fell off in the plane, Pedderson wound his tie round the penguin’s neck with the help of a stewardess, who said she thought Pete looked so good he should definitely be a logo on a shirt. That was the origin of ORIGINAL PENGUIN, a brand which has been worn by entertainers and sportsmen in the US ever since.

Original Penguin’s opening in the Mall of Switzerland will be the brand’s first shop in Switzerland.

Stefanel: elegance from Italy
Elegant, light as a feather and very feminine – those are the characteristics of the Italian label Stefanel. Having achieved its success with knitwear, the brand, established in 1959 by Carlo Stefanel, now offers a huge variety of garments, for every day wear and for special occasions: jumpers and cardigans, jackets and coats, capes, dresses, tops and shirts, trousers and skirts, and also scarves and shawls. Stefanel fashion is characterised by clear lines, feminine cuts and high quality of material and production.

With the opening of the Mall of Switzerland Stefanel is celebrating its first shop in the German speaking part of the country.

Lee & Wrangler: Original denim icons
Lee
The brand was established by Henry David Lee in 1889 as a wholesale greengrocer. In 1912 Lee decided to produce work clothes himself, because he was dissatisfied with the quality available on the market. A year later he invented the jumpsuit and started country wide production. In the 1920’s he invented jeans with zip fastening and the overall with zip fastening, and the mascot Buddy Lee was born. The rider jacket is now a denim icon, essential in any denim fan’s wardrobe, and interpreted differently from season to season. From November, the authentic denims in numerous cuts and washes, together with jackets, shirts, pullovers and accessories, will be available in the Mall of Switzerland.

Wrangler
The Blue Bell company, founded in 1904, was a work clothes retailer that launched its own denim line in 1945, with cowboys and rodeo riders as its target. The name Wrangler was chosen in a competition among Blue Bell employees and the company soon invented and manufactured boxy baggy dungarees.
In 1946 Ben Liechtenstein, also known as Rodeo Ben, a specialist tailor, was taken on board to customise the new product, the cowboy jeans, for the target group. Due to Rodeo Ben’ fame at the time, the co-operation was a gigantic success for Wrangler, and kick-started the company’s world-wide expansion.

The opening in the Mall of Switzerland, in time for Wrangler’s 70th anniversary, will further establish the company’s success story with a fresh, new collection.

C&A: Affordable, high quality fashion for adults and children
Although its style changes constantly, C&A’s aim always remains the same: the family business, now in its sixth generation, wants to offer its customers, both male and female, attractive, modern quality clothing at reasonable prices. With ten sub-brands, C&A caters for all ages – from Baby Club for little ones, through Clockhouse for teens, to the Westbury menswear brand.

For further information:
Compresso AG
Retail, Lifestyle, Mode, Events
Suzanne Nievergelt, Jenatschstrasse 5, 8002 Zürich
Fon: +41 43 488 86 34, Fax: +41 43 488 86 01, E-Mail: mailto:pr@compresso.ch, www.compresso.ch

Creafactory AG
Bau, Politik, Verkehr, Management
Werner Schaeppi, Gotthardstrasse 31, 6300 Zug
Fon: +41 41 728 7007, E-Mail: werner.schaeppi@creafactory.ch, www.creafactory.ch

Source: Mall of Switzerland

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Legendary Cher and rap icon Future come together for Gap ‘Meet Me in the Gap’ fall campaign

THE TWO COME TOGETHER TO SHOW WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE TAKE A CHANCE TO CLOSE THE GAPS BETWEEN US

NEW YORK, 2017-Sep-19 — /EPR Retail News/ — Gap, the iconic American clothing brand, today (September 13, 2017) reveals the final installment of the ‘Meet Me in the Gap’ fall campaign, which launched in late July, starring the legendary Cher and rap icon Future, celebrating what can be created when distinct people connect and discover they have more in common than what divides them.

The campaign captures Cher and Future, two culturally relevant and transcendent figures who have never met before, harmonizing and offering each other their signature vocals. With video directed by the legendary Director X, the two “meet in the gap,” a blank space, to collaborate on a one-of-a-kind musical experience by tapping into their roots of rock and soul music with a song they both find inspiring. Through their rendition of “Everyday People,” originally by Sly and the Family Stone, the chart-topping rapper and legendary songstress meet up to add a modern hip hop trap beat to a classic American song.

“I love the idea of ‘Meet Me in the Gap’ because it’s easy to have common ground if you are really open and curious to people from different cultures,” said Cher. “I didn’t know who Future was before this but I knew it would be so fun to work with someone who is completely unlike me, and who is young, really talented and striving.”

“There was a great dynamic when working with Cher and we felt like we were doing something so much bigger than the two of us,” said Future. “Gap is not only bringing two cultures together but bringing everyone together through the music and the style. It’s really about everyday people.”

The campaign first launched in late July through a series of “meet ups,” also directed by Director X, featuring diverse groups of influencers collaborating and creating unexpected works of art through movement and sound. One film, titled ‘Bounce meet Bounce meet Bounce’ includes a trio of basketballers, tap dancers and a mix artist who create a musical composition made from the rhythmic and playful sounds of sports balls, with synchronized tap movements alongside a produced beat.

“As a brand, our heritage is rooted in being a beacon of hope and optimism while also bringing people together,” said Gap chief marketing officer Craig Brommers. “Uniting two superstars like Cher and Future proves that no matter how different we seem, there is always a common thread that we just might not have discovered yet.”

Launching on September 18, the campaign spans television, outdoor, mobile, social, print, in store and digital. The television spots will air on major networks and live on digital video channels including Vevo, Hulu and YouTube. In addition, Gap will launch a namesake channel on Spotify which will start with a ‘Meet me in the Gap’ mashup playlist. Lastly, the print campaign will come to life with tribute advertisements in both the Vogue 125th anniversary issue and the GQ 60th anniversary issue.

For more information on ‘Meet Me in the Gap,’ visit www.gap.com.

About Gap

Gap is one of the world’s most iconic apparel and accessories brands and the authority on American casual style.  Founded in San Francisco in 1969, Gap’s collections are designed to build the foundation of modern wardrobes – all things denim, classic white shirts, khakis and must-have trends.  Beginning with the first international store in London in 1987, Gap continues to connect with customers online and across the brand’s about 1,700 company-operated and franchise retail locations around the world. Gap includes Women’s and Men’s apparel and accessories, GapKids, babyGap, GapMaternity, GapBody and GapFit collections.  The brand also serves value-conscious customers with exclusively-designed collections for Gap Outlet and Gap Factory Stores.  Gap is the namesake brand for leading global specialty retailer, Gap Inc. (NYSE: GPS) which includes Gap, Banana Republic, Old Navy, Athleta, Intermix and Weddington Way. For more information, please visit www.gapinc.com.

MEDIA CONTACT:

press@gap.com

SOURCE: Gap Inc.

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Dollar General becomes the Official Discount Retail Sponsor for the Big 12 Conference 2017-2018

GOODLETTSVILLE, Tenn., 2017-Sep-19 — /EPR Retail News/ — Dollar General (NYSE: DG) is excited to partner with the Big 12 Conference and ESPN Events to serve as the Official Discount Retail Sponsor for the Big 12 Conference for the 2017-2018 academic year. Additionally, the major discount retailer will serve as the Conference’s Official Homegating and Tailgating Headquarters and exclusive sponsor of the Dollar General Big 12 Championship Tour, which plans to host events at each of the 10 Big 12 Conference collegiate campuses during the 2017 fall football season.

“Given our understanding of how college sports resonate with our shoppers, Dollar General is excited to partner with the Big 12 Conference and ESPN Events to serve as the Conference’s Official Discount Retail Sponsor. We are excited to bring the first-ever Tailgate Tour to campuses across the conference this fall,” said Jason Reiser, Dollar General’s executive vice president and chief merchandising officer. “We look forward to engaging current and future Dollar General customers alike with the wide assortment of items available to enjoy every matchup this year. With more than 14,000 stores, many of which are near the Big 12 universities, it’s certainly going to be an electrifying and fun year in Big 12 homegating and tailgating celebrations.”

The Dollar General Big 12 Championship Tour will visit a Big 12 Conference football game each week beginning on Saturday, September 16. Each week’s Tour stop is scheduled to include a former Big 12 Conference player to meet customers and sign autographs, a celebrity grill master, tailgate games, giveaways and prizes and the opportunity to see the new Big 12 Football Championship trophy. Festivities are in partnership with major Dollar General vendor partners and brands including Pringles®, Cheez-It® crackers, DiGiorno® pizza, Bounty® paper towels, Reese’s® chocolate, Dixie® paper products and Kingsford® charcoal.

The tour is also scheduled to be part of festivities during the 2017 Big 12 Football Championship Game in Arlington, Texas on December 2, the 2017 Texas Bowl in Houston on December 27, the Big 12 Men’s Basketball Championship in Kansas City in March 2018 and the Big 12 Baseball Championship in Oklahoma City in May 2018. The full schedule is listed below.

  • Saturday, September 16 – Oklahoma (Tulane)
  • Saturday, September 23 – Oklahoma State (TCU)
  • Saturday, September 30 – Kansas State (Baylor)
  • Saturday, October 7 – Kansas (Texas Tech)
  • Saturday, October 14 – Iowa State (Kansas)
  • Saturday, October 21 – TCU (Kansas)
  • Saturday, October 28 – Baylor (Texas)
  • Saturday, November 4 – Texas Tech (Kansas State)
  • Saturday, November 11 – Texas (Kansas)
  • Saturday, November 18 – West Virginia (Texas)
  • Saturday, December 2 – Big 12 Championship Game in Arlington
  • Wednesday, December 27 – Texas Bowl in Houston
  • Big XII MBB Tournament, March 7-10, 2018 in Kansas City
  • Big XII Baseball Championship – May 23-27, 2018 in Oklahoma City

“The Big 12 appreciates the association with Dollar General,” said Big 12 Conference Commissioner Bob Bowlsby. “The Championship Tour provides a unique opportunity to build upon the game-day energy at each of our campuses to promote the return of our football championship game – the only conference championship game that guarantees a matchup featuring its top two teams.”

For additional information, photographs or items to supplement a story, please visit the DG Newsroom, 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 14,000 stores in 44 states as of August 19, 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.

About Big 12 Conference

The Big 12 Conference is comprised of 10 Universities – Baylor, Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, TCU, Texas, Texas Tech and West Virginia. The Big 12 is an NCAA Division I intercollegiate athletics conference that encompasses five states with over 38 million people within its geographic footprint. In its 21st year, the Conference has produced over 600 Academic All-America selections and claimed national championship team titles in 17 of its 23 sponsored sports. Its student-athletes and teams have combined for 645 individual NCAA titles and 58 team national championships. Nearly 5,000 student-athletes from across the United States and around the World compete annually under the Big 12 banner. For more information, visit Big12Sports.com and follow the Conference on Facebook (Facebook.com/Big12) and Twitter (@Big12Conference).

About ESPN Events

ESPN Events, a division of ESPN, owns and operates a large portfolio of 31 collegiate sporting events worldwide. The roster includes three Labor Day weekend college football games; FCS opening-weekend game; 14 college bowl games, 11 college basketball events and two college award shows, which accounts for approximately 300-plus hours of programming, reaches almost 64 million viewers and attracts over 700,000 attendees each year. With satellite offices in Albuquerque, Birmingham, Boca Raton, Boise, Dallas-Fort Worth, Honolulu, Las Vegas, Montgomery and St. Petersburg, ESPN Events builds relationships with conferences, schools and local communities, as well as providing unique experiences for teams and fans. ESPN Events also manages the Big 12 Corporate Partner Program.

Contact(s):

Dollar General Corporation
Crystal Ghassemi
1-877-944-DGPR (3477)
dgpr@dollargeneral.com

Source: Dollar General Corporation

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Kennesaw Whole Foods Market to open on Friday, October 6

New store will feature Revelator coffee bar, barbecue venue and made-in-house specialties

Atlanta, Ga., 2017-Sep-19 — /EPR Retail News/ — Whole Foods Market will open a new store in Kennesaw on Friday, October 6 at 1300 Ernest Barrett Parkway. This store will be a relocation of Whole Foods Market’s Harry’s Farmers Market store in Marietta, which will close October 5. Opening day shoppers will be greeted with an array of product demonstrations and samples, and the first 500 customers will receive free gifts cards ranging in amounts from $5 to $50 with one $500 card.

Five percent of opening day sales will be donated to the Swift-Cantrell Foundation, which supports the development of Kennesaw’s Swift-Cantrell Park.

“We are excited to offer a new shopping experience and updated features to old and new customers at our Kennesaw Whole Foods Market,” said Claire Banks, the store’s team leader. “The store will offer many locally sourced and seasonal products that meet our high quality standards. Whether you come to sip Revelator Coffee, enjoy beer and barbecue at Hops ‘n’ Sauce, or buy our made-from-scratch potato dill bread, the store will be a new gathering place for the community.”

Every item sold in the store meets Whole Foods Market’s rigorous quality standards and is free of artificial flavors, colors, sweeteners, preservatives and hydrogenated fats.

The 46,000 square-foot store includes:

  • Revelator Coffee Company coffee bar featuring their seasonal, fresh coffee.
  • Hops ‘n’ Sauce, an in-store barbecue and beer venue.
  • Two exclusive made-in-house breads: potato dill and sundried tomato, basil and parmesan.
  • Quick-serve venue Tori Bird by Genji featuring a selection of sushi and karaage, classic Japanese fried chicken tossed in sauces like Yuzu Citrus Mayo, Orange Sauce, Curry Salt and Classic Texas BBQ.
  • Marietta favorite Williamson Bros. Bar-B-Q spices and sauces as well as Williamson Bros. Signature items that include meats smoked in-house with their spices.
  • Numerous specialties made in-house including: smoked salmon, seasonal salsa and dip selections, and hand-tossed, wood-fired pizza.
  • An array of seating options as well as a play area for kids.

The community is invited to join Whole Foods Market for a block party in front of the new store on Saturday, September 30 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. The celebration will feature music, activities for kids, food and samples. Admission is free and customers can sign up here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/whole-foods-kennesaw-block-party-tickets-37917294649.

Whole Foods Market’s Harry’s Farmers Market store at 70 Powers Ferry Road SE in Marietta will close on Thursday, October 5.

Members of the media should contact SOmedia@wholefoods.com with questions or to set up interviews or preview tours.

Contact:

SOmedia@wholefoods.com

Source: Whole Foods Market