Daily Archives: November 9, 2017

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Topaz’s Re.Store wins best ‘Grab and Go Breakfast’ at the 2017 Irish Quality Food Awards for its Clonakilty Black Pudding & Bacon Granary Toast

Topaz’s Re.Store wins best ‘Grab and Go Breakfast’ at the 2017 Irish Quality Food Awards for its Clonakilty Black Pudding & Bacon Granary Toast

 

Re.Store Scoops Quality Food Award for its Delicious Breakfast Toast

DUBLIN, IRELAND, 2017-Nov-09 — /EPR Retail News/ — Re.store, Topaz (Circle K Ireland)’s healthy ‘food on the go’ concept, has won the award for best ‘Grab and Go Breakfast’ at the 2017 Irish Quality Food Awards for its Clonakilty Black Pudding & Bacon Granary Toast. The Irish Quality Food and Drink Awards are open each year to all retailers, producers and manufacturers that sell product within the Irish market. These awards cast a spotlight on products that offer fine ingredients, great tastes and aromas, beautiful packaging, and amazing value for money.

Re.store offers a wide range of wholesome, artisan food products for its loyal customers to enjoy – everything from the ultimate club sandwiches to pizzas to delicious donuts – catering to all meal times. Their breakfast range reflects this – a delicious range of healthy, wholesome products easily consumed on the go – and includes the winning Clonakilty Black Pudding & Bacon Granary Toast.

This wholesome breakfast sandwich was created to move the traditional on-the-go Irish breakfast offering closer to current tastes and trends, while keeping Clonakilty Black Pudding at the heart of the ingredients. It is an alternative breakfast option for customers who are looking for an indulgent but convenient breakfast – with high quality ingredients and a brave combination of flavours.
The toasted open sandwich features Clonakilty Black Pudding, streaky bacon, roast mushrooms, scallions and goats cheese with spicy Cajun sauce, all on hearty sourdough loaf. The price point is a reasonable €5.50.

Speaking of the win, Judy Glover, Market Director, Topaz (Circle K Ireland) said ‘Winning an award in the Irish Quality Food Awards for our Clonakilty Black Pudding & Bacon Granary Toast is invaluable for the team here. Since the launch of Re.Store to the Irish market, our retail offering has continued to grow and improve – as a result of our commitment to innovation and superior customer service. We have endeavoured to source the freshest and best ingredients for our food offering, and create exciting and delicious recipes for customers to enjoy on-the-go, so winning big in this category today is very rewarding for all here at Topaz.”

Source: Topaz

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Amazon to open its fourth Maryland fulfillment facility in Baltimore’s Sparrows Point

  • Amazon currently employs more than 5,000 people in Maryland; new facility will employ more than 1,500 associates
  • Between 2014 and 2016, Amazon investment added an additional $100 million to state economy

SEATTLE, 2017-Nov-09 — /EPR Retail News/ — Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN) today (Nov. 8, 2017) announced plans to open its fourth Maryland fulfillment facility in Baltimore’s Sparrows Point, which will create more than 1,500 full-time positions. Amazon currently employs more than 5,000 associates at its sortation and fulfillment centers in Baltimore and fulfillment center in North East, Maryland.

“We’re excited to open a new, state-of-the-art fulfillment center in historic Sparrows Point and to continue innovating in a state committed to providing great opportunities for jobs and customer experience. Maryland has an incredible workforce, and we are happy to add to the more than 5,000 associates already serving customers in the state,” said Sanjay Shah, Amazon’s Vice President of North America Customer Fulfillment.

Over the past two years, Amazon has invested millions of dollars into its local fulfillment center infrastructure and through compensation to thousands of employees in the state. Amazon’s investments in Maryland contributed an additional $100 million into Maryland’s economy from 2014 through 2016, and using methodology developed by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Amazon estimates its investments in the state have created an additional 3,000 indirect jobs on top of the company’s direct hires.

“Amazon’s decision to open a fourth facility in our state is tremendous news for this local community and for Maryland as a whole,” said Governor Larry Hogan. “Successfully delivering this project and these 1,500 new jobs has been a top priority of our administration and another example of how Maryland is and will continue to be open for business.”

Amazon in Maryland by the numbers:

  • 3 existing fulfillment facilities, two of which located in Baltimore city limits
  • 2 fulfillment centers, 1 sortation center co-located with Prime Now hub
  • 855,000 square feet for the new facility located at 1700 Sparrows Point Boulevard
  • More than 11,500 solar panels already installed on the rooftops of Baltimore fulfillment facilities generate more than 3.5MW of combined peak power. Amazon’s rooftop solar projects typically reduce the amount of electricity the site draws from the utility each year by 30%
  • 3,000 estimated indirect jobs created as a result of Amazon’s investment between 2014 and 2016
  • 4,000+ full-time employees in the greater Baltimore area; 5,000 state-wide
  • More than 100 restaurants in Baltimore leverage Amazon’s technological expertise to offer customers fast delivery on hot food through Amazon Restaurants
  • 50,000+ authors, sellers and developers in Maryland growing their businesses and reaching new customers on Amazon products and services
  • Amazon has donated more than $150,000 to charities in Maryland through monetary and in-kind donations.
  • 3.3 million total square feet footprint of the four fulfillment centers together
  • $100 million added into Maryland’s economy between 2014 and 2016 due to Amazon’s investments

“This is what job creation looks like: a world-class company investing in the region, bringing 1,500 new jobs to Baltimore County. We are pleased to welcome Amazon to the growing list of companies with a Tradepoint Atlantic address,” said Baltimore County Executive Kevin Kamenetz.

“We are very pleased to welcome Amazon as our newest tenant,” said Eric Gilbert, chief development officer for Tradepoint Atlantic. “Amazon’s decision to locate its 855,000-square-foot state-of-the-art fulfillment center at Tradepoint Atlantic serves as further validation of the unique logistical advantages we offer and further establishes our location as a top destination for users seeking a best-in-class multi-modal logistics platform. Tradepoint also thanks our public partners at Baltimore County and the state of Maryland for their support in securing this major new investment and job creator for the region.”

Associates at the facility will pick, pack and ship customer items such as electronics, books, housewares and toys. Full-time employees atAmazon receive competitive hourly wages and a comprehensive benefits package, including healthcare, 401(k) and company stock awards starting on day one.

Amazon also offers regular full-time employees maternity and parental leave benefits and access to innovative programs like Career Choice, where it will pre-pay up to 95 percent of tuition for courses related to in-demand fields, regardless of whether the skills are relevant to a career at Amazon. Since the program’s launch, more than 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 www.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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Alexa and Echo are now available by invitation in Japan

Developers can now create Alexa experiences for customers in Japan—Alexa Skills Kit also now available in Japan, and Alexa Voice Service coming later this month

SEATTLE, 2017-Nov-09 — /EPR Retail News/ — Amazon today (Nov. 8, 2017) announced that Alexa and Echo are now available by invitation in Japan. Additionally, developers can now use the Alexa Skills Kit to create Japanese Alexa experiences, and will soon be able to use the Alexa Voice Service to integrate Alexa into products for Japanese customers. Read the press release announcing Alexa in Japan: https://amazon-press.jp.

“Tens of millions of customers already love Alexa and we’re thrilled to introduce her to our customers in Japan today, with an all-new experience designed from the ground up for Japanese customers, including a new Japanese voice, local knowledge, and over 250 skills from Japanese developers,” said Tom Taylor, Senior Vice President, Amazon Alexa. “We’re also excited to expand the Alexa Skills Kit and the Alexa Voice Service, so developers and hardware makers around the world can create Alexa experiences for our Japanese customers.”

Echo, Echo Dot, and Echo Plus are voice-controlled speakers designed entirely around your voice—they’re always ready, hands-free, and fast. Alexa is the brain behind Echo—just ask, and she’ll answer questions, play music, read the news, set timers and alarms, recite your calendar, check sports scores, control lights around your home, and much more. With far-field voice control, Echo can do all this from across the room. Since Alexa runs in the AWS cloud, she is always getting smarter—plus, it is simple for developers to build Alexa skills and integrate Alexa into their own products.

The devices will start shipping in Japan next week.

About Amazon

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

Media Hotline:

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

Source: Amazon.com, Inc.

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Amazon unveils the Top 100 books of 2017

Amazon book editors reveal the 100 best books of the year, selecting titles in over twenty categories

SEATTLE, 2017-Nov-09 — /EPR Retail News/ — Today (Nov. 8, 2017), Amazon.com announced its selections for the Best Books of 2017, naming David Grann’s nonfiction Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI the Best Book of the Year. Just in time for the holidays, the annual list features the Top 100 books of the year plus Top 20 lists across various categories ranging from literary fiction and mystery to children’s and young adult. All lists are hand-selected by Amazon’s team of editors – who read hundreds of thousands of pages throughout the year – first by choosing the best books of every month and then, finally, the best books of the year. To see the full list of the Best Books of 2017 and buy the print or Kindle editions, visit: https://amazon.com/bestbooks2017

“In a year when there were many strong contenders for Best of the Year, David Grann’s book offered readers something exceptional,” said Sarah Harrison Smith, Editorial Director of Books and Kindle at Amazon.com. “Killers of the Flower Moon tells the largely unknown true story of big oil and serial murder in Osage County, Oklahoma, in the 1920s. It’s meticulously researched and shines an important light on what is at once an unsurprising and yet unbelievable chapter in American history.”

Here are the Amazon Editorial Team’s Top 10 picks this year:

1. Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI by David Grann: Grann’s account of a 1920s investigation into the murders of oil-rich members of the Osage Nation in Oklahoma has the grim excitement of film noir, the heady intellectual pleasure of well-told history and writing worthy of The New Yorker, where Grann is on staff. Though Killers of the Flower Moon is set in the past, the bigotry, greed and corruption Grann exposes feel relevant to our times. Grann’s previous books include The Lost City of Z: A Tale of Deadly Obsession in the Amazon.

2. Little Fires Everywhere: A Novel by Celeste Ng: In this tightly woven, emotionally fraught novel set in a picture-perfect suburb of Cleveland, Ng addresses timely issues of motherhood, privilege and race. Ng’s debut novel, Everything I Never Told You, was Amazon’s Best of the Year choice for 2014; her new book continues her compelling exploration of the tension between established social order and cultural change.

3. Beartown: A Novel by Fredrik Backman: Backman explores community, loyalty and its limits in this eminently readable, compassionate novel set in a small town that comes together over ice hockey and then comes apart over allegations of sexual violence. Backman’s previous books include A Man Called Ove.

4. Exit West: A Novel by Mohsin Hamid: In this fable-like tale, in which two lovers flee their war-ravaged homeland to seek refuge abroad, Hamid upends our cultural assumptions and stakes an optimistic claim for the enduring pleasures of imagination and narrative, even in the midst of war. Hamid’s previous books include The Reluctant Fundamentalist.

5. Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow by Yuval Noah Harari: Harari’s look at humanity’s possible future (the dark, technocratic version) is fascinating, provocative and illuminating. Harari is also the author of Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind.

6. Lincoln in the Bardo: A Novel by George Saunders: Saunders’s stylistically inventive, ribald and poignant first novel, narrated almost entirely by ghosts, veers from hilarious to heartbreaking. Saunders’s previous books include Tenth of December: Stories.

7. The Heart’s Invisible Furies: A Novel by John Boyne: In this sweeping and magnetic novel set in post-war Ireland, Boyne dexterously expands the story of one man’s life into a portrait of a culture in transition. Boyne’s previous books include The Boy in the Striped Pajamas.

8. You Don’t Have to Say You Love Me: A Memoir by Sherman Alexie: In Alexie’s extraordinary memoir of his whip-smart, sometimes cruel mother, he connects her turbulent life to the widespread American Indian experience of violence and oppression. Alexie’s previous books include The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian.

9. Sourdough: A Novel by Robin Sloan: Sloan’s delightful novel about a software engineer who finds her true calling when she is bequeathed a sourdough starter with magical properties has an inspiring message about the importance of finding work you love. Sloan’s previous books include Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore: A Novel.

10. The Dry: A Novel by Jane Harper: In her gripping debut novel, the only mystery among this year’s top 10, Harper masterfully evokes the atmosphere of a drought-stricken farm town where lies told in the past may be linked to the violent deaths of a young local family.

Here are some interesting facts about this year’s Best Books of the Year list:

  • The authors of the Top 10 books come from six different countries: the United States, Sweden, Ireland, Pakistan, Australia and Israel.
  • Through the end of October 2017, Kindle customers across the globe read over 91 million pages from the Top 10 book selections.
  • According to Amazon Charts, on average, Kindle readers of Sourdough: A Novel read it in half the time of other bestselling titles.
  • It’s been seven years since a nonfiction book was selected as the Best Book of the Year. The last time was in 2010 when the Editors selected The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot.
  • Number of space exploration-related books in the top 100 and Children’s categories: 5

The top picks in Children’s books are:

  • Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow by Jessica Townsend (ages 9-12): A mentor reminiscent of Willy Wonka helps a cursed girl escape death, kicking off a wildly imaginative adventure full of magic, trials of courage and friendship. An exciting debut for fans of Harry Potter or any young reader looking to begin a fast-paced new series.
  • The Antlered Ship by Dashka Slater, illustrated by Eric Fan and Terry Fan (ages 6-8): Breathtakingly beautiful illustrations accompany this charming story of a fox who learns that friends come in all shapes and sizes, curiosity brings adventure, and that—though life may be unpredictable—the journey is magical.
  • Dog Man: A Tale of Two Kittens by Dav Pilkey (ages 6-8): Dav Pilkey’s latest series has taken off like wildfire, and in the third book the crime fighting and evil-doing continue, with the addition of a kitten who brings a few surprises. Pilkey again gives young readers – reluctant or not – a reason to pick up a book and discover the fun within.

This year five debut authors top the category lists, including Jessica Townsend with Nevermoor (Children’s Books), Ray Dalio with Principles: Life and Work (Business and Leadership), Jane Harper with The Dry (Mysteries and Thrillers), Katherine Arden with The Bear and the Nightingale(Science Fiction and Fantasy) and Katie Green with Lighter Than My Shadow (Comics and Graphic Novels).

In addition to being available for purchase online and via Kindle, the Top 15 Best of the Year adult and children’s books are available for purchase at all Amazon Books locations (www.amazon.com/amazonbooks) and the Top 20 Best of the Year titles and many more within the Top 100 are available to listen to via Audible.com as well.

About Amazon

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

Media Hotline:

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

Source: Amazon.com, Inc.

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Shopify CEO Tobias Lütke to lead the Government of Canada’s Economic Strategy Table on digital industries

Table will help Canadian entrepreneurs and innovators overcome growth challenges

OTTAWA, ON, 2017-Nov-09 — /EPR Retail News/ — Shopify Inc. (NYSE:SHOP)(TSX:SHOP), the leading cloud-based, multi-channel commerce platform designed for small and medium-sized businesses, today (November 8, 2017) announced its founder and CEO, Tobias Lütke, will serve as Chair of the Government of Canada’s Economic Strategy Table on digital industries. Over the next six months, Mr. Lütke will lead a group of approximately 15 members to develop policy recommendations in support of Canada’s technology developers, service providers, and content creators.

“If you take a look at the Toronto Stock Exchange there are only a handful of tech companies listed. This is disappointing but also presents a great opportunity,” said Lütke. “ We need to break from convention, be bold, and define a path where innovation drives the future of our country, and our economy.”

The members of the Economic Strategy Table on Digital Industries will focus on Canada’s opportunity to become a global leader in innovation. Capitalizing on the strength of Canada’s tech community and harnessing the rapid pace of digital adoption, the group will develop an immediate and long-term action plan to propel Canada into the future.

“It’s funny to think of a country as a startup, but Canada feels like one. We’re still a very young country, full of raw potential. If we play our cards right, the future will be bright. I accepted this role because I want to help the government to get this right and share some of the lessons we’ve learned at Shopify,” Lütke added.

The first meeting of the table is scheduled for later this month. The group will spend the next 6 months preparing a report to be published by Summer 2018.

About Shopify

Shopify is the leading cloud-based, multi-channel commerce platform designed for small and medium-sized businesses. Merchants can use the software to design, set up, and manage their stores across multiple sales channels, including web, mobile, social media, marketplaces, brick-and-mortar locations, and pop-up shops. The platform also provides merchants with a powerful back-office and a single view of their business. The Shopify platform was engineered for reliability and scale, making enterprise-level technology available to businesses of all sizes. Headquartered in Ottawa, Canada, Shopify currently powers over 500,000 businesses in approximately 175 countries and is trusted by brands such as Red Bull, Nestle, GE, Kylie Cosmetics, and many more.

MEDIA:
Sheryl So
Corporate PR Lead
416-238-6705 x 302
press@shopify.com

Source: Shopify

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Carrefour currently employs more than 12,000 persons with disabilities and intends to continue its disability inclusion efforts

Carrefour currently employs more than 12,000 persons with disabilities and intends to continue its disability inclusion efforts

 

Boulogne-Billancourt, France, 2017-Nov-09 — /EPR Retail News/ — Carrefour, a partner of the 2017 European Disability Employment Week organized by LADAPT, has launched far-reaching initiatives to help disabled individuals enter the workforce since 1999. The retailer has posted a 25% increase in the employment rate in Europe in five years and currently employs more than 12,000 persons with disabilities, including more than 8,600 in Europe. In France, where the “Mission Handicap Hypermarchés” agreement has already been renewed seven times, Carrefour hypermarkets and Carrefour Market stores have surpassed the 6% legal threshold thanks to ongoing efforts to promote the inclusion of disabled workers.

With 12,000 stores that reflect their local communities and neighbourhoods and as a signatory of the Diversity Charter since 2004, Carrefour takes concrete actions year-round in the 10 countries in which it operates to ensure that diversity is a key feature of all the company’s professions and at all levels.

In France, Carrefour employs 6,737 disabled individuals
The “Mission Handicap” agreement, which raises employee awareness and supports disabled workers every day, was launched in Carrefour hypermarkets in 1999 and has since been renewed seven times. Thanks to this agreement, the median disabled employment rate at Carrefour hypermarkets is 6.55% and as high as 14% for some.

Carrefour Market celebrated the 10th anniversary of its Mission Handicap agreement this year. It was awarded the Diversity Label by AFNOR (the French national organization for standardization), confirming the commitments and concrete actions taken by the retailer to promote diversity and gender equality and combat all forms of discrimination. Disabled individuals account for 6.71% of its workforce (figures at end-2016).

In addition, Carrefour Supply Chain participates each year in the “Free Handy’s Trophy”, a relay race in which able-bodied and disabled employees pair up to cover a 700 km route on tandem bicycles and in canoes.

Lastly, since 2016 Carrefour has helped those with psychological disorders by working with the French Army to provide immersion traineeships to soldiers wounded in the line of duty. The aim is to support them in finding a new civilian career and offer them appropriate retraining. To date, eight people have been offered immersion training and two people have obtained employment.

Carrefour partners with LADAPT in Europe
As the first company to enter into a partnership with the ILO Global Business and Disability network in 2011, Carrefour supports inclusion on a Europe-wide scale and the dissemination of best practices to promote the employment of persons with disabilities.
In joining forces with LADAPT, Carrefour further demonstrates its diversity policy and intends to continue its international efforts alongside it.

Elsewhere in Europe, an overview of Carrefour’s initiatives
As the first company to enter into a partnership with the ILO Global Business and Disability network in 2011, Carrefour is stepping up its efforts to promote the employment and professional development of disabled individuals not only in France but also in Belgium, Spain, Italy, Poland and Romania. The number of disabled employees working at Carrefour has increased by 25% since 2011.

Here are a few examples of the initiatives carried out:

>In northern Europe:
In Belgium, Carrefour organizes the “Duo Day” program in partnership with AWIPH (Walloon agency for the integration of disabled persons). Each year in March, store employees are invited to work in tandem with a disabled person for several days. The goal is to provide an introduction to the workplace and help employees and customers change the way they perceive disability by showing them how individuals who are full of potential can be employed.

>In Eastern Europe:
In Poland, the retailer works with the Ekon association, which has led to the recruitment of 150 mentally disabled individuals. It employs 315 persons with disabilities, which represents a 20% increase between 2015 and 2016. In Romania, Carrefour introduced an action plan in 2016 to hire 70 disabled individuals.

>In southern Europe:
In Spain, Carrefour has signed agreements with the local authorities and associations to promote the employment of people with disabilities. Thanks to the various initiatives undertaken, Carrefour Spain received the European prize for best company in terms of workplace integration. This prize is awarded by EAPSD (European Association of Service Providers for Persons with Disabilities), which recognizes the company’s efforts to support the integration of persons with disabilities into the workplace. In Italy, Carrefour has made disability one of the four key priorities of its Diversity strategy. The retailer employs more than 600 disabled people in the country.

For all request about the Carrefour Group (sales, financial results, governance, international,…), please contact the Carrefour Group media relations office:

By phone:

Switchboard: +33 (0)1 41 04 26 00

For journalists: +33 (0)1 41 04 26 17

. By e-mail: presse_groupe@carrefour.com

Source: Carrefour Group

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Lowe’s expands “Smart Home powered by b8ta” connected-home shopping experience to 70 stores nationwide

Lowe’s expands “Smart Home powered by b8ta” connected-home shopping experience to 70 stores nationwide

 

MOORESVILLE, N.C., 2017-Nov-09 — /EPR Retail News/ — Building on the success of a three-store pilot last fall, Lowe’s Companies, Inc. (NYSE: LOW), in partnership with software-powered retailer b8ta, is expanding its “Smart Home powered by b8ta” connected-home shopping experience to 70 Lowe’s stores nationwide. The store-within-a-store offers an innovative shopping solution for customers interested in smart home devices. Each destination features a curated selection of top-rated smart home products and offers consumers onsite support from specially trained experts known as “b8ta testers.”

By enabling customers to easily discover, learn and try the latest smart home technology all in one place, Lowe’s and b8ta are providing a unique, service-oriented environment that elevates the retail experience.”>By enabling customers to easily discover, learn and try the latest smart home technology all in one place, Lowe’s and b8ta are providing a unique, service-oriented environment that elevates the retail experience. With b8ta’s dashboard and analytics, product displays and content are easily adjustable based on customer insights, delivering a more convenient and informative smart home shopping experience.

“Consumers aspire to live a connected life and crave solutions that make this possible,” said Ruth Crowley, vice president of customer experience design at Lowe’s. “Smart home products simplify life – but the technology can sometimes be confusing or intimidating. So, we developed Smart Home powered by b8ta to emulate a ‘lab-like’ atmosphere that empowers customers to make informed decisions.”

Customers will be immediately drawn to the wood-paneled aisles near the front of the store where more than 60 smart home products are exhibited. The fully immersive format includes a wide array of items ranging from security systems to thermostats, cameras to lighting, speakers and more from brands customers know and trust including Google, Sonos, GE, Nest, Iris, Samsung and Ring. Products are displayed out of the box to encourage hands-on play and enhance product knowledge. iPads with product-related content and pricing details can be found alongside each device. Smart phones are also available for customers to interact with products and supporting apps, the same as they would use them at home.

By partnering with Lowe’s, b8ta is furthering its mission to bring customers unbiased access to the most cutting-edge technology and allow them to try it firsthand. b8ta’s innovative retail-as-a-service solution – based on customer insights – simplifies the purchasing process for customers exploring connected devices.

“b8ta makes shopping for connected home products accessible and easy. Nationwide, consumers will have the opportunity to engage and demo a curated selection of connected products, with knowledgeable product experts on-hand to navigate consumers through their journey,” said Phillip Raub, co-founder and Chief Brand Officer of b8ta.

In addition to the store-within-a-store format, 1,000 Lowe’s stores rolled out specialized smart home displays featuring products primed for Black Friday and the Holiday gifting season. Lowe’s online shopping experience was also enhanced so that all customers – however they prefer to shop – can enjoy a curated smart home experience and learn more about the b8ta collaboration. The site provides product knowledge, including use cases to inspire ideas for creating a smarter home.

“Smart Home powered by b8ta” is available in select major U.S. markets, including New York City, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Dallas, Philadelphia, Boston, Washington D.C., Miami, Tampa, Raleigh and Charlotte. For more info about store locations and to view the enhanced digital experience, visit: www.lowes.com/smarthome.

About Lowe’s
Lowe’s Companies, Inc. (NYSE: LOW) is a FORTUNE® 50 home improvement company serving more than 17 million customers a week in the United States, Canada and Mexico. With fiscal year 2016 sales of $65.0 billion, Lowe’s and its related businesses operate or service more than 2,370 home improvement and hardware stores and employ over 290,000 people. Founded in 1946 and based in Mooresville, N.C., Lowe’s supports the communities it serves through programs that focus on K-12 public education and community improvement projects. For more information, visit Lowes.com.

About b8ta
b8ta, a software-powered retailer designed to make physical retail accessible for all, was founded by Vibhu Norby (CEO), William Mintun(COO), and Phillip Raub (CBO). b8ta helps people discover new products while empowering makers with a simple retail-as-a-service model that puts them in control. b8ta has locations in Palo Alto, Santa Monica, Seattle, Austin, San Francisco, Corte Madera, Houston and New York with more opening soon. To learn more about b8ta, visit b8ta.com, or find a b8ta store near you at www.b8ta.com/locations.

Media Inquiries:

Tel: 704-758-2917
Email: PublicRelations@Lowes.com

Source: Lowe’s Companies, Inc.

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H&M announces 2017 Holiday campaign film featuring Nicki Minaj

H&M announces 2017 Holiday campaign film featuring Nicki Minaj

 

H&M is pleased to announce that the 2017 Holiday campaign film will star Nicki Minaj alongside Jesse Williams and John Turturro. Directed by Johan Renck, the film tells a story of a parallel fantasy world filled with memorable characters and a universal message of caring for one another.

STOCKHOLM, Sweden, 2017-Nov-09 — /EPR Retail News/ — A modern take on the classic fairytale, the film centres around a heroic little girl who tracks down the evil brother of Santa Claus in order to save the holiday season from his selfishness. Nicki Minaj stars as the mother of the little girl as well as the fabulous fairy named the Wisest Thingy, while Jesse Williams plays the dual role of the father and the supernatural Fastest Fairy, and John Turturro takes on the part of both Santa Claus and the evil brother of Santa Claus.

“I love the film’s over all empowering message. I love seeing this young girl become the champion that lives in all of us. There’s always magic in the air during the Holidays,”

Nicki Minaj

“It’s exciting to see our festive designs come to life together with such inspirational talents. They definitely added some extra magic to the film and we hope that our customers will love how the fashion is presented throughout the holiday season at H&M,” says Pernilla Wohlfahrt, H&M’s Head of Design and Creative Director.

A wide range of festive fashion for the whole family and selected garments seen in the film will be available in stores and online at hm.com during the Holiday campaign period, which starts November 9.

Scroll down to see the teaser film. The full version of the Holiday film will go live on hm.com November 28. For more images, please visit our Image Gallery.

Press inqueries regarding H&M group please contact:
+46 8 796 53 00
groupmediarelations@hm.com

Source: H&M group

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New partnership will see more Americans with disabilities find meaningful employment at CVS Pharmacy locations

WOONSOCKET, R.I., 2017-Nov-09 — /EPR Retail News/ — CVS Health [NYSE: CVS] today (Nov. 8, 2017) announced a collaboration with the National Consortium of State-Operated Comprehensive Rehabilitation Centers (NCSOCRC) to help Americans with disabilities find meaningful employment at CVS Pharmacy locations across the country. The announcement coincides with the opening of a mock pharmacy at the Arkansas Career Training Institute (ACTI) in Hot Springs, Arkansas.

The new mock pharmacy at ACTI is one of eight locations the company will open by spring 2018, and the result of the collaboration with NCSOCRC. In addition to two locations which previously opened in Fishersville, Va. and Johnstown, Pa., CVS Health plans to support mock pharmacy training facilities in Baltimore, Md., Plainwell, Mich., Smyrna, Tenn., Warm Springs, Ga., and Thelma, Ky.

Through the mock CVS Pharmacy locations, individuals with disabilities receive classroom and hands-on training in life and job skills such as providing customer service, stocking shelves and working at the cash register. Each center is installed with mock equipment and participants work closely with trained staff to learn about the roles and responsibilities of front store and pharmacy technician positions. Individuals who complete the program qualify to apply for a position at CVS Pharmacy.

The first mock pharmacy location of this kind opened at the Wilson Workforce and Rehabilitation Center in Fishersville, Va. in April 2016. Since its opening, 41 participants have completed the program and 11 have been hired for employment with CVS Pharmacy.

Kaylee Merrick, a 2016 graduate of the program, now works for CVS Pharmacy in Northern Virginia. When asked about her job, she said, ” (CVS) has open arms to anyone and they have a lot of patience. It’s always a joy to see (my regular customers) and interact with them, it’s been amazing!”

“CVS Health is focused on breaking down the employment barriers that individuals with disabilities face, which these facilities help to achieve,” said David Casey, Vice President, Workforce Strategies and Chief Diversity Officer, CVS Health. “We are proud to be working with the NCSOCRC to help people with disabilities access the security and prosperity that stable jobs can provide.”

“Our consortium is charged with providing people with disabilities with opportunities for competitive employment within multiple sectors of the Nation’s workforce,” said Jonathan Bibb, President of NCSOCRC and Director of ACTI. “Working with CVS Health provides the people we serve with direct access to great careers in health care, along with the support of business leaders with proven records of innovation and inclusion. This is the new definition of business engagement.”

About CVS Health

CVS Health is a pharmacy innovation company helping people on their path to better health. Through its 9,700 retail locations, more than 1,100 walk-in medical clinics, a leading pharmacy benefits manager with nearly 90 million plan members, a dedicated senior pharmacy care business serving more than one million patients per year, expanding specialty pharmacy services, and a leading stand-alone Medicare Part D prescription drug plan, the company enables people, businesses and communities to manage health in more affordable and effective ways. This unique integrated model increases access to quality care, delivers better health outcomes and lowers overall health care costs. Find more information about how CVS Health is shaping the future of health at https://www.cvshealth.com/.

Media Contact:

Mary Gattuso
401-770-9811
Mary.Gattuso@CVSHealth.com

SOURCE: CVS Health

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Asda introduces Extra Special Wagyu Beef Dripping Roast Potatoes

Asda introduces Extra Special Wagyu Beef Dripping Roast Potatoes

 

Make room for the most luxurious spuds yet – Asda’s NEW Wagyu Beef Dripping Potatoes

Leeds, UK, 2017-Nov-09 — /EPR Retail News/ — Just when you thought peak potato perfection had been reached with goose fat potatoes, Asda has raised its spud game to divine ranks. Introducing the most indulgent, luxurious and mouth-watering spuds yet – Extra Special Wagyu Beef Dripping Roast Potatoes –providing Brits with tantalising taties to accompany their Christmas meal.

With a crisp golden outer and light, fluffy inner, the potatoes are coated in rich, juicy wagyu beef dripping from the most premium cattle reared in Scotland, where the rearing and feeding method follows tried-and-tested guidelines to make tender, buttery beef. The wagyu coating, paired with King Edward Potatoes expertly grown by fourth-generation farmers in Lincolnshire, gives a sumptuous, heavenly burst of flavour with every mouthful.

An Asda spokesperson comments: “No Christmas dinner is complete without golden roasties, and this year we want to make them extra special by pairing them with the holy grail of indulgence; wagyu beef dripping. You’ll be sure to impress your guests and have them begging for seconds with these scrumptious spuds!”

Asda’s Extra Special Wagyu Beef Dripping Roast Potatoes are available from 4th November nationwide for under £1.70.

About Asda Stores Ltd.
Founded in the 1960s in Yorkshire, Asda is one of Britain’s leading retailers and helps customers save money and live better in stores, online and through their mobile devices.

Each week more than 18 million customers visit its 645 stores – including 30 Supercentres, 392 Superstores, 155 Supermarkets, 33 Asda Living stores, and 35 standalone petrol stations – and websites, and are served by 153,000 colleagues. www.asda.com and www.george.com deliver to 99% of the UK’s homes and to its 538 click and collect sites across the UK.

Its main office is in Leeds, Yorkshire and its George clothing division is in Lutterworth, Leicestershire. Asda joined Walmart, the world’s number one retailer, in 1999.

Source: ASDA

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Tractor Supply Company announces its participation in the Morgan Stanley Global Consumer and Retail Conference

BRENTWOOD, Tenn., 2017-Nov-09 — /EPR Retail News/ — Tractor Supply Company (NASDAQ:TSCO), the largest rural lifestyle retail store chain in the United States, today (Nov. 08, 2017) announced its participation in the Morgan Stanley Global Consumer and Retail Conference on November 15, 2017.  Kurt Barton, Chief Financial Officer; Rob Mills, Chief Information Officer and Strategist; and Beth Thompson, Manager, Investor Relations and Corporate Communications, will attend this conference.

The Company’s 30-minute presentation will begin at 10:40 a.m. Eastern Time, on November 15, 2017 and will be webcast live on the Company’s website at IR.TractorSupply.com.  The webcast will be archived and available at the same location shortly after the presentation.

About Tractor Supply Company
Founded in 1938, Tractor Supply Company is the largest rural lifestyle retail store chain in the United States. At September 30, 2017, the Company operated 1,665 Tractor Supply stores in 49 states and an e-commerce website at www.tractorsupply.com. Tractor Supply stores are focused on supplying the lifestyle needs of recreational farmers and ranchers and others who enjoy the rural lifestyle, as well as tradesmen and small businesses.  Stores are located primarily in towns outlying major metropolitan markets and in rural communities.  The Company offers the following comprehensive selection of merchandise: (1) equine, livestock, pet and small animal products, including items necessary for their health, care, growth and containment; (2) hardware, truck, towing and tool products; (3) seasonal products, including heating, lawn and garden items, power equipment, gifts and toys; (4) work/recreational clothing and footwear; and (5) maintenance products for agricultural and rural use.

Tractor Supply Company also owns and operates Petsense, a small-box pet specialty supply retailer focused on meeting the needs of pet owners, primarily in small and mid-size communities, and offering a variety of pet products and services.  At September 30, 2017, the Company operated 162 Petsense stores in 26 states.  For more information on Petsense, visit www.petsense.com.

Contact:

Kurt Barton
Chief Financial Officer

Beth Thompson
Manager
Investor Relations and Corporate Communications
(615) 440-4000

Investors:
John Rouleau/Rachel Schacter, ICR

Media:
Alecia Pulman/Brittany Rae Fraser, ICR
(203) 682-8200

Source: Tractor Supply Company/globenewswire

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Old Navy unveils Black Friday deals; will donate $1 to Boys & Girls Clubs for every Cozy Socks purchased

50% OFF ENTIRE PURCHASE IN STORES & ONLINE DURING 3-DAY BLACK FRIYAY SALE

SAN FRANCISCO, 2017-Nov-09 — /EPR Retail News/ — Old Navy is putting the yay in HoliYAY this shopping season with an opportunity to give back while stocking up, extended Black Friday deals and a line-up of family-fun store events for kids ages 1 to 100.

Cozy Socks One Dolla Holla

During the One Dolla Holla sale, Old Navy customers can get cozy while giving back. On Black Friday, Nov. 24, cozy socks will be offered in-store at the one-day only doorbuster price of $1 per pair. The beloved stocking stuffer, normally $5 per pair, feature playful novelty prints ranging from unicorns to gingerbread men. Even better, for every pair purchased, Old Navy will donate $1 to Boys & Girls Clubs, up to $1 million.1

Through its cause platform ONward!, Old Navy is committed to taking the next generation to the next level, and has long supported Boys & Girls Clubs to help turn learners into leaders. The brand’s Black Friday donation will go to creating an employment program for Boys & Girls Club youth, offering them career coaching and a first job at Old Navy stores.

Black FriYAY Deals & Hours

Old Navy’s Black Friday sale is longer than ever with a pre-party sale leading up to the main event, a 3-day Black Friday celebration, and 72 hours of Cyber deals.

  • During the Pre-Party Sale from Thursday, Nov. 16 until Tuesday, Nov. 21, customers will receive 40% off their entire purchase in stores and online.2
  • From Wednesday Nov. 22 through Friday, Nov. 24, the three-day official Black Friday sale will offer customers 50% off their entire purchase and thousands of styles from $10 & under, both in stores and online.3
  • Old Navy cardmembers receive early access to the Black Friday sale with 50% off their purchase from Thursday, Nov. 16 to Sunday, Nov. 19 when using their Old Navy credit card in-store and online.4
  • The 72 hours of Cyber Sale kicks off on the heels of Black Friday. On Saturday, Nov. 27 and Sunday, Nov. 28, OldNavy.com will offer 40% off everything. On Cyber Monday, OldNavy.com will offer its best deal of the year with 50% off everything, no exclusions.5

Mark your calendar for all the incredible deals with details at OldNavy.com/#holiyay.

Old Navy will provide extended shopping hours around Black Friday, offering customers a wide range of times to take advantage of the 50% off sale.

  • On Wednesday, Nov. 22, Old Navy stores will open at 9 a.m. and remain open until 10pm.
  • On Thanksgiving Day, stores will open at 3 p.m. and stay open until 1 a.m.
  • On Black Friday, doors will open 5 a.m. and remain open until 10 p.m.6

In-Store SaturYAY Events

Old Navy is saying “bye” to the humdrum and “hi” to the moments of kid-like joy and merriment this holiday season with five special SaturYAY store events for the young and young at heart.

SaturYAY Steal (Saturday, Nov. 18):
Start crafting with glittery sticker sheets and holiday-themed coloring pages, gifted with every purchase. In select stores in New York City (Times Square and Herald Square) and San Francisco(Union Square), try your luck at snagging holiday goodies in our custom Old Navy Claw Machine.

Santa’s Wish List (Saturday, Dec. 2):
Send holiday wishes to the North Pole at our Santa Wish List card activity station. In flagship stores (three Manhattan locations, San Francisco’s Union Square and Chicago’s State Street), Santa will be in the house to pose for keepsake printed photos.

Snap & Share (Saturday, Dec. 9):
Snap and share festive photos using our playful holiday props, available in select stores. Store associates will be available to capture your best angles.

Jingle Jammie Jam (Saturday, Dec. 16):
Join our in-store PJ party. Store associates will be donning their Jingle Jammies to perform a special choreographed dance called the “Jingle Jammie Jam.”

Gift Tags (Saturday, Dec. 23)
Finish wrapping those last-minute gifts with a set of exclusive gift tags, gifted with every purchase.

About Old Navy

Old Navy is a global apparel and accessories brand that makes current American essentials accessible to every family. Originated in 1994, the brand celebrates the democracy of style through on-trend, playfully optimistic, affordable and high quality product. A division of San Francisco-based Gap Inc. (NYSE: GPS), Old Navy brings a fun, energizing shopping environment to its customers in more than 1,000 stores around the world. For more information, please visit www.oldnavy.com.

1 Offer valid in stores only on 11/24/17 in the US (including Puerto Rico) and Canada while supplies last. Cozy Socks limit 10 per customer. Select Styles Only. $1 million cap is in US currency, applies to combined sales in the US and Canada, and will be divided proportionally between Boys & Girls Clubs of America (“BGCA”) and Boys & Girls Clubs of Canada (“BGCC”) based on the respective sales in the US and Canada. BGCA’s and BGCC’s names and logos are used with their permission, which in no way constitutes an endorsement, expressed or implied, of any product or company.

2 40% valid 11/16-11/21. Excludes in-store clearance, gift cards, register-lane items, jewelry, and today-only deals.

3 50% valid 11/22-11/24. Excludes Gift Cards, In-Store Clearance, Register Lane Items, Jewelry, Today Only Deals, and 2 Day Only Deals.

4 50% off subject to credit approval, valid 11/16-11/19. A Gap Inc. Credit Card must be used as pay type. See stores for details.

5 Offer does not apply to gift cards or Today Only Deals.

6 Store hours may vary, check local stores for details.

MEDIA CONTACT:
press@gap.com

SOURCE: Gap Inc.

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Old Navy® named one of the Best Workplaces in Retail by Great Place to Work® and FORTUNE

SAN FRANCISCO, 2017-Nov-09 — /EPR Retail News/ — Old Navy® is proud to announce it has been named one of the Best Workplaces in Retail by research and consulting firm Great Place to Work® and FORTUNE.

The ranking considered survey responses from 38,000 employees in the sector, taking into account more than 50 factors that shape their experience at work. Old Navy claimed the No. 13 spot on the list.

“Fun, fashion, family and value are at the heart of our brand – it’s what inspires our products and most importantly, our people every day,” said Sonia Syngal, President & CEO, Old Navy. “We are as focused on building an engaging employee culture as we are committed to making quality fashion accessible to everyone. Radical transparency about our path forward, growing great careers, and having fun along the way, are critical to achieving the growth Old Navy is capable of.”

The Best Workplaces in Retail inspire loyalty in shoppers and employees alike. At the winning companies, 90 percent of co-workers said customers would rate their service as excellent. Nine in ten also said they’re proud to tell others where they work, building valuable word of mouth.

“It’s exciting to have Old Navy recognized as one of the Best Places to Work in Retail,” said Brent Hyder, EVP, Global Talent and Sustainability for Gap Inc. “Old Navy is a place that truly embodies everything that the brand stands for and we are looking to harness the best practices at Old Navy across all of our brands at Gap Inc.”

The Best Workplaces in Retail is one of a series of rankings by Great Place to Work and FORTUNE based on employee feedback from Great Place to Work-Certified™ organizations. Old Navy also was ranked as a Best Workplace for Diversity by Great Place to Work and FORTUNE.

Want to know what it’s like to work for Old Navy? Learn more about careers at Old Navy on LinkedIn and the Old Navy Careers Blog, and visit the Old Navy YouTube channel.

About Old Navy

Old Navy is a global apparel and accessories brand that makes current American essentials accessible to every family. Originated in 1994, the brand celebrates the democracy of style through on-trend, playfully optimistic, affordable and high-quality product. A division of San Francisco-based Gap Inc. (NYSE: GPS), Old Navy brings a fun, energizing shopping environment to its customers in more than 1,000 stores around the world. For more information, please visit www.oldnavy.com.

About the Best Workplaces in Retail

Great Place to Work based its ranking on a data-driven methodology applied to anonymous Trust Index™ survey responses from more than 38,000 employees at Great Place to Work-Certified™ organizations. To learn more about Great Place to Work Certification and recognition on Best Workplaces lists published with FORTUNE, visit Greatplacetowork.com.

About Great Place to Work

Great Place to Work is the global authority on high-trust, high-performance workplace cultures. Through its certification programs, Great Place to Work recognizes outstanding workplace cultures and produces the annual Fortune “100 Best Companies to Work For®” and Great Place to Work Best Workplaces lists for Millennials, Women, Diversity, Small & Medium Companies, industries and, internationally, countries and regions. Through its culture consulting services, Great Place to Work helps clients create great workplaces that outpace peers on key business metrics like revenue growth, profitability, retention and stock performance. Learn more at Greatplacetowork.com and on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

MEDIA CONTACT:
press@gap.com

SOURCE: Gap Inc.

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PRODUCT RECALL: Nature’s Touch Frozen Organic Fine Whole Green Beans due to potential contamination with Listeria monocytogenes

PRODUCT RECALL: Nature’s Touch Frozen Organic Fine Whole Green Beans due to potential contamination with Listeria monocytogenes

 

Front Royal, Virginia, 2017-Nov-09 — /EPR Retail News/ — Nature’s Touch Frozen Foods LLC. of Front Royal, Virginia is voluntarily recalling one product, Nature’s Touch Frozen Organic Fine Whole Green Beans, due to potential contamination with Listeria monocytogenes.

Nature’s Touch is issuing this voluntary recall after a routine sampling program by the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection found one positive result of Listeria monocytogenes in one retail bag of the product. Nature’s Touch has immediately ceased the production and distribution of this product and is working in full collaboration with the FDA on this recall.

Nature’s Touch Frozen Organic Fine Whole Green Beans were distributed through three retailers in the following states: Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont and Virginia. All affected retailers have been contacted to ensure that the recalled product is removed from store shelves. Other products of Nature’s Touch Frozen Foods LLC. are not affected.

Listeria monocytogenes is an organism that may cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Although healthy individuals may suffer only short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea, Listeria infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women.

To date, there have been no reported illnesses associated with the product that is the subject of this recall:

Brand Product Size UPC Best Before Dates
Nature’s Touch Organic Fine Whole Green Beans 10 oz (283g) 8 73668 00141 8 2017 JUN 04 to 2019
JUN 21

Consumers who have purchased Nature’s Touch Frozen Organic Fine Whole Green Beans are urged to discard it or return it to the place of purchase for a full refund. The Nature’s Touch Consumer Service Team will be available to answer any questions Monday to Friday from 9AM to 5 PM EST by phone at: 1-877-850-2664 or by email at: info@naturestouch.ca.

At Nature’s Touch, our passion is finding the highest-quality frozen foods for our consumers and we are deeply committed to food safety at every production stage. This voluntary recall reflects our dedication to ensuring the safety of our consumers while enjoying our products.

Consumers Contact:

Consumer Service
 info@naturestouch.ca
1-877-850-2664

Source: FDA

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Wegmans again tops the Best Workplaces in Retail ranking by Great Place to Work and FORTUNE magazine

ROCHESTER, NY, 2017-Nov-09 — /EPR Retail News/ — Wegmans is proud to announce, once again, it has been named one of the Best Workplaces in Retail by research and consulting firm Great Place to Work and FORTUNE magazine, ranking #1 for the second straight year.

The ranking considered survey responses from 38,000 employees in the retail sector, taking into account more than 50 factors that shape their experience at work.

“Thanks to their commitment to provide a fulfilling career experience, the Best Workplaces earn the trust and dedication of retail employees who serve as critical ambassadors for their brands,” said Chinwe Onyeagoro, president of Great Place to Work.

President & CEO Colleen Wegman says, “Our people demonstrate our values with every action they take. They help one another, help our customers, and they make Wegmans a happy place to work and shop. I couldn’t be more proud.”

The Best Workplaces in Retail is one of a series of rankings by Great Place to Work and FORTUNE based on employee feedback from Great Place to Work-Certified™ organizations.

About Wegmans
Wegmans Food Markets, Inc. is a 95-store supermarket chain with stores in New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Virginia, Maryland, and Massachusetts. The family-owned company, recognized as an industry leader and innovator, celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2016. Wegmans has been named one of the ‘100 Best Companies to Work For’ by FORTUNE magazine for 20 consecutive years, ranking #2 in 2017.

About the Best Workplaces in Retail
Great Place to Work based its ranking on a data-driven methodology applied to anonymous Trust Index™ survey responses from more than 38,000 employees at Great Place to Work-Certified™ organizations. To learn more about Great Place to Work Certification and recognition on Best Workplaces lists published with FORTUNE, visit Greatplacetowork.com.

About Great Place to Work
Great Place to Work is the global authority on high-trust, high-performance workplace cultures. Through its certification programs, Great Place to Work recognizes outstanding workplace cultures and produces the annual Fortune “100 Best Companies to Work For®” and Great Place to Work Best Workplaces lists for Millennials, Women, Diversity, Small & Medium Companies, industries and, internationally, countries and regions. Through its culture consulting services, Great Place to Work helps clients create great workplaces that outpace peers on key business metrics like revenue growth, profitability, retention and stock performance.

Learn more at Greatplacetowork.com and on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

Press Contact:
Jo Natale
Vice President of Media Relations
585-429-3627

Source: Wegmans Food Markets, Inc.

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Anna Karin Holck appointed new VP Customer Experience of the KappAhl Group

Anna Karin Holck appointed new VP Customer Experience of the KappAhl Group

 

Mölndal, Sweden, 2017-Nov-09 — /EPR Retail News/ — Anna Karin Holck has been appointed new Vice President Customer Experience of the KappAhl Group. Since 2013 she is Country Manager of KappAhl Sweden and has before that extensive experience from leadership in the retail industry.

“Anna Karin has a strong commitment to the digital transformation we are in. She has successfully navigated the work of strengthening customer relationships and developing our sales organization in Sweden. I am very pleased that we soon will be taking advantage of her skills and commitment in the entire Group.” says KappAhl’s President and CEO Danny Feltmann.

Anna Karin Holck has been appointed to lead and develop the work within the KappAhl Customer Experience organization. Anna Karin has many years of leadership experience from retail and chain operations, from a strategic and operational perspective. She has previously worked as Sales Director at MQ Retail AB (publ.) and before that she was Retail Manager Specsavers Sweden. She was born in 1968, has a grade in economy from IHM Business School and works as Country Manager Sweden at KappAhl since 2013.

Anna Karin Holck will assume her new position when her successor as Country Manager Sweden has been appointed. In the meantime, KappAhl’s CEO Danny Feltmann is acting Vice President Customer Experience.

KappAhl was founded in Gothenburg in 1953 and is a leading fashion chain in the Nordic region with 370 KappAhl and Newbie stores, including Shop Online, in Sweden, Norway, Finland, Poland and Great Britain. Our business idea is to offer value-for-money fashion of our own design to the many people. Sustainability-labeled fashion accounts for 53 per cent of the range. Sales for 2016/2017 totaled SEK 4.9 billion and the company has approx. 4,000 employees in nine countries. KappAhl is quoted on Nasdaq Stockholm. More information at www.kappahl.com

For more information:
Danny Feltmann
President and CEO
Tel +46 31 771 5661

Charlotte Högberg
Head Corporate Communications
+46 704 715 631
charlotte.hogberg@kappahl.com

Source: KappAhl

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KappAhl releases Annual & Sustainability Report 2017

KappAhl releases Annual & Sustainability Report 2017

 

Mölndal, Sweden, 2017-Nov-09 — /EPR Retail News/ — In the report, President and CEO Danny Feltmann summarizes the year with the words “We have confirmation that our efforts are having effect and our development work is now continuing at a sustained pace. The pace of investment will continue to be high as we adapt the store network and develop omni-channel services. In addition, Newbie Stores continues to expand in both existing markets and the UK. A guiding star in the ongoing work is the right fashion for our customer, when and how the customer chooses. KappAhl is to be be our customer’s first choice! ”

In brief the past year summes up as follows

  • Success factors including active work on price and campaign strategies and good cost control have affected the result positively. The operating margin was 9,1 per cent.
  • The Newbie brand is successful on its own. Seven new Newbie Stores opened in Sweden, Norway and Finland. It was decided that in the autumn of 2017, Newbie Store will open in Poland and the UK, which was also carried out after the end of the fiscal year.
  • Digital development is moving forward, including customer-appreciated services like Click&Collect and Shop Online in Store.
  • The continued prioritized sustainability work has been strengthened with the new Responsible Fashion sustainability strategy. The proportion of sustainably labelled fashion has increased to 53 (38) per cent. The launch of One Bag Habit together with industry colleagues reduced the use of bags by over fifty percent in the first three months, June-August.

KappAhl was founded in Gothenburg in 1953 and is a leading fashion chain in the Nordic region with 370 KappAhl and Newbie stores, including Shop Online, in Sweden, Norway, Finland, Poland and Great Britain. Our business idea is to offer value-for-money fashion of our own design to the many people. Sustainability-labeled fashion accounts for 53 per cent of the range. Sales for 2016/2017 totaled SEK 4.9 billion and the company has approx. 4,000 employees in nine countries. KappAhl is quoted on Nasdaq Stockholm. More information at www.kappahl.com

For more information:
Charlotte Högberg
Head Corporate Communications
Tel. 46 (0)704-71 56 31
e-mail charlotte.hogberg@kappahl.com

Source: KappAhl

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Russian food retailer X5 opens its trade representative office in Hong Kong

Moscow, 2017-Nov-09 — /EPR Retail News/ — X5 Retail Group N.V. (“X5” or the “Company”), a leading Russian food retailer (LSE ticker: “FIVE”), announces the opening of its trade representative office in Hong Kong. A permanent presence in Hong Kong, the business getaway to South-Eastern Asia, will enable X5’s procurement team to improve purchasing terms and build up the share of direct imports in a number of product categories, primarily fruit, vegetables, seafood and non-food goods.

The Hong Kong office is X5’s first trade representative office abroad. Looking forward, X5 is also considering opportunities to establish similar trade offices in Central Asia and South America. Direct engagement with foreign suppliers, bypassing distributors, will enhance the quality of X5’s offering to customers, by enhancing its control over production standards and mitigating risks of supply shortages.

Ramping up direct imports of goods that are not produced in Russia and seasonal products has been among X5’s top priorities since 2016. In 2017, the number of countries where X5 has direct relationships with suppliers reached 27. Direct imports already account for almost 50% of supplied fruit and berries. In the 18 months after the launch of the direct import programme, the total number of direct suppliers reached 200.

In 2017–2018, X5 intends to establish direct imports from another six countries – Bosnia, Mexico, Namibia, Madagascar, New Zealand and Iran. The Company is open to cooperation with producers from other countries looking to tap into the Russian market and is ready to offer favourable procurement terms.​

For further details please contact:
Maxim Novikov
Head of Investor Relations
Tel.: +7 (495) 502-9783
e-mail: Maxim.Novikov@x5.ru

Andrey Vasin
Investor Relations Officer
Tel.:+7 (495) 662-88-88 ext. 21-456
e-mail: Andrey.Vasin@x5.ru

SOURCE: X5 Retail Group N.V.

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Dollar General becomes the first retailer to receive Coca-Cola President’s Veterans Recognition Award

Major Discount Retailer Recognized as the First Retail Recipient

GOODLETTSVILLE, Tenn., 2017-Nov-09 — /EPR Retail News/ — The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE: KO) plans to formally recognize Dollar General (NYSE: DG) with its President’s Veterans Recognition Award at a special event at its world headquarters in Atlanta on Friday, November 10, 2017. As the 2017 recipient, Dollar General is the first retailer ever to be bestowed with the honor, which recognizes the company’s outstanding engagement and outreach with the military community.

“Dollar General is humbled by this prestigious recognition of our ongoing work with the military and veteran communities,” said Larry Gatta, Dollar General’s senior vice president and general merchandise manager. “As a company dedicated to our mission of Serving Others, we continually strive to support and show appreciation to the men and women who have served and continue to serve our country. We appreciate Coca-Cola’s partnership in recognizing our efforts as we continue to be grateful and thankful for the sacrifices made by our military communities and their families.”

Presented by Sandy Douglas, President of Coca-Cola North America, the award recognizes a customer who shows exemplary support for the U.S. Armed Forces, its veterans and families.

Dollar General’s engagement with the military community includes exclusive discounts to active military, veterans and their immediate family members, outreach with the military communities through its military employee resource group, founding of the Paychecks for Patriots program, which supports service members’ transition to civilian life through meaningful employment opportunities, and more. The Company also collaborated with Coca-Cola in 2017 to debut its exclusive Share a Coke® patriotic can series honoring service members, veterans and their families.

“On behalf of everyone at Coca-Cola, we are proud to recognize our longstanding customer Dollar General for their commitment to veterans, members of the U.S. military and their families across the country,” said Douglas. “Dollar General exemplifies the gold standard in honoring and celebrating our nation’s servicemen and women, and we salute them as a Coca-Cola President’s Veterans Recognition Award recipient.”

As part of Coca-Cola’s annual Veterans Day employee celebration, which will be centered around the theme of Honoring Military Women and Families this year, Dollar General also plans to present the USO of Georgia with a $10,000 donation.

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, basic apparel, housewares and seasonal items at everyday low 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 Clorox, Energizer, Procter & Gamble, Hanes, Coca-Cola, Mars, Unilever, Nestle, Kimberly-Clark, Kellogg’s, General Mills, and PepsiCo.

Contact(s):
Dollar General Corporation
Crystal Ghassemi
615-855-5210

Dollar General Public Relations
Media Hotline: 1-877-944-DGPR (3477)
dgpr@dollargeneral.com

Source: Dollar General Corporation

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JCPenney highlights its sustainability and community efforts in its 2017 Corporate Social Responsibility Report

PLANO, Texas, 2017-Nov-09 — /EPR Retail News/ — JCPenney announced today (Nov. 8, 2017)  the release of its 2017 Corporate Social Responsibility Report, highlighting the Company’s sustainability and community efforts across its operations worldwide. The report, which details activities for fiscal years 2015 and 2016, illustrates the Company’s ongoing commitment to the highest level of corporate citizenship.

For the 2017 report, JCPenney partnered with Texas A&M University’s 180 Degrees Consulting group to learn the latest stakeholder expectations for CSR reporting. A team of six students from the group performed analysis to identify industry standards when reporting CSR data, and made suggestions to the Company based upon their findings. The group’s key recommendations drove the initial ideation of, and inspiration behind, the framework of the 2017 report, which summarizes each Company commitment using four pillars: our people, our communities, our products and our planet.

“The Golden Rule has guided every customer interaction at JCPenney for over a century, and we understand the importance of applying a similar ideology to our global efforts in social responsibility and environmental sustainability,” said Marvin R. Ellison, chairman and chief executive officer at JCPenney. “We recognize the important role we play in being a responsible employer, neighbor and community advocate, and acknowledge the significance of positively connecting with younger consumers who share these values.”

The online report outlines Company achievements in a variety of categories, including:

  • Diverse Workforce – As of 2016, more than half of the JCPenney associate population are minorities, and the progression is positively represented at all levels within the Company, including the executive team. In fact, Ellison is one of only five African-American CEO’s in the Fortune 500. Moreover, from 2013 to 2016, the percentage of ethnic minorities employed at JCPenney increased from 46 percent to 51 percent, and women have represented 80% of the total associate base since 2013.
  • Community Relations – In 2015 and 2016, JCPenney associates logged more than 67,700 volunteer hours, donating their time and skills to benefit local non-profit organizations. Associates also completed more than 800 volunteer projects in support of National Volunteer month within the same period. What’s more, through the Company’s “Change for the Better” giving campaign, JCPenney associates gave more than $3.5 million to 6,200 local non-profits across the country.
  • Responsible and Ethical Sourcing – J. C. Penney Purchasing Corporation (JCPPC) is one of the largest and most experienced importers of textiles and apparel in the United States, enabling JCPenney to purchase merchandise from nearly 2,600 domestic and foreign suppliers. The Company’s Social and Environmental Responsibility teams – located in buying and quality assurance offices around the world – work with an industry-leading third-party auditor to conduct compliance audits of factories producing JCPenney private brand apparel. In fiscal years 2015 and 2016, our third-party provider conducted over 2,000 social audits, and, in 2016, we extended this effort to include textile mills, completing over 100 assessments to help improve mill conditions.
  • Energy Conservation – In 2015, JCPenney set an aggressive energy and greenhouse gas emissions goal to reduce Scope 1 and Scope 2 greenhouse gas emissions per sq. ft. 15 percent by 2020. Just two years into the journey, JCPenney surpassed the goal by reducing emissions 19.6 percent, a decrease driven largely by behavior change and a robust Company-wide energy management system utilized in nearly 840 stores. As part of its ongoing energy management efforts, JCPenney continues a long-standing partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy’s ENERGY STARTM program. The Company has received ENERGY STAR’s Partner of the Year, Sustained Excellence designation for ten consecutive years, and proudly displays the ENERGY STAR logo at over 650 ENERGY STAR certified buildings throughout the Company.
  • Responsible Recycling – JCPenney is making efforts to significantly reduce waste by recycling 85% of the Company’s annual domestic waste by 2020. Through this promise, JCPenney has increased its recycling rate to 80 percent in 2016, up nine percent since 2014. Plus, the Company recycled 74,000 tons of waste in 2016 alone, while decreasing waste to landfill by 5,000 tons from 2014 to 2016. Furthermore, in 2015 and 2016, JCPenney recycled approximately 147,000 tons of waste, which equals approximately 80 percent of total waste from the Company’s operations.

Ongoing Ambitions
In 2015, JCPenney adopted a goal to reduce total water consumption across U.S. operations five percent by 2020 (2014 baseline). The Company is making strong progress toward the goal through a combination of engineered solutions and behavior change. As a result of these efforts, JCPenney has reduced domestic (in-store) water consumption by 12 percent from 2012 to 2016, and reduced landscape irrigation during the same time period by 66 percent.

For more information, please review the 2017 Corporate Sustainability Report by visiting the Company Info page under the Corporate Overview section of jcpenney.com.

About JCPenney:
J. C. Penney Company, Inc. (NYSE: JCP), one of the nation’s largest apparel and home furnishings retailers, combines an expansive footprint of approximately 875 stores across the United States and Puerto Rico with a powerful e-commerce site, jcp.com, to connect with shoppers how, when and where they prefer to shop. At every customer touchpoint, she will get her Penney’s worth of a broad assortment of products from an extensive portfolio of private, exclusive and national brands. Powering this shopping experience is the customer service and warrior spirit of over 100,000 associates across the globe, all driving toward the Company’s three strategic priorities of strengthening private brands, becoming a world-class omnichannel retailer and increasing revenue per customer. For additional information, please visit jcp.com.

Media Relations:
(972) 431-3400
jcpnews@jcp.com
follow us at @jcpnews

Investor Relations:
(972) 431-5500
jcpinvestorrelations@jcpenney.com

Source: J. C. Penney Company, Inc.

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iPhone X arrives in 13 additional countries across Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Africa

Cupertino, California, 2017-Nov-09 — /EPR Retail News/ — Apple today (NOVEMBER 7, 2017) announced iPhone X, the future of the smartphone, featuring a revolutionary new design with a stunning all-screen display, wireless charging and an incredible rear camera with dual optical image stabilization, will arrive in 13 additional countries across Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Africa as well as Macau on Friday, November 24.

iPhone X features a gorgeous all-glass and stainless steel design with a beautiful 5.8-inch Super Retina display, A11 Bionic chip with neural engine for powerful machine learning, augmented reality and immersive 3D gaming experiences, wireless charging and Face ID, delivering an innovative and secure new way to unlock, authenticate and pay. The TrueDepth camera that enables Face ID brings Portrait mode with Portrait Lighting to the front camera for beautiful selfies with a depth-of-field effect and enables Animoji, which captures and analyzes over 50 different facial muscle movements to bring emoji to life in a fun new way. A redesigned rear camera with dual optical image stabilization includes a new color filter, deeper pixels, an improved Apple-designed image signal processor and features Portrait mode with Portrait Lighting, allowing customers to capture stunning photos and videos. The all-glass front and back on iPhone X feature the most durable glass ever in a smartphone in two beautiful finishes, silver and space gray.

Pricing and Availability

  • iPhone X will be available in silver and space gray in 64GB and 256GB models starting at $999 (US) from apple.com, Apple Stores and through Apple Authorized Resellers and carriers (prices may vary).
  • iPhone X will be available to customers beginning Friday, November 24, in Albania, Bosnia, Cambodia, Kosovo, Macau, Macedonia, Malaysia, Montenegro, Serbia, South Africa, South Korea, Thailand and Turkey.
  • iPhone X will be available to customers in Israel beginning Thursday, November 23.
  • iPhone X is available in Andorra, Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Greenland, Guernsey, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Ireland, Isle of Man, Italy, Japan, Jersey, Kuwait, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Mexico, Monaco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, UAE, the UK, the US and US Virgin Islands.
  • Apple-designed accessories including leather and silicone cases in a range of colors will be available starting at $39 (US), while a new iPhone X Leather Folio will be available for $99 (US). Lightning Docks in color-matching metallic finishes will also be available for $49 (US), prices may vary.

Apple revolutionized personal technology with the introduction of the Macintosh in 1984. Today, Apple leads the world in innovation with iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch and Apple TV. Apple’s four software platforms — iOS, macOS, watchOS and tvOS — provide seamless experiences across all Apple devices and empower people with breakthrough services including the App Store, Apple Music, Apple Pay and iCloud. Apple’s more than 100,000 employees are dedicated to making the best products on earth, and to leaving the world better than we found it.

Press Contacts:
Michele Wyman
Apple
michele_wyman@apple.com
(669) 276-1208

Alex Kirschner
Apple
alexkirschner@apple.com
(408) 974-2479

Apple Media Helpline:
media.help@apple.com
(408) 974-2042

Source: Apple Inc.

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Meijer unveils weeklong Black Friday deals

Meijer unveils weeklong Black Friday deals

 

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., 2017-Nov-09 — /EPR Retail News/ — Meijer announced today (November 8, 2017) aggressive weeklong Black Friday deals designed to give customers deep savings across the store. Customers can start saving on this season’s hottest gifts beginning Nov. 19 and continuing through Nov. 25, with additional one-day deals on Thanksgiving and Black Friday and with special Santa Bucks savings on Saturday.

Meijer will offer one-day only specials on Thanksgiving, Black Friday and Saturday – all beginning at 6 a.m. Customers with a Meijer Home Delivery membership will find that many in-store deals can also be purchased and delivered on the same day if ordered through Shipt.

“This year, we have expanded the number of deals across the store so our customers can find something for everyone on their list,” said Peter Whitsett, Executive Vice President of Merchandising and Marketing for Meijer. “With a full week of hot deals and special offers there are more opportunities than ever to save.   New to most of our markets this year customers can now get the added convenience of same day delivery thanks to our home delivery program.”

Black Friday All Week

  • Buy 1, Get 1 $1 Kitchen Gadgets, Pyrex Bakeware, Grand Gourmet Bakeware or Rubbermaid food storage
  • Buy 1, Get 1 Free Select Video Games (look for the red sticker)
  • Instapot 6 qt. pressure cooker for $89.99 plus $20 off next shopping trip via Meijer custom coupon at checkout
  • Buy 1, Get 1 $1 Yankee Candles Large Jar or Large Tumbler

Thanksgiving Day Deals

  • Save $180 on a Vizio 48” Smart LED TV, regularly $379.99
  • Save $90 on a Xbox One S 500GB Console, regularly $279.99
  • Save $100 off your next Meijer shopping trip when you buy one Apple Watch Series 1 or Series 2 for $249 or more (exclusions apply)
  • Save $150 off your next Meijer shopping trip when you when you buy one Apple iPad Pro 9.7″ or iPad Pro 10.5″ for $599 or more (exclusions apply)
  • Buy 1, Get 2 Free Select Women’s Apparel
  • Buy 1, Get 1 $1 Shoes
  • 50 percent off Select Toys
  • 20 percent off Select Lego Sets

Black Friday Deals

  • Save $200 on an Element 48” LED HDTV, regularly $399.99
  • Save $100 off your next shopping trip when you buy a Vizio 60” Smart 4K UHD-TV or a Vizio 55” Smart LED TV
  • Buy 1, Get 1 free of equal or lesser value on all Hasbro Games
  • Save 50 percent off select NERF Blasters, Barbie toys, and Playskool Heroes
  • Save $50 on your next Meijer shopping trip when you buy one Kitchen Aid 4.5 QT Classic Plus Stand Mixer
  • Buy 1, Get 1 50 percent off Shopkins Figures or Accessories
  • 50 percent off select Nerf Blasters
  • Buy 1, Get 1 Apparel for the family (mix and match)

Santa Bucks are Back Beginning Nov 25

Meijer is bringing back its popular Santa bucks beginning Nov. 25. Customers can save anywhere from $3 to $20 off select items throughout the store. Meijer will host a bake sale on select holiday bake ware and ingredients, including a .99 cent deal on a 5 lb. bag of Meijer branded flour and sugar.

The ad previews can be seen here or via Facebook and Twitter. While customers can see the ads prior to distribution, the preview does not change the effective date of the advertised products.

About Meijer:

Meijer is a Grand Rapids, Mich.-based retailer that operates 235 supercenters and grocery stores throughout Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky and Wisconsin. A privately-owned and family-operated company since 1934, Meijer pioneered the “one-stop shopping” concept and has evolved through the years to include expanded fresh produce and meat departments, as well as pharmacies, comprehensive apparel, home decor and pet departments, and garden centers. For more information on Meijer, please visit www.meijer.com. Follow Meijer on Twitter @twitter.com/Meijer and @twitter.com/MeijerPR or become a fan at www.facebook.com/meijer.

Contact:

Jennifer Rook
616-791-2794
jennifer.rook@meijer.com

Source: Meijer

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Price Chopper and Market 32 Supermarkets partner with Instacart to expand same-day home delivery service in NY, CT and MA

SCHENECTADY, NY, 2017-Nov-09 — /EPR Retail News/ — Price Chopper and Market 32 Supermarkets have partnered with Instacart, the technology-driven, nationwide on-demand grocery delivery service, to bring same-day home delivery of groceries to Price Chopper/Market 32 customers in Binghamton and Syracuse, NY; Hartford, CT; and, Worcester, MA. The new delivery service is available in those markets immediately.

To find out more, visit www.pricechopper.com. To begin the order delivery process, customers can simply go to shop.pricechopper.com.

Unlike other similar offerings, the Price Chopper/Market 32 partnership with Instacart brings customers the fresh and high quality products they have come to expect from Price Chopper/Market 32 at the same prices customers would find in the stores, including the vast majority of advertised sale prices. The Instacart delivery fee varies based on the order size and desired delivery time. The specific delivery fee for each order will be displayed during checkout before the order is placed. For orders over $35, Instacart typically charges a $5.99 fee for orders placed at least two hours in advance, and a $7.99 fee for orders requested within one hour.

“We’re proud of the product mix and shopping experience we provide in our stores. And we’re thrilled to extend both beyond our four walls by adding the convenience of grocery delivery through Instacart in these four markets. We know that our customers are busy and always looking for ways to save both time and money. Offering fresh produce, the best meats and grocery staples delivered right to the doorstep at a good value is yet another way that we can serve our customers,” said Glen Bradley, Price Chopper/Market 32’s group vice president of marketing.

“Instacart’s success hinges on our ability to offer customers same-day delivery from the stores they love within their own communities,” said Andrew Nodes, Vice President, Retail Accounts for Instacart. “We are proud to partner with Price Chopper and Market 32 Supermarkets to give customers a convenient, time-saving option to get the products they’ve come to rely on from this beloved brand.”

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

About Instacart
Instacart helps people cross grocery shopping off their to-do lists with just a few clicks. Customers use the Instacart website or app to fill their virtual shopping cart with items from their favorite, local stores and Instacart connects them with shoppers who hand pick the items and deliver them straight to their door. Founded in San Francisco in 2012, Instacart has quickly scaled to over 150 markets nationwide and partnered with retailers across the United States, including popular national chains as well as local, regional grocers. By combining a personal touch with cutting-edge technology, Instacart offers customers a simple solution to save time and eat fresh food from the most trusted grocery brands. Instacart is the only grocery service that can meet today’s on-demand lifestyle by delivering in as little as one hour. First delivery is free at www.instacart.com.

Contact:
Mona Golub
Price Chopper
518.379.1480

Jon Pierce
Pierce Communications
518.221.1186 (cell)

Source: Price Chopper

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Morrisons introduces new own-brand Cook, Home and Stationery products

Bradford, UK, 2017-Nov-09 — /EPR Retail News/ — Morrisons is launching an improved range of nearly 1,500 own-brand Cook, Home and Stationery products in all UK stores and online from 7th November.

Designed by Morrisons, the brand new range will include; cookware, utensils, ovenware and bakeware; countertop and kitchen cupboard electricals; dining and tableware; home furnishings, bedding, towels and candles; plus storage, stationary and gadgets.

  • Key products include a 20cm Hard Anodized Pan with pouring lip and lid for £25, A German Glass Kettle for £30, a bamboo and linen Tripod Table Lamp for £15, and a gold seal certified Egyptian cotton bath towel for £10.
  • The new range will be introduced to Morrisons supermarkets across the country. Nearly one hundred stores will see an extension of space dedicated to Home and a new look ‘store-within-a-store’ concept will be introduced. Morrisons.com is also flexing its online delivery service to offer over 1,000 of the new products to its online shoppers.
  • Morrisons is known as a food retailer but after listening to customers has been working on its non-food range so that it offers customers greater choice and better value. The design ethos has been to provide customers with quality and innovation at great value prices. All of the range includes Morrisons signature ‘thoughtful details’ – also seen in its Nutmeg clothing range.
  • Key Morrisons product innovations include: – Being the first to offer a three year guarantee on all own brand electricals; – Working with British fragrance houses to develop exclusive fragrances for candles, oils and reed diffusers; – Sourcing gold seal certified plain dye Egyptian towels, all of which have a two year guarantee; and – Offering a 10 year guarantee on all hard anodised and stainless steel try-ply pans.
  • David Lennon, Home & Leisure Category Director at Morrisons said: “We’ve designed a product offer that gives customers good quality at great value that they would be surprised to find in Morrisons.”

For all media enquiries call:
0845 611 5111

Source: Morrisons

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Taubman announces return of “Santa’s Flight Academy” to 12 of its shopping centers from November 9 through December 24

Larger-than-life reimagination of the North Pole features state-of-the-art technology that transforms each child into a ‘Cadet’ and delivers a sneak peak of ‘Ferdinand’ in theaters Dec. 15

BLOOMFIELD HILLS, Mich., 2017-Nov-09 — /EPR Retail News/ — To capture the magic and wonder of the holiday season, Taubman (NYSE: TCO) today (11/07/2017) announced that “Santa’s Flight Academy,” a one-of-a-kind, immersive holiday experience, will return to 12 of its shopping centers from November 9 through December 24. Set in a gigantic reimagination of the North Pole, state-of-the-art technology is used to enable children to join Santa’s flight crew before meeting him in person.

“With Santa’s Flight Academy, we continue the cherished tradition of meeting Santa, but modernize it for each child with special, personalized experiences that happen throughout the visit,” said William Taubman, chief operating officer, Taubman. “This special adventure can only be found in select Taubman shopping centers.”

As an elite flight crew member, the mission is to prepare Santa’s sleigh to deliver presents around the world. Upon entering Santa’s Flight Academy, each ‘Cadet’ presents their official badge and is recognized by name. From there, children are fitted for a virtual flight suit, navigate a flight course, inspect and power the sleigh all before takeoff. The experience culminates with an enchanted snowfall dance party and a visit with Santa.

In partnership with 20th Century Fox, the holiday set will also showcase a sneak preview of the upcoming animated movie Ferdinand. In theaters Friday, December 15, the film tells the story of a giant bull with a big heart and proves you can’t judge a bull by its cover.

For a second year, Santa’s Flight Academy will only be available at the following:

  • Cherry Creek Shopping Center (Denver)
  • Dolphin Mall (Miami, Fla.)
  • Fair Oaks Mall (Fairfax, Va.)
  • Great Lakes Crossing Outlets (Auburn Hills, Mich.)
  • International Plaza (Tampa, Fla.)
  • The Mall at Green Hills (Nashville)
  • The Mall of San Juan (Puerto Rico)*
  • The Mall at Short Hills (Short Hills, N.J.)
  • The Mall at University Town Center (Sarasota, Fla.)*
  • Sunvalley Shopping Center (Concord, Calif.)
  • Twelve Oaks Mall (Novi, Mich.)
  • Westfarms (Hartford, Conn.)

*The Mall of San Juan and The Mall at UTC open to the public on November 11

To help expedite each visit, customers are encouraged to create official flight crew badges via the center’s website, or through mobile apps available for iPhone and Android. However, badges can also be created onsite at special Santa’s Flight Academy kiosks.

A variety of photo packages will be available for purchase, each includes a complimentary Lovepop card. Santa’s Express Lane passes (at participating centers) may be purchased online and will allow families to reserve a time block and avoid lengthy lines. For more information on a specific location, please contact each shopping center or visit the center’s website.

ABOUT TAUBMAN

Taubman Centers is an S&P MidCap 400 Real Estate Investment Trust engaged in the ownership, management and/or leasing of 27 regional, super-regional and outlet shopping centers in the U.S. and Asia. Taubman’s U.S.-owned properties are the most productive in the publicly held U.S. regional mall industry. Founded in 1950, Taubman is headquartered in Bloomfield Hills, Mich. Taubman Asia, founded in 2005, is headquartered in Hong Kong. www.taubman.com

Contact:

Maria Mainville
Director, Strategic Communications, Taubman
248-258-7469
mmainville@taubman.com

Amy Grundman
Manager, Strategic Communications, Taubman
248-258-7681
agrundman@taubman.com

Source: Taubman Centers, Inc.

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7‑Eleven introduces new payments option — Amazon Cash

IRVING, TEXAS, 2017-Nov-09 — /EPR Retail News/ — Online shoppers who don’t have a credit card, or prefer not to use one for purchases, can now use Amazon Cash to add funds to their Amazon.com Balance at almost 8,000 7‑Eleven®  stores in the U.S..

The process is simple. To load money into their Amazon account, customers present their personalized Amazon barcode to a 7‑Eleven cashier along with the money they wish to load. That amount of Amazon Cash will immediately appear in their online Amazon account and be available for use. Between $15 and $500 can be loaded in a single transaction, with no fees charged.

“7‑Eleven has long been an advocate for giving customers many options on how to pay for products and services” said Tony Stapleton, 7‑Eleven senior product director. “7‑Eleven constantly updates and introduces new forms of payments to respond to continued shifts in customer preferences, life styles, and adoption of new technologies.”

7‑Eleven began offering online shoppers in-store conveniences five years ago when it installed bright yellow Amazon Lockers at select locations for package deliveries. First installed in stores in Seattle and Manhattan, the Lockers are now available in select stores in more than 300 cities. The Lockers provide access so customers can pick up their purchases at times convenient to them.

For consumers wanting to give the gift of Amazon, 7‑Eleven also carries prepaid gift cards in two designs, the classic “A” card and a “Happy Birthday” version. The cards are fee-free, never expire, and are available in multiple denominations; from $25 and $500 can be loaded and redeemed for millions of items storewide on Amazon.com.

About 7‑Eleven, Inc.
7‑Eleven, Inc. is the premier name and largest chain in the convenience-retailing industry. Based in Irving, Texas, 7‑Eleven® operates, franchises and/or licenses more than 63,000 stores in 18 countries, including 10,900 in North America. Known for its iconic brands such as Slurpee®, Big Bite® and Big Gulp®, 7‑Eleven has expanded into high-quality salads, side dishes, cut fruit and protein boxes, as well as pizza, chicken wings, cheeseburgers and hot chicken sandwiches. 7‑Eleven offers customers industry-leading private-brand products under the 7-Select® brand including healthy options, decadent treats and everyday favorites, at an outstanding value. Customers also count on 7‑Eleven for bill payments, self-service lockers and other convenient services. Find out more online at www.7‑Eleven.com, via the 7Rewards® customer-loyalty platform on the 7‑Eleven mobile app, or on social media at Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Contact:

7‑Eleven, Inc.
Corporate Communications
media@7-11.com

Source: 7‑Eleven, Inc.

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Paradies Lagardère to donate part of its sales from November 10-11 in its stores in Canadian airports to the Royal Canadian Legion’s Poppy Trust Fund

More than 80 stores in 13 Canadian airports will participate

ATLANTA, 2017-Nov-09 — /EPR Retail News/ — Paradies Lagardère, the travel retail and restaurateur leader in North America, is partnering with several airports throughout Canada to honor veterans that have served their country on Remembrance Day, November 11.

Paradies Lagardère will donate a percentage of its sales achieved Friday, November 10, and Saturday, November 11, in its retail and food and beverage stores to the Royal Canadian Legion’s Poppy Trust Fund. Through donations to the Poppy Trust Fund, the Royal Canadian Legion provides financial assistance and support to veterans, including Canadian Armed Forces and RCMP, and their families. The Poppy Trust Fund supports food and heating costs, clothing, prescription medication, medical appliances and equipment, essential home repairs, and emergency shelter.

Participating airports:

Calgary International Airport Saskatoon John G. Diefenbaker International Airport
Edmonton International Airport St. John’s International Airport
Greater Moncton International Airport Toronto Pearson International Airport
Montréal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport Vancouver International Airport
Ottawa International Airport Victoria International Airport
Québec City Jean Lesage International Airport Winnipeg James Armstrong Richardson International Airport
Regina International Airport

Several participating stores include: iStore, Brooks Brothers, PGA TOUR Shops, and RELAY.

Quote:

“Paradies Lagardère is committed to providing support to military personnel in both the U.S. and Canada,” said Gregg Paradies, president and CEO, Paradies Lagardère. “In 2016, we launched this initiative and raised more than $15,000, which was donated to the Royal Canadian Legion’s Poppy Trust Fund. We’re excited to do this again this year. The Remembrance Day initiative in our Canadian airports, and our ongoing Treat Our Troops and Feed Our Troops programs in our U.S. airports, are just small tokens of appreciation for the service and sacrifice those in the military make.”

Additional details:

The Royal Canadian Legion is Canada’s largest veteran support and community service organization. More than 300,000 members in 1,400 branches across Canada make a difference in the lives of veterans and their families, provide essential services within its communities, and remember the men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice. Learn more by visiting http://www.legion.ca/.

Treat Our Troops is a national program that facilitates customer donations in many of the U.S. airports in which Paradies Lagardère operates stores. Shoppers are given the opportunity to purchase a wide variety of useful items such as snacks, beverages, toiletries, reading materials, and electronics purchase items, which are then placed in a collection box. Working in conjunction with airports and the United Service Organization (USO), Paradies Lagardère coordinates packaging and delivery of these donations to USO offices across the country. In 2016, the program resulted in donations of more than 1.2 million products to military men and women worldwide.

Paradies Lagardère also offers free meals to U.S. military personnel through its Food and Beverage Division’s Treat Our Troops program. Between Memorial Day and Independence Day, Paradies Lagardère invites active or retired military to receive this special form of gratitude from its customers in participating airport restaurants within the U.S.

Learn more about these and other initiatives by visiting http://paradieslagardere.com/.

Source: Paradies Lagardère

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Jesper Reismann named as new VERO MODA Brand Director

Jesper Reismann named as new VERO MODA Brand Director

 

BRANDE, Denmark, 2017-Nov-09 — /EPR Retail News/ — Today (08 November 2017), we are pleased to announce Jesper Reismann as our new VERO MODA Brand Director. Jesper comes with vast experience and will commence his new position in BESTSELLER on 1 March 2018.

With a strong knowledge of retail, wholesale, products and sourcing and with a thorough insight into the Central European markets, Jesper is a solid match. As VERO MODA Brand Director, Jesper will be joining our Executive Team.

“Jesper is a real sympathetic person with a good take on people, leadership and not least a proper approach to running our business. We believe he is the right guy for us, and I look forward to working with him,” says Anders Holch Povlsen.

With more than 20 years of experience from our trusted wholesale partner Peek & Cloppenburg (Düsseldorf), Jesper is familiar with our company.

“During most of my professional life, BESTSELLER has played an important role; as an excellent partner in my buying positions, but also as a great competitor. I have always enjoyed working with the people at BESTSELLER, valued their business culture and admired the agility of the company.

Becoming a part of BESTSELLER and the VERO MODA team is something I look forward to with both great excitement and deeply felt respect,” says Jesper Reismann about the new opportunity.

Jesper is of German/Danish descent and is currently living in Krefeld near Düsseldorf

Contact:

BESTSELLER COMMUNICATION
+45 99 42 16 62
communications@bestseller.com

Source: BESTSELLER

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PHILIPPINES: SM reported consolidated net income rose 8% to PHP23.8 billion for the first nine months of 2017

Pasay City, Philippines, 2017-Nov-09 — /EPR Retail News/ — SM Investments Corporation (SM) reported consolidated net income rose 8% to PHP23.8 billion for the first nine months of the year. Recurring net income, net of one-time items, climbed 13%. Consolidated revenues likewise grew 8% to PHP272.2 billion for the period from PHP252.7 billion in the same period last year.

“Our solid third quarter results benefitted from vibrant growth in our property and retail businesses. Property earnings were driven by nationwide mall expansion and the strong performance of residential developments. Retail also gained from footprint expansion and robust consumer sentiment, particularly in specialty retailing. We remain confident that our growth plans are on track,” SM President Frederic DyBuncio said.

For the first nine months, property accounted for 40% of consolidated earnings, banks at 38% and retail 22%.

Retail

Retail operations under SM Retail Inc. reported growth in total sales of 6% to PHP197.9 billion while net income rose 10% to PHP7.7 billion. Revenues from Specialty Retail grew 9%.

THE SM STORE opened two stores in Cagayan de Oro and in Puerto Princesa during the nine-month period. Total gross selling areas of all 59 department stores stood at over 750,000 square meters.

The Food Retail Group continued its aggressive expansion adding 21 mid-sized format Savemore stores, three SM Supermarkets and two WalterMart stores for a total of 26 new stores year to date. Most of these new stores were located in communities outside Metro Manila. Meanwhile, Alfamart increased its number of stores to 320 as of end-September from 210 at the start of the year.

Specialty Retail added 68 new stores during the nine-month period.

Property

SM Prime Holdings, Inc. (SM Prime) reported net income expanded by 15% in the first nine months of the year to PHP20.0 billion driven by additional rental revenues from mall expansions, consistent growth in same-mall-sales and higher contribution from residential sales. Consolidated revenues likewise rose 12% to PHP64.7 billion.

Mall revenues rose 10% to PHP38.6 billion. Mall rentals increased 10% to PHP32.8 billion due to expansions and new malls that opened in 2016 and 2017 while same-mall-sales sustained its 7% growth.

Consolidated revenues of SM Prime’s residential group, which includes SM Development Corp. (SMDC), expanded by 10% to PHP20.5 billion due to increase in sales take-up of ready-for-occupancy (RFO) units and construction accomplishments of SMDC. Reservation sales surged 18% to PHP42.1 billion in sales value in the first nine months.

The rest of SM Prime’s businesses which includes offices, hotels and convention centers registered revenue growth of 39% to PHP5.8 billion.

Banking

BDO Unibank earned PHP20.4 billion, up 5%, on sustained growth in its core lending, deposit-taking and fee-based businesses. Net interest income grew by 23% to PHP59.8 billion, supported by 18% growth in customer loan portfolio to PHP1.7 trillion and 15% growth in deposits to PHP2.1 trillion. Fee-based income was up 30% to PHP20.8 billion.

Balance Sheet

As of end-September 2017, total assets of SM grew 16% year-on-year to PHP942.4 billion. SM maintains a healthy balance sheet with a conservative gearing ratio of 43% net debt to 57% equity.

About SM Investments Corporation
SM Investments Corporation is a leading Philippine company that is invested in market leading businesses in retail, banking and property. It also invests in ventures that can capture high growth opportunities in the emerging Philippine economy. It looks for market leaders or those with potential to become leaders in their chosen sectors that offer synergies and attractive returns and cashflows.

SM’s retail operations are the country’s largest and most diversified with its food, non-food and specialty retail stores. SM’s property arm, SM Prime Holdings, Inc., is the largest integrated property developer in the Philippines with interests in malls, residences, offices, hotels and convention centers as well as tourism-related property developments. SM’s interests in banking are in BDO Unibank, Inc. (BDO), the country’s largest bank and China Banking Corporation (China Bank), the 7th largest bank.

For more about SM, visit www.sminvestments.com

For further inquiries, please contact:
Mr. Tim Daniels
Investor Relations
SM Investments Corporation
E-mail: tim.daniels@sminvestments.com
Tel. No. (632) 857-1039

Source: SM Investments Corporation

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Advance Auto Parts driver COURTNEY FORCE to drive the No. 6 Big Machine Records funny car at the Auto Club NHRA Finals

Advance Auto Parts driver COURTNEY FORCE to drive the No. 6 Big Machine Records funny car at the Auto Club NHRA Finals

Courtney Force’s Funny Car to Feature Big Machine Records’ Taylor Swift’s reputation Album Cover

BROWNSBURG, IN, 2017-Nov-09 — /EPR Retail News/ — John Force Racing (JFR) announced today (November 7, 2017) that Advance Auto Parts driver COURTNEY FORCE will drive the No. 6 Big Machine Records funny car at the Auto Club NHRA Finals in Pomona, CA this weekend in her final bid for the 2017 Championship. Through JFR’s partnership with the powerhouse record label, the Chevrolet Camaro SS funny car will promote Big Machine Records’ 10-time GRAMMY® winner TAYLOR SWIFT’S highly-anticipated sixth studio album reputation, out Friday (11/10).

“I’ve had an incredible experience working with our partners Advance Auto Parts and Big Machine Records this season and am honored to drive the special Taylor Swift reputation funny car for our final race in Pomona,” Force said. My team and I are always playing her songs to get in the zone and prepare to battle it out against the boys on race day. I hope to finish out our season on a high note while promoting Taylor’s album release at over 330 mph and hopefully celebrating in the winner’s circle with my team on Sunday.”

No one is a bigger champion of Swift and Force than Big Machine Label Group President and CEO Scott Borchetta. “Having Taylor’s reputation album art on Courtney’s car for the NHRA Championship weekend, which also happens to coincide with the November 10 release, is the perfect match of two game-changers who are truly the best of the best,” said Borchetta.

“We are thrilled to partner with Scott Borchetta and Big Machine Records in helping launch Taylor Swift’s new album reputation by featuring it on Courtney’s Force’s Advance Auto Parts Chevy SS,” Advance Auto Parts Senior Vice President, Marketing, Insights and Analytics Yogi Jashnani said. “Big Machine is a valued partner of Advance and we look forward to seeing the Taylor Swift car in the winner’s circle on Sunday at Pomona.”

Like her pink breast cancer awareness car, Force had a hand in designing the Taylor Swift car.

“I had so much fun brainstorming with Brandon Baker on our JFR design team on how to bring Taylor’s reputation album cover to life on the Funny Car design,” Force said. “I hope everyone goes out and buys Taylor’s album and listens to it on their way out to the track, while cheering on our Advance Auto Parts team at the Auto Club Finals.”

ABOUT BIG MACHINE LABEL GROUP: 

Led by Founder, President and CEO Scott Borchetta, the Big Machine Label Group encompasses Big Machine Records, The Valory Music Co., BMLG Records, Nash Icon Records and publishing company Big Machine Music as well as its own digital radio station, Big Machine Radio. BMLG artists include superstars Taylor Swift, Rascal Flatts, Reba McEntire, Florida Georgia Line, Thomas Rhett, Brantley Gilbert, Hank Williams Jr., Ronnie Dunn, Cheap Trick and Jennifer Nettles; chart-topping acts Justin Moore, Eli Young Band, Brett Young, Aaron Lewis, Midland, The Voice winner Danielle Bradbery; up-and-comers Carly Pearce, Delta Rae, The Cadillac Three, Drake White, Tucker Beathard, Tara Thompson, Alex Williams and Josh Phillips. BMLG also helms soundtracks for the hit TV show “NASHVILLE.” BMLG artists have received multiple GRAMMY, CMA, ACM, AMA, CMT, Teen Choice, MTV, Billboard, People’s Choice and Brit Awards. Big Machine is the first-ever American label to align with terrestrial radio for performance royalty rights for its artists and is an industry leader in fighting for artist, songwriter, publisher and record company rights. BMLG’s racing successes include the 2014 12 Hours of Sebring victory with Marino Franchitti, the 2015 Rolex 24 at Daytona overall victory with Tony Kanaan and back-to-back Indy 500 wins with the late Dan Wheldon and Dario Franchitti in 2011 & 2012, respectively.  Currently Big Machine Records sponsors two of the three famed Force racing sisters, Courtney in the Advance Auto Parts Big Machine Records Chevrolet Funny Car, and Brittany in her Monster Energy Top Fuel Dragster. In addition to its roster of super star drivers, which also includes 2013 Indy 500 Winner and 2004 IndyCar Champion Tony Kanaan, Big Machine is the entitlement sponsor of the famed NASCAR 400-mile race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway through 2020. Visit BigMachineLabelGroup.com for more information.

ABOUT ADVANCE AUTO PARTS: 

Advance Auto Parts, Inc. is a leading automotive aftermarket parts provider that serves both professional installer and do-it-yourself customers. As of July 15, 2017, Advance operated 5,073 stores and 131 Worldpac branches and employed 73,000 Team Members in the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The Company also serves approximately 1,250 independently owned Carquest branded stores across these locations in addition to Mexico and the Bahamas, Turks and Caicos, British Virgin Islands and Pacific Islands. Additional information about the Company, employment opportunities, customer services, and on-line shopping for parts, accessories and other offerings can be found on the Company’s website at www.AdvanceAutoParts.com.

ABOUT JOHN FORCE RACING: 

John Force Racing, Inc., based in Yorba Linda, Calif., and Brownsburg, Ind., is a professional sports dynasty, one that has earned 18 NHRA championships and claimed 258 professional victories in Funny Car (252) and Top Fuel (6). Led by team owner and driver John Force, a 16-time Funny Car Champion, 1996 Driver of the Year for all of American motor racing, 2011 International Motorsports Hall of Fame inductee, and driver of the PEAK Coolant and Motor Oil Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car, JFR is additionally comprised of Auto Club of Southern California Chevrolet Camaro SS driver Robert Hight, 2009 Funny Car champion and 2005 NHRA Rookie of the Year; Advance Auto Parts Chevrolet Camaro SS driver Courtney Force, 2012 NHRA Rookie of the Year; and Monster Energy Top Fuel Dragster driver Brittany Force, 2013 NHRA Rookie of the Year. For more information, please visit johnforceracing.com.

For Investor Relations questions please contact:

Advance Auto Parts, Inc.
Attn: Investor Relations Department
2635 East Millbrook Road
Raleigh, NC 27604
Tel: 919.227.5466

For Media Relations questions please contact:

Advance Auto Parts, Inc.
Attn: Media Relations Department
5008 Airport Road
Roanoke, VA 24012
Tel: 540.561.8452

Source: Advance Auto Parts, Inc.

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