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Commentary and Discussion From the Retail Community
Nestle Bids for Hershey
Nestlé is offering about $11.5 billion, or $82 a share, to buy Hershey Foods, making the company a front-runner in the controversial race to acquire Hershey. Assuming that Nestle or…
The Deviant’s Guide to Business Success
How business ideas move from the edge to the mainstream and how companies can profit from the process are the subjects of a new book aimed at helping top management…
Seven Instances to Consider a Business Name Change
Naseem Javed, syndicated columnist and author of Naming for Power, gives seven intances to identify when a business name change becomes necessary. How important is a retailer’s company name in…
Consumers Crave Specialty Foods
A new report says consumers are increasingly happy to pay extra for “gourmet” products such as ostrich meat as an alternative to “bland” mass-produced food and drink. Is there…
Sobeys Decreases Private Label Products
A Canadian supermarket chain has taken the opposite approach from retailers that have increased their roster of house brands in tough economic times. Is Sobeys making the right move by…
FDA Gives Interim OK for OTC Prilosec
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration says it will approve sales of an over-the-counter form of heartburn drug Prilosec, but only with a label that consumers can understand. How can…
Colgate Challenges P&G in Whitening Products
Colgate-Palmolive Co. is set to challenge Procter & Gamble Co.’s lead in the fast-growing at-home teeth-whitening market with its a gel that costs less than half the price of Crest’s…
AMA Cautions Use of Antibacterials
Antibacterial soap and lotion do not prevent infections, and may actually be harmful, new research finds. Will the AMA’s position on antibacterial products hurt the sale of these products? Will…
Organic Customers Found Loyal, Non-Buyers, Uninterested
New research released by ACNielsen shows that organic food buyers are extremely loyal to the category, and intend to keep buying, while non-buyers have virtually no interest in organic products…
Transforming the Grocery Shopping Experience
The biggest problem the supermarket industry faces today is the decline in trip frequency. Is it possible to change the sentiment of consumers from “having to grocery shop” to “wanting…
Hispanics Forego Frequent Shopper Programs
Hispanic households in Los Angeles are much less likely to belong to a grocery store frequent shopper program than non-Hispanics, according to new research from ACNielsen. Do the ACNielsen findings…
Campbell and Gold Medalist Promote Education
Campbell Soup has formed a partnership with Olympic Gold Medalist Sarah Hughes to support education in the Campbell’s Sarah Hughes Scholarship instant win game. In general, will co-marketing a cause-related…
Whole Foods Publishes Cookbook
Whole Foods Market has published The Whole Foods Market Cookbook: A Guide to Natural Foods with 350 Recipes written by Chef Steve Petusevsky and Whole Foods Market team members. What…
Dunkin’ Donuts in Home Depot
Three Home Depot stores soon will have a full-serve Dunkin’ Donuts within their doors, part of a test program. Will Dunkin’ Donuts’ stores become a common site in Home Depot…
Adult Food Not For Kids
Novartis-owned Gerber Products is expected to run a two-page ad in Time magazine Monday that promotes better eating choices for babies. Will the growing media coverage on the detrimental health…
Back-to-School Buying Relies on Students
Merchants might have to rely on the shopping power of young people — the group that appears to be the least affected by the recession — for back-to-school buying. Who…
Kmart Cuts 680 Jobs to Save $66M
Kmart announced a plan to cut costs by immediately eliminating 400 positions at its corporate headquarters and another 50 jobs that provide corporate support. Is Kmart management moving aggressively enough…
Lowe’s Takes Market Share from Home Depot
Shifting to large, edge-of-town warehouse stores later than Home Depot appears to have helped Lowe’s report faster sales growth than the home improvement frontrunner. Is Lowe’s better positioned than Home…
Wegmans’ Sales Weck-ing
The latest innovation from Wegmans comes from the exotic locale of Buffalo, NY – Charlie the Butcher’s “beef on weck”. Is the corporate culture of Wegmans more innovative than…
Marsh Delivers Groceries to Havana
Ranging far outside its heartland base, Marsh International delivered the first direct shipment of U.S. brand name products to Cuba in over 40 years. Should the U.S. lift the Cuban…
Coke Cans Old Classic Design
Coca-Cola has announced that it will be revamping the graphics on Coke Classic cans and bottles beginning in 2003. Does this signal that the company is going to be intensifying…
