Retail Daily
By Retail Daily
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Retail DailyNov 21, 2022
Food prices, Maverik, tobacco
Food prices are expected to increase 2.5% in 2024. Maverik has revamped Kum & Go’s &Rewards loyalty program. And the Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Tobacco Products has launched a searchable tobacco products database.
Walmart, Trader Joe's, Maverik
Inadequate customer service is providing an early exit for Walmart from a deal with Capital One. Trader Joe’s has opened Trade Joe’s Pronto–a convenience-like “grab-pay-and-go” concept store in New York. And Maverik has returned to Montana.
FDA, Murphy USA, Trader Joe's
The Food and Drug Administration warned more than 60 retailers for selling illegal vapes. Murphy USA is undergoing a digital transformation. And Trader Joe’s has raised the price of their bananas for the first time in store history.
Yesway, swipe fees, Coborn’s
Convenience-store chain Yesway is significantly expanding its presence in Oklahoma. Visa and Mastercard swipe fees hit a record high of $100.77 billion in 2023. And grocer Coborn’s is getting into the high-tech business with its salad bars.
FTC, Albertsons, Environmental Protection Agency
The Federal Trade Commission accuses large grocery retailers of using pandemic-era supply chain disruptions to increase profits. Albertsons begins accepting celebrity investor Mark Cuban’s pharmacy card. And the Environmental Protection Agency releases new auto standards to reduce emissions.
DoorDash, Loblaws, EVgo Inc.
DoorDash pilots a new drone delivery program in Virginia. Loblaws shoppers organize a boycott of the store over high prices. And electric vehicle charger company EVgo Inc. opens its first prefab charging station.
Contraceptives, Trader Joe's, 7-Eleven
New York State allows pharmacists to dispense hormonal contraceptives without a prescription. Trader Joe’s announces another recall. And 7-Eleven releases a new lineup of coffee creations.
Kroger, Love's Travel Shops, Walmart
Kroger plans to sell its specialty pharmacy business. Love’s Travel Stops and Country Stores is hiring 2,000 new employees. And Walmart closes stores in California and Maryland.
U-Stop Convenience Shops, Aldi, Dollar Tree
Aldi prepares to release a new line of branded sneakers. 7-Eleven names a senior vice president of restaurant operations. And Dollar Tree announces plans to begin selling products for as much as $7.
SQRL, Dollar General, Sheetz
SQRL expects to reopen all 210 former Mountain Express convenience stores within three months. Dollar General plans to remove self-checkout in about 300 stores. And construction is underway for Sheetz’s first Michigan store.
Buc-ees, Dollar General, Kwik Trip
Buc-ee’s will soon unveil its first travel center in Colorado. Dollar General is betting it can capitalize on what it calls a “significant opportunity” to power through 2024. And Kwik Trip and the Milwaukee Brewers are partnering on a ticket deal.
Casey’s General Stores, Dollar Tree, confection sales
Casey’s General Stores is ramping up its spring and summer store-level hiring for 2024. Dollar Tree said it plans to shutter 1,000 stores. And confectionery sales hit $48 billion in 2023.
Global Partners, Kroger and Albertsons merger, Casey’s General Stores
Alltown Fresh owner Global Partners updated its logo. There’s a new update on the looming Kroger and Albertsons merger. And higher profitability inside the store buoyed Casey’s General Stores’ performance in its fiscal third-quarter 2024.
PAR Technology Corp, Presidente Supermarkets, QuikTrip
Foodservice technology company PAR Technology Corp. has acquired convenience-store and retail fuel software provider Stuzo Holdings. Presidente Supermarkets signed a lease as an anchor tenant in a new mixed-use development in Miami. And QuikTrip has purchased a Bell 429 helicopter.
Maverik, Trader Joe's, vapes
Maverik’s CEO Chuck Maggelet will retire on May 1. A group is trying to break up Trader Joe’s first union. And Democratic senators are warning convenience-store retailers not to sell illegal vape products.
Pilot Travel Centers, Aldi, Urban Value Corner Store
Pilot Travel Centers plans to add 35 travel centers and remodel more than 75 locations in 2024. Discount grocer Aldi is investing $9 billion over the next five years to open 800 new U.S. locations. And Urban Value Corner Store plans to offer autonomous checkout at its convenience stores in luxury apartment communities.
Casey’s General Stores, United Natural Foods, GPM
Convenience-store retailer Casey’s General Stores Inc. has acquired Panther Travel Center. A disappointing second quarter earnings sheet has United Natural Foods revising its fiscal year 2024 forecast. And GPM Investments has plans for three new c-stores.
Rouses Markets, Smoker Friendly, Casey's
Rouses Markets’ shoppers can now use DoorDash for their grocery delivery. Smoker Friendly has acquired 54 stores in Indiana. And four new prepared-fresh sandwiches are now available at Casey’s General Stores.
Publix Super Markets, Whole Foods Market, Trader Joe's
Publix Super Markets’ net earnings of $4.3 billion in 2023 was up nearly 50% over the $2.9 billion reported in 2022. Whole Foods Market is introducing a new, “quick-shop” small-format store designed to provide customers in urban neighborhoods a fast, convenient shopping experience. And Trader Joe’s has another recall on its hands.
Kroger, Speedway, Dierbergs
Thousands of Kroger union workers authorize a strike in West Virginia, Kentucky, and Ohio. The U.S. Attorney’s Office reaches a resolution with Speedway convenience-store over alleged violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act. And Dierbergs partners with retail technology and tools provider Swiftly on its retail media network.
Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, FDA
Trader Joe’s pulls another product off the shelves for contaminants. Whole Foods launches AI smart carts in San Mateo, California. And the FDA issues warning letters to online retailers selling unauthorized e-cigarette products.
Walgreens, Upshop, Save A Lot
Walgreens begins accepting Medicare Advantage supplemental benefits online. Grocery tech company Upshop launches a solution to last-minute worker shortages utilizing gig workers. And Save A Lot announces store closures in metro Dallas.
Family Dollar, DoorDash, Walgreens Boots Alliance
Family Dollar agrees to pay $41 million in fines for food safety violations. DoorDash adds 720 new pet product retail locations. And Walgreens Boots Alliance names a new global chief legal officer.
Federal Trade Commission, Del Taco, Sprouts Farmers Market
The Federal Trade Commission and 9 state attorneys general sue to block the Kroger-Albertsons merger. Del Taco Restaurants makes a push into convenience stores. And Sprouts Farmers Market gives an update on its decision to close all of its larger stores.
SEC, DoorDash, Walgreens
The SEC charges the spouse of a BP executive with insider trading. DoorDash reaches a settlement with the California attorney general for illegally selling customer data. And Walgreens plans to close all of its VillageMD clinics in the state of Florida.
National Supermarket Employee Day, Casey's. Illinois
Grocers celebrate National Supermarket Employee Day. Casey’s General Stores releases a special-release batch of select bourbon. And Illinois could eliminate its grocery tax permanently.
FTC, Murphy USA, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
Several states and the FTC are set to block the Kroger, Albertsons merger. Murphy USA names Mindy West as its executive vice president and chief operating officer. And the federal government could soon require grocers to collect information on purchases under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
Kroger-Albertsons merger, Walmart, QuikTrip
A union that represents thousands of grocery workers in the Pacific Northwest endorses the Kroger-Albertsons merger. Walmart announces plans to buy TV manufacturer Vizio. And convenience store chain QuikTrip opens its first store in metro Oklahoma City.
DoorDash, inflation, Instacart
DoorDash reports a 23% year-over-year increase in total orders. Grocery price inflation slows down in January. And Instacart launches a new partnership with the American Cancer Society.
Maverik, Target, Walmart
Maverik has launched a new branded apparel and merchandise line. Target has launched a new private label brand called Dealworthy. And Walmart is in talks with smart-television manufacturer Vizio to buy the company for more than $2 billion.
Shrinkflation, EV Charging, Instacart
Shrinkflation has caught President Joe Biden’s attention. Current public charging stations for electric vehicles are far from meeting consumer wants and expectations. And Instacart announced it will cut 250 jobs, roughly 7% of its workforce.
Kroger Co, C-StoreTEC Advisory Board, Sheetz
Kentucky is suing the Kroger Co. over opioid pills. CSP has formed its inaugural C-StoreTEC Advisory Board. And Sheetz has promoted three executives.
Electrify America, Dollar Tree, Shell
Electrify America opened its first indoor flagship public electric-vehicle charging station in San Francisco. Dollar Tree expanded the reach of its chief operating officer role. And Shell signed an agreement to acquire 45 fuel and convenience-store sites in New Mexico through the acquisition of Brewer Oil Co.’s retail division.
Plastic shopping bags, Casey's General Stores, Amazon
California attempts to ban plastic shopping bags – again. Casey’s General Stores put a face to its pizza and beer offerings. And Amazon plans to lay off hundreds of workers in its health care division.
Walgreens, Target, BP
Walgreens names a new president of U.S. Healthcare. Target considers a paid subscription service, similar to those offered by competitors. And BP plans to convert all of its TravelCenters of America sites east of the Rockies.
Convenience store openings, Super Bowl, Aldi
Twenty-four convenience stores opened in January. Snack and beverage companies are gearing up for the Super Bowl with commercial teases. And an Aldi location in Aurora, Illinois, is unlike any other in the rapidly growing chain.
Kroger, CVS Health, Associated Press
Kroger’s chief financial officer heads to Costco. CVS Health plans to sell its retail drugstores in Puerto Rico. And the Associated Press releases a bombshell report on prison labor.
BP, Placer.ai, Kwik Trip
BP names a new chief financial officer. A grocery store chain and a convenience store chain make Placer.ai’s top 10 list of hot brands to watch in 2024. And Kwik Trip plans five new Kwik Star locations in South Dakota.
Amazon, British American Tobacco, Super Bowl
Amazon stock climbed over 8% in after-hours trading. British American Tobacco and Philip Morris International reached a global settlement that resolved the companies’ ongoing patent infringement litigation. And convenience-store retailers Rutter’s and 7-Eleven are offering several Super Bowl deals.
Buc-ee’s, CVS Health, MAPCO
Buc-ee’s broke ground on a new travel center in Virginia. CVS Health is closing 25 of its MinuteClinic locations in metro Los Angeles. And MAPCO launched a new quick-service restaurant at select locations.
Stewart’s Shops, Neptune’s Fix, Walgreens Boots Alliance
QuikTrip Corp., Big Y Foods, Valor Oil LLC
QuikTrip Corp. is heading to Las Vegas. Big Y Foods has made some top executive changes. And Valor Oil LLC is attracting attention with an usual concept—disco bathrooms.
Target, Casey's General Stores, Dierbergs Market
Target has introduced more than 1,000 new wellness-related products at price points as low as $1.99. Casey’s General Stores divested a convenience store in Altamont, Kansas, to Pete’s Corp. And Dierbergs Market now has an app to help shoppers with dietary restrictions.
Aldi, Love’s Travel Stops & Country Stores, Food and Drug Administration
Aldi moves forward with its acquisition of Winn-Dixie and Harvey Supermarket stores. Love’s Travel Stops & Country Stores will open up to 25 new locations this year. And the Food and Drug Administration urges c-stores to discontinue products containing tianeptine, a supplement sometimes referred to as gas station heroin.
Maverik, DoorDash, Rite Aid
Kum & Go owner Maverik pulls the plug on the c-store chain’s made-to-order foodservice and mobile ordering programs. DoorDash is raising its fees in New York City following a minimum wage hike. And Rite Aid adds another 55 locations to its list of locations slated for closure.
Juvee, Food and Drug Administration, Sprecher Brewing Co.
Chicago considers a proposal to slow the proliferation of dollar stores. Sprecher Brewing Co. enters the energy drink market with the purchase of Juvee. And the Food and Drug Administration extends its review of tobacco product applications.
Industry growth, Trader Joe's, Gotham Greens
Northeast Grocery Inc. names a new CEO. The U.S. convenience store industry has its second consecutive year of growth. The National Labor Relations Board files a complaint against Trader Joe’s. And indoor vertical farm company Gotham Greens opens its first hydroponic greenhouse in Texas.
Walmart, crude oil, National Retail Federation’s Big Show
Walmart enters the era of artificial intelligence-powered adaptive retail. U.S. and European light crude oil benchmark prices hold steady. And technology takes center stage at the National Retail Federation’s Big Show convention in New York City.
Lewis Country Store, e-cigarette, snack tray recall
A gas station and convenience store that was known for displaying signs with far-right political messages is under different ownership. Retailers must remove certain Suorin and blu Plus e-cigarette products from shelves. And Federal health officials are now getting involved in a charcuterie meat snack tray recall.
Drizly, retail media, THC products
Drizly owner Uber is shutting down the Boston-based alcohol-delivery company. Retail media networks are “not for the faint of heart,” according to one grocery executive. And Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine is urging the Ohio General Assembly to regulate Delta-8 and Delta-9 THC products.