Kroger just announced its first quarter results. On the surface, they weren’t terrible, with same store sales dropping just 0.2%. The stock cratered, however, on a downbeat forecast that lowered full year earnings significantly from prior forecasts as the company suggests intensifying price competition and…
As a pre-emptive strike against the pending opening of Lidl, Aldi announced that it will greatly accelerate its expansion in the U.S. with a goal of 2,500 stores by the end of 2022. This would be a staggering 900 or so new locations on top…
The underlying troubles that are resulting in 2017’s Retailmageddon are well documented, with the growing number of bankruptcies fueled by the growing impact of e-commerce and the general overcapacity of retail space. Grocery, however, has long been considered immune from the e-commerce space and even…
Whole Foods stock surged today on speculation that Albertsons might be preparing a takeover bid. This announcement comes on the heels of an activist investor, Janus Partners LLC acquiring an 8.3% stake in the company, suggesting that a possible sale could unlock investor value. Albertsons…
Recent news suggests preliminary talks have occurred between privately held Albertsons, which is controlled by Cerberus Capital Management and Sprouts, which is a publicly traded fresh driven retailer. This merger occurs at a time when food retailers are under almost unprecedented pressure from food deflation…
Aldi has just announced a $1.6 billion capital plan to substantially remodel and enlarge their existing fleet of nearly 1,600 stores. These stores will be enlarged by about 3,000 sq. ft. in order to better present the latest range, add more refrigeration capacity and showcase…
I recently had the privilege to speak at PLMA Live breakfast session at the Private Label Manufacturing Association Conference held in Chicago on November 15th. PLMA is the world’s largest trade organization dedicated to store brands. The organization has grown and is thriving as private…
We recently had the pleasure of hearing Eataly founder Oscar Farinetti share the secrets of the development of Eataly at the Latam Retail Congress held in Sao Paulo, Brazil. It was one of the more inspiring retail stories we’ve heard in some time, and it…
There’s no question that Southern California is the epicenter of food retail innovation right now. From the widely reported upon opening of Whole Foods’ 365 concept in Silver Lake to Aldi’s impressive West Coast push, Southern California seems the place to look for new ideas….
When news broke Friday that Walmart plans to test the delivery of groceries via Uber and Lyft, Forbes retail contributors had some sharp reactions. We decided to evolve our email debate into a round-robin of posts on the experiment and where it fits in Walmart’s…
