Serving as ICSC President and CEO affords Tom McGee a unique perspective on the retail industry. He leads a global organization with 70,000 members in more than 100 countries who develop, lease and operate shopping centers from the largest mega-malls to neighborhood centers.
A conflict has existed for too long between CPGs and retailers over huge, yet notoriously low performing, trade funds (also called vendor funds.) Without a significant change, these trapped resources may delay sorely needed new programs at retail.
In an exclusive interview with a co-founder of HomeGrocer.com, one of the fastest-growing Internet startups from the dot-com boom that later fizzled, Retail Leader explores the opportunities and challenges grocery retailers face in e-commerce today.
Industry analysts are predicting PepsiCo will increase marketing and advertising support for its beverage brands to $1.7 billion this year, up 50 percent from the prior year, Bloomberg reported.
Blount Fine Foods, a Fall River, Mass.-headquartered manufacturer of premium soups, entrees, sauces and side dishes for retail and foodservice, said it purchased Food Source LP, a custom food manufacturer based in McKinney, Texas.
Packaged goods manufacturer Campbell Soup Co. is investing $125 million in its venture capital project to fund food startups at the front of food trends, reported the Wall Street Journal.
Better-for-you food manufacturer Boulder Brands, acquired in January by Pinnacle Foods, could serve as a “springboard” for its new owner to acquire smaller natural and organic companies, according to The Denver Post, which quoted Pinnacle’s CEO, Bob Gamgort.
Mother’s Market & Kitchen, a Southern California grocery chain with seven stores in Orange County, said it “selected and partnered” with investment firm Mill Road Capital.
Club store chain operator Costco is “quietly removing” tobacco SKUs this year, having begun reducing the presence of cigarettes at some of its U.S. stores three or four years ago, according to business news website TheStreet.com.
While an improving economy with strengthening consumer confidence would normally suggest growth for consumer packaged goods manufacturers (CPGs), this does not appear to be the case, according to marketing agency Acosta’s latest Hot Topic Report.
