November / December 2014

The $9.4 billion acquisition of Safeway by Cerberus Capital Management, announced in March, and its merger with Cerberus-owned Albertsons, was one of the biggest deals in U.S. grocery history and makes for the second-largest pure grocery company in America.

Kroger's acquisition of Harris Teeter, closed in January, was in many respects uncharacteristic of the grocery giant. It was Kroger's first major acquisition since its purchase of Fred Meyer, the Oregon-based chain, 15 years ago.

Turkey Hill Markets are a way for Kroger to experiment with a store size that falls between supermarkets and c-stores.

Throughout most of its history, Walmart has striven to be two things: the place with everything, and the place where everything is cheapest. The second imperative is still very much in place.

In 1982, Johnson & Johnson experienced what can only be described as an absolute nightmare scenario: Seven people in Chicago died after ingesting cyanide-laced Tylenol.

Though e-commerce sales of CPG products are projected to reach $10 billion in 2014, that number still accounts for a very small share of CPG sales. IRI's 2014 "Future of E-Commerce" advises companies to be prepared for a potential rapid acceleration in the near future.

The piece, "The reason your team won't take risks," is an exploration of the precarious balance between innovation and security that senior executives must maintain in order to grow their companies.

Aldi appears on our Leading Retailers list again this year, and for good reason. The German-based retailer has positioned itself as a discount grocer where quality is still top of mind.

Have you ever looked at your business as an aquarium teeming with life? It's an analogy that Larry Johnson, president of Johnson Training Group in Phoenix, Ariz., uses when asked to explain corporate culture. "Corporate culture is the entire environment in which an organization operates," sa

Visitors to the website of CVS Health are greeted with icons near the bottom of the page. One says "We're Tobacco Free" and another says "Let's Quit Together." The first refers to CVS' decision, announced in February, to stop selling tobacco products.

This 2015 Leading Retailers issue highlights specific reasons and innovations that have garnered these premier companies well-earned recognition.

Walmart plans to institute 17 Care Clinics by the end of the fiscal year.