EDITOR’S LETTER
Take the Gamble
A frequent topic of conversation in the RM office is the importance of having an online presence in which people want to engage with you. This is true not only for a magazine like ours that wants to promote its stories, but also for retailers wanting to attract more customers. Foot traffic is a thing of the past and web traffic is more important than ever, along with adopting an omnichannel approach to how retailers do business. Many retailers began making omnichannel strides for their businesses in 2015, such as fashion retailer Hugo Boss and footwear retailer Elan Polo, both featured in this issue. Retailers around the globe that unite their offline business with their online business will be making waves in 2016. And those that have the most success will tie everything into their social media presence. With Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter all adding “buy” buttons last year, it’s more crucial than ever to be present online. While it hasn’t taken off just yet, I think it’s going to have a huge impact on how retailers do business through social networking and with whom they target. But I know that social media can be frustrating. Facebook algorithms make it so difficult to reach people organically that paying for ads is a necessary evil. You never know if your hashtagged tweet will be noticed by the right market. And maybe your product shot of a new handbag that you meticulously styled, lit and filtered will fall into the Instagram abyss. Basically, social media is a gamble. All you can do to attract more eyeballs to your store or product is to keep plugging away. But it’s not all so dire because there are a lot of things you can try. Add those buy buttons, first of all. Personalize your message and constantly engage with your audience. Don’t leave a question or comment unanswered. Share customer photos, especially if a customer is excited about a purchase. Adopt a social cause and perhaps even promise to donate a percentage of sales to charity, detailing everything on social media. Hold contests so customers can submit videos or photos. The list goes on!
EDITORIAL -------------------------------------------------------------------EDITORIAL DIRECTOR John Krukowski john.krukowski@retail-merchandiser.com (312) 676-1125 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF stephanie.crets@retail-merchandiser.com
Stephanie Crets (312) 676-1264
EDITORS Staci Davidson, Alan Dorich, Russ Gager, Jim Harris, Janice Hoppe, Tim O’Connor, Chris Petersen, Robert Rakow, Eric Slack DESIGN ----------------------------------------------------------------------ART DIRECTOR Erin Hein erin.hein@retail-merchandiser.com (312) 676-1136
Foot traffic is a thing of the past and web traffic is more important than ever.
DESIGNERS Joshua Beaudry, Jonathan Lyzun, Vida Soriano PRODUCTION ---------------------------------------------------------------PRODUCTION COORDINATOR Michelle DeCeault michelle.deceault@retail-merchandiser.com (312) 676-1178 SALES ------------------------------------------------------------------------VP OF SALES Stephen Pastorello stephen.pastorello@retail-merchandiser.com (978) 299-9811
And what about navigating the vast omnichannel world? Well, you can try making a customer’s online shopping experience so easy that ordering is a one-step process, like Amazon Dash’s one-click reordering button. Or you can develop a smartphone app so customers can order from you on the go to ship to their home or pick up in store. Retail giant Starbucks ties both of these together, making my half-asleep reload of my mobile card as easy as pressing “Reload” and reading my thumb print. Simplicity is key for omnichannel adoption because that’s what customers want. When you think about your plans for 2016, hopefully you will consider some of these omnichannel and social media suggestions. As a heavy social media user and a (oh no, don’t say it!) millennial, my demographic is pretty high on the target market list. I want the stores I frequent to not only care about me as a customer and make engaging with them on social media a fun experience, but also to make my purchase process as seamless as possible. I run RM’s social media and try to follow these suggestions. So, obviously, I must remind you to follow us on Twitter and like us on Facebook so you can keep up with all of our stories about the latest retail and licensing trends. Enjoy the first issue of 2016 and happy 55 years to RM!
PROJECT COORDINATOR john.conroy@retail-merchandiser.com
John Conroy (978) 299-9814
PROJECT COORDINATOR tony.pelonzi@retail-merchandiser.com
Tony Pelonzi (978) 299-9815
PROJECT COORDINATOR rocky.pisa@retail-merchandiser.com
Rocky Pisa (978) 299-9810
PROJECT COORDINATOR jay.purcell@pmcmg.com
Jay Purcell (978) 299-9873
EDITORIAL RESEARCH -----------------------------------------------------PRESIDENT Joy Francesconi joy.francesconi@retail-merchandiser.com (978) 299-9870 VP EDITORIAL RESEARCH amy.ingoldsby@retail-merchandiser.com EDITORIAL RESEARCHER michelle.fontaine@retail-merchandiser.com
Amy Ingoldsby (978) 299-9862 Michelle Fontaine (978) 299-9875
EDITORIAL RESEARCHER anne.gray@retail-merchandiser.com
Anne Gray (978) 299-9872
EDITORIAL RESEARCHER judy.kushner@retail-merchandiser.com
Judy Kushner (978) 299-9866
EDITORIAL RESEARCHER deborah.young@retail-merchandiser.com
Deborah Young (978) 299-9865
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@RMmagazine Phoenix Media Corporation 100 Cummings Center, Suite 250C Beverly, MA 01915
Stephanie Crets Editor-in-Chief
January/February Volume 56, No. 1 is published by Phoenix Media Corp., 79 W. Monroe, Suite 400, Chicago, IL, 60603. POST MASTER: Send address changes to Retail Merchandiser 79 W. Monroe, Suite 400, Chicago, IL, 60603. CANADA POST: Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to Phoenix Media Corp., 7496 Bath Road #2, Mississauga, ON L4T 1L3.
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January/February 2016
| CONTENTS
COVER STORY
6 TOY FAIR PREVIEW
The 113th Toy Fair will host a global ‘play date’ this February.
8 SONY PICTURES
CONSUMER PRODUCTS Sony Pictures crosses the streams with new merchandise.
10 MAGIC / FN PLATFORM PREVIEW MAGIC brings fashion and footwear to Las Vegas twice a year.
12 STARLIGHT ACCESSORIES
Starlight Accessories produces trend-setting, licensed eyewear.
14 SOBEWFF PREVIEW
SOBEWFF is so good organizers added another day of events.
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16 AINSWORTH PET
Spiegel With 150 years under its belt, Spiegel continues the tradition of offering products and services that positively impact its customers’ lives.
UPFRONT 18 JENNIFER ADAMS
WORLDWIDE INC. Jennifer Adams Worldwide is helping millennials create their own definition of what home feels like to them.
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NUTRITION Ainsworth offers wholesome, nutritious foods to dogs and cats.
New & Notable
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Hot products from Yo-Kai Watch, Ghostbusters, Steve Jackson and Food & Beverage.
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REPORTS
Retail 28 Hugo Boss
Designer brand Hugo Boss takes an omnichannel strategy to reach an even broader audience, as well as offering its new line of women’s clothing and accessories.
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32 Nicole Miller Nicole Miller leads in the fashion world because it always follows its own path.
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36 Elan Polo Elan Polo has been growing its footwear business for more than 40 years by always staying one step ahead.
41 Miami Home Centers Miami Home Centers sets itself apart from bigbox home improvement stores by offering the personal touch of service and exclusive items.
44 Shikatani Lacroix Design Inc.
Shikatani Lacroix Design Inc. relies on a deep understanding of consumer behaviors to assist its clients.
46 Lifechek Drug Lifechek Drug celebrates 25 years of being the largest independent chain of pharmacies with only one owner and 24 stores throughout the southwest Texas area.
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REPORTS
Canadian Focus 50 iStore
iStore provides the accessories for the technology that people depend on each and every day.
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53 CANEX CANEX builds its online presence to reach more members of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) community while maintaining long-lasting relationships with its partners.
56 Michael Rossy Ltd. With locations stretching through five eastern Canadian provinces, Michael Rossy Ltd. is positioned for expansion of its variety store concept.
Food & Beverage 60 Compare Foods Offering a diverse selection of affordable, high-quality products has helped Compare Foods expand its supermarket chain throughout the East Coast.
65 S&R Quisberg S&R Quisberg provides customers with a full selection of products in Minnesota’s north woods in its grocery stores and gasoline stations.
68 Super A Foods
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Reaching its 45th anniversary in 2016, Super A Foods strives to provide the best products, prices and service to its southern California clientele.
SOLUTION PROVIDER DIRECTORY 72 eTail West Preview
74 Coyote Logistics
eTail West comes to California this February with vast opportunities for networking in a show created by retailers for retailers.
Ten years after its founding, Coyote’s culture, technology and approach to customer service continue to energize a centuries-old industry.
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TOY FAIR
113 Years of Toys The 113th North American International Toy Fair will host a global ‘play date’ to introduce retailers, buyers and manufacturers to the latest global trends. BY KRISTIN MORENCY GOLDMAN This February, hundreds of thousands of the world’s most innovative children’s playthings will fill the vast aisles of the North American International Toy Fair™. Owned and operated by the U.S. Toy Industry Association (TIA), the show will take place at New York City’s Jacob K. Javits Convention Center from Saturday, Feb. 13 through Tuesday, Feb.16.
Toy Fair attracts nearly 30,000 manufacturers, distributors, retailers and licensors every year.
Established more than a century ago, Toy Fair has evolved into the largest toy and youth entertainment product marketplace in the Western Hemisphere with an ever-growing domestic and international audience that includes nearly 30,000 manufacturers, distributors, retailers, licensors, entertainment executives, inventors and trade guests. Last year’s show was the largest in its 113-year history, setting a new record with 421,300 net square feet of exhibit space filled with brand-new, skill-building and cutting-edge toys and games. To date, more than 1,050 exhibitors have already signed up for Toy Fair 2016, including big names such as Mattel, Spin Master, LEGO, Crayola, ALEX Brands, Melissa & Doug and TOMY, as well as 217 first-time exhibitors who 6
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TOY FAIR SPOOKLEY AND RUDOLPH EXPAND TIES WITH PACER’S NATIONAL BULLYING PREVENTION CENTER
are eager to make their mark on the international toy industry. About 10,000 global buyers from powerhouse retail outlets and 1,000 members of the press are expected at Toy Fair, where they will scope out specialty and high-end toys, innovative tech toys, educational games, dolls and plush, outdoor ride-ons, active toys and everything in between. The marketplace offers plenty of opportunities for “hands-on” fun, with many exhibitors allowing buyers to test and play with their latest product lines right on the show floor. Year after year, visitors say they spot more trends and creative, cutting-edge products at Toy Fair than at any other toy show in the world. On top of being a critical business hub for the international toy, game and youth entertainment community, the four-day marketplace is a world-class learning and networking event with seemingly endless opportunities for building new contacts. “Toy Fair 2016 will offer something new and exciting for every type of guest,” says Marian Bossard, senior vice president of global market events at TIA. “Whether you are a manufacturer, mass or specialty retailer, brand owner, inventor or other play professional, be sure to plan to attend one or several of our special events in between meetings.” To help retailers, media and other guests home in on what’s expected to make waves next year, TIA will unveil the hottest toy trends of 2016 during
a presentation on Sunday, Feb. 14th, which is free and open to all attendees. This year’s trends are expected to have a strong emphasis on toys that promote classic family play, as well as playthings that incorporate cutting-edge technology and encourage STEM / STEAM learning for children. Additional educational programs slated to take place throughout the event include Independent Thinking, a free series tailored to independent and specialty retailers; TIA’s Licensing Content Connection, offering seminars for licensors and licensees; Global Trade and Market Expansion sessions to help companies identify strategic export opportunities; and the 10th annual Digital Kids Expo, bringing together toy companies, media brands and mobile developers to strategize and collaborate on the ever-changing nature of the children’s entertainment and educational industries. TIA’s Toy Safety Update will also be held to provide industry stakeholders with updates on important changes in state, federal and international toy safety requirements and introduce emerging issues under consideration by legislators around the globe. For a complete breakdown of educational programming planned for the show, as well as details on registering, exhibitor listings, after-hours activities, hotel reservations, and more, visit www.ToyFairNY. com or download the Toy Fair Mobile app on iTunes or Google Play. O
Character Arts, brand manager for iconic holiday classics Spookley the Square Pumpkin and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, has enhanced its association with PACER’s National Bullying Prevention Center to coincide with the launch in 2016 of Spookley’s national stage show and a Rudolph line extension based on T.E.A.M. Rudolph and the Reindeer Games™. Major 2015 Spookley developments included a renewal by Disney Junior of its Spookley license, celebrating a fifth anniversary as “Official Spokes-Pumpkin” for National Bullying Prevention Month, the premiere of a musical stage show and the signing with Commonwealth Toy and License 2 Play to bring Spookley-themed plush toys, figurines and novelty items, some packaged with books and DVDs, across all channels of trade. Commonwealth and License 2 Play will unveil their Spookley product lines at Toy Fair. For Rudolph, PACER and Character Arts developed the “ShineBright” campaign, which offers activities and discussion guidelines to help educators and families use the occasion of the annual Rudolph telecasts and stage shows to start a conversation about diversity and acceptance. The new T.E.A.M. Rudolph initiative (T.E.A.M. standing for “Treat Everyone as Members”) features a new illustrated story book that will reveal undiscovered mythology about the Reindeer Games, including how Santa chose the other eight famous reindeer and how the games changed after Santa and the others realized that they were wrong to exclude Rudolph. The book, which will have a limited release in 2016, is written in verse format by Spookley author Joe Troiano. As Reindeer Games are the “Official Games of the North Pole,” the Reindeer Games and T.E.A.M. Rudolph merchandising line will launch during holiday 2017, which is the primary marketing window for the Winter Olympics (in 2018). “The association with PACER emphasizes the positive messages of these stories and we know that our friends at PACER will help leverage the power of these characters in the most effective and positive ways,” said Jonathan Flom, founder of Character Arts.
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SONY PICTURES CONSUMER PRODUCTS
Sony’s decision to reboot the “Ghostbusters” franchise was supported by strong merchandise sales during the movie’s 25th anniversary.
Who You Gonna Call?
Sony Pictures Consumer Products isn’t afraid to cross the streams in working with retailers and filmmakers to develop ‘Ghostbusters’ merchandise. BY TIM O’CONNOR
Mark Caplan, senior vice president, Global Consumer Products www.sonypictures.com Culver City, Calif.
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It seems like every tentpole movie today releases along with a licensing blitz that touches everything from fashion to high-end collectibles. Historically, Sony Pictures Consumer Products begins planning merchandise for movies two years in advance, but for the “Ghostbusters” reboot, which releases on July 15, the company began planting the seeds when it celebrated the original film’s 25th anniversary in 2009.
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Despite two major films and three animated spin-off series, the “Ghostbusters” franchise had gone dormant by the early 2000s. Even Hi-C discontinued the popular “Ghostbusters”-themed Ecto-Cooler flavor by 1997. Fan interest around the 25th anniversary provided Sony with an opportunity to revitalize the franchise with the Blu-ray release of the original movie. “We launched a licensing program based on the classic property and celebrated the 25th anniversary by launching a successful console video game,” says Mark Caplan, senior vice president of Sony’s Global Consumer Products.
SONY PICTURES CONSUMER PRODUCTS The positive reception to 2009’s “Ghostbusters: The Video Game,” voiced by the original cast and featuring a story written by Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis, renewed Sony’s interest in the property. “It was a great experience for us. It showed there was a tremendous fan base already built in,” Caplan says. The success of the video game and Matty Collector toy line led to a revival in “Ghostbusters” products such as comic books and T-shirts. The fans that once wore their toy proton packs to school in the ‘80s were suddenly introducing “Ghostbusters” to their own kids through the Blu-ray release and game. The next generation was discovering the appeal of the paranormal exterminators through merchandise. That spark eventually helped lead to the decision to reboot the series with the 2016 film, Caplan says. “In the last seven years, we’ve built a groundswell of merchandise,” he says.
Changing Strategy The heavy focus on a handful of valuable properties such as “Ghostbusters” represents a different approach for the Consumer Products division from in the past. Caplan has been spearheading that new strategy since becoming the senior vice president of Sony Global Consumer Products in October. The 15year Sony veteran is now working with agents in each of the company’s territories managing licensing efforts globally. Sony distributes 15 to 20 movies each year, and not all have merchandising potential. Under Caplan, the Consumer Products division is putting its resources toward supporting the most popular brands. A genre franchise such as “Underworld” may still see a freemium phone game or licensed clothing, but the big product push is reserved for movies with built-in fanbases and cross-sectional appeal. “We found that really to stay focused is the best thing for our company and our group,” Caplan says. “It gives us a lot more upside in
terms of developing a long-term franchise, as is the case with ‘Ghostbusters’ and ‘Smurfs.’” Generating revenue is not Caplan’s only goal. Sony Pictures Consumer Products is tasked with developing products capable of turning a movie into a long-term brand with potential for spinoff media such as comic books and animated television shows. “‘Ghostbusters,’ ‘Hotel Transylvania’ and ‘Smurfs’ allow us the opportunity to build the properties into franchises alongside of the plans the studio has for them,” Caplan says.
“Retailers are inspired by what we’ve presented to them and our partners.” “In an off-year where there’s not a movie we have a lot of flexibility to do merchandising for our classic properties,” Caplan adds. That franchise-building shows retailers that Sony is committed to reinforcing its message to consumers and gives stores more confidence in buying Sony licensed products.
Supporting a Franchise Like many “Ghostbusters” fans, Caplan understands the appeal of the movies is about more than the characters. It’s the logo, the iconic Ecto-1 vehicle and the Ray Parker Jr. theme song. Incorporating those aspects – and the 2016 movie – into the next wave of merchandise required collaboration between product designers and filmmakers. Product development began early in the filmmaking process. Key partners such as Mattel were given drafts of the script and later flown out to Boston, where filming is taking place. They sat down with prop designers to work out how to transfer material from the movie
into merchandise that could be found on store shelves. NKOK, for example, is developing an RC car based on a scene in the movie. “We were able to tap into what is obviously fun and what works for a play pattern for the kids and the collectors who are going to buy the toys,” Caplan says. In the lead off to the movie’s release, Sony Pictures Consumer Products is working to ensure it has items available at every price range, from $9.99 action figures aimed at children to high-end replica proton packs for adult collectors. Apparel companies such as Hybrid and FAB NY are adapting scenes from the movie into T-shirts and backpacks. IDW is continuing its work on the “Ghostbusters” comic series while Simon & Schuster is developing a junior novelization and a “Guide to Ghostbusting” book that will give the franchise a presence in stores like Barnes & Noble. “Ghostbusters” is also returning to video games. Already, the “Ghostbusters” sets are on sale for “Lego Dimensions,” a toys-to-life game featuring the classic building blocks. Caplan’s goal is to not only have products in the mass-market stores, but also mid-tier and specialty shops. “If it’s a program that makes sense for that particular retailer, we’re trying to build it around the type of product they sell,” Caplan says. If Sony can execute its plan, the products themselves will help feed each other. “We’re collaborating with our home entertainment group to support the new film release and drive both licensing and home video sales,” Caplan explains. Ultimately, supporting those retail partnerships hinges on offering merchandise that can entertain fans old and new alike. By combining a beloved property like “Ghostbusters” with a team that understands its appeal, Sony is positioned to do just that. “Retailers are inspired by what we’ve presented to them and our partners,” Caplan says. O
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MAGIC PREVIEW
The Future of Fashion MAGIC and FN Platform bring fashion and footwear to Las Vegas twice a year.
More than 60,000 industry insiders fill the Las Vegas and Mandalay Bay Convention Centers to shop can’t-miss fashion markets.
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MAGIC PREVIEW Billed as the global pillar of fashion tradeshows, MAGIC and FN Platform take place twice annually, bringing together more than 60,000 industry insiders in Las Vegas to shop 11 can’t-miss markets spread across the Las Vegas and Mandalay Bay Convention Centers. The comprehensive marketplace covers the top men’s, women’s, juniors’ and children’s apparel, footwear, accessories and resources. With 85 years of experience and attendance from more than 120 countries, MAGIC seeks to move fashion forward globally. Attendees can find it all at MAGIC, from the fabric at SOURCING to the finished product on the main show floor, the hottest brands to the top designers and the tastemakers to the power buyers. Every year, thousands of fashion mavens invade Las Vegas for the biannual tradeshow. It’s more than just a tradeshow; it’s where the future of what we wear takes place. Attendees get to meet and collaborate with different vendors, designers and artists. It truly has become less transactional and more of a partnership approach. When attendees visit a booth, they are surrounded by buyers, racks of clothes, sales personnel negotiating prices and the latest fashion trends. What’s even
more impressive is the entrepreneurial spirit throughout the show. Attendees can meet with established companies, or they can meet with new startup brands. In both licensing and fashion in general, the t-shirt is still very important, especially with a heavy influence from streetwear, but it has become synonymous within the luxury world thanks to designer brands. Companies are pushing boundaries by incorporating new technology into garments, from unexpected fabric mixing to new, unique printing techniques and processes. With technology being so accessible today, consumers are getting smarter and want to jump on a trend immediately. As a result, it is essential to always see what’s currently trending in blogs, social media and streetwear. Fashion is a chameleon, always changing and keeping you guessing. In many ways, companies
are forced to take a risk and hope that consumers will resonate with it. Walking the floor at MAGIC, attendees see the risk takers, presenting the unexpected, while others are playing it safe. There is always that one vendor that truly gives the “wow” factor. Whether it’s an amazingly constructed asymmetrical jacket or a fabulous piece of jewelry that looks out of this world, there is always something jaw-dropping to see on the show floor. Licensors are always looking to meet with artists, designers and companies to see how they can partner to offer retail something new and fresh. Not all brands are created equal so exhibitors really have to listen to their audience. MAGIC also gives visitors an opportunity to meet with diverse clientele. MAGIC truly has something for everyone in the industry, whether they are in sales looking to buy, a designer attending trend workshops or meeting with brands for fashion collaborations. It’s not about making a quick deal, but looking for long-term strategic partnerships with companies that can push a brand to the next level. MAGIC for the fall/winter 2016 fashion season takes place Feb. 16-18 at the Las Vegas and Mandalay Bay Convention Centers in Las Vegas. For more information on the upcoming show, visit www.magiconline.com. O
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STARLIGHT ACCESSORIES
Eyewear Leader Starlight Accessories produces trend-setting eyewear by teaming up with successful licensing programs like Yo-Kai Watch. BY STEPHANIE CRETS With nearly 20 years of experience in the eyewear market, Starlight Accessories is a leader in fashionforward and core sunglasses, as well as swim goggles. David Smouha, president www.starlight accessories.com New York City
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President David Smouha and his brother, Allen Smouha, founded the company in 1996 after recognizing a void in the fashion eyewear market. While working for A Classic Time Watch Co., Smouha saw the potential to expand sunglasses into a trendy product at a competitive price, which at the time was largely untapped. He launched Starlight Accessories, and the sunglass market was forever changed. “My love and knowledge of the product has driven us to where we are,“ Smouha says. “Our customers are fashion-conscience consumers looking for the most up-to-date eyewear available. By being constantly in tune to this, Starlight has grown to the leader it is.” Being a family owned company, the road to success for Starlight Accessories took determination, as it had to compete with major eyewear corporations that dominated the market. “Being a small company initially seemed like a challenge but we learned quickly that our size was actually our strongest asset. We were able to provide large retailers with a more personal, hands-on approach to customer service and retailers quickly took notice as this went beyond what they were used to.” Smouha has created a casual, yet professional envi-
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ronment for his team where some of them have been with him and his brother since the early days. “I want to make sure my employees wake up in the morning and are excited to go to work,” he says. “Maintaining the atmosphere of a family run company now at a larger scale allows our business and our team to flourish as we continue to grow.”
The Right Fit Thanks to the company’s ability to adapt quickly and think outside the box, Starlight Accessories has turned its focus to licensing. They have dominated the industry by selling generic licenses and private-label eyewear to specialty department and mass trade retailers. Starlight Accessories eyewear can be found in a number of stores such as Forever 21, Target, Hot Topic, Sears and Urban Outfitters. “The new focus of our company is to stress more
STARLIGHT ACCESSORIES licensed products to complement the current business,” Smouha explained. Along with Caribbean Joe, One Direction and Miraculous, one of the company’s most recent licensing acquisitions is Yo-Kai Watch, a Japanese video game, turned comic, turned television cartoon series that recently made its debut in the United States. Smouha felt it was an exciting property that was going to become very popular very quickly. Turns out, that instinct was correct given the brand’s booming success in the U.S. market. Starlight Accessories dove headfirst into the Yo-Kai Watch brand, liking the message it represented to its audience and the fashionable, creative opportunity it offered its younger eyewear customers. Additionally, through Yo-Kai Watch, the company is bringing swim goggles to the marketplace. With previous experience in generic goggles, licensed goggles are a new venture. “We are looking to present our new licenses with a fun twist,” Smouha explains. “We are taking fashion and adding more creativity to the product. This will be a breath of fresh air for the consumer, who have been used to a safe formula. It’s time to get innovative about licensed sunglasses again.” By thoughtfully selecting their licens-
ing partnerships and retailers, Starlight Accessories is able to make a larger impact in the market. “We want to pair the right retailers behind the brands,” Smouha says. “By planning ahead, we are able to make sure the brand resonates with the target clientele.” For a brand geared more towards children like Yo-Kai Watch, Starlight Accessories thoroughly researches and absorbs the story of the brand to ensure the product they design is relatable. “We’re always making sure we have the passion and feeling for the product so we can really take it to the next level. Starlight is excited about the brand, therefore exciting product is being launched,” Smouha adds. Through private label and licensing, Starlight Accessories boasts that it provides full eyewear programs for its retailers and
“We are looking to present our new licenses with a fun twist. We are taking fashion and adding more creativity.” treats all of its partners as a member of its extended family by bringing the best of customer service and innovation. The company is constantly working on new products and designs while on the lookout for the next big trend or license. “I’m very proud of the growth and the success we’ve achieved over the years,” Smouha says. “We have been able to penetrate into the fashion-forward, trend-setting accounts and it’s an exciting time as we build on that. We see the future in licensed products and with our continual dedication and focus, Starlight will further make its mark on the eyewear world.” O
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SOBEWFF PREVIEW
PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES
The Art of Tiki: A Cocktail Showdown presented by The Captain Morgan Rum Co. hosted by Emeril Lagasse during SOBEWFF.
A Good Time FOR A Good Cause South Beach Wine and Food Festival is so good organizers added another day to offer even more events. BY JANICE HOPPE Ticket sales were red hot for last year’s Food Network & Cooking Channel South Beach Wine and Food Festival (SOBEWFF) and organizers are expecting a similar turnout this year. The must-attend event has become so popular that one more day has been added to the usually four-day festival. 14
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Even record-cool temperatures in Miami last year couldn’t keep attendees away. “Passionate fans led the way to record-breaking ticket sales,” Festival founder and director Lee Brian Schrager says. “Between a completely rejuvenated Grand Tasting Village, the debut of Meatopia and our first tiki-inspired cocktail competition, it was a great success on many levels.” SOBEWFF returns to Miami Beach Feb. 24-28 with more than 80 events spanning Miami-Dade and Broward counties. This year, attendees will see returning fan-favorite events, as well as plenty of new ones to feed any appetite. “Adding an extra day to SOBEWFF
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this year is the kick-off to the festival’s inaugural Taste Fort Lauderdale Series on Wednesday, Feb. 24,” festival organizers say. “Longtime festival friend, cookbook author and star of Food Network’s Restaurant: Impossible and Chopped: Impossible, Robert Irvine, will host 15 of south Florida’s best chefs at the historic Bonnet House Museum & Gardens for this walk-around tasting, featuring pours from Chateau D’Esclans and Marques de Riscal.” SOBEWFF caters to everyone’s taste buds this year by hosting events that will thrill the midnight muncher, the cheese lover, the bubbly imbiber and those with an appetite for knowledge. Some of South Beach’s signature events return, including Lucky Chopsticks: An Asian Night Market, Goya Foods Grand Tasting Village, Meatopia and Fontainebleau Miami Beach presents Wine Spectator’s Best of the Best.
NYCWFF In October, Retail Merchandiser attended a variety of events during the New York City Wine and Food Festival held
SOBEWFF PREVIEW by Food Network chefs. We listened to them share life experiences that shaped their culinary careers and tasted some of the greatest food and beverages on the market today. Although the parties were amazing, it was just as important to remember why the festivals exists: to raise funds for No Kid Hungry Campaign, the Food Bank for New York City and the Florida International University Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management. It was also great to learn how leaders in the food industry are making a difference in terms of food education with the next generation. Retail Merchandiser was invited to the founder’s breakfast in New York where Schrager encouraged attendees to enjoy the weekend while also remembering the real reason they were there. “One out of every four kids here do not know where they will have breakfast, lunch or dinner,” he said during the breakfast. “The real reason that we do [the festival] is to continue to raise awareness. The thought of anyone not knowing where their next meal is going to come from, I think, is just shameful in a city like New York.” New York City Wine and Food Festival raised more than $1 million this year, bringing its total contribution to at least $9.5 million to help fight hunger. This year, the festival attracted more than 55,000 attendees. SOBEWFF has raised more than $22 million for the Florida International University Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management.
Party Time On our first night in New York City on Oct. 15, we headed to the rooftop of Pier 92 to kick off the festival where Emmy Award-winning Food Network star Giada De Laurentiis hosted Italian Feast, offering favorites from New York trattorias, pizzerias and meatball shops. Blue Moon Brewing Co. founder Keith Villa was there to share a toast and give
“The real reason that we do the festival is to continue to raise awareness.” us the scoop on the company’s newest flavors, including Cinnamon Horchata Ale and Gingerbread Spiced Ale. The Blue Moon Burger Bash is a fan favorite and hosted by Rachael Ray. The bash was held Friday night, also at Pier 92, and had more than 8,500 pounds of beef on hand for chefs to serve up mouthwatering burgers. Attendees were armed with a card to cast a vote for their favorite burger to take the Blue Moon People’s Choice Award. The high-energy event not only offered a ton of food – and left my hair smelling like beef when I left – but also dancing, drinking and taking in the New York City skyline from the rooftop. One of my final stops at the festival on Saturday was “Eating Stories” hosted by Mario Batali and Mary Giuliani.
The event was held outdoors at the Shipping and Receiving building on 33rd Street and despite the chill in the air attendees were glued to their seats listening to the chefs’ stories. We heard from chefs Batali, Giuliani, Ray, Action Bronson, Danny Bowien and artist Jennifer Rubell as we tried the dishes that played a role in their culinary careers. Visit our Facebook page to hear Ray’s story. The final stop on our festival calendar was Pigs n’ Pints hosted by Chef Robert Irvine at the Hudson New York hotel. New York City hot spots featured their famed pig-centric dishes, including a whole roasted pig, candied bacon and pork tacos. Beers from the Manhattan Beer portfolio were featured as well as wine and spirits from the Southern Wine & Spirits collection. Tickets to SOBEWFF are on sale now at www.sobefest.com. MasterCard holders will receive additional perks, including the best seats at culinary demonstrations, 15 percent off tickets and early access when using their card to purchase tickets. O
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AINSWORTH PET NUTRITION
Ainsworth Pet Nutrition brings pet store-quality food to the grocery stores where customers do most of their shopping.
Top Dog Chef Teaming with Rachael Ray helped Ainsworth Pet Nutrition offer wholesome, meat-first foods to dogs and cats everywhere. BY TIM O’CONNOR
Steve Joyce, vice president of marketing www.ainsworthpets.com Meadville, Pa.
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When Ainsworth Pet Nutrition talks about its consumers, it doesn’t call them “pet owners” but instead “pet parents.” It’s an idea that permeates everything the company does. For more than 80 years, Ainsworth has understood that pet parents want to feed their furry children the same high-quality, nutritious food their human brothers and sisters enjoy at an affordable price. Affordability has been a part of Ainsworth since the beginning. George Ainsworth Lang founded the company in 1933 after one of his dogs had a litter of puppies. It was the height of the Great Depression and Lang started making his own dog food to feed the pups. It soon turned into a thriving business that has endured until today. The Ainsworth family remains majority owners of their namesake company. Family ownership has allowed the company to make decisions quickly, empower its employees and cultivate a pet-friendly atmosphere, according to Vice President of Marketing Steve Joyce. Employees often work alongside their dogs at the company’s Meadville, Pa., headquarters, a representation of Ainsworth’s core ideals.
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“Not all companies are just pet-focused,” Joyce says. “We’re pets and only pets.”
Creating a New Market Ainsworth’s pet-first philosophy has helped propel the company’s rapid growth over the past 15 years. From 1933 until 2000, Ainsworth produced only one brand, Dad’s. That began to change when the company recognized the new generation of consumers wanted to know what was in their food and gravitated to more natural cuisine with fewer artificial preservatives. Ainsworth recognized the people who wanted wholesome food on their dinner table would want the same for their dog’s bowl. “We saw that consumer trends were changing,” Joyce says. “More
AINSWORTH PET NUTRITION and more consumers were interested in meat-based diets [for pets].” The company began looking at the diets that were traditionally found only in specialty pet stores and realized it could offer a high-quality alternative at supermarkets and grocery stores where consumers did the most shopping. First, Ainsworth added Better Than! snacks and in 2007 the company made a deal with Rachael Ray to develop Nutrish pet food. Nutrish products went on sale a year later and became a hit with pet parents drawn to Rachael Ray’s nutritious image. Those moves grew Ainsworth from a regional company that served the 10-hour radius around Meadville to a national supplier of pet food serving retailers such as Walmart, Target, Amazon and Kroger. The company broadened its capabilities further and began producing food for retailer brands such as Walmart’s Pure Balance. Expanding from a local supplier to a nationally recognized branded suppli-
er in less than a decade involved some growing pains. The company must frequently reinvest in its facility to store higher-quality proteins such as bison and venison while producing as much as 4,000 tons of kibble each week. To keep pace with its success, Ainsworth added salespeople and accounts, while employees showed their willingness to chip in beyond their regular duties. “It’s been a continual investment in people and capability,” Joyce says of the growth process. Nutrish has been responsible for much of the company’s growth in recent years. The brand accounted for $300 million in consumption in 2015, Joyce says. The idea for the label began the same way as many of Ainsworth’s products: by recognizing the love owners have for their pets. An employee at one of Ainsworth’s sister companies was watching an appearance by Rachael Ray on a late night talk show when the famous TV chef brought out her pet pit bull, Isaboo. The employee was struck with the idea that Ainsworth could develop a pet food with Rachael Ray. The company reached out to Ray and found the animal lover enthusiastic about the proposal. Ray’s personal proceeds from Nutrish sales are donated to Rachael’s Rescue, an organization that supports shelters and treatments for animals in need. More than $10 million has been raised since 2008. Although Ainsworth remains the expert on formulation and production for Nutrish, Ray has helped guide the company on high-quality ingredients and recipes that even a human would find tasty. “She’s literally eaten the kibble and some of the wet food before,” Joyce says. The Zero Grain line for Nutrish expands on that quality promise by avoiding rice or grains of any kind. “We make sure that in all of the dry recipes meat is the first ingredient,” Joyce says.
Changing Shopping Habits It wasn’t too long ago that such meatfirst products with natural ingredients were found only in a pet store. Joyce says Nutrish was at the forefront of bringing those diets to grocery stores at an affordable price. “We were one of the first to do it and I think we helped to lead the way,” he says. “Retailers now are keying on the trend and making sure they’re stocking the right things.” Ainsworth is developing new products that promise to stay ahead of the natural pet food trend. The company is preparing to launch a new line under the Nutrish name called Dish by the end of March. Dish will be a high-quality, meat-first kibble with inclusions of cooked chicken, dried apple, carrots, potatoes and peas. Having achieved a national footprint, Ainsworth is now looking to improve its digital presence. The company launched a new corporate website in January with a fresh look that touts its vision for pet-focused food. Ainsworth also continues to work with its retail partners to improve its e-commerce capabilities. E-commerce sales currently make up about 2 percent of the company’s revenue, but Joyce believes that will grow to 5 to 10 percent in the next few years as more people adapt to buying online. “I think that’s a big growth opportunity in pet food for both brick-and-mortar customers and pure-play e-tailers,” he says. “It’s not necessarily a convenient purchase; it’s a big bulky bag. But in general, there are a lot of folks who will keep their dogs or cats on a similar diet. If you can get [food] to show up at your door, it’s convenient for a lot of folks.” The company’s attention to e-commerce is the next evolution of its strategy since the new millennium began: making nutritional food accessible to pet parents. “It comes down to the fact that we’re helping consumers and pets get higher quality food, more conveniently and frequently at a better cost,” Joyce adds. O
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Upfront
Jennifer Adams, CEO www.jenniferadamshome.com Scottsdale, Ariz.
JENNIFER ADAMS WORLDWIDE INC.
Defining Home Jennifer Adams Worldwide is helping millennials create their own definitions of what home feels like to them. BY CHRIS PETERSEN Lifestyle and design guru Jennifer Adams has been dedicated to helping people “love coming home” for many years, but she knows “home” means something a little bit different to everyone. What defines “home” for the baby boomers or generation X isn’t necessarily the same for the up-and-coming millennial generation, and as such Jennifer Adams Worldwide, Inc. has turned its focus to developing lifestyle products and concepts that appeal to this powerful demographic and helping
The success of Jennifer Adams Home® Eternal Collection’s bedding line allowed the company to expand its line of furniture products.
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them express their own definition of what it means to love coming home. As CEO and chief creative officer of the company that bears her name, Adams oversees a lifestyle brand that is as noteworthy for its breadth and depth as it is for its philosophy of “effortless style.” Adams honed her sense of style and design while growing up with a large family in a modest home, where she learned to “do much with little.” Adams has been a highly sought-after and award-winning interior designer for years, and her tips on design have made her a regular correspondent on nationally syndicated “The Better Show” as well as a syndicated columnist in major newspapers from the Philadelphia Inquirer to the San Diego Union Tribune, reaching 1.2 million homes a week and creating millions of impressions. Adams also signed on to produce and star in news packages that will air on the national airport news network ClearVision TV, which is seen in major airports across the country and watched by more than 25 million travelers annually. Based on the success of the Jennifer Adams Home® Eternal Collection’s bedding line and its simple but elegant looks and wrinkle-free fabrics, Adams was able to create a successful expanded line furniture of products, which can also be found on Costco.com. Today, the Jennifer Adams Home® special events of pop-up stores could be found in Costco stores across the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. The Jennifer Adams Home®
Fizzion Jennifer Adams teamed up with Fizzion to make her effective and non-toxic CO2-based Whole House cleaning products, including the specialized Whole House Cleanser (23 oz. bottle) and Wine Stain Remover (8 oz. bottle). Earth-friendly with no harsh chemicals and minimal packaging, the products are available ready-to-use or as a tablet. Cleaning house has never been easier!
brand also has expanded in the recent past to include a line of licensed designer fabrics, furniture, kitchen and bath textiles, pet accessories and coordinated bath accessories.
Millennial Motivation One of the biggest elements of the success of the Jennifer Adams Home® brand is its willingness to evolve and take on new ideas, and 2016 will bring more evolution and new ideas to the company. One of the biggest changes in the works is the brand’s embrace of millennial culture, which is driving continuous changes to the brand’s business model and design philosophies. Adams says the millennials are one of the largest generations in history and are just beginning to enter into their prime spending years, so they also represent a huge opportunity for Jennifer Adams Worldwide. Through the guidance of the company’s own millennial employees and focus groups, Jennifer Adams Worldwide is tackling the challenges that come with appealing to this unique generation. “I would say it’s a shift from our typical approach, and we’re learning as we go, but getting a lot of guidance from experienced advisors, which has been a big help,” Adams says. Adams says Millennials are defined primarily by their independence as they choose to create their own styles rather than let their styles be shaped by outside influences. She adds that the brand is reaching out to these young consumers by creating designs and products that can fit into more eclectic collections. Unlike previous generations, Adams says, millennials aren’t looking for a designer to tell them what looks good, but are getting advice and choosing what they think looks good. “We’re not telling them what to do or what to buy because they do not want to be told what to buy,” she says. The proliferation of digital platforms like Pinterest are exposing millennials January/February 2016
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Upfront
JENNIFER ADAMS WORLDWIDE INC.
to a wider variety of looks and ideas for home décor and design than previous generations ever had access to, which also makes them more savvy about getting exactly what they envision for their homes. “They’re much more confident in their ability to put their homes together because they’re immersed in these resources,” Adams says. Another major trend that is helping to define “home” for the millennial generation is a blending of global themes and elements. Thanks to social networking and video-conferencing technology, it’s easier than ever for young people to maintain relationships with others in different parts of the world, exposing them to a more cosmopolitan collection of styles. They also tend to live in shared spaces with roommates or family, and their tastes run more toward casual and down-to-earth styles than the extravagant. Adapting to the millennial point of view has had an impact on more than the design side of Jennifer Adams Worldwide. Adams says the company’s distribution model has had to evolve to focus more on ecommerce platforms than ever before. Although ecommerce has always been a major component of the company’s distribution model, the fact that millennials do a significant amount of their shopping online and on their smartphones makes it even more important for the company to ensure that its ecommerce platform is functioning at peak performance. “We have to make sure our products are where they’re shopping,” Adams says.
Branching Out Jennifer Adams Worldwide, Inc., and the Jennifer Adams Home® brand continue to grow in other ways, as well. Later this year, the company will open a new office in Carlsbad, Calif., where Adams says the company will be closer to the creative community in the Los Angeles area. The new office will also feature a creative lab where the com20
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pany’s creative staff will be located to develop new ideas. Also part of the new California office will be an in-house production studio where the company can create new content for its media partners with a quicker reaction time. Adams says the company used to operate on a six-month editorial calendar, but the new studio will give it more flexibility in content. Flexibility can be extremely valuable in the fast-changing world of style, and Adams points to the warmer winter in New York City as an example of how content prepared much earlier in advance can lose its relevancy. With the new studio capabilities, Adams adds, the company can be more nimble and shift the focus of its content on the fly to be more relevant to emerging trends. Adams says she also is excited about some new team members joining Jennifer Adams Worldwide in 2016, includ-
January/February 2016
ing its new design director who will be leading the company’s entire product development and textile development efforts. The company also will add a new director of licensing and a new digital director this year, as well.
Creative Culture No matter what the future holds for Jennifer Adams Worldwide or however the term “home” is defined, Adams says the brand will continue to focus on creating styles that make people love coming home. The key to realizing that mission statement in everything that it does is hiring inspired individuals and building a corporate culture that allows them to be entrepreneurial and creative, Adams says. With those values in place, Jennifer Adams Worldwide continues to be a major source for lifestyle solutions that define “home” for its customers, whoever they are. O
COVER STORY
THE
Personal TOUCH Spiegel began selling women’s clothing in 1912, and today is known primarily as a women’s fashion retailer.
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SPIEGEL Spiegel marked its recent 150th anniversary by continuing its legacy of reaching out to customers with products and services that have positive impacts on their lives. BY JIM HARRIS
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piegel has touched the lives of millions of people during its 150-year history. The company’s close relationship with its customers extends back to its origins, but truly took a step forward in the early 20th century, when it became known for its extremely liberal credit policies. These included not charging interest for credit and extending credit lines that were quite large for their time. Advertisements proclaiming “We Trust The People!” and “The People Should Get The Credit” attracted millions of Americans to order from its catalog, which at one point had more than 200 million copies in print. “Our customers built the company,” International Creative Director Richard Lowe says. “People came to us because of our quality, and because of the credit we offered they were able to afford the goods they needed to provide for their family.” Spiegel was founded as a furniture company in Chicago in 1865. Although the company, which began selling women’s clothing in 1912, is known primarily today as a women’s fashion retailer, it still hears from many of the customers who remember its earlier era. One customer letter that particularly touched Lowe was from a 92-year-old man who wrote of his family’s personal experience with the company. “He wrote that he and his family were lifelong customers and stayed loyal because they bought Christmas gifts
through our catalog that they otherwise wouldn’t be able to afford without the credit,” he says. The family was so loyal to Spiegel that one year they received a phone call from M.J. Spiegel, grandson of company founder Joseph Spiegel, when their Christmas order wasn’t received. M.J. Spiegel led the company during the 1930s and 1940s. “The family had, in fact, placed their order, but it was lost in the mail,” Lowe says. “Spiegel took their order over the phone, and even sent them extra gifts.” This level of attention was common for Spiegel staff, which would regularly check in with customers when their orders weren’t received to “make sure they weren’t disappointed at the holidays,” Lowe adds. The letter writer concluded his correspondence by asking for one of the company’s vintage catalogs, a request Lowe quickly filled. Another example of the company having a direct impact on its customers came more recently, when it performed makeovers on 200 women on the syndicated TV series “The Doctors” in 2013. “Every woman had a story to tell about our company and how we affected their lives,” Lowe says. “This really hit home for us that we don’t just sell clothing or other merchandise – we sell memories.”
Richard Lowe, international creative director www.spiegel.com New York City
Out to Sea The company – now based in New York City – continues to create positive memories for its customers, with more than 10 million people receiving
A Company of Firsts
During its 150-year history, Spiegel has introduced a number of products, technologies and notable faces to U.S. consumers. “We’ve launched a lot of brands that people take for granted today,” International Creative Director Richard Lowe says. The company’s innovations include:
1909: The company introduces the teddy bear to the American consumer.
1952: Spiegel is the first company to begin tracking consumer spending habits, with a computerized system of its own creation later purchased by Sears, Roebuck & Co.
1995: The company’s catalog is the first in the United States to feature supermodel Heidi Klum. January/February 2016
2000
1990
1997: The company is the first major fashion retailer to launch a digital catalog.
1980
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1957: Spiegel becomes the first catalog company to visit the Paris fashion shows.
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1955: The company is the first to offer tropical fish in the United States.
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1920s: Spiegel introduces a credit card.
1995: Spiegel is the first major fashion retailer to join the World Wide Web. RETAIL-MERCHANDISER.COM
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COVER STORY
Spiegel unveiled a new sewing machine in 2015 to celebrate its 150th anniversary.
its catalogs each year. Spiegel also offers online shopping as well as specialty stores, giving customers “Brick, Click & Catalog” access to its products. In addition to its own eponymous clothing line, the company also offers apparel under the Newport News and Shape FX brands. In 2015, the company made the Newport News brand available exclusively at retail shops located on cruise ships including those operated by Carnival Cruise Lines, Holland America Line, Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line and Pullmantur. “The cruise ships wanted us,” Lowe says. “We’re selling at twice our forecasted rate, and all of our cruise line partners are very pleased with it. We’ve received pictures online of people wearing the clothes as soon as they buy them, which is a great compliment for us.” The company also continues to branch out on social and traditional media. Spiegel recently began working with the Buzzr television network, a classic game show channel that is available as a digital broadcast substation in 30 U.S. television markets. The company has a long history with game shows, as it was a sponsor of many shows including the original “Hollywood Squares.” 24
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“
For us, it’s all about finding that next great idea or evolution of an existing product that people find they need.
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Spiegel’s involvement with the network includes sponsoring “A Betty White Christmas,” a two-week spotlight of game show appearances featuring the veteran actress and comedienne that aired in December. Many of the game shows that included White as a panelist were originally sponsored by and featured products from Spiegel, Lowe notes.
Product Evolution To celebrate its 150th anniversary in 2015, the company introduced the Spiegel 60609 sewing machine, named for
its historic Chicago zip code. The machine, available in Walmart, features a camera directly over the needle as well as a built-in wireless transmitter, which allows users to send images to any connected device. Photos taken by the camera can be shared via the company’s social sewing app, available for iPhone and Android devices. “We wanted to create something truly special for our customers because so many of them are sewing enthusiasts,” Lowe says. Owner Lynn Tilton inspired the technology and design behind this joint venture between Spiegel and Universal Instruments. “Moving centennial companies into the future takes monumental effort and extraordinary innovation. I believe Spiegel has accomplished that product leadership with its new sewing machine living up to its history as a company of firsts,” Tilton says. The machine retails for $296, a price Lowe calls “highly digestible” for its customer base. In addition to the machine itself, the company also launched patterns that include QR codes associated with each piece of the garment. When scanned with a smartphone, the user will have access to video instructions that demonstrate how a particular piece is made. The patterns – which have an average retail price of $12.99 – also include trims and buttons needed to complete the garment. The sewing machine reflects Spiegel’s corporate focus on design and disruption. “If you’re not disrupting, no one is going to pay attention to your products,” Lowe says. The company is planning additional product launches in 2016 that include an updated version of the Spiegel Airman, a motorized bicycle originally offered in the 1950s. “We’re finding ways to innovate old products,” Lowe says. “For us, it’s always about finding that next great idea or evolution of an existing product that people didn’t realize they needed or that helps their daily lives in a way they didn’t expect.” O 26
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HUGO BOSS 28 |NICOLE MILLER 32 | ELAN POLO 36 | MIAMI HOME CENTERS 41 | SHIKATANI LACROIX 44 | LIFECHEK DRUG 46
Retail
“It’s a strong brand; a name everyone knows and can relate to.” – Gerrit Ruetzel
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Retail
HUGO BOSS
Global Apparel Brand
Designer brand Hugo Boss takes an omnichannel strategy to reach an even broader audience, as well as offering its new line of women’s clothing and accessories. BY STEPHANIE CRETS
W Gerrit Ruetzel, president and CEO of the Americas www.hugoboss.com New York City
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ith decades of history behind it, Hugo Boss has made a name for itself around the world as a designer fashion brand focused on luxury, fashionable menswear and accessories. It has 108 retail and outlet stores in the United States with distribution in more than 130 countries, making it a truly global brand. Its strongest markets are the United States, China and its home base of Germany, but it strives to deliver excellent quality and craftsmanship at a great price value in all of its markets and stores. “It’s a strong brand; a name everyone knows and can relate to,” says Gerrit Ruetzel, president and CEO of the Americas for Hugo Boss. “From my point of view, Hugo Boss is one of the first true global apparel brands in the high-end segment.” Hugo Boss established its credibility early on with its core product: men’s suits. Ruetzel says that’s the most difficult product to do in the menswear world, but delivering a suit with a modern look with the highest quality standards enabled the company to break into sportswear, denim and jersey products as well. “Whatever we do, we try to do it with a modern touch, so it speaks to a broader audience,” Ruetzel explains. “So it’s not just your grandfather’s kind of style. There are a lot of great suit companies out there, but most of them don’t speak to a younger customer.” The variety of Hugo Boss products allows the company to be well known throughout the world, which helps when sales are low in certain markets. For example, the U.S. dollar is currently very strong and it’s affecting the tourist traffic here, which affects sales. Ruetzel tries to offset this by working closely with department store partners to try and boost sales with local customers when tourists and visitor numbers are declining. “Customers are buying more in their home markets these days,” he says. “That’s great because it’s shifting money from the right to the left pocket, but puts business in the U.S. under some pressure.” But the brand is shifting, focusing on growing its retail business and getting back to its roots that drive
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Hugo Boss established its credibility early on with its core product: men’s suits.
quality versus quantity. Hugo Boss wants to ensure it’s growing in the right markets. “It’s about looking at what we have, consolidating and focusing on best-performing stores rather than being everywhere,” Ruetzel adds. “Based on the decision and luxury aspirations, we also have to make sure we distribute the brand selectively instead of trying to be everywhere at once.”
Brand Modernization Hugo Boss is ramping up its omnichannel retail strategy after seeing much success with its e-commerce
Creative Design Architecture, Inc. Creative Design Architecture, Inc. is a full-service design firm, offering architecture, interiors, planning, and consulting services, specializing in retail, hospitality, healthcare and accessible multifamily housing. Our mission is to respond to the needs of our clients by providing a functional and comprehensive approach from start to project completion. Our office is located in Las Vegas, Nevada.
operations. By first-quarter 2016, the brand plans to link the offline stores with the online business, creating an integrated commerce experience for both customers and employees. Customers can order online and pick up their purchase in store. Or customers can go to a store, and if the sales associate cannot locate the right size, he or she can use a tablet to check for online availability, order the item and ship it to the store. In the future, Hugo Boss plans to offer appointments with store associates to find the perfect item. Additionally, employees will receive commissions for whatever is ordered online for a customer. To further facilitate a more pleasant in-store experience, Hugo Boss is fine-tuning its visual merchandising concepts to a less-is-more approach. Customers can really focus on each and every product this way, appreciating the detailed workmanship – especially in its suits – rather than being confronted with a store overloaded with merchandise. “It’s a really clean way to emphasize products,” Ruetzel says. “We’ve been January/February 2016
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Hugo Boss
Locally Sourced
Hugo Boss once manufactured and shipped all of the furniture and fixtures from Europe. This caused many complications due to long lead times, products getting stuck in customs and high costs. It looked for manufacturers that could deliver the same quality furniture, and now the company is going to establish a supplier relationship in the United States. “We will start manufacturing fixtures and furniture in the U.S. market for the Americas,” President and CEO of the Americas Gerrit Ruetzel says. “We will be able to work much faster and more efficiently using a local vendor. I’m excited about this because we’ve been working on it for a long time.”
having a lot of success this way, especially with our tailored line, the high-end, higher price point products. Customers expect a more sophisticated shopping experience.” It is also adding digital interactive screens in its flagship stores for its “Perfect Suit” exhibition. Customers can gather information and details about the suit before trying one on. At the end of the process, they can leave their personal information behind so Hugo Boss can provide them with even more details and invite them to in-store events. “A lot of customers are surprised by the modern approach of Hugo
Boss,” Ruetzel adds. “We really want to move forward and show a new side of the brand.”
Broader Audience Some of Hugo Boss’s greatest sales come from its department store partnerships, but the company feels like it must protect its high-end core BOSS product from heavy promotional activities. Therefore, it actually runs the business for this product by leasing a section of a department store. But it has no plans to walk away from the wholesale business for BOSS Orange, BOSS Green and HUGO. Those brands are more contemporary and casual, and Ruetzel believes there’s a lot of potential to grow the lines in department stores. “We would like to protect our BOSS business since we have strong intentions to upgrade the positioning of the brand,” he explains. “We want to protect the price points and ensure merchandising is consistent, so we need to execute this ourselves. Meanwhile, the other lines speak much better to the department store customer.” To reach an even wider audience and elevate the brand overall, Hugo Boss hired Jason Wu as artistic director of womenswear in 2013, adding women’s clothing, shoes and accessories to the Hugo Boss name. Since its release, it has seen strong growth and Ruetzel sees it as the largest growth opportunity going forward. It helps that celebrities such as Julianne Moore, Gwyneth Paltrow, Diane Kruger and Jaime King wear the Hugo Boss brand. “We just have to get the word out and make more women aware that, if they want to buy something from Boss from a talented designer, they should come and shop with us,” Ruetzel says. “Womenswear is a huge success story for a brand
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“
Womenswear is a huge success story for a brand rooted in menswear.
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that is rooted in the menswear world. And extending the apparel product to women is a huge undertaking that’s working extremely well. I think with Jason Wu focusing on timeless classics, we’ve tapped into the essence of the Boss woman.” Ruetzel jokes that because he’s been with the company for more than 15 years, he’s part of the inventory now. But he’s proud of the growth he’s seen in the company over his tenure and the initiatives the brand has taken in the omnichannel and womenswear space. “We’ve really come a long way,” he says. “And we’re just at the beginning of more growth coming.” O January/February 2016
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Retail
NICOLE MILLER
Independent Spirit Nicole Miller leads in the fashion world because it always follows its own path. BY CHRIS PETERSEN
S Bud Konheim, CEO www.nicolemiller.com New York City
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uccess in the world of fashion comes from being able to react to trends just as easily as you shape them, and for more than 30 years Nicole Miller has been at the forefront of women’s fashion for that very reason. With a broad base of upscale specialty retailers carrying the Nicole Miller brand, women around the world have been able to get their own versions of Miller’s designs, which have been worn by tastemakers including Beyonce, Jennifer Aniston and Angelina Jolie. A graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design and l’ École de la Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture Parisienne in Paris, Miller has become world-renowned for her combining of fine art with couture technique. But in fact she was creating styles that caught the fashion world’s attention even before she founded the Nicole Miller brand with CEO Bud Konheim in 1982. In addition to being found at upscale retailers around the world, Nicole Miller has two brick-and-mortar locations in New York City’s Soho neighborhood and West Hollywood, Calif. As one of the company’s co-founders as well as a long-time veteran of the fashion world, Konheim has seen many trends come and go over the course of his career. In recent years, Nicole Miller has reacted to some significant changes to the realm of fashion retailing, and although these changes have tripped up many other brands, Konheim says Nicole Miller has been able to stay on its feet thanks to the company’s forward-thinking mindset and strong internal culture based on independence. As the label prepares for the MAGIC show in Las Vegas this winter, Konheim says the way the industry has changed is substantial but nothing that Nicole Miller hasn’t been prepared to face.
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Nicole Miller always maintains a strong market presence because of its forward-thinking mindset and strong internal culture.
Nicole Miller
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Nicole Miller Out in Front Just as Miller’s unique blend of her art training and fashion prowess have made her styles stand out on the runways and in stores, Nicole Miller stands apart from other brands thanks to its dogged determination to follow its own path and avoid sticking with the herd. As Konheim explains, the world of fashion is full of imitators, and derivative products flood the marketplace. In this environment, Nicole Miller’s overarching philosophy of independence is what differentiates it from the rest of the industry. “We only have one guiding philosophical difference, and that is we are totally independent,” Konheim says. “We absolutely don’t do what is generally accepted and we carve our own way, good or bad.” With so many labels out there pushing derivative product out into the marketplace and diluting styles, the lines of distinction between individual products have become blurred, Konheim continues. It’s only because of Nicole Miller’s insistence on carving its own path and doing things independently that the brand has been able to deliver a unique experience for its devotees. “The distinction is how you deliver the product, who you deliver it to and how you make it special,” Konheim says.
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We absolutely don’t do what is generally accepted and we carve our own way.
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“That’s probably the reason we’ve been viable the entire time we’ve been in business.”
Changing World
The world of fashion is a much different place from it was when Nicole Miller first opened its doors more than 30 years ago, and the retail world in general is much different from what it was when Konheim started his career. In the late 1950s, he says, there were approximately nine square feet of retail space for every man, woman and child in the United States. Today, however, that figure has ballooned to more than 45 square feet of retail space per American. Consumers have more choices than ever, especially considering the reach of the Internet, and that choice along with the need to turn over inventory much faster than in the past has resulted in falling prices. At the same time, the traditional retail model that existed when Miller and Konheim launched the Nicole Miller brand has undergone some substantial changes, as well. In the early 1980s, department stores tended to be located primarily in the middle of large urban centers. However, as cities began to lose their economic power, department stores followed their customers out to the suburbs and became much more spread out. This trend affected the way buyers interacted with brands and manufacturers because buyers were now operating from centralized locations for greater efficiency. As Konheim says, buyers became more efficient but lost their touch with the sales floor. With their attention focused on spreadsheets instead of the merchandise, the end-result is that merchandise at most department stores has become homogenized. Konheim says one of the biggest changes to come along with this shift is that retailers now rely on the manufacturers to keep them up to date with the latest styles, rather than buyers finding them on their own.
Still Adapting These changes have given labels headaches for years, but Konheim says Nicole Miller has been true to its independent spirit and found its own path to adapt to them. “Now what’s happened is we’ve changed our business model to 34
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walk away from the generally accepted business model that’s out there,” he says. By adjusting its strategies to put more focus on e-commerce and working closely with retailers to keep its newest styles out in front of them, Nicole Miller is blazing its own trail in the fashion world, according to Konheim. Just as it has done since 1982, Nicole Miller is using its independent mindset to maintain its leadership position in the marketplace. O
Revman International, Inc
We have one philosophical difference – we are totally independent.
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Nicole Miller and Revman International launched her first home collection in 2002. Since then, they have produced many successful collections together. Revman International, Inc, a leading provider of high quality lifestyle bed and bath products, maintains unique licensing arrangements with an impressive portfolio of internationally recognized designer brands. For more information, please visit www.revman.com.
January/February 2016
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Retail Elan Polo designs and delivers millions of pairs of shoes to retailers throughout the world.
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Our success stems from a drive for providing exceptional service to our wide range of customers.
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“The backbone of our business has always been developing high-volume, private-label programs for some of the largest retailers around the world,” says Troy Quinn, general manager and senior vice president of the comfort division. “Over the past 15 years, we have been evolving our business model by starting, acquiring, licensing and sourcing global brands.”
Knowing the Customer
ELAN POLO
Firm Footing
Elan Polo has grown its footwear business for more than 40 years by staying one step ahead. BY ERIC SLACK
F Troy Quinn www.elanpolo.com St. Louis 36
ounded in the mid-1970s as a specific business importing footwear from Brazil and India, Elan Polo has grown into a global footwear company. A mid-sized operation in its industry, Elan Polo designs, sources and delivers millions of pairs of men’s, women’s and children’s shoes to retailers big and small around the world. The company distributes 40 to 45 million pairs around the world annually.
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Headquartered in St. Louis, Mo. and Nashville, Tenn., Elan Polo manages several international brands representing the company’s product expertise in performance sport, casual lifestyle, men’s fashion and children’s shoes. The company also continues to operate a leading private label business. Elan Polo services the world’s best-known retailers from sales offices around the globe and through sourcing centers located in key production regions covering China, Brazil, Indonesia, Vietnam and India. Elan Polo’s strengths are different depending on the needs of its retail customers. For example, some may look for women’s casuals and active products where others look for strong men’s sandals or children’s licensing programs. Over the years, new categories of footwear were brought into the organization, which has allowed the company to develop expertise across a broad base of product. “Our success stems from a drive for providing exceptional service to our wide range of customers and providing them with relevant styles that will ensure their success,” Quinn says. “Diversification has been critical given the shifts in production regions, retailer need for increased profitability and finding opportunities to grow.” Thanks to its various brands and retail partnerships, Elan Polo speaks to many different levels of
Elan Polo
New categories of footwear have allowed Elan Polo to develop expertise across a wide array of products and types.
consumers. Its underlying mission and obligation are to provide customers with a quality shoe that represents value to them, whether it is brand value or product value. “Brand customers expect us to bring innovation, newness and purpose,” Quinn says. “Loyalty with a brand can only be expected if you continue to provide a continuation of the excitement or solution that brought them to you in the first place. For us, we have brands at different stages of the brand cycle and appreciate the challenge of either keeping one relevant or building one among a field of well-established players.” As for its private-label customers, Elan Polo understands that they expect product solutions at a price. Many of these customers don’t have the luxury of increasing retail price points to absorb rising product costs. Therefore, the focus is on navigating the global footwear production infrastructure, as well as creating more efficient designs to solve this continuing challenge.
Continuous Improvement Staying on top of trends, shoring up supplier ties and making investments into the organization are all parts of Elan Polo’s strategy for success. The main trend impacting the industry is finding balance between traditional retail and the fluidity of e-commerce. Having a firm grasp on inventory and understanding how it is bought and allocated will be critical in operating a productive business. “This is the age of product fulfillment, drop-ship needs, omni-channel balance, quick-changing style trends and the decline of key promotional events like back-to-school and Black Friday,” Quinn says. “Buying ‘tight and right’ represents the pressure of retailers and wholesalers to do their homework and know what is going to make the season.” Strong supplier relationships allow the company to extend further into its markets, learn about innovations that can enhance its position and take on a little more risk. Elan Polo has production partners that go back 30 years, and January/February 2016
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Elan Polo
With strategic investments, Elan Polo can diversify its sales base and evolve the company as a whole.
its partners are valued because of the expertise and results they provide. “The value of a good partnership extends well past a price/ delivery expectation,” Quinn says. “Strong partners will help solve problems with you and bring ideas to the table. These relationships are extremely valuable.” On the investment front, Elan Polo has been making investments in building new businesses. Over the past three years, it has partnered with Sequential Brands for joint ownership in a premium action-sport brand called DVS, and it has signed long-standing licensing agreements with Tempur-Sealy and Wolverine Worldwide for rights to Tempur-Pedic and Hush Puppies. The company also opened the first new domestic footwear factory in the United States in more than 30 years, located in Hazlehurst, Ga., and is producing injected ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) footwear. “These investments highlight our quest to diversify our sales base and evolve as a global footwear company while leveraging all the resources and expertise we have acquired in 40-plus years of doing business,” Quinn says. In the end, product remains king. Without solid concepts 38
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and direction on where the marketplace is going or a firm understanding of the consumer’s taste level, growth is impossible in a fast-paced industry. Elan Polo has an extensive team of product professionals focused on knowing what is next and designing products that anticipate the direction of shoe selling. “This level of expertise is what our customers have come to rely upon and expect, which is a testament to the talent that is brought into our building and has been trained over the years,” Quinn says. Opportunities ahead for Elan Polo include developing and building its core brand businesses with Tempur-Pedic, DVS, Crevo and others on a global scale. To do so, the company must be creative and purposeful in how it makes its styles attractive to buy. “We have to continue learning and delivering a meaningful digital space for our consumers so they see us as a destination for their footwear needs and want to be part of our community,” Quinn says. “Our operational framework allows our talented sales and development staff to drive new ideas and deliver meaningful value across today’s omni-channel space. And our sourcing, quality assurance and production teams ProductCart provide retail part- The ProductCart ecommerce platform has ners with confi- been providing retailers and merchants dence that our with robust, secure, and highly customproduct promise izable ecommerce solutions since 2001. World-class retailers like Elan Polo, who has in the beginning depended on ProductCart for 10 years with of the season will multiple websites and brands, have enjoyed be executed and scalable and reliable websites backed by an delivered as shown enterprise-level platform. For more information visit www.productcart.com. and on-time.” O 40
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Retail
MIAMI HOME CENTERS
Find Your Niche
Miami Home Centers sets itself apart from big-box home improvement stores by offering the personal touch of service and unique, exclusive items. BY STEPHANIE CRETS
Miami Home Centers’ product and service offerings meet the needs of consumers, contractors and businesses in southern Florida.
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iami Home Centers might not be the biggest home improvement store on the block, but if a customer is looking to find an exclusive or unique item, they need look no further. Since 1959, Miami Home Centers has served southern Florida residents with four locations in Miami Beach, South Miami, Pinecrest and Tamiami, providing a convenient place to purchase home improvement products, while also serving contractors and businesses throughout the area.
Under the direction of second-generation President Dan Hitchcock Jr., it is now a complete home center with the expansion of its home dĂŠcor department and Benjamin Moore paint department. Its kitchen and bath showroom has been expanded as well, and includes decorative hardware and lighting on display. Hitchcock Jr. purchased the business from his father when he was in his early twenties, having worked in the store since he was 15. Now, with 48 years of industry experience under his belt, HitchJanuary/February 2016
Dan Hitchcock Jr., president www.miamihomecenters.com Miami
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Miami Home Centers
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We are always looking for new and creative items that only we’ll have and to keep doing what we’re doing.
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cock Jr. looks to improve the stores’ inventory while upgrading the business to serve e-commerce customers. Miami Home Centers offers its entire catalog of products on its website for business-to-business clients and a consumer-driven e-commerce site is coming soon. “We’ve been up to speed,” Hitchcock Jr. says. “We believe we have the newest and fastest, but as we speak technology is changing. Where it’s going to end up even two years from now is going to be different. I believe the industry is trying to be web-based and we are keeping up with that.” Despite the industry becoming more e-commerce driven, Hitchcock Jr. says that nothing can change the personal relationship you feel when you come shop at a store in person. Miami Home Centers strives to develop a personal relationship with each one of its customers so it can better serve their needs and show off all the exclusive items it has to offer. “We always try to stay current with everything new that’s coming out,” Hitchcock Jr. says. “We are always looking for new and creative items that only we’ll have and to keep on doing what we’re doing, along with our personal service.”
Changing Gears Miami Home Centers recently joined the True Value family to provide an extensive line of Benjamin Moore and Easy
Christmas in January
Every January, Dan Hitchcock Jr., president of Miami Home Centers, attends the Atlanta International Gift & Home Furnishings Market to purchase all the Christmas decorations he wants to sell in his store for the next holiday season. Because of the way manufacturing works overseas with unpredictability and long lead times, Hitchcock Jr. has to prepare months in advance to get all the items by the end of the summer. Once the store has its merchandise, Miami Home Centers hires a designer to decorate display Christmas trees with specialized ornaments and lights. “We give customers a basket so they can pick out their ornaments,” Hitchcock Jr. says. “We sell right off the tree. It’s upscale and a niche we focus on every year. Our customers want nice things for their tree.”
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Miami Home Centers Care paint, which are high-selling, popular paint lines in the home improvement industry. “People come in for a hammer, but then they see we have Benjamin Moore,” Hitchcock Jr. says. “That’s the one major area you can’t really buy online, so as a business competing with the big-box stores, you have to put all of your effort into that.” But Miami Home Centers didn’t join True Value just for the paint. Many independent companies join co-ops such as True Value so they can offer more name-brand products. Miami Home Centers’ former co-op wasn’t allowing it to capture all the profit of selling its co-op’s product, so it found a much better co-op partner in True Value, Hitchcock Jr. relates. This allows independent companies to sell True Value products in-store and via their companies’ websites without rerouting all sales to True Value’s website to nab the sale from the independent retailer. “If you want to be independent, you need to have your website up and start selling so you can capture all the profit,” Hitchcock Jr. explains. “So, this is why I left one co-op for another. True Value doesn’t do that.” Aside from well-known paint brands, Miami Home Centers offers customers some special products, such as a vast selection of items in its upscale kitchen and bath showroom,
high-end Christmas decorations, specially sized air conditioning filters and the top-selling Green Egg ceramic barbecue grill. Hitchcock Jr. says the mix of products today is completely different from what it was 20 years ago because Miami Home Centers is always moving with the times. “The moral of the story,” he says, “is in order to be successful in this industry, you have to find your niches no matter what it is.” O
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Retail
SHIKATANI LACROIX DESIGN INC.
Owning the Moment
Shikatani Lacroix Design Inc. relies on a deep understanding of consumer behaviors to help its clients increase sales and improve brand and marketing strategies. BY BOB RAKOW
Shikatani Lacroix Design Inc. worked with the Toronto Blue Jays to revitalize the team’s brand, including the development of a team shop.
F Jean-Pierre Lacroix, founder and president www.sld.com Toronto, Ontario
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or Shikatani Lacroix Design Inc., it’s all about the moment of purchase. The Toronto-based strategic design agency delivers branding solutions that “strike an emotive chord with consumers,” founder and President Jean-Pierre Lacroix says. Shikatani Lacroix believes that a brand must capture a consumer’s imagination and heart at the moment of purchase. Yet that opportunity is fleeting. The agency’s goal is to help companies capture it, Lacroix says. Shikatani Lacroix works with clients to increase traffic, generate sales, boost monthly transactions or shift brand perceptions, Lacroix says. The agency offers a variety of services including brand strategy and engagement, corporate identity, design inno-
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vation, digital experiences, environmental design, naming, packaging design and place branding. The offerings help companies develop marketing strategies designed to resonate with customers, Lacroix says. The agency also assists clients in identifying the leading packaging, retail and digital trends that affect their branding initiatives. “There’s more choices for consumers, so there’s more challenges for retailers,” he says.
A Range of Clients Shikatani Lacroix has worked on projects across numerous market segments, including the development of Tim Hortons’ new retail urban concept, the creation of a brand identity for Moosehead Breweries’ Moose Light Radler, the brand transforma-
Shikatani Lacroix Design Inc. tion of electronics retailer The Source, and the creation of a packaging design framework to revitalize the brand image of Montellier sparkling mineral water. “We cross every discipline, every channel,” Lacroix says. Shikatani Lacroix works with a wide assortment of clients because of the comprehensive knowledge it has amassed over the years, Lacroix says. “We’re in kind of a unique position,” he notes. “We really understand what motivates consumers to make buying decisions. It is possible to track; we have a behavioral model that we use.” For example, the agency maintains that “80 percent of [consumer] motivation is based in emotion,” Lacroix says. Indeed, the color or shape of a product play a significant role in a consumer’s decision to make a purchase. “Most people shop because they want to find something exciting, something new,” he says. Even something as basic as how consumers enter a store – most walk to the right - plays into Shikatani Lacroix’s advice to clients, he says. “The decision to make a purchase is driven by emotion and it is made in the blink of an eye,” Lacroix says. Shikatani Lacroix calls this the Blink Factor™. Coupled with its ThinkBlink process, “it drives us to help our clients own the moment-of-purchase,” Lacroix says. The ThinkBlink process leverages the power of inherent emotional connections at the point of purchase, Lacroix says. Consisting of three main phases, the process builds on the learning and insights from each preceding phase: define strategy, design creative and deliver results. “The ThinkBlink process defines the steps we take to connect market opportunities with flawless design execution,” Lacroix explains.
Revitalizing the Blue Jays Shikatani Lacroix’s relationship with the Toronto Blue Jays is one example of how the agency employed its vast understanding of the marketplace and consumers to help revitalize a brand. The Blue Jays had a remarkable 2015 season, winning 93 games, posting two 11-game winning streaks and significantly improving their lineup by making major trades before the trade deadline. The result was a trip to the American League Championship Series, where they fell two games short of reaching the World Series. Indeed, the Blue Jays were back in a big way, and there was no better time to market the red-hot team and tap into renewed passion for the organization. Although nothing trumps winning to renew fan interest and passion, Shikatani Lacroix has played a major role in recent years to help the Blue Jays reconnect with the city. The team struggled for several years to regain the energy from its back-to-back World Series wins in 1992 and 1993. Lack of momentum undermined the organization’s ability
to invest in new programs. It wasn’t until Rogers Communications’ purchased the team did a sense of opportunity and excitement emerge. Shikatani Lacroix partnered with the Blue Jays to increase affinity for the brand and showcase its community involvement. Shikatani Lacroix has worked closely with the team on multiple initiatives over the years, most recently designing an immersive digital retail experience for the Blue Jays’ official team shop at CF Toronto Eaton Centre. In 2007, Shikatani Lacroix developed a 10,000-squarefoot flagship stadium store at Rogers Centre. Three years later, the agency created a multimedia season ticket recognition wall at Rogers Centre. In 2011, the company was engaged as a design partner to build various community spaces for the Jays Care Foundation to support its involvement with a number of children’s charities and community groups. In 2014, Shikatani Lacroix designed the standalone flagship Jays Shop in CF Toronto Eaton Centre. Shikatani Lacroix’s overarching marketing objectives in the Blue Jays campaigns were to: • Reinforce the leadership position and Canadian equities linked to the Toronto Blue Jays; • Create branded experiences that celebrate the history of the team and its contribution to MLB; and • Support a platform that drives incremental sales and revenues throughout the year. The Toronto Blue Jays are one of many longtime Shikatani Lacroix clients that have found success through increased sales and brand loyalty by resonating with their customers and connecting with them in the blink of an eye. O January/February 2016
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Retail
Competing against big-name pharmacies, Lifechek Drug makes a name for itself with quality employees and their focus on service.
LIFECHEK DRUG
Pharmacy Empire
Lifechek Drug celebrates 25 years of being the largest independent chain of pharmacies with only one owner with 24 stores throughout the southwest Texas area. BY STEPHANIE CRETS
C Bruce Gingrich, CEO www.lifechekdrug.com Richmond, Texas
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elebrating more than 25 years in business, Lifechek Drug is the largest independent chain of pharmacies with only one owner in the United States. Bruce Gingrich opened his first Lifechek Drug store in 1990 after receiving his pharmacy degree; the contract for the store was finalized the same day he got his pharmacy license. He had gone back to school after pursuing several other ventures for the sole purpose of owning his own store. “I decided I wanted to do something where I own my own business and kept what I make,” Gingrich says. “And the market for drug stores was really good at the time.” When Gingrich took over the property and
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opened his own business, the store went from zero to $10,000 net profit a week rapidly, which led to acquisitions and even more success. Now there are 24 Lifechek Drug stores throughout Texas, after having recently sold 10 stores to CVS. In the beginning, Lifechek Drug grew so fast that Gingrich was barely able to control it and keep up with it. But he put his nose to the grindstone and solved the problem by making sure he was growing his business with the right people. “If you have the wrong people, it’ll sink you,” he says. Lifechek Drug faces other challenges thanks to the shrinking margins of the prescription drug business. The company cannot dictate its own prices as
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Lifechek Drug
It all comes down to people coming into my store and the relationship they end having with the pharmacist.
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the insurance companies force their prices upon the store. Now the store makes about 22 to 25 percent gross margins from prescriptions. “There are many prescriptions today that sell for less than they cost to make, which is ridiculous,” Gingrich says. “It’s a tough business now. Two years ago, 80 percent of compounded prescriptions were covered by insurance companies; now it’s only about five percent. Plus, a lot of stores will sell prescriptions for less.” Lifechek Drug combats the insurance companies’ hold on the business by placing stores in strategic locations. For some areas, Lifechek Drug is the only pharmacy around, which is extremely advantageous for the business, while in other areas it has to compete with CVS, Walgreens and grocery store pharmacies.
However, if you’re a new pharmacist that wants to break into the business and work for a company like Lifechek Drug, you’ll be among stiff competition. Several years ago, pharmacists were in high demand, but now there are too many and many without work now, thanks to an abun-
Employee Service Without the branding or advertising of big-name pharmacies, Lifechek Drug has to make a name for itself through other avenues. And it does that through its people. “There’s only one factor between them and us: employee service,” Gingrich says. “It all comes down to people coming into my store and getting treated well and the relationship they end up having with the pharmacist.” Not to mention the fact that the employees enjoy working for Lifechek Drug, and that trickles down to their customer service. Gingrich gives his employees – whether they are managers, pharmacists or sales associates – a lot of autonomy with their roles and responsibilities. The employee service all boils down to good communication and Gingrich’s personal business philosophy of just using common sense. There are far fewer corporate demands, rules and procedures than with a bigger pharmacy chain. “Typically, the volume that CVS does is a greater volume than we do, but more importantly, we have more technicians and more help for our pharmacists on a prescription basis,” Gingrich explains. “They’ll have one pharmacist filling 600 scripts by themselves with two technicians, but we have two pharmacists with six technicians in our stores.” January/February 2016
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Lifechek Drug
dance of pharmacy schools popping up throughout the country. “Finding a pharmacist today is easy because of the market,” Gingrich explains. “We haven’t had to raise our salary in four years because the job is in such high demand. The market just doesn’t dictate raising that.” Plus, the company benefits from low turnover. “I’ve got a guy that’s 73 who worked at Walmart forever, and has now worked with me for 10 years and thinks this is the greatest place in the world,” Gingrich says, laughing. “He won’t quit!”
Big Business Gingrich considers Lifechek Drug a big account for many of its vendors because prescriptions entail 95 percent of the company’s overall business. The company’s key vendor is McKessin, which is its primary drug and front-end supplier. In coordination with McKessin and the Independent Pharmacy Cooperative, Lifechek Drug is able to negotiate excellent deals and attempts to pass them down to the customer when insurance companies allow for it. For the other five percent of its business, Lifechek Drug works with other suppliers, especially beer suppliers in a few of its strategic locations. “We do sell a lot of beer in a few locations, particularly where we’re the only guy in town as far as drug store business,” Gingrich explains. “It does drive the crowds and we make about 15 percent margin.” 48
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A New Venture
Perhaps inspired by the beer sales in some of his Lifechek Drug store locations, Gingrich recently purchased a failing building in a superb location with a large reflecting pool and turned it into an extremely successful bar, restaurant and mini concert hall called The Pub Fountains. Musicians like Puddle of Mudd and the lead singer of Journey have come to play. The venue went from making $16,000 per week in sales to $400,000 per month in less than a year. Today, The Pub Fountains is one of the top five venues in alcohol sales throughout the Houston metro area. This past June, his business sold more beer and alcohol than any establishment in Houston, except for the Toyota Center, where the Houston Rockets play. “We have a good ambiance,” Gingrich says. “Our biggest differentiator is the live entertainment and quality live entertainment. Every night we have some kind of live music. I love this business, it’s so fun.”
Despite some of the challenges and turning his attention to other business ventures, Gingrich is extremely proud of the company he was able to build from one store to 24 in a short span of time. “The stores I have are pillars of the community,” Gingrich says. “Everyone recognizes them. Between being proud for the business’s achievement and providing a nice income and work environment for 275 people, it feels good and it’s a responsibility.” O
ISTORE 50 | CANEX 53 | MICHAEL ROSSY 56
Canadian Focus
“The way we like to describe our appeal is that we occupy a ‘masstige’ space in the market.”– Joel Teitelbaum
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Canadian Focus
ISTORE
A New Category
Retailer iStore provides the accessories for the mobile technologies that people depend on each and every day of their busy lives. BY CHRIS PETERSEN
The company provides a design-driven and fashion-forward approach to selecting merchandise for its stores.
I Joel Teitelbaum, CEO www.istoreworld.com Montreal 50
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magine if human beings woke up as a species one morning and discovered they had an extra set of arms. To say that this would have a disruptive effect on the apparel and accessories industries would be putting it lightly, and there would suddenly be new opportunities for companies that could provide accessories for these new appendages. It sounds outlandish, but in a way it has already happened. Human beings have developed new append-
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We realized we had the tiger by the tail and we had an opportunity to expand.
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ages, but these are of the technological variety. iStore CEO Joel Teitelbaum says mobile devices like smartphones and tablets have become so ingrained into their users’ lives that they have become like a new set of arms, and iStore was created to fill the growing need for accessories for these new artificial appendages. With 21 stores throughout Canada and the United States and more expected, iStore sells Apple products such as iPad and MacBook, as well as accessories for today’s modern mobile devices ranging from smartphone cases to electronic toys and from earphones to speakers. The company has made a name for itself since its inception in 2009 by offering the latest in high-tech mobile accessories with a focus on providing the best customer experience in the industry and a fashion-forward, design-based approach to selling merchandise. President Mike Battat has been involved in the technology sector since the early 1990s, when he started working with Apple in business-to-business sales. Teitelbaum’s background was in retail, and he spent more than 25 years in the world of fashion retail before joining up with Battat to establish the first iStore location inside Montreal’s Montreal-Pierre Elliot Trudeau International Airport. iStore was the first retailer in North America officially authorized by Apple to sell its extremely popular iPod, iPad and MacBook products at airports, and soon the ball was rolling. “We realized we had the tiger by the tail and we had an opportunity to expand in airports,” Teitelbaum says. Today, iStore continues to gain marketshare not
iStore only among airport retailers, but also in traditional retail channels and ecommerce. Thanks in part to the strong partnership it has created with French airport retail giant Lagardere as well as Apple, and the creation of its own brand of high quality accessories, iStore is positioned to become one of North America’s leading digital lifestyle brands.
sible to a wide range of customers. Inspired by the world of fashion, Teitelbaum says the company allows customers to test cases on their phones before they buy, and many locations feature private sound booths for testing speakers or ear buds. “What iStore is really about is selling customers a complete experience,” Teitelbaum says.
Unique Niche
Teaming Up
iStore occupies a unique niche within the technology retail world, according to Teitelbaum. As a premier retailer of Apple products, the company understands the importance of the overall experience of a product as well as its utility. Apple is the leading provider of mobile devices, but its customer base tends to be higher up on the socioeconomic scale and spends more than the average mobile technology customer, so iStore concentrates on offering a retail experience that straddles the line between the mass market and prestige retailers. “The way we like to describe our appeal is that we occupy a ‘masstige’ space in the market,” Teitelbaum says. Rhyming with “prestige,” “masstige” means the company concentrates on a design-driven and fashion-forward approach to selecting the merchandise for its stores, while at the same time offering a shopping experience that is acces-
One of the most significant milestones for iStore came when it partnered with Lagardere. Teitelbaum says the company entered a licensing agreement with Lagardere over four years ago and since then has opened more than 15 new iStore locations in North American airports. This partnership helps offset some of the challenges presented by airport retail. Teitelbaum
Marketplace Merchandising Marketplace Merchandising is a Canadian design and build display company. We were invited to partner with iStore in the development of their flagship retail space. We focused on value engineering their concept to provide a flexible merchandising system to highlight and organize iStore’s various products in a boutique fashion. Premium features included a bespoke sound room, wall integrated digital signage, and premium materials such as corian, acrylic and LED illuminated fabric wayfinding signage. All seamlessly combined to create a modern and inviting shopping experience.
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iStore
says airport retail stores typically operate with much longer hours than traditional stores, and their locations away from residential areas makes staffing extra-difficult. There are also numerous logistics and security elements of airport retailing which make the channel fairly unique.
Beyond airports, Teitelbaum says the company’s experience in the mobile accessories sector has made it an attractive partner for retailers looking to bolster their presence in the e-accessories niche. For example, two years ago iStore entered into a partnership with Indigo, the largest bookstore chain in Canada. Teitelbaum says iStore helped Indigo develop a store-within-a-store concept called Indigotech. The concept has been introduced into 40 Indigo stores across Canada so far. Recently, the company also opened its first prototype flagship stores in traditional shopping centers in Canada, signaling the start of iStore branching out from being solely an airport retailer. Teitelbaum says the company will continue to experiment with different sizes and types of locations outside of airports over the next few years, including smaller footprint shop-in-shops where viable. The company expects traditional retail and ecommerce to continue to become larger segments of its business.
In the Future iStore’s partnerships with blue-chip companies such as Apple, Lagardere and Telus will continue to be one of the company’s greatest strengths moving forward, but Teitelbaum says the development of products under its own iStore brand as well as its own Thump Audio brand will also play a significant role in iStore’s continued success. By becoming a true multichannel presence in the mobile accessories sector, iStore has positioned itself very well for the future. Smartphones, tablets and other mobile devices have become vitally important parts of their owners’ lives, and accessories for them have become a new category of fashion that never existed before, Teitelbaum says. With its partnerships and plans for growth in place, iStore is ready to help define that category for years to come. O 52
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Canadian Focus
Operational efficiency is one of CANEX’s four core strategies at its 39 retail locations.
CANEX
Serving With Pride
CANEX builds its online presence to reach more members of the Canadian Armed Forces community while maintaining long-lasting relationships with its partners. BY STEPHANIE CRETS
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etail outlets, convenience and grocery stores and kiosks allow the Canadian Forces Exchange System (CANEX) to provide goods and services directly to Canadian military members, their families and the CAF community. CANEX is the retail arm of the Canadian Forces Morale and Welfare Services (CFMWS), an organization that strives to enhance morale and welfare of the military community, and in the case of CANEX, has done so for almost 50 years. Plus, when the CAF Community shops at CANEX or CANEX.ca, proceeds from sales are returned to CFMWS in support of local grants to bases or wings for their morale and welfare programs and activities. Not only does CANEX give back to the military community monetarily, but CANEX
also provides employment opportunities for spouses and children of the CAF members. CANEX’s priority is maintaining a strong focus on serving the unique needs of its members and their families. With 39 retail locations, operational efficiency is one of CANEX’s four core strategies. Being rightsized and relevant to local CAF communities and providing an optimal mix of physical stores and online infrastructure continues to be its focus. This could be amalgamating store locations, adding services or concessions or opening new CANEX facilities. As an example, CANEX is building a CANEX Supermart that will encompass retail, grocery, a SISIP Financial office and other concessions in a 40,000-square-foot mall on Garrison Petawawa in Petawawa, Ontario. January/February 2016
Diana Sousa, associate vice president of marketing and communications, commercial services www.canex.ca Ottawa, Ontario
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CANEX This is a prototype where Diana Sousa, associate vice president of marketing, sees opportunities for growth in the company in the future. “We wanted something more robust and modern,” she says. “It’s a large, open concept and efficient layout with a revised and focused product mix that will support the needs of the local CAF community.” The project recently broke ground and will be completed in spring 2017. CANEX has also recently opened 11 Tim Hortons kiosks across Canadian military bases, most within the CANEX retail outlets. “This has proven to be quite successful,” Sousa says. “CAF Members and the community have grown to love Tim Hortons, and it certainly motivates people to come into their local CANEX store for a cup of Tim Hortons coffee, and hopefully shop around and buy something else.” Tim Hortons and The Personal Insurance Company have been long-standing partners to both CANEX and CFMWS for more than 20 years. The Personal Insurance Company provides a discount to members for home, automotive, pet and recreational vehicle insurance, and CANEX works closely with it in support of each other. “It’s a mutually beneficial partnership that primarily provides a service to the CAF community and that is complementary to what we already offer,” Sousa explains. “We work very closely together with our partners on the marketing side, where we support them through social media, digital marketing, flyers and more, giving them added exposure and a form of endorsement.”
Online Presence CANEX launched its online shopping platform in November 2014, and it’s already had a significant impact on the overall business. Not only in terms of increased sales, but having an online presence allows the company to reach customers who are not living on or close to a base with a brickand-mortar store. “One of our objectives is to focus reach to the CAF veterans,” Sousa says. “Veterans, including their families are so important to our overall corporate mandate that we are constantly exploring means in which to better communicate with them and how to best service them.” But a fairly new online presence can create challenges. For example, “the site has gone down a few times in the past, which even if anticipated, can impact the customer experience,” says Sousa. Rather than being reactionary, CANEX prepares for such circumstances in an effort to mitigate the effect on its customers. “The infrastructure behind the online platform is something we are constantly trying to improve upon,” Sousa explains. “We focus on the customer experience by ensuring it is a positive one, having ease of online navigation, relevant merchandise with exclusive specials and membership bene54
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fits, and when merchandise is purchased online, it is shipped out as quickly as possible.” Additionally, CANEX is turning more to online marketing as a critical piece to its future. The company aims to target its members in a more sophisticated manner through segment marketing. Understanding demographics and knowing who its customers are and what they want is every retailer’s challenge. “We’ve come up with several different segments that we will test, modify and refine in an attempt to be more relevant to the needs of our customer,” Sousa says. “Part of this is how customers want to receive their messages, whether on their mobile device, PC or tablet.”
Always Serving CANEX’s goal is to be competitive, convenient and relevant, encouraging as many members as possible to shop with it. Customer retention is extremely important relative to the increased costs to sell something to a new customer. The company offers a CANEX rewards loyalty points program to encourage repeat shoppers with plans to further develop it in the near future. Exclusive offers available only to those members with a CFOne card is yet another way in which it creates loyalty with members. “Having effective marketing supported by relevant merchandise offerings, competitive prices and ease of purchasing can promote loyalty and customer retention,” Sousa adds. “Our target customer is one million strong, so customer re-
tention in a membership organization such as ours is critical.” Sousa started in retail many years ago, learning the ups and downs of the industry. She says that you have to have a passion for retail to be able to sustain its progressive nature; it’s such a “crazy business.” She’s worked in a variety of retail sectors, such as buying and operations, and in different leadership roles before she landed in marketing specifically. “Marketing touches on so many different aspects of the business making it complex yet exciting,” she says. “Development of new ideas and innovative ways to reach and market to our customers is boundless. The diversity of retail is exhilarating; I’ve been very fortunate to have had thoroughly expansive roles and experiences within the company.” The mission of CFMWS is “to enhance the morale and welfare of the military community, thus contributing to the operational readiness and effectiveness of the Canadian Armed Forces,” Sousa says. “CANEX focuses on doing as much as we possibly can to ensure the members have what they need, when they need it. I’m proud of the work that’s accomplished here corporately, knowing that all divisions of CFMWS, with their specific goals and objectives, collectively pull together as a company to reach our mission,” she says. “When it comes right down to it, it’s all about the member, his or her family and the CAF community. We all do what we can in all aspects of the business in an effort to provide the member with peace of mind.” O January/February 2016
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Canadian Focus
MICHAEL ROSSY LTD.
Legacy of Success
With locations stretching through five eastern Canadian provinces, Michael Rossy Ltd. is positioned for further expansion of its variety store concept. BY ERIC SLACK
Rossy offers a wide variety of products in its 80 retail locations.
T Micheal DiTullio www.rossy.ca Montreal
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he Rossy story is all about seizing opportunity and fulfilling dreams. When Syrian-born Salim Rossy immigrated to Canada in 1910, he opened a general store near Saint Laurent Boulevard in Montreal. He had 10 children, and all of them carved out successful careers in Canada’s retail sector. One of his sons, Michael Rossy, opened his first store more than 50 years ago, creating the Michael Rossy Ltd. company and its Rossy chain of stores. “Today, Rossy is known as your family store and known for great value at great prices,” Store Operations Coordinator Denis Portelance says. “We have grown to 80 stores in the provinces of Quebec,
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Newfoundland and Labrador, Ontario, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, and we have more than 1,400 employees.”
Growth Phase A regional chain of variety stores, Rossy was founded in 1949. Its product offerings are quite diverse, including categories that extend into kitchenware, small appliances, pet products, beauty and health, gifts and toys, bedding, lingerie, furniture, clothing, shoes, groceries, cleaning supplies, stationery and office products, electronics and dishwashers. The company is still very connected to the Rossy family legacy, as President Micheal DiTullio is Michael
Michael Rossy Ltd. Rossy’s son-in-law and many other family members are heavily involved in the company. The company has very strong roots in Montreal. In decades past, many Rossy locations in Montreal were situated within close walking distance of one another. That is not as common today, but the organization has put a lot of effort into expanding its footprint in Quebec and beyond. For example, the first Rossy store in Ontario opened in August 2010. After financial difficulties impacted another Canadian retailer in 2011, eight of its locations in Newfoundland were converted to Rossy stores in 2012. The company also opened its first Nova Scotia location in Bridgewater in August, with additional locations in the province opening soon after in Yarmouth and Windsor. These three stores are seen as just the beginning for Rossy in the province because the company is looking to open several more Rossy stores in other locations in Nova Scotia within the next couple of years. In some ways, the company has taken the variety store concept of yesteryear and transformed it for the modern era in smaller communities. Many of its stores are in communities of around 5,000 to 20,000 people. They provide local employment opportunities and offer reasonable prices to
markets that often are looking to fill a void caused by the exits of larger department store chains. Rossy has established its place in the market by making its offerings attractive to a diverse customer base. What has allowed Rossy to make a name for itself within its markets is an understanding that its customers are looking for good products at a fair price. “Customers shop at Rossy because we are a one-stop shop
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Michael Rossy Ltd.
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Customers shop at Rossy because we are a one-stop-shop and we offer a great value.
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and we offer a great value,” Portelance says. “We are successful because our managers act like owners to make sure we give the customers the value they expect. We are involved in all of the communities we are in, and we are often the large store in town.”
Future Prospects
As the company looks for ways to expand product offerings and improve service, it is intently listening to the insights of its customers. Rossy’s customers direct the organization’s strategic moves. “Our staff members in the stores are constantly telling us what is good and what needs to be improved,” Portelance
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says. “What works in one location might not work in another. We do not take just one approach toward satisfying the customer. We strive to satisfy the customer in each location.” To help the company improve, it has been making a number of investments into its facilities and overall infrastructure. DiTullio says the company is always looking to improve its systems and processes. The company has closely examined its logistics processes to lower the cost of getting merchandise to the store. “We also look to source more and more of our product directly from China, lowering the cost of goods and passing that savings to our customers,” DiTullio says. “Additionally, marketing has taken on a big role in our company with online flyers and a very active role in social media.” Among the initiatives that Rossy is currently focused on is an aggressive approach to opening new stores. The company is actively looking at more than 40 potential store locations, and it is positioned very well for rapid growth. “Aggressive growth will allow us to leverage our fixed costs while helping us to drive down our cost of goods with larger buying power,” DiTullio says. Although difficulties for the Canadian dollar and an uncertain economic outlook in Canada may present challenges for Rossy in the future, the company is looking closely at costs and its pricing structure. Rossy’s goal is to minimize price increases to the customer while also driving unnecessary expenditures out of the business so it can maintain its current retail prices. In the end, the company is optimistic that it can build off of its long legacy and find opportunities to expand. “The negative growth in Canada may actually help us to attract new customers,” Portelance says. “People will have less money and will be looking to get more value for the dollars they have. That’s us, as we can provide customers with more value for their dollars.” O
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Food & Beverage “It’s kind of a unique area that we play in, because we’re not mass-market like Walmart and Target that are focused strictly on price.” – Chris Quisberg
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Food & Beverage
Compare Foods created GalaFresh Farms in response to the demand for more organic and natural products.
COMPARE FOODS
Balanced Approach Offering a diverse selection of affordable, high-quality products has helped Compare Foods expand its supermarket chain throughout the East Coast. BY ERIC SLACK
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Jenny Jorge comparesupermarkets.com Freeport, N.Y. 60
small independent supermarket chain, Compare Foods has come a long way since it launched its first location in 1989. Today, the company has grown to include dozens of stores in New York City, Long Island, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, South Carolina and North Carolina. “Compare Foods was a concept that Eligio Peña had since the mid-1980s,” Vice President of Opera-
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tions Jenny Jorge says. “It was a venture by a family of immigrants that had a desire to attain the American dream and a concept that they felt could take them there.”
Warm Welcome The Peña family began the journey that would lead to the formation of Compare Foods in 1978 when they opened their first supermarket, which was lo-
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The success of Compare Foods is [due] to an extremely strong work ethic along with family values.
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cated in Woodside, Queens. After the success of this first store, the family expanded its presence in the supermarket business, eventually having stores in Queens, Brooklyn, Bronx and Manhattan. After gaining experience through operating these stores, Eligio Peña came up with the vision for the family’s future supermarket chain. It would be a company focused on providing quality products, exceptional service and low prices to the community. Over the course of three years spent working on turning this dream into a reality, the first Compare Foods opened its doors to serve the community in October 1989 in Freeport, N.Y. After seeing initial success with the first store, the family opened a sister store in Brentwood, N.Y. Compare Foods has been embraced and supported in its many communities because the company works hard to have a positive impact on the communities in which it operates. It regularly sponsors and supports a number of local groups such as churches, youth services and non-profit organizations. It constantly looks to make the neighborhood and its surrounding area a better place to live. Today, the company has more than 50 locations spread along the East Coast, with 21 of them owned by the Peña family. Compare Foods is mostly known for having a diverse international selection, quality fresh produce and fresh custom-cut meats. The company’s name translates to both Spanish and English-speaking customers, and the organization has always striven to be inclusive. “The success of Compare Foods is attributed to an incredibly strong work ethic along with family values that allowed
Key Food Stores Co-Operative Inc. Founded in Brooklyn in 1937, Key Food Stores Co-Operative Inc., which includes over 215 primarily member-owned and corporate grocery stores, is excited to welcome Gala Fresh to their family of supermarkets! Key Food operates in all five boroughs, Long Island, upstate New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania. January/February 2016
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Customers today expect a higher level of service than any other time in our history. 15 siblings to work closely together and support each other,” Jorge says. “This ensured that everyone in the family grew and no one was left behind,” she continues. “We created a commitment to every community that Compare Foods has entered. Community involvement has been a huge part of the success of Compare Foods, as it is part of how we show that we care about our customers, their needs and the communities where we operate.” The company’s target customer is the one that seeks an international flair in the kitchen and wants to explore with different spices and cuts of meat, as well as uncommon fruits, vegetables and roots. Compare Foods looks to draw in the multicultural customer based on a shared openness to different flavors.
Fresh Take One new concept that the organization recently launched is GalaFresh Farms. Part of the idea behind the concept is to draw in a different clientele. “GalaFresh Farms is our response to the need for more organic and natural products for the health-conscious individual or family,” Jorge says. “GalaFresh combines our experience in quality meats and produce with the shift in the market towards gluten-free, organic and natural,” she adds. “GalaFresh is one of the ways we are responding to customer demand.” GalaFresh Farms is the company’s at- Porky Products tempt to capital- Incorporated in 1961, Porky Products is a ize on the trends second generation, family owned business. that are shaping The current owners have over 140 years of experience between them. Porky’s primary its industry. Cusbusiness is distributing meats, seafood tomers are look- and provisions to independent retailers ing for the right with the mission to provide excellent service, experience when supply and help customers become more they walk into the profitable. Porky Products is a proud supplier to Compare Foods. supermarket, and 62
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they are looking for a supermarket that offers them everything they need in one place to live a healthier and happier life. Cookie-cutter stores that don’t cater on a local level to their customers are missing the boat when it comes to the personalized services and products that their customers are looking for.
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Making major investments in the new GalaFresh Farms brand is a key part of the company’s plan to try to capture the shifting consumer interest in organic, natural and healthier options. At the same time, the organization is regularly making investments into its current locations to remodel stores where needed and offer locations that are clean and organized. Compare Foods (and GalaFresh Farms) knows that it must have strong vendor and supplier relationships, which is why it takes a hands-on approach to vendor management. It strives to have contact with vendors daily, and it is a member of the National Supermarket Association. “That is an association that seeks to defend the rights of the independent supermarket owner and to fortify vendor supplier relations through different social events, seminars and trade shows,” Jorge says. Ultimately, Compare Foods understands that it operates in a highly competitive industry. It knows it will face challenges such as rising overhead expenses in an era of big-box stores and legislative hurdles that make success more difficult for small businesses. To thrive, the company knows that it needs to listen to its customers and be able to quickly give them the products they are looking for at good prices. More importantly, it must offer them service that makes them want to keep coming back to the company’s locations. “Customers today expect a higher level of service than any other time in our history,” Jorge says. “As a business owner, you must find ways to emphasize this with your employees,” she adds. “At the end of the day, those are your representatives at the front lines on a day-today basis. When it comes to making sure you are properly servicing your customer, your people must be trained and prepared to succeed.” O
Food & Beverage
S&R Quisberg’s stores and stations are located about two-and-a-half hours north of Minneapolis.
S&R QUISBERG
North Woods Outfitter S&R Quisberg provides its customers with a full selection of products in its branded grocery stores and gasoline stations in Minnesota’s north woods. BY RUSS GAGER
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hris Quisberg’s grandfather started in the grocery business in Minneapolis around 1956, but later sold the business and opened grocery stores in Minnesota’s north woods. “My guess would be my grandfather didn’t want to retire, and my dad, Steve, wanted to be in the grocery business,” Quisberg surmises. “Somebody came along and offered him a deal, and it was good enough money. My dad always says everything is for sale for a price.” Quisberg himself – now president of S&R Quisberg, headquartered in Baxter, Minn. – started working in the family’s grocery business when he was 12 years old. “I’ve never had a different job in my life,
so I don’t know if I’m missing anything,” Quisberg concedes. S&R Quisberg has three grocery stores – one in Brainerd, Minn., another in Baxter and the third in Alexandria, Minn. – that are branded Cub Foods, a SuperValu brand. The company has an additional grocery store in Pequot Lakes, Minn., that is branded SuperValu. It also owns two gasoline stations in Brainerd and Crosslake, Minn., that carry the Holiday brand. “One nice thing about having a brand like Holiday – where they can dictate a little bit on what you have in the store – they can get you in with certain vendors that may not go to all gas stations,” QuisJanuary/February 2016
Chris Quisberg, president www.pequotlakessupervalu.com Baxter, Minn.
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S&R Quisberg berg declares. “They have Holiday-only exclusive deals and offer a better selection on everything.” The stores and stations are roughly two-and-a-half hours north of Minneapolis in a region dotted with lakes, which creates a strong tourist presence, mostly in the summer. “The Brainerd Lakes area has a year-round population of around 50,000 to 60,000 people, whereas in the summer, that jumps to over 200,000 people,” Quisberg estimates. That makes for a strong use of seasonal employees at the stores. “We get quite a few college kids coming back from school to work for us for the summer year after year,” he says.
Appeals to Everybody The format of Quisberg’s Cub Foods stores is large for his area, ranging from 55,000 to 65,000 square feet. “That is actually a little bit small for the Cub brand,” Quisberg maintains. “Most of the Cub stores in the Minneapolis market are 70,000 to 80,000 square feet – some are over 100,000 square feet.” When entering many Cub Foods stores, customers are flanked by towers of dry goods in cut-open shipping boxes, which Quisberg calls Cub’s “wall of values.” But that format quickly gives way to a more conventional-looking grocery store. “It’s kind of a unique area that we play in, because we’re not mass-market like Walmart and Target that are focused strictly on price,” Quisberg explains. “We have a little bit of price impression, but then we also try to have the better shopping experience like Whole Foods, but we don’t go to as high a price as Whole Foods.” Cub Foods has all of the departments that a full-service grocery store does – produce, bakery, deli and meat. Quisberg says one reason his company chose Cub Foods as a brand was the range of people to whom it appeals, from the high-end tourists in the summer to the more blue-collar permanent residents in the winter.
Store Autonomy S&R Quisberg buys approximately 75 percent of its inventory from Supervalu. “Product selection varies from store to store to a point,” Quisberg says. “We do have the ability to tweak Supervalu’s planograms, and we leave that up to each department manager.” Interestingly, although the Baxter and Brainerd stores are only three to four miles apart, each one has extremely different customer demographics. Baxter is more white-collar and Brainerd more blue-collar. “In Brainerd, we sell pallets of what we can’t sell in Baxter,” Quisberg points out. “That’s just the way the two towns are set up.” Much of store management is delegated to the local level. “We try to give each store its own autonomy,” Quisberg says. “How they’re hiring and employee issues are taken care of 66
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at each store separately. Each store has a store manager, and we have a general manager that oversees all the stores.” Cub Foods has certain requirements of its franchisees. “We don’t have as much leeway on how it looks when you come in or anything like that,” Quisberg notes. “That’s a little bit more mandated from Cub themselves. They want it so when you walk into a Cub, you know it’s a Cub.”
Circular Marketing S&R Quisberg markets its stores through weekly circulars that are provided by SuperValu in newspaper inserts or by direct mail depending on the coverage that the newspapers have in their areas. For special events, such as Orange Friday – the start of deer hunting season in Minnesota – radio ads are added to the marketing mix. The Cub and Holiday franchises take care of the stores’ websites and social media, but the Pequot Lakes Supervalu’s social media is handled by S&R Quisberg. Another promotional device is the reward card for the grocery stores, which includes gasoline price cuts at the Holiday gas stations and at the Pequot Lakes SuperValu’s standalone gas station. S&R Quisberg has invested in a new front-end point-ofsales system for its grocery stores. “We were having trouble finding parts for the old system,” Quisberg says. “You can only go so far patching your old system, so you need to pull the trigger on buying a new one. The capabilities of the newer front-end systems are so much greater.” The company has upgraded the lighting in its Pequot Lakes store, which was built in 2010, to a more efficient system. In Brainerd, S&R Quisberg spent $300,000 installing new energy-efficient LED and fluorescent lighting systems. The Alexandria store was converted from its previous brand, County Market, to a Cub Foods from November 2014 to May 2015. As part of that conversion, not only was the lighting replaced with energy-efficient systems, but nearly
S&R Quisberg
every “coffin” freezer case was replaced by one with a door. Before the remodeling, “The store could be 40 degrees,” Quisberg insists. “People were freezing in there.”
Union Employees The grocery stores’ employees are unionized except for those at the Alexandria store, whose pay scales are similar to the
union employees’. However, their benefits differ, with union benefits including health, welfare and pensions, and nonunion employees receiving 401(k) pension plans and health insurance. Quisberg sometimes finds himself in the position of explaining to an employee who has been offered a $2-per-hour raise at a competitor that the value of his company’s benefits far outweighs the hourly raise. S&R Quisberg’s general manager has been with the company for 42 years. “He was hired by my grandpa,” Quisberg says. Other union employees work 30 years until they are fully vested in GNP Company the union’s pension plan. GNP Company is proud to partner with Although they can S & R Quisberg, which has been a full and be vested by working at consistent partner from the start. GNP other unionized grocer- Company is a fully integrated provider of ies, most stay with S&R premium branded chicken products under the Just BARE and Gold’n Plump labels. Our Quisberg. “We do feel commitment to strong customer relationships it’s because we treat our is built on providing consistent quality, people right, and we’ve proven market performance and customer proved it,” Quisberg says. service excellence. We deliver success through consumer-centric decision-making, “They are extremely imcategory leadership and strategic collaboration. portant to us.” O
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Food & Beverage
SUPER A FOODS
Service and Savings
Reaching its 45th anniversary in 2016, Super A Foods strives to provide the best products, prices and service to its southern California clientele.
Super A Foods’ goal is to provide the best overall shopping experience by keeping prices low and service high.
Super A Foods superafoods.com Commerce, Calif.
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ased in Commerce, Calif., Super A Foods has grown into a reputable, privately held chain of grocery stores in southern California since Lou Amen founded the company in 1971. Many of Amen’s family members have been involved in working for and running the company over the years. In 2016, Super A Foods will celebrate 45 years of serving its communities. Amen certainly set the direction for the organization to excel. According to the Super A Foods overview of its founder, he has been active in the grocery business for close to 70 years. Now the board chair for Super A Foods, Amen bought his first store in 1950, which led to investment into a 10-store chain. This was ultimately sold before Amen invested in the creation of the current family business. Today, Amen’s son, Jim, is the president of Super A Foods. Three of Lou Amen’s daughters also work for the organization. In addition to working with his business, Amen
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has been very busy with industry associations. He was first elected to the Unified Board of Directors when it was known as Certified Grocers of California in 1974. Amen was chairman of its board of directors for more than 15 years, and he helped to oversee its evolution from Certified Grocers to Unified Western Grocers, and eventually to its current iteration of Unified Grocers. Additionally, Amen served on the board of the California Grocers Association (CGA) for more than three decades. This includes time spent as the CGA board chairman. In 1999, Amen was honored with the CGA Educational Foundation Hall of Achievement Award due to his years of commitment and dedication to the food industry.
Regional Staple Today, Super A Foods remains a privately held chain of grocery stores in Southern California. With a
Super A Foods corporate office in Commerce, Calif., the company boasts store locations in Temple City, Paramount, Bell Gardens, Los Angeles, Montebello, South Gate, Highland Park and Fillmore. Each location is open daily from 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. Given the population demographics in its region, Super A Foods has especially catered to the needs of Latino and Asian consumers in the Los Angeles area. The company says its goal is to provide customers with the best overall shopping experience by keeping prices low and service high. The company also says that it provides strong employment opportunities for its people in order to ensure that they go above and beyond to take care of the customer. Although all of the Super A Foods locations are not exact copies of each other, all locations offer a wide variety of grocery, deli, frozen, meat, bakery and fresh produce items. They also carry beer, wine and spirits. Other in-store services include ATMs, MoneyGram, lottery tickets, change machines and more. In its produce departments, Super A Foods offers a diverse range of top quality fresh fruits and vegetables. Striving to provide the lowest prices available, Super A Foods can provide customers with access to everything from local fruits and vegetables to hard-to-find items. As for its bakeries, Super A Foods carries an extensive line of bakery products that are baked fresh every day, such as bread rolls, sweet bread and cookies. It also offers an array of
seasonal specialty breads, homemade flan, cheesecakes and desserts, including cakes for special occasions. In the beverage department, the company’s adult beverage offerings extend from standard offerings to fine wines, microbrews and rare, high-quality spirits. In its kitchen, the company can put together a number of specialty food offerings that range from dinner combos and specialty food trays to platters. Then there is its meat department. The company says it offers all of its USDA inspected meat and poultry at the best prices around. At Super A Foods, its butchers prepare and cut all meat selections, whether they are grab-and-go packages or special order pieces that are custom cut for customers. Additionally, Super A Foods says that it proudly serves Harris Ranch beef. Harris Ranch has been farming in California’s San Joaquin Valley since the 1930s. Much like Super A Foods, it is a family owned and operated company that aims to produce some of the world’s highest quality beef. As the company embarks on the enjoyment of celebrating 45 years of service, it will look to continue its commitment to quality, excellent customer service and caring for employees and community. This is how the company has become known as a first-class family-owned, full-service grocery store in California, and it is how the company will continue to Unified Grocers pursue growth in Super A Foods and the Amen family are stalthe years ahead. O warts of our industry and longtime members of the Unified Grocers family. Their 45th anniversary is proof that family-owned grocery businesses continue to thrive and grow. Super A Foods founder and Chairman Lou Amen was first elected to the Unified Board of Directors in 1974. He served as chairman of the board for over fifteen years, during which time the company evolved from Certified to Unified Western and to Unified Grocers. He currently serves as First Vice Chairman. We look forward to partnering with Super A Foods for many years to come as Lou’s son Jim, president, and three daughters, Jeannie, Renee, and Joanne continue the family legacy.
Nestle Nestle is a very proud Supplier Partner of Super A Foods. Nestle’s relationship with the Amen family and Super A Foods spans many decades and we wish another 45 years to come! We at Nestle USA, Nestle Pet and Nestle Waters wish to thank Super A Foods for their decades of partnership but most importantly our friendship in the Grocery Industry. We look forward to another successful year together in 2016! 70
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Solution Providers eTail West, Feb. 22-25 at the JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort & Spa in Palm Springs, Calif., brings innovative retailers together.
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ETAIL WEST PREVIEW
Retail Innovation eTail West comes to California this February with vast opportunities for networking. Organized by Worldwide Business Research, eTail West takes place this Feb. 22-25 at the JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort & Spa in Palm Springs, Calif. With 2,500 attendees and more than 220 exhibitors expected, eTail West is a show created by retailers, for retailers. eTail West is the one-stop shop for e-commerce and multi-channel executives. It is an event where inspiration meets socializing, an incubator for innovation and relationships that last far beyond the conference. Topics covered at the show span from the latest innovations, engagement, personalization, the customer journey and online marketing to analytics, mobile, social, e-mail, search, usability and more. If you have a pain point, eTail West has definitely got you covered. You’ll learn about the future of retail from those who are shaping it. At the show, you’ll be able to mix and mingle like there’s no tomorrow with successful innovators and retailers in the field. When attendees think of getting together and idea sharing, many think of eTail West for all the opportunities it offers. Take part in retailer chats, “speed dating,” interactive working groups, free advice and consults, brainstorming and much more. With more than a days worth of retailer-to-retailer networking, you’ll come for the inspiration, but stay for the fun. eTail West will also feature keynote addresses by a number of industry leaders, including:
• Adam Goldenberg, founder and CEO, JustFab • Eoin Comerford, CEO, Moosejaw • Kelly McGann, CMO, consumer electronics and connected solutions, Sears Holdings Corporation • David Katz, SVP product management, Fanatics • Jen Cotter, EVP television and content, HSN • Ron Boire, CEO, Barnes & Noble Other highlights of the show will include prizes and giveaways every day of the conference. Head into the exhibit hall to check out the latest retail technologies and play a few Xbox games. You can win cash and other amazing prizes like Google glasses, Apple watches and even an all-expensepaid vacation. You’ll have the chance to win something fantastic on every break between panels on Feb. 23 and 24. eTail West also includes what it calls infamous evening receptions. Every night, it will have mixologists on tap for these legendary evening celebrations. Taste some wine, eat great food and check out snake charmers, gymnasts, live music, break dancing acts and much more. With surprise entertainers show-
ing up, attendees will want to arrive early. These are the perfect moments to get involved in some informal networking, fun and laughter. Receptions are held on the evenings of Feb. 23 and 24. Additionally, eTail West features an exhibit hall that does more than exhibit. Socialize while you find solutions. Mix it up with other retailers at the social lounges, located only in the exhibit hall. Enjoy retailer-only networking, video gaming and much more. There will also be specialty cocktails and food, and no one would blame the attendees for spending the entire day lounging and networking. The best way to stay connected and navigate all that eTail West has to offer is through the official eTail mobile app. You’ll start socializing and mingling before you even arrive at the show. Check out the agenda on-the-go, set up meetings, read up on the speakers and set reminders for your must attend sessions. It is the entire conference at your fingertips. Visit etailwest.wbresearch.com for more on eTail West, and don’t forget to put eTail East on your calendar for Aug. 15-18, 2016, at the Sheraton Boston Hotel in Boston. O
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SOLUTION PROVIDER COYOTE LOGISTICS
NO EXCUSES
I
n 1984 a recent college graduate named Jeff Silver packed up his Cutlass and moved everything he owned from Ann Arbor, Mich., to Chicago to join a friend’s trucking start-up, American Backhaulers. “I expected to be in Chicago for a year, then do something completely different,” Silver says, “but I’ve actually never left the business. I fell in love with the whole idea of what we did.” At American Backhaulers, Silver used a pen, paper and a Rolodex of trucking companies to match available trucks with freight that needed to be shipped. Such a time-consuming system prompted Silver to design and develop the company’s first proprietary transportation execution software. At a time when most third-party logistics (3PL) providers were not leveraging technology and software, Silver was innovating and refreshing what shippers could—and should—expect from a 3PL. By the time American Backhaulers was sold in 1999, it had grown to be the second-largest freight brokerage in North America. Silver decided to take some time to further his education, earning his MBA from
COYOTE
• Truckload, Less-Than-Truckload, Intermodal Brokerage Services • Transportation Management Services • 6,000+ Loads per Day • 14,000+ Shippers • 40,000+ Transportation Providers • 2,000+ People • 17 Offices • A UPS Company
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Ten years after its founding, Coyote’s culture, technology and approach to customer service continue to energize a centuries-old industry.
his alma mater, the University of Michigan, and his master of engineering in logistics from MIT. And then Silver returned to the industry with a mission. He teamed up with his wife, Marianne, to found Coyote in 2006. “We committed ourselves to providing great customer and carrier service from day one,” Silver says. “Coyote was originally going to be a software company, so we’re deeply rooted in technology. Because of our people and technology, we’re able to provide customers and carriers the high level of service they need to run their businesses smoothly.” What started with four people and a small office in a quiet Chicago suburb is now powered by approximately 2,000 employees in 17 offices, including Coyote’s Chicago-based headquarters. 2016 marks Coyote’s tenth year in operation. Today, it’s one of the fastest-growing 3PLs on record. Coyote supports more than 14,000 shippers, in industries spanning retail, food and beverage, consumer goods and more, with the coordination and movement of their goods via truckload, less-than-truckload and intermodal modes. One of Coyote’s biggest advantages is its technology, including a transportation management software called Collaborative Transportation Management; a mobile app called CoyoteGO; and Coyote.com, a platform that connects customers and carriers to Coyote 24/7. “We never finish writing our software,” Silver adds. “Our team of industrial engineers creates software applications for our customers that offer both new and unexpected capabilities.” What makes all of these solutions so
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“Because of our people and technology, we’re able to provide customers and carriers the high level of service they need to run their businesses smoothly.” unique is they’re designed and built in-house by Coyote’s team of transportation experts and software developers. With such control, Coyote has the unique ability to tailor its technology to meet the specific needs—from visibility to reporting to tracking to communication—of customers and carriers. Coyote’s service execution and technology are powered by a vibrant workforce. Coyote largely hires college graduates and sends them through an extensive training program from day one. “It’s by design,” Silver says. “It’s one of the differentiators in who we hire and how we train them. They’re energetic, super committed and passionate about what they do.” Employees are encouraged to try new things and carve their own paths. The result? New teams, new roles, new systems, new initiatives and an inspired, committed workforce. “These are people who are willing to put everything into what we’re doing, and that makes a big difference,” Silver says. “We take a lot of pride in the way we operate and in the way we execute for our customers every single day.” O
SOLUTION PROVIDER DIRECTORY CONTENT DELIVERY NETWORKS
Akamai
www.akamai.com
EMAIL MARKETING -------------
Bluecore
www.bluecore.com
Bronto Software www.bronto.com
Silverpop
LOGISTICS -----------------------
Coyote Logistics Coyote is a leading third-party logistics service provider offering supply chain solutions to more than 14,000 shippers in industries such as retail, food and beverage, industrial goods, and more. Email contactshipper@coyote.com to learn more about how Coyote can help you.
www.coyote.com | 847-235-9852
PERSONALIZATION -------------
Certona
www.certona.com
SmarterHQ
www.smarterhq.com
www.silverpop.com
FRAUD MANAGEMENT ----------
Forter
www.forter.com
www.criteo.com
www.windsorcircle.com
SOCIAL COMMERCE ------------
MOBIL MARKETING -------------
Criteo
Windsor Circle
Curalate
www.curalate.com Email joy@pmcmg.com to be featured in this section.
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YO-KAI WATCH
New&Notable Accessory Innovations
Yo-kai WatchBackpack Collection Accessory Innovations’ Yo-kai Watch backpack collections are designed for kids’ active schedules. Organization is key. The zippered main compartment, double side pockets organizers and padded adjustable comfy shoulder straps keep all of their play-day essentials within easy reach, also included top hanging loop. The Yo-kai Watch backpacks are at the head of the class when it comes to quality, style and value.
www.Accessory-Innovations.com
IDO3D
Yo-kai Watch Character Creator Studio
Just Toys International Ltd.
Backpack Hangers
IDO3D is the world’s foremost brand of 3D drawing pens, with five million pens shipped to over fifty countries since launch last October. The Yo-kai Watch Character Creator Studio enables kids to draw their favorite Yo-kai in 3D!
Accessorize your backpack and collect the ten most popular characters from the new hit property from Japan. The collection also includes one special, rare piece.
www.justtoysint.com
www.IDO3Dart.com
Isaac Morris LTD
Isaac Morris LTD
Isaac Morris LTD
Yo-kai Chillaxin
Yo-kai Group Pose
Yo-kai Jibanyan and Nate
Short-sleeve tee
Short-sleeve tee
Short-sleeve tee
www.isaacmorris.com
www.isaacmorris.com
www.isaacmorris.com
ALL PRODUCTS SUBJECT TO LICENSOR APPROVAL
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STEVE JACKSON/MUNCHKIN
New&Notable USAopoly
Munchkin Marvel Edition An all-new Munchkin game that fuses the classic card game fun of monster-slaying and role-playing with the most iconic characters from the Marvel universe.
www.usaopoly.com/games/munchkinmarvel-game-edition
The Munchkin Book
The Official Companion This official guide to the card game is a lighthearted and suitably snarky celebration of all things near and dear to the munchkin heart. Features 18 exclusive MunchkinÂŽ game rules!
www.smartpopbooks.com/themunchkinbook
BOOM Studios
Munchkin Comic Book Join Spyke and Flower on their adventures for loot and levels!
www.boom-studios.com/munchkin-01ian-mcginty-cover.html
Funko
Munchkin Vinyl Figure
Steve Jackson Games
Munchkin Guest Artist Editions Celebrating 15 years of Munchkin!
The Munchkin Vinyl Figure from Funko will keep all the orcs at bay, ruin miniatures gaming, and probably won’t spontaneously combust! Huzzah!
www.munchkin.sjgames.com/guestartists
www.worldofmunchkin.com/figure
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SONY/GHOSTBUSTERS
New&Notable Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing
Ghostbusters Book Tie-ins Do you have what it takes to be a Ghostbuster? Grab your proton pack and find out with these hilarious, actionpacked book tie-ins from Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing! With each book featuring full-color stills, these are must-haves for any fan of the movie or Ghostbuster in training! (Covers not final.)
Running Press
Mattel
Mega Mini Kit
Ghostbusters Action Figures The new Ghostbusters have action figures of their own thanks to Mattel. These 6-inch tall figures include renditions of Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon and Leslie Jones outfitted with new jumpsuits, and will release in July.
Crown Books
LEGO
Ghosts from Our Past
LEGO Firehouse Headquarters
As seen in the upcoming film, a hilarious guide to identifying and coping with any paranormal activity plaguing you. (Crown Books, A Division of Random House)
Get ready to bust some ghosts! Featuring over 4,600 pieces, the two-story LEGO Firehouse Headquarters stands at an impressive 14 inches tall and features a laboratory, living quarters, containment unit and so much more. It’s also big enough to park your LEGO ECTO-1 in!
This must-have Mega Mini Kit (Running Press) comes boxed with a tiny highly detailed proton-pack with light and sound. The kit also includes a mini book with stickers to decorate your proton pack.
New Era
New Era Caps
Ghostbusters Apparel
Who ya gonna wear? We are happy to expand the Ghostbuster lifestyle assortment with these fun and iconic New Era Caps. Starting June, consumers will be able to choose from a selection of different colors, styles and iconic details.
With a robust apparel, accessory and seasonal program, you can also become a Ghostbuster! Get your favorite item and wear it WITH style.
LEGO
LEGO Dimensions On consoles, customers can purchase LEGO Dimensions and play as some of their favorite characters in the toys to life game reliving classic scenes from the original films. In addition to the Beeline partnership, Ghostbusters is making new guest appearances in some high profile games (Fruit Ninja, Family Guy, and The Respawnables).
www.beeline-i.com/product.php?id=231 www.amazon.com/Ghostbusters-Level-PackNot-Machine-Specific/dp/B013J4L9T4 January/February 2016
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FOOD & BEVERAGE
New&Notable GUINNESS™
GUINNESSTM Beer Brined Brisket GUINNESS is contemporary and relevant in today’s food-pairing obsessed culinary world. The distinct, complex, yet subtle layered notes of cocoa, coffee, and hops readily complement the inherent nature of food, enhancing and amplifying their flavor during preparation. GUINNESS Beer Brined Brisket, marinated in the perfect blend of seasonings and the famous stout, will be introduced just in time to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day 2016. Offered by Stampede Meat and sold exclusively at Wal-Mart, this unique and upscale version of corned beef is sure to become a new classic.
Ainsworth Pet Nutrition
Rachael RayTM Nutrish® Zero Grain Food for Dogs and Cats Rachael RayTM Nutrish® Zero Grain is made with simple, wholesome ingredients like real meat or fish, which is always the #1 ingredient. And there are never any grains, glutens or fillers. Available where you shop for your family’s groceries.
www.nutrishforpets.com Brewery Ommegang
HBO Global Licensing – Game of Thrones Bar-S Foods
McCormick® Grill Mates® Sausages Introducing new McCormick® Grill Mates® Sausages—a more flavorful line of sausages seasoned by the experts who perfected flavor. Each sausage is ready to grill and seasoned with the bold, robust flavor of McCormick® Grill Mates®.
www.GrillMatesSausage.com
www.ommegang.com
CORONA
Duff Goldman
CORONA EXTRA Gift Sets
Duff Goldman’s Premium Biscuits
Partnering with Modern Gourmet Foods, Corona launched gift sets that include branded glassware, drink accessories and bottle openers bundled with premium food items, such as rimming salts, that pair perfectly with Corona.
Bold is back in the kitchen! Duff Goldman teamed with Tylina Foods to create bakery quality biscuits. Easy to make and bursting with savory flavors of Bacon Cheddar, Spicy Chipotle, or Beer Biscuit.
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Seven Kingdoms Hoppy Wheat Ale is the seventh brew in the widely popular Game of Thrones-inspired beer series from Cooperstown, NY’s Brewery Ommegang and HBO Global Licensing. Seven Kingdoms bottles and draft will be available nationwide in March.
www.GartnerStudios.com January/February 2016