Retail Daily

Judges in Oregon and Washington reject the proposed $24.6 billion merger of Kroger and Albertsons. The Wills Group has named a new chief financial officer. And meal-kit company HelloFresh is being investigated by the U.S. Department of Labor.

Walgreens could be sold to private-equity firm Sycamore Partners early next year. AMCON Distributing has acquired Arrowrock Supply. And lean principles have started to produce real results for United Natural Foods Inc.

Walgreens closed 58 locations in November. Foxtrot is facing $3.8 million in back wage and benefits payments. And more than 8,000 grocery workers at Giant Eagle and Heinen’s approved new contracts.

Loblaw’s reaches a new-store milestone.  Alimentation Couche-Tard plans three new Circle K distribution centers. And raw milk gets recalled due to possible bird flu contamination.

Kroger might call it quits on M&A if its proposed Albertsons merger fails. Food Lion President Meg Ham announces her retirement. And the FDA is hot on the trail of retailers selling unauthorized e-cigarettes.

Dollar Tree reports promising Q3 earnings results. VillageMD CEO and co-founder Tim Barry resigns. And 7-Eleven could go public.

United Natural Foods Inc. announces another round of layoffs. 7-Eleven returns to Arizona after a quarter century. And a Swedish tech company puts salad bar bandits on notice.

Trader Joe’s sues Joe’s Wine Co. Applegreen makes a big bet on the U.S. market. And c-stores are the new fast food.

A Market Force Information study reveals who is leading the charge when it comes to holiday purchases. Renewable fuel dispenser company Cyclum plans to build 400 travel centers nationwide. And pouches of tortilla strips sold at several grocers have been recalled.

Couche-Tard remains confident in its ability to finance and complete the proposed acquisition of Seven & i Holdings. Boar’s Head unveiled a new Food Safety and Quality section on its website. And Parkland Corp. plans to add about 100 stores over the next three years.

New Seasons Market grocery workers are planning a one-day strike on the day before Thanksgiving. Nouria Energy opens a new store with an Italian restaurant. And there will likely be lower demand overall for fuel and convenience items this Thanksgiving, despite an increase in travel.

Ahold Delhaize has spent most of the last two weeks responding to a cyberattack. Alimentation Couche-Tard is not considering a hostile takeover bid for Seven & i Holdings. And 7-Eleven has redesigned packaging on its 7-Select Replenish line of hydration beverages.

BJ’s Wholesale is increasing membership fees. Casey’s General Stores names a leader for its recently acquired CEFCO convenience stores. And Love’s Travel Stops & Country Stores is selling its hotels.

The frozen french fry industry finds itself in the hot seat. Political firebrand Tucker Carlson’s nicotine pouch company releases four new products. And discount grocery Aldi teams up with DoorDash on charcuterie. 

SNAP benefits could take a hit under the incoming Trump Administration. EVgo strikes a deal with Meijer for hundreds of fast-charging stations. And food inflation returns to historical norms, but Thanksgiving shoppers are still worried.

Alimentation Couche-Tard’s attempt to buy 7-Eleven parent company Seven & i Holdings faces a new challenge. Discount grocer Aldi announces its new store count plans for 2025. And the FDA announces an investigation into E. Coli in carrots.

Breaktime Corner Market is acquiring 39 convenience stores from EG America. Aldi expands its corporate headquarters in Batavia, Illinois. And Matt Testa, who spent more than 20 years at Pilot Co., is the new chief operations officer at Krispy Krunchy Chicken.

Seventy-nine percent of consumers will celebrate Thanksgiving with their families, even though prices have increased 26% since 2020. Wawa opened its first Georgia store. And The Fresh Market has partnered with same-day delivery service Shipt.

Wonder buys Grubhub for $650 million. Online grocery sales spike. And Seven & i Holdings is considering going private to block an acquisition from Alimentation Couche-Tard.

7-Eleven is expanding deployment of Gulp Radio retail media network programming to 5,000 of its stores. Ahold Delhaize USA grocery stores were hit with a cybersecurity breach. And East Coast grocery chain Stew Leonard’s announced a new partnership with Uber Eats.

First Reserve is exploring the sale of its Refuel convenience-store portfolio. Keurig Dr Pepper’s ready-to-drink tea and juice brand Snapple is headed to the fountain. And Dollar General opened its Aurora, Colorado, distribution center on Friday, the discounter’s latest move toward expanding its reach.

United Foods International faces a class-action lawsuit. Delek US Holdings reported a net loss of $76.8 million in its latest earnings report. And specialty, fresh format and value grocery chains are growing customers faster than their traditional competitors.

South Dakotans turn down eliminating grocery taxes. Rite Aid closes more than 100 more locations in Michigan and Ohio. And Casey’s General Stores gets ready for National Pickle Day.

Grocery Outlet trudges forward with a new interim president and CEO. Gaubert Oil announces a new partnership with Dickey’s Barbecue. And Kum & Go will soon be no more.

Dollar Tree Chairman and CEO Rick Dreiling steps down. Casey’s General Stores buys Fikes Wholesale for a cool $1.145 billion. And Kroger will pay California $122 million for its role in the opioid epidemic.