The Canadian retail sector experienced a drop in sales during July after seven months of gains. Sales dropped by 0.1 per cent to $42.5 billion, according to Statistics Canada.
General merchandise sales fell by 2.7 per cent to $5.3 billion as clothing and accessories stores experienced a 2.3 per cent drop to $2.3 billion. Purchases across all industries excluding motor vehicles dropped by 0.6 per cent. Meanwhile, economists had predicted that there would be little to no change.
In the midst of being sold by its U.S. parent company, Sears Canada Inc.’s Douglas Campbell, has stepped down from his role as CEO.
Campbell has held the position for one year and is leaving for personal family issues. He will continue on in the role until Sears Canada finds a replacement, but will not be staying past Jan. 1, 2015.
During his time as Sears Canada CEO, Campbell has cut jobs, outsourced some operations and sold leases of key stores back to their landlords, including its flagship Toronto Eaton Centre location, in order to raise money.
Sears Canada “remains committed to continue the strategy of optimizing productivity, realizing value from desirable assets and creating a highly relevant retailer in Canada with a focus on rural and suburban locations.”
Sears Holdings Corp. said in May that it is “exploring strategic alternatives for its 51 per cent interest in Sears Canada, including a potential sale of Sears Holding’s interest or Sears Canada as a whole.” It went on to say that Sears Canada will “cooperate fully with Sears Holdings in this process to achieve value for all shareholders.”
Calgary Co-op has appointed former Sobeys executive Ken Keelor as CEO. Keelor will replace Ken Woo, who took over as CEO from Deane Collinson in April when Collinson announced his retirement.
Keelor was previously the vice president of national procurement at Sobeys. He has also held the position of vice president of private label procurement and global sourcing for the company. He has also worked as chief merchandising officer for Katz Group, the pharmacy chain, in 2011.
“Keelor was selected for his understanding of the retail food sector and experience in the industry, which spans 24 years across merchandising and marketing through to private label procurement and global sourcing,” Laura Sullivan, chair of the board of directors for Calagry Co-op, told Canadian Grocer. “We are pleased that Mr. Keelor will be carrying on the tradition of the Co-op values, our mission and vision, while building upon our current strategy to ensure we meet the changing demands of our marketplace.”
Costco Wholesale Canada and American Express, its only accepted method of credit payment, will no longer be working together, according to the retailer.
Ron Damiani, Costco spokesperson, told Canadian Grocer that the country’s 88 stores would be accepting the payment method until Dec. 31, after which time they have not disclosed its replacement, though will be discussing options soon.
According to an American Express spokesperson, the two companies worked together well, though were unable to come to a new agreement. However, it was noted that this change only affects Canadian stores.
The Food and Drug Administration has announced that new food safety rules will be put in motion following some farmers expressing worry over the former proposals potentially hurting their business. The former proposals required farmers to take extra precautions for contamination and other areas, along with a requirement to submit food safety plans to the government.
The FDA’s new regulations help farmers meet water quality standards and harvest crops more easily. The FDA’s deputy commissioner Michael Taylor told Canadian Grocer that they are aiming to achieve food safety in a practical way.
“This approach has less potential to impose economic hardship on organic farmers, while at the same time supporting the safest food supply in the world,” Gwendolyn Wyard from the Organic Trade Association told Canadian Grocer. The revised rules are due to be finalized next fall.
According to researchers from the Lund University Diabetes Center in Malmo, Sweden, eating high-fat dairy products could lower a patient’s risk for type 2 diabetes. The study showed that those subjects with the highest consumption of high fat dairy products lowered their chance of developing type 2 diabetes by as much as 23 per cent, provided the fat is unsaturated.
The study was conducted with 26,930 patients over 14 years. 60 per cent of patients were women, aged 45 to 74 years.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has approved genetically modified corn and soybean seeds that are used against an effective weed killer that’s been around since the ‘40s. The approval has been a long time coming since most weeds have grown resistance to glyphosate, a herbicide mostly used for corn and soybeans.
The USDA responded to questions about the use of 2,4-D risking public health by saying that if the seeds and herbicide are approved, the use of 2,4-D could rise by approximately 200 per cent to 600 per cent in the next six years, as reported by Canadian Grocer. The EPA has determined that the chemical is safe for the public and for agricultural workers to use, with the USDA following up that it has approved the seeds.
McKesson Canada, a company focused on providing the healthcare industry with medicines, supplies and developing information technologies, has appointed Alain Champagne as its new president. He replaces Nick Loporcaro in the role, after Loporcaro was appointed president of McKesson Specialty Health.
Champagne has worked at the company since 2010, and was most recently its Senior Vice President of Pharmaceutical Distribution and Operations.
“Alain brings a deep knowledge of McKesson Canada’s business and customers to his new role and will focus on continuing to bring value and growth opportunities to all the company’s partners,” said McKesson Corp.’s Executive Vice President and Group President Paul Julian in a press release.
“I am delighted to take on this new role and continue the work initiated with Nick Loporcaro to position McKesson Canada for future growth,” said Champagne in a press release. “Our portfolio of businesses allows us to solve the significant health care challenges we face as a country. We are committed to bringing added-value serices and solutions to all our customers and partners with the ultimate goal of improving patient access to care and outcomes.”
Pusateri’s Fine Foods will be opening a new location in 2015 for the first time in five years. The new store will be located in Oakville as part of the $30 million renovation and redevelopment of Oakville Place, an enclosed shopping centre. The redevelopment is expected to fully end at the end of 2016. The new store is expected to create around 150 jobs and open around the holiday season in 2015.
“We travel the world exploring new and distinct culinary experiences to share with customers,” Frank Luchetta, president of Pusateri’s, said in an official statement. “It is our unmatched passion for food and commitment to quality that inspires the diverse and exceptional selection of our products, and we are so pleased to be bringing this experience to the Oakville community.”
Organic Meadow has announced it is the exclusive dairy sponsor for the fifth annual Canada’s National Organic Week, which runs from September 20 to 28. Organic Meadow is known as Canada’s oldest organic dairy co-operative and the leading brand of organic dairy products.
Organic Meadow is celebrating Canada’s National Organic Week and its 25th anniversary through a new campaign, which includes print advertisements, organic farm tours, farmer social media takeovers and in-store demonstrations at several retail partners, including Organic Garage, Nature’s Emporium, The Big Carrot and Whole Foods Markets.
“Over the past 25 years our co-operative members have dedicated themselves to be champions of the organic movement, not only for our co-operatives, but for the good of the entire organic sector,” says Don Rees, Organic Meadow’s CEO. “They were the true pioneers and this legacy of authenticity and commitment to organics is in our DNA. We continue to hold this core to our company values and we always will. That is why partnering with Organic Week is a natural fit for us.”
Canada’s National Organic Week is the largest yearly celebration of organic food and sustainable agriculture, in conjunction with the Canada Organic Trade Association, The Canadian Health Food Association and the Canadian Organic Growers. The event works to strengthen education and engagement in regards to the organic sector.
