Casey’s explores buying Kroger convenience stores valued at $2 billion amid pressure from activists at CNBC. “JCP Investment Management in January called for the Ankeny, Iowa-based convenience store operator to explore strategic alternatives, including a potential sale. Buying Kroger’s convenience-store business could stave off pressure to sell, sources say.” Read more

 

Why a new trucking regulation is driving up the cost of produce by Greg Trotter at Chicago Tribune. “For Pete’s Fresh Market, a 12-store grocery chain in the Chicago area, truckloads of produce from Mexico have roughly doubled in cost since the new devices were mandated — from about $2,400 for 40,000 pounds of produce to more than $5,000, said produce buyer Kenneth Moore.” Read more

 

First Look Inside the Amazon Spheres – Set to Open this Week by Kurt Schlosser at GeekWire. Video/Pics/Read more

 

By Shrinking, Can Sam’s Club Keep Up With Costco? by Sarah Nassauer at Wall Street Journal. “Sam’s Club closed all its stores in Costco’s home state of Washington…Sam’s Club is reviewing its store assortment with the new shopper focus in mind, Mr. Furner said. The review likely will lead to fewer products such as bulk candy that are resold by convenience stores and more household goods, he said.” Read more (subs.)

 

Ikea founder dies aged 91 – despite his wealth he wore second hand clothes and drove 15-year-old car at Daily Mail. Read more

 

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Outdoor gear sales slip as millennials drive shift in habits by Dan Elliot at AP via ABC News. “Millennials are less likely than the previous generation to demand outdoor gear that stands up to extreme conditions, said Matt Powell, NPD’s senior adviser for the sports industry…“The hardest, the most extreme condition some of these boots are going to have is walking from the Prius to the craft brewery,” he said.” Read more

 

Be wary of rivals’ offers on Sears Canada warranties, say experts by Tara Deschamps at The Canadian Press via Toronto Star. “DirectBuy purchased Sears Canada’s warranty customer lists and millions of dollars of parts to repair their products, but will only cover repairs if consumers buy a DirectBuy membership.” Read more

 

Apple Is Reportedly Cutting Its iPhone X Production Target By 50% via Fortune. Read more

 

Kara Swisher/MSNBC interview Google CEO Sundar Pichai and YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki at Recode. “AI is one of the most important things humanity is working on. It’s more profound than, I don’t know, electricity or fire,” Pichai told Swisher and Melber.” Video/Read more

 

Wawa Wins Ex-Worker’s ‘Speak English’ Discrimination Suit by Michael Phillis at Law 360 Read more (subs.)

 

Watch Jeff Bezos Make a Cameo in Amazon’s Super Bowl Teaser by Dan Frommer at Recode. “In a teaser posted to YouTube, Amazon asks: “Sounds like Alexa might have lost her voice, but who could possibly replace her?” Video/Read more

 

Dollar General encourages new suppliers to apply to attend its inaugural Innovation and Supplier Diversity Summit in April 2018 Press release

 

Grocery shoppers could move online twice as fast as originally anticipated at CNBC. “According to projections, 70 percent of shoppers will be buying some portion of their groceries online within five to seven years.” Read more

 

Keurig to buy Dr Pepper Snapple to form beverage giant at Reuters. Read more

 

Staples taps former Coca-Cola exec as CEO at CNBC. “Staples’ Chief Executive Officer Shira Goodman is departing the company, to be replaced by J. Alexander Douglas.” Read more

 

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Casinos Bet on Smoothie Slots, Desperate to Lure Millennials

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Grammys president: Women need to ‘step up’ after men sweep this year’s awards

Ex-Packer QB Brett Favre sued for $16M for failed athletic social media startup

U.S. soldiers are revealing sensitive and dangerous information by jogging (tiered subs.)

Read Tipsheet Extra Stories

 

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