Microsoft signs a huge deal with Walgreens at CNBC. “Walgreens is signing up more than 380,000 employees for its Microsoft 365 cloud apps offering, including Office 365, Windows 10, and mobility and security tools. The company will move most of its information technology workloads to Microsoft’s Azure public cloud.” Video/Read more

 

Walmart CTO Jeremy King excited about computer-vision technology – but stops short of declaring a pilot by Dennis Green at Business Insider. Read more

 

Walmart Expected to Leave CVS Caremark Pharmacy Networks Amid Dispute by Anna Wilde Mathews & Sarah Nassauer at Wall Street Journal. “…the split also doesn’t involve Sam’s Club stores…CVS said it has asked Walmart to remain in its networks through April 30. If Walmart doesn’t agree, the split will take effect in early February, according to a person with knowledge of the matter.” WSJ subs. | MarketWatch

 

Stop & Shop/Giant/Martin’s get 500 robots so humans will know where to clean up by Melissa Locker at Fast Company. “…at 500 Giant, Martin’s, and Stop & Shop locations, you may run into a googly-eyed robot named Marty. The new robots with the not-at-all-suspicious name and face aren’t here to steal human jobs, but to alert customers to a cleanup-in-aisle-three situation.” Pic/Read more

 

Amazon ends expansion of Whole Foods 365 concept at SmartBrief. Read more

 

FDA to restart more food safety inspections affected by shutdown at Politico. “The FDA plans as soon as Tuesday to restart food safety inspections at facilities that handle riskier products like fresh-cut produce, as the partial government shutdown extends into its fourth week, FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb said Monday.” Read more

 

Survey finds more than half of D.C.-area workers would ditch their current job to work for Amazon at CNBC. Read more

 

**A message from 2019 Sweets & Snacks Expo – See the category innovation of 2019 all in one place! Items selected during the Sweets & Snacks Expo’s Most Innovative New Product Awards go on to enjoy sweet success – see the 2018 New Product winners here.  Chicago’s McCormick Place, May 21-23. Exhibitors | sweetsandsnacks.com

 

J.C. Penney, Awash in Inventory, Wants a Chief Merchant After All by Anne Riley Moffat at Bloomberg. “Just over a year ago, the retailer eliminated the position, citing a need to “streamline decision-making and promote greater agility within its merchandise buying teams.”…J.C. Penney (is also) adding a chief transformation officer, plus looking to fill a handful of other key senior management positions, from chief customer officer to senior vice president of planning and allocation.” Tiered subs.

 

Christopher & Banks holiday comp sales +3.0% Press release

 

NY Times: Walmart, Target pull game that had children defuse toy bomb at The Hill. “Cut the Wire,” a game recommended for children ages 6 and up, asks players to defuse a fake bomb before a timer runs out.” Read more

 

Petco taps Horizon Media as strategic media agency of record by Megan Graham at Ad Age. Subscription

 

CVS pledges $100 million for community health programs at CNBC. “The initiative, dubbed “Building Healthier Communities,” seeks to improve access to affordable health care, manage health challenges like chronic conditions and opioids and partner with communities.” Read more

 

Shoe Carnival expects fiscal 2018 comp store sales to increase approximately 4% (vs. +0.3% LY) Press release

 

Drone Deliveries May Arrive Sooner than Expected Thanks to New FAA Plan by Natasha Bach at Fortune. “Those under 55 pounds would be permitted to fly over people. To operate those above that weight over people, manufacturers would need to demonstrate that if the drone hit a person “the resulting injury would be below a certain severity threshold.” Read more

 

Tilly’s holiday comp sales +5.8% (compared to +0.4% LY) Press release

 

U.S. consumers still feel good, Target CEO says at CNBC. “I think we can all agree, 2018 was a really good year for retail,” Cornell said during a panel session at NRF’s Big Show. “Consumer confidence is still quite high. … The average consumer, they are looking at gas prices that have continued to decline.” “Will that continue forever? Probably not,” he cautioned.” Read more

 

Pier 1 is no longer in compliance with NYSE criteria that requires listed companies to maintain an average closing share price of at least $1.00 over a consecutive 30 trading-day period. Press release

 

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