Offered for the first time as an Open Seminar!
Shopper and Category Development:
The Next Generation of Category Management
The Partnering Group has announced that Shopper and Category Development: The Next Generation of Category Management is being offered for the first time as an Open Seminar in New Orleans on October 15-17, 2008 in the historic French Quarter.

CATEGORY MANAGEMENT: Heinz Optimizes Assortments Using Virtual Shopping Platform
Heinz is a world-class marketer whose iconic brand of ketchup typically dominates the shelf set in stores. Package sizes range from 14 oz. to 64 oz. in three formats: traditional bottle, the Upside Down with Stay Clean Cap, and the Fridge Door Fit.  “We have so many package sizes and types. Our consumer insights told us we had to make the options simpler. The benefits involved pushed us over the edge to look for solutions,” said Barbarita Marbelt, the company’s consumer and customer insights manager for all the ketchup, condiments and sauces businesses. In essence, Heinz wanted to simplify the planogram in stores. Three kinds of packaging often confused the consumer and resulted in increased production costs for Heinz, according to Marbelt...
From CPGmatters the official monthly eZine of CPG CatNet

COUPONS: Trade Groups Decry Posting of Unauthorized Coupons Online
The Association of Coupon Professionals (ACP) and the Coupon Information Corporation (CIC) have decried the posting of a California company’s unauthorized coupons on Facebook, the online social network. After distribution of the unauthorized high-value offers for several dozen grocery and toiletry products, consumers presented the coupons in stores for redemption. In a joint statement, the two trade groups expressed “great disappointment” over the recent creation of unauthorized coupons bearing the registered trademarks of well-known consumer products companies, and the “apparent negligence or recklessness in distributing or allowing the coupons to be manipulated and distributed by third parties.”  Bud Miller, executive director of the CIC, a not-for-profit group that represents more than 20 CPG manufacturers in fighting coupon fraud, told the Seattle-Post newspaper that losses could amount to hundreds of thousands of dollars. “Potentially, it could be in the low millions. We won’t know until the coupons come in for processing...
From CPGmatters the official monthly eZine of CPG CatNet

Interview with Mike Spindler
President, Panther Mountain Companies
Plenary Session Speaker, Wed Oct 29th  Register for the Conference  
What needs to happen at Retail and how can manufacturers enable this?
There are at least five big trends at retail that are driving the need for change in the U.S. retail market.   All of the changes involve gaining transparency into the last great frontier…the store itself.  Today the store is a data-desert.  No meaningful, accurate in-store intelligence exists for effective demand signaling nor compliance measurements exists.  That is about to change. read more

Information Resources Introduces Year One Sales Forecasts
Wireless News
 Information Resources (IRI), a global provider of consumer, shopper, and market insights for consumer packaged goods (CPG), retail, and healthcare industries, announced the availability of year one sales forecasts based on as little as eight weeks of data through the IRI Launch Commander service.
Editor's Comments:NEW SOLUTION
 
It's all about the customer; Keep those you've got, and attract new ones
Cape Argus (South Africa)
 Customers are every company's most valuable asset. Now more than ever, companies need to retain existing customers and attract new ones in order to survive and grow. Yet, customers are often treated badly, despite all the protestations to the contrary. Such treatment hurts not only the customer, but also damages the brand. Think of annoying queues in stores and supermarkets. Think of products that are perfect for someone else's lifestyle or work environment, but never yours. Think of uninspiring ad campaigns, or unresponsive customer service. Such bad experiences need to be avoided by truly focusing on customer needs. A customer-focused approach starts with research that provides in-depth customer insight. Out of this insight, companies then need to build experiential platforms that are relevant to their customers.
Editor's Comments:CONSUMER INSIGHTS/CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE/SOUTH AFRICA 
 
So can this... ...replace this?
The Scotsman
 IT IS small enough to fit in a handbag or a large pocket - but contains the contents of around 160 books. The race to convert book-lovers to electronic novels will intensify on Thursday with the launch of the GBP 199 Sony Reader. But writers are split on whether the gadget will ever challenge the traditional paperback as the favoured way to read a novel.
Editor's Comments:PUBLISHING/ELECTRONIC BOOKS/RETAIL CATMAN COMMENTS
 
YoNaturals Brings Out Natural and Organic Vending Programs for Schools
Health & Beauty Close-up
 California start-up YoNaturals is offering organic and all-natural snacks in place of junk food. According to a release, YoNaturals' "Direct to Schools" program, launched in August, allows schools to lease the machines on a "no money down" basis with the lease terms of 48 and 60 months. Also, YoNaturals rebates $1,000 per machine to each school for the first 500 machines sold through this program. YoNaturals allows schools to select their own products and keep all profits received from the machines. YoNaturals' comprehensive programs include the installation and training of the machines, school planograms (menus) to match state nutritional guidelines and ongoing service and warranty programs for the schools.
Editor's Comments:VENDING/NUTRITIONAL FOODS/ORGANIC
 
IRI Selects Pat Cummings to Lead Global Modeling and Analytic Solutions Group
Health & Beauty Close-up
 Information Resources (IRI), a provider of consumer, shopper, and market insights for the consumer packaged goods (CPG), retail, and healthcare industries, announced that Patrick C. Cummings will now lead its Modeling and Analytic Solutions Group.


SUPERVALU Launches Its New Exclusive Culinary Circle(TM) Brand of Premium Foods; Culinary Circle delivers a casual restaurant meal experience at home, at a fraction of the time and cost of dining out
Business Wire
 At a time when consumers are increasingly looking for ways to stretch their food budgets without sacrificing quality and taste, SUPERVALU (NYSE: SVU) today announced the launch of its new Culinary CircleTM brand of premium food lovers' foods. The brand enables consumers to enjoy restaurant-quality food right at home easily and affordably, and is available nationwide at the company's family of grocery stores, including Acme, Albertsons, bigg's, Cub Foods, Farm Fresh, Hornbacher's, Jewel-Osco, Lucky, Shaw's/Star Market, Shop 'n Save and Shoppers Food & Pharmacy. The Culinary Circle brand will initially feature more than 150 items in the deli, bakery, frozen and center store aisles. Offerings range from on-the-go meals, elegant hors d'oeuvres and gourmet spreads to high-end desserts and artisan breads. Culinary Circle products will be priced approximately 20 to 25 percent below casual restaurant food and about 10 to 15 percent lower than other premium national brands.
Editor's Comments:SUPERVALU/PRIVATE LABEL/READY MEALS
 
The Greenest Generation: ICOM Survey Reveals Older Demographics as Biggest Users of Green Products; Despite Higher Costs, More Than 6 in 10 U.S. Homes Now Use Environmentally Friendly Household Products; Non-adopters Cite Price As Greatest Deterrent
Business Wire
 Bucking the belief that environmentalism is a youth movement, consumers over 55 years old are the most prolific users of green products in the United States, according to survey results released today by ICOM Information & Communications.
Editor's Comments:CONSUMER INSIGHTS/GREEN
 
EXECUTIVE CHANGES
Supermarket News
 FAMILY DOLLAR PROMOTES MCCAFFETY MATTHEWS, N.C. - Family Dollar Stores here said it has named Lonnie W. McCaffety to the position of vice president of store operations. McCaffety most recently served as a regional vice president for the retailer's New Orleans region. He joined Family Dollar as an assistant store manager in 1990 and has held various management positions since. As regional vice president, McCaffety was instrumental in helping Family Dollar recover quickly following Hurricane Katrina, the company said.
Editor's Comments:PRICE CHOPPER/PEOPLE-ON-THE-MOVE
 
For Ahold, a New Look Signals a Fresh Start
Supermarket News
 AMSTERDAM - The new logos at Stop & Shop and Giant of Landover, Md., represent the beginning of a rebirth for the two banners, marketing executives at the chains said last week. "We feel like we've done enough to begin to make the change, but had this been all there was to it, it wouldn't be at all sufficient," said Stephen Vowles, senior vice president of marketing, in an interview with SN last week. "It is the beginning of a constant process of change." As reported in the Aug. 25 issue of SN, Stop & Shop and Giant late last month introduced the new logos, along with a series of changes inside the stores that include technology, expanded private-label offerings, meal solutions and new employee discounts. The changes follow a strenuous effort to reduce prices and streamline selection throughout the store.
Editor's Comments:CONVENIENCE/STOP&SHOP