Author: Kim Souza

Kim Souza

Inflation stays high in March, but pace slows

The pace of inflation hit its lowest level since late 2021, but overall inflation remains high as core inflation – excluding food and fuel – ticked up 0.1% in March…

The Supply Side: Big retail uses influencers to help grow social commerce

The future for social media platform TikTok may be cloudy, but that has not kept Walmart and Amazon from seeking to grow their brands via influencers and content creators on…

Walmart to build thousands of EV charging station at U.S. stores, clubs

Walmart plans to build electric vehicle (EV) charging stations at thousands of its stores and clubs over the next six years. The retailer now has roughly 1,300 charging stations at…

Walmart execs discuss 4% growth strategy, innovation efforts, and margin expansion

Walmart’s executives made a hard sell on innovation – especially with supply chain automation – to the investment community Tuesday and Wednesday (April 4-5) at the retailer’s investor conference in…

The Supply Side: Retail workforce remains tight despite recent job gains, layoffs

While the U.S. economy remains relatively strong, the retail sector is a mixed bag with a tight workforce despite the 50,100 retail jobs added in February against a growing number…

Alice L. Walton School of Medicine breaks ground in Bentonville

Walmart heir and philanthropist Alice Walton celebrated with healthcare providers, construction crews and interested stakeholders Thursday (March 30) at the groundbreaking for the Alice L. Walton School of Medicine (AWSOM)…

Consumers will pay more for beef and poultry this summer

Memorial Day or Fourth of July cookouts will be more costly this year as chicken and beef prices remain high. Derrell Peel, livestock marketing specialist with Oklahoma State University Extension,…

Tyson Foods faces scrutiny over plant closures

Tyson Foods may have violated the Packers and Stockyards Act (PSA) in the effort to close large poultry processing operations in Van Buren and Glen Allen, Va., according to Peter…

Northwest Arkansas sales tax revenue up 13.6% in March report

Consumer spending is robust in Benton and Washington counties, with the four largest cities reporting a 13.6% jump in sales tax revenue in their March reports. Total revenue reported in…

The Supply Side: More Walmart suppliers adjust to inflation, changing demand

The consumer packaged goods and beverage industries are highly competitive. They continually try to retain or expand their retail distribution points as private label and niche brands are popular among…

NRF: Inflation, higher participation could push Easter sales to record $24 billion

The National Retail Federation (NRF) and Prosper Insights estimate 81% of Americans will spend a record $24 billion on Easter, up 15.38% from a year ago. Per capita spending is…

Walmart to lay off hundreds of workers at some e-commerce fulfillment centers

Walmart on Thursday (March 23) announced worker layoffs in at least five U.S. e-commerce fulfillment centers. Walmart said the impacted workers were asked to find other jobs within 90 days…

Walmart store operations chief Dacona Smith retires; Cedric Clark promoted

Dacona Smith, the highest-ranking Black executive at Walmart U.S., has retired. Cedric Clark filled Smith’s position as executive vice president of store operations. Clark made that announcement on LinkedIn following…

J.B. Hunt exec Shelley Simpson honored at Economics Arkansas luncheon

It’s been a long way to the top for Shelley Simpson, president of J.B. Hunt Transport Services, who started her career in logistics as an hourly customer service employee 27…

The Supply Side: Retailers bet on brick-and-mortar in 2023

The once-thought-dead mall and brick-and-mortar retailers may see a rebound in traffic this year, but retail insiders say the gap between the winners and losers will also likely widen. Carol…

Tyson confirms 969 jobs to be lost in Van Buren; company pushes automation, faces lawsuits

The news hit like a freight train Monday (March 13) when Tyson Foods quietly announced the closure of its large chicken processing facility in Van Buren – a facility that…

Survey suggests consumers still buying meat despite higher costs

Despite inflation in the food sector, consumers are purchasing more fresh meat than before the COVID-19 pandemic because eating meals at home has become more important for American families, according…

The Supply Side: Retailers continue to push private brand sales

Major retailers have long used private labels to create unique brands, with the average industry share penetration for such brands at 18.2% at the end of 2022, according to Food…

NRF: Retail product import growth to remain muted this year

The National Retail Federation (NRF) said it expects import cargo volume to rebound this month slowly, but overall the gains are expected to be small through mid-summer, according to data…

The Supply Side: Sustainability still in focus despite weaker consumer demand

The Conference Board reported in November that record inflation in energy and food categories was shifting consumer preference toward less pricey alternatives and away from more expensive sustainable products. “Even…