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Target's 'InsideOut'
customer campaign
“Great design is about how
we resonate with our guests’
Resurgent US retail leader Target has launched a new brand campaign,'Inside Out' focused on its customers.."We’re putting guests at the center and using something as familiar as our shopping bag to tell those stories in a fresh, joyful way.” Early results of a turnaround plan launched in March show the effort gaining traction. Full story here, first....
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Cintas maintains
growth momentum
Uniform, Health & Safety
Services revenues resilient
Cintas the $11Bn workwear and safety services specialist, maintained powerful sales growth in Q1'27. We analyse ceo Todd Schneider's plans to accelerate its strategy inc the Unifirst acquisition: "These results demonstrate the strength of our business model and our ability to help customers operate their facilities in a clean, safe and professional manner".Full report analysis here, first
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MillerKnoll: Hybrid
office growth slows
Prices hide -40% volume fall
v'19. Global retail improving
Miller Knoll the recently relegated #2 US furnituremaker, maintained its focus on hybrid offices, but with limited success. Can interim CEO Jeff Stutz be more transparent than his predecessor? He said "We delivered strong earnings, above expectations, reflecting solid execution" Really profits were down, yet GP was +3.2%/points from price hikes? Full report analysis here, first
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Amazon mandates
Meta's Muse agent
"Need to ensure safe, secure,
reliable customer experience"
Amazon asked to be removed from Meta’s new Muse AI agent experience, the e-commerce giant said "The agent was launched and can make purchases on behalf of users. We were not given advance notice it would access our webstore". Ironic that Amazon has been accused of doing exactly the same thing with other webstores!? Full story here, first....
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Böttcher blocks
expansion plans
Huge U-turn for self styled,
fast growth proclaimer
German €1Bn sales business supplier Böttcher has abandoned plans to expand into the Austrian market, saying the cost and regulatory burden no longer makes sense. Udo Böttcher ceo/founder, said "Another market can bring compliance costs before additional sales generate a return". Very strange admission? Full story here, first...
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Antalis acquisition
Roll up reaches 14
Owner KPP funded program
deflects organic sales decline
European paper and packaging €4Bn in sales wholesaler Antalis has acquired the assets of UK distributor Ovenden Papers from its administrators. Since Japan's KPP acquired Antalis in 2020 it has made 14 acquisitions, which deflected from the serious annual double digit organic sales declines. Full story here, first...
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BOSS/Gfk study
beyond parody?
OP Industry needs growth
support not graveyard data
The BOSS/Gfk Panelmarket report is out tracking product categories in the Office & Stationery sector. This micromarket data appears to completely ignore that the macro market is down over -50% since 2019. 'Fiddling while the home burns' is an obvious observation? What members want is more market analysis of the huge opportunities in broadline business supply. Full story here, first...updated
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Motion to move on
Genuine separation
Ex-Grainger exec to lead NAPA
as activist Elliott drives split
Genuine Parts ex owner of SPRichards announced plans to split up its NAPA automotive and Motion industrial supply businesses in February. NAPA will be led by former Grainger executive Court Carruthers, who joined the board last year as part of a settlement with activist investor Elliott Investment Management. Full story here, first ...
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Imperial Brady's
Tillis talks straight
ISSA interview on history,
vision,culture+growth plan
ISSA's media chief Jeff Cross just interviewed Imperial Brady's ceo Jason Tillis. We listened in to the history of the growth of Imperial, the merger with Brady last year and Jason's vision, culture, values and goals for the $10Bn in sales and 13,000 employees, organisation. We discuss what was covered and what was not mentioned in a fascinating 'Straight Talk'. Full analysis here, first,....complete
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The Hopeless Half
source 'Holesaler?
Strategic v Vulture ownership
commitment decides success
Over the last 10yrs the number of broadline business supply wholesalers has diminished in support and commitment to the reseller channel e.g. Essendant, SPR (pre-CNG) in the US; Spicers and Exertis in the UK. As a result the reseller population has collapsed. Looking forward what to expect? Will the vulture owned VOW survive? Will CNG inspire SPR mk2? Full story here, first...complete
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ExaClaire explains
continued decline
Paper and Stationery maker
reports parallel market drop
Exacompta Clairefontaine the French based paper and stationery maker reported disappointing H1'26 results. Secular market decline and poor 'back to school' demand exacerbated its future survival. Can Francois Nusse turn around the -20% decline since 2020? Full story here, first...
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