Muttered at the Expo: Why Didn’t Toms of Maine Give it to the Kids
Heard on the Floor: The Kids Weren’t Interested When folks weren’t talking about Wal-Mart or the sale of the Body Shop to L’Oreal, they were talking about everybody’s favorite (yes sorry Nature’s Gate) toothpaste and why Tom’s sold to Colgate rather than pass it on to the kids, Matt and his sister. While word on […]
Wal-Mart’s Organic Ambition Shakes Up The Natural Products Expo
Giant Retailer Rattles Some Nerves, Has Others Dreaming of Gold While we didn’t get to talk to any of the Wal-Mart buyers that were at the show and who everyone was looking for, we do know one thing: Wal-Mart was on everywhere lips at the Expo in Anaheim, spoken with trepidation from some, and excitement […]
Burkle and Cerberus Group Move Closer to Wild Oats Purchase Wild Oats Stock Price Rises Again Amidst News
Wild Oats Stock Price Rises Again Amidst News As regular readers of NBN already know, Ron Burkle, the billionaire head of the Yucaipa Investment Group (and former Ralph’s chief) already controls 14.9% of Wild Oats. Sources at the EXPO told NBN this weekend that Burkle has greatly increased his shares of Wild Oats shares in […]
EXPO West: More Zen, Less Muscle Amidst Crowded Show Floor
Back from our 20th Natural Products Expo West NBN survived the endless Disney kitsch amidst an exciting show that featured less muscle in the supplement aisles, lots of talk about Wal-Mart, Toms of Maine and the Body Shoppe sales, claims and counter-claims about bodycare labeling and exciting introductions from lots of big and small players […]
Supervalu’s Sunflower Market Gets Rave Review
Word is out that Supervalu’s first natural and organic format store, Sunflower Market, located in Indianapolis, Indiana is GREAT. One of our sources, an industry executive who prefers to be anonymous, Sunflower’s price points are great, adding that price points seemed to average 15% lower than most frozen and grocery items elsewhere. While not confirmed, […]
Tom of Maine Joins Madge at Colgate Palmolive
Colgate Purchases 84% of Tom’s of Maine for $100 Million. The world’s #1 toothpaste manufacturer, Colgate Palmolive announced an agreement to purchase 84% of natural oral care leader, Tom’s of Maine. The privately held company was founded in 1970, husband and wife team Tom and Kate Chappell will retain 16% owndership after the sale. NBN […]
Trader Joe’s Finally Opens Manhattan Store
Whole Foods Union Square’s New Neighbor Increases NY Competition Almost nine months after announcing that it was opening a Manhattan location, Trader Joe’s finally unveiled its new 12,000 square foot store in the Union Square area, close to a Whole Foods Market 4 times it size, a much smaller Food Emporium and, of course, so […]
People We Love: Nature’s Path
Once upon a time, organic foods weren’t something you bought. You either grew them yourself, or bought them from the old lady down the street. You know, the one with the strong Italian accent, who did things the funny, slow way, and used to tell you how things were better way back when. Arran Stephens, […]
Cheese Burger Served on a Donut Debuts
Thanks to Warren Jones and Leann Ledebuhr at SPINS for forwarding a link to the website of the minor league baseball franchise the Gateway Grizzlies. Seems that in order to pick up ticket sales the team has created some unique items in their concession stands. As my friend notes, and we can’t understand why Americans […]
Wild Oats To Open 10 New Stores in 2006
Ailing Retailer Cites Poor Acquisitions as Reason for Slow Growth According to a story in Forbes, Wild Oats Market expects to open 10 new stores in 2006 and stated that it could open another 450 stores according to a market saturation analysis. Okay folks, another 450 Wild Oats stores. That’s about as likely as yours […]
