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Express Checkout #54 - the latest in CPG, Retail, and eComm

Commerce and CPG news from the week of 12/11/2023

Author

Nate Rosen
December 18, 2023

Hello hello!

Welcome to the final newsletter of 2023!!

To close out this year, I want to take a moment to express my gratitude to all of you for being a part of this community this year! Your support and engagement have been invaluable, and I truly appreciate each and every one of you.

As we look ahead to 2024, I am excited to continue providing you with valuable insights, news, and interesting reads. If you could fill out this quick survey it would be much appreciated!

Also, 2024 sponsorship spots are open for Express Checkout please reach out here or email me! 🙂

My friend Joe is offering a free pilot of his word of mouth product, The Rave.  They can identify every creator who has bought one of your products, and automate outreach to bring them on as ambassadors of your brand…kinda cool, no?

They also have a $0/mo post-purchase application that turns every customer into a paid affiliate, with a 10%+ conversion rate.

If interested in scoping out, book a meeting with Joe here (he’s a good guy to know!)

Looking for a last minute gift, check out Couplet Coffee! If you use my link (powered by The Rave) you get 15% off!

Make sure to pick up the The Mooka pot and a bag of Joe. I love this thing and their coffee!! 🐄 ☕️ 

Attn Chicago peeps! my good friend Jess Cervellon is hosting a Ugly Sweater holiday party tomorrow, December 19th! RSVP HERE!!

(If you’re reading this email in gmail it might get clipped! You can always view full issues here.)

🔥 Big News - 10 items or less 🔥

  • Always bet on coffee - Chobani has acquired La Colombe for $900 million. La Colombe, known for its RTD coffee products and cafes, will continue to operate as an independent brand under Chobani. (source)

  • Is Amazon a monopoly? - E-commerce retailer Zulily has filed a lawsuit against Amazon, accusing the company of price fixing, monopolizing the online market, and engaging in bullying behavior. Zulily also alleges that Amazon engaged in price-fixing schemes with wholesale suppliers and third-party retailers. The lawsuit comes shortly after Zulily announced layoffs and signaled its intention to go out of business. (source)

  • Etsy layoffs - Etsy will be reducing its workforce, resulting in the departure of approximately 225 team members, which accounts for about 11% of the total workforce. (source)

  • Pass the Courvoisier - Italy's Campari Group has agreed to acquire Courvoisier Cognac from Beam Suntory for $1.32 billion, making it the largest deal in Campari Group's history. (source)

🗞️ News from the week (12/11/23 - 12/17/23)

🛍 Retail

  • Global retailer UNIQLO plans to double its expansion in North America in 2024, with over 20 new stores opening in the U.S. and Canada. The brand aims to reach its milestone of 200 stores in North America by 2027. (source)

  • GE Appliances has announced a new integration with Kroger for select WiFi-connected wall ovens and ranges. This update allows consumers to discover recipes, shop for ingredients, and cook directly from their appliance's LCD screen. (source)

🛒 CPG & Consumer Goods

  • Selena Gomez's Rare Beauty has expanded into the scented body care category with the introduction of the Find Comfort Body Collection. (source)

  • Sephora North America has announced the 8 BIPOC brand founders who will join its 2024 Accelerate program. The program supports emerging beauty businesses by offering mentorship, merchandising support, grants, and investor connections. (source)

    • The brands in the 2024 Sephora Accelerate Cohort are:

      • banuskin: Offers a range of products formulated for acne-prone skin.

      • Sienna Naturals: Provides clinically-proven, clean products for textured hair consumers.

      • ABI AMÉ: Creates problem-solving skincare for the body.

      • indē wild: Combines 5000+-year-old Ayurvedic superfood ingredients with modern chemistry.

      • Katini Skin: Offers powerful and high-quality facial oils inspired by cultural heritage.

      • Harlem Perfume Co.: A luxurious, fine fragrance brand inspired by Harlem and jazz.

      • MAED Beauty: Provides decadent lipcare for daily wear.

      • Soft Rows: A culturally-inclusive beauty brand that celebrates texture-rich hair.

  • Mejuri has launched lab-grown diamonds. The company also announced plans to open 50 stores by the end of 2024 and expand into new product lines. (source)

  • Ben & Jerry's ice cream processing workers at the Waterbury, Vermont plant have decided to unionize with the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union. (source)

  • Doritos and Empirical have collaborated to create the Empirical x Doritos Nacho Cheese Spirit, a limited-release distilled spirit that captures the iconic flavor of Doritos Nacho Cheese Chips. Yes, this is very very real. (source)

oh yeah, baby

  • Empirical (same one that collabed with Doritos), an experimental spirits company, has filed for bankruptcy for its Danish operations. However, the founders assure that the business in the U.S. and globally will not be affected. (source)

  • Quaker Oats has issued a voluntary recall of certain granola bar and granola cereal products due to potential contamination with Salmonella bacteria. (source)

  • OWYN and Brittany Mahomes have committed to a six-figure matching donation to FARE (Food Allergy Research & Education). This contribution kicks off FARE's "I Can" Campaign and invites the public to join them in contributing to the cause. (source)

  • Konscious Foods, a plant-based sushi brand, is expanding its foodservice offerings across North America in 2024. The brand offers a variety of chef-crafted plant-based products, including sushi, poke bowls, and onigiri. (source)

💻️ eCommerce

  • eBay is launching a limited-time mobile consignment concierge called Luxe Line, which allows people to sell their luxury accessories and shop for new ones. The Luxe Line is a branded bus that will visit multiple locations on the West Coast, allowing visitors to have their designer handbags appraised, photographed, and consigned by eBay's team of selling experts. The Luxe Line also features a curated collection from fashion designer Jenna Lyons' closet. (source)

  • E-commerce and fintech company Bolt has confirmed another round of layoffs, with 29% of its staff being let go. (source)

🏭 Supply Chain

  • Delivery truck maker Morgan Olson will lay off a total of 908 workers from its plants in Michigan, Tennessee, and Virginia. The layoffs are due to delayed vehicle purchase orders from major parcel delivery companies. (source)

  • Nestlé has agreed with ocean carriers A.P. Moller — Maersk, CMA CGM, and Hapag-Lloyd to ship half of its 2023 global shipping needs using lower-emission fueled vessels. (source)

  • DHL Express workers represented by the Teamsters union have gone on strike at multiple locations in the US in solidarity with ramp workers who went on strike at the company's airhub in Cincinnati. (source)

  • Gatik AI and Kroger have successfully launched their multi-year commercial collaboration, using autonomous box trucks to transport products from Kroger's Customer Fulfillment Center in Dallas to retail locations. (source)

  • CVS Health has sold a distribution center in Alabama for $22 million. The 440,000-square-foot property was closed in May and was sold to Duff Real Estate LLC. (source)

  • Google-owned drone delivery company Wing is set to open a 2nd Walmart location in the Dallas area. The company has already made over 350,000 deliveries in the US and other countries. (source)

💸 Funding news

  • Unified Commerce Group has acquired a majority stake in Spiritual Gangster, an athleisure brand based in Los Angeles. The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. (source)

  • Period care brand The Flex Co. has acquired sex education platform Allbodies Health. (source)

  • Qogita, a wholesale marketplace for retailers in the health and beauty sectors, has raised $86 million in a Series B round led by Dawn Capital. Qogita aims to provide an all-in-one platform for SME e-commerce retailers, similar to Faire.com and Ankorstore. Qogita has raised a total of $137 million to date. (source)

  • LA-based RTD alcohol brand Jiant has closed a $6 million Series A funding round led by Natureza Growth Partners. (source)

  • Makeup brand Subtl has raised $5.5 million in series A funding. The brand is known for its stackable products that cater to time-pressed women who want to do their makeup on the go. (source)

  • Bain Capital Private Equity has acquired a large stake in 1440 Foods, a health-oriented solution company based in New York. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. (source)

  • Louise Fritjofsson, founder of Martie, an online discount grocery store, has raised $7 million in funding. The funding round was led by Upfront Ventures with participation from Day One Ventures. (source)

🧐 Interesting reads

💡 Data, reports, and trends

😋 Brands and things I’ve tried this week

I fucking love hot cocoa and Willa’s Oat Milk sent over an amazing hot cocoa kit in partnership with Raka chocolate! So excited for a chilly day to dig into this.

Thanks for reading! If you have any suggestions, feedback, or stories I missed, let me know!

Nate :)

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