TCP Weekly Consumer News Roundup January 14, 2025
Traub Capital Partners
Strategic Private Equity firm specializing in building value in consumer companies using its cross-functional expertise
This week, JCPenney merges with SPARC Group LLC to form Catalyst Brands , brands are seeing an influx of traffic from ChatGPT and 谷歌 Gemini, and more.
MACRO
Hiring Blew Past Expectations With 256,000 Jobs Added in December
Employment growth is stronger than expected, with data putting Fed’s further rate cuts in doubt. WSJ
?
US consumer inflation expectations soar in January on tariff fears
U.S. consumers expect inflation to increase over the next 12 months and beyond, likely reflecting concerns that broad tariffs on imports pledged by President-elect Donald Trump's incoming administration could raise prices for households. Reuters
M&A and INVESTMENTS
CPG
Target grows grocery as part of 2K wellness assortment expansion
塔吉特百货 's new items, more than half of which will cost less than $10, include 250 additions to its Good & Gather line and actor Tom Holland’s non-alcoholic beer brand. Grocery Dive
Hershey names new executives to oversee confection, salty snacks
Andrew Archambault, from Keurig Dr Pepper, will oversee The Hershey Company 's sweets business, while company veteran Veronica Villasenor will run brands like Dot's Pretzels and SkinnyPop Popcorn . This news comes after the announcement that CEO Michele Buck will step down. Food Dive
The Drink That Instagram Built
Amid increasing competition within the nonalcoholic market, Los Angeles-based Ghia has been able to stand out by creating a product that’s viewed as not only unique but also simply hip. Bloomberg
?
Pressed Juicery launches at Target to grow its presence in mass retail?
Pressed Juicery is pushing for a mass retail expansion this year, starting with an exclusive half-day cleanse package sold at 塔吉特百货 . Modern Retail
?
Millennials and Gen Z are falling hard for stuffed animals
The soft sell is working for toymakers. The global plushie market, worth almost $12bn in 2023, is expected to grow at an annual rate of 8% until 2030. The Economist
RETAIL
Retail Is Fashionable With Property Investors Again, but Only the Unflashy Kind
More people than ever are running errands at their neighborhood shopping center. Supply of this type of property is surprisingly scarce. WSJ
?
How Walmart Is Gearing Up to Challenge Amazon in 2025
The brick-and-mortar giant 沃尔玛 has been revamping its approach and the pieces are all starting to come together, said CEO Doug McMillon. WWD
?
Legacy mall apparel retailers are hoping for a comeback in 2025
Apparel brands that were popular two decades ago are readying for a comeback in 2025. Modern Retail
?
RH Defies Furniture Market Downturn And Promises 2025 Will Be Bigger, Better
Coming off third quarter with revenues up 8% and market share gains, RH will move aggressively in 2025 to shore up its leadership in the home furnishings market. Forbes
?
Best Buy is launching a new third-party marketplace this year. It’s bigger than just electronics
百思买 plans to launch a new third-party marketplace in the U.S. in mid-2025, and the opportunity to sell on the platform is gaining attention from brands, even those outside of consumer electronics. Modern Retail
?
Macy’s Is Closing 66 Stores in 2025?
The downsizing plan calls for shuttering a total of about 150 Macy's sites through 2026, including mostly department stores and a handful of home and Backstage off-price stores. WWD
领英推荐
?
Retailers post early holiday results — and Wall Street isn’t impressed
lululemon , Abercrombie & Fitch Co. and American Eagle Outfitters Inc. all hiked their holiday guidance, but Abercrombie's growth is slowing. CNBC
?
Kohl’s announces store closures
The struggling department store Kohl's said 27 locations will shutter by April and an e-commerce fulfillment center will close when its lease expires in May. Retail Dive
Ulta Beauty Partners with Instacart
The beauty retailer Ulta Beauty is now available for delivery in as fast as an hour from more than 1,400 stores via the grocery technology company Instacart . Happi
?
JCPenney Merges with Aéropostale Owner to Form Catalyst Brands
Merger brings JCPenney ’s brands under same umbrella as SPARC Group LLC ’s portfolio, which also includes Eddie Bauer , Lucky Brand and Nautica . WSJ
MEDIA & TECH
What Happens When TikTok’s Trend Machine Shuts Down?
Facing a looming ban, brands and creators must contemplate the internet without its most important cultural production engine. Bloomberg
?
TikTok Shop rival Whatnot nears $5B valuation mark in under 6 years
Whatnot , an online marketplace and livestream shopping platform, has hit a $4.97 billion valuation—a 34% jump from 2022, and a remarkable price tag for a six-year-old company. PitchBook
?
Sports Streaming Service From Media Giants Ends Before It Starts
Venu Sports , a joint venture among 华特迪士尼公司 , Fox Corporation and Warner Bros. Discovery , was announced to great fanfare last year but was discontinued before it ever became available. NYT
?
Brands are seeing an influx of traffic from ChatGPT and Google Gemini
DTC brands are grappling with how best to harness the traffic coming from AI chat tools like ChatGPT and Google Gemini. Modern Retail
RESTAURANTS & HOSPITALITY
How Paris Baguette is bringing back the neighborhood bakery
Paris Baguette North America , which offers fresh-baked goodies, drinks and cakes, signed over 160 franchise deals in 2024 and aims to sign another 200 this year. Restaurant Dive
?
Shake Shack Aims to Add Hundreds of Burger Shops
New York City-based Shake Shack aims to have more than 1,500 U.S. locations in the future, up from a goal of 450 when the company completed its initial public offering in 2015. The chain now owns 330 U.S. locations. WSJ
?
Chuck E. Cheese makes a comeback, with trampolines and a subscription program
Four years after exiting bankruptcy, Chuck E. Cheese is making a comeback, thanks to a dramatic makeover to introduce its games and pizza to a new generation. CNBC
?
Krispy Kreme promotes 4 executives as part of expansion push
Krispy Kreme 's appointments include a new chief operating officer, chief growth officer, president of international and chief product officer. Restaurant Dive
CULTURE/ GOOD READS