Grocers Fear Digital is Eroding Customer Loyalty

| Mike O'Brien

Grocers are increasingly concerned with the impact of the digital age on customer loyalty, as options have proliferated and made it easier for shoppers to cross over to competitors, according to a new report from Incisiv, The Food Industry Association (FMI) and Loyal Guru. About 75% of grocers said e-grocery has made shoppers less loyal, while 71% report that improving loyalty is a C-level issue.

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Casper Goes Private, CEO Steps Down as High Flyer Sinks

| Mike O'Brien

Casper Sleep, the once high-flying DTC mattress-in-a-box company whose star descended as profits shrank despite brisk pandemic-era sales, is going private in an acquisition by Durational Capital Management for about a quarter of its $1.1 billion valuation when it went public in February 2020.

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ModCloth Acquired by Nogin from Go Global

| Mike O'Brien

Nogin, a company that helps brands improve their performance by providing a host of outsourced services, is doing its first acquisition with ModCloth, a year and a half after it was acquired by retail investment firm Go Global from Walmart. Terms were not disclosed. Nogin’s CEO said the company is looking to do more brand acquisitions.

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Michaels To Be Acquired, Taken Private in $5B Deal

| Mike O'Brien

Michaels, the Dallas-based retail chain known for supplying do-it-yourself crafters for more than 45 years, is once again being acquired by a private equity firm after a seven-year run as a public company and an impressive valuation run in a very difficult year for the industry.

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Frank and Oak First Acquisition of New Retail Investment Group

| Mike O'Brien

A former Macy’s executive and a Wall Street veteran have teamed up to start a retail acquisition and advisory group that’s looking to build up a stable of purpose-driven brands it can help scale and grow globally. The group launched with the acquisition of distressed Canadian apparel brand Frank and Oak, which closed on Oct. 8.

Simon Property, Authentic Brands Make $305M Bid for Brooks Brothers

| Mike O'Brien

A partnership between mall giant Simon Property Group and apparel licensing firm Authentic Brands has made a $305 million bid to acquire the assets and intellectual property of Brooks Brothers out of bankruptcy court, according to various media reports. The partnership, named Sparc LLC, plans to keep at least 125 stores open.

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Spate of Four Acquisitions in Operations and Fulfillment

| Mike O'Brien

This was a busy M&A week among operations and fulfillment vendors. FOG Software Group acquired shipping software firm ProShip from Quadient; Hy Tek Material Handling acquired Johnson Stevens Consulting; Dematic acquired Digital Applications International Ltd; and Aptean acquired TMS firm Paragon Software Systems.

FTC Sues to Block Schick Owner from Acquiring Harry’s

| Douglas P. Clement

The Federal Trade Commission is suing to block the $1.37B acquisition of affordable razor brand Harry’s Inc. by Schick owner Edgewell Personal Care. The FTC complaint alleges the acquisition would eliminate one of the most important competitive forces in the shaving industry. Edgewell and Harry’s say consumers would not be harmed.

Advance Auto Parts Buying DieHard Brand from Sears for $200 Million

| Mike O'Brien

Another Sears brand is being peeled off as Advance Auto Parts will acquire the DieHard brand and its popular, iconic battery line from Sears’ parent company for $200 million, providing a much-needed cash infusion, according to CNBC. This follows acquisitions of Craftsmen and Sears Hometown brands.