News Briefs

7-Eleven International (7IN) has completed its acquisition of 7-Eleven Australia, adding more than 750 stores to its portfolio. The  companies agreed to the $1.11 billion ($1.71 billion in Australian dollars) deal in November 2023. 

The companies say they identified opportunities to enhance the customer experience in the store by transforming Australia's merchandise and fuel offerings, expanding the product assortment and introducing high-quality fresh foods.

"It is about continuing to grow our store network in Australia and providing unrivaled customer experiences and quality products," Angus McKay, 7-Eleven Australia CEO and managing director, said in a media release. "My team and I are looking forward to taking advantage of 7-Eleven International's deep experience in convenience retailing with the leadership of executive chairman, Shin Abe."

7IN says the acquisition furthers Tokyo-based Seven & i Holdings Co.’s (7&i) commitment to growing globally. (7IN is a joint venture between 7-Eleven Inc. and Seven-Eleven Japan Co., which are owned by 7&i). 7&i will leverage 7-Eleven Australia's nearly 50-year business practices to enhance the 7-Eleven brand.

"We are thrilled to become one team and create stronger synergy with 7-Eleven Australia," Ken Wakabayashi, president and CEO of 7IN, added. "For nearly 50 years, the 7-Eleven Australia team has built the legacy of the brand as a top choice for convenience."

Globally, the 7-Eleven trademark is represented in over 84,000 stores in 20 countries and regions. 7IN master franchises and/or licenses roughly 48,000 stores in 16 countries and regions, including more than 15,000 in the U.S., Canada and Mexico.

Criteo has received its first accreditation by the Media Rating Council (MRC) for display rendered impression and click advertising metrics across desktop, mobile web and mobile in-app environments.

The accreditation evaluated the commerce media company’s onsite sponsored products and onsite display ads on its enterprise retail media platforms, Commerce Max and Commerce Yield. As part of this process, Criteo was evaluated through MRC's guidelines for detecting and filtering General Invalid Traffic (GIVT), which Criteo says validates its impression and click metrics and its ability to provide advertisers with more transparency, according to a media release.

"This accreditation is a significant step forward in the maturation of retail media, and Criteo couldn't be prouder of this accomplishment," Brian Gleason, chief revenue officer at Criteo, said in the release. "An industry-grade seal of approval reinforces our ability to deliver the highest quality, most accurate measurement for our clients to advance their retail media strategies."

The accreditation also included a review of Criteo's GIVT detection for both onsite sponsored products and onsite display ads, which enables advertisers and agencies to flag certain invalid sources.

Criteo says it has spent years building a commerce media strategy for advertisers to connect with consumers throughout their shopping journey. Retail media is one of the fastest-growing sectors in advertising and is expected to garner more than $150 billion in global ad spend by 2026, according to GroupM. 

To earn MRC accreditation, an independent Certified Public Accountants (CPA) firm engaged by the MRC completed an audit of Criteo's systems and processes, which was then reviewed by an audit committee comprised of MRC member representatives, to ensure Criteo's platform meets MRC’s standards. 

GameOn Technology, an artificial intelligence chat platform better known as ON Platform, has unveiled a new strategic retail partnerships with e-commerce brands of various verticals and sizes. 

New clients include Kut from the Kloth, a premium denim brand; Business & Pleasure Co., an outdoor and lifestyle brand; and N+Bikes, a micromobility manufacturer licensed under Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One.

These partnerships highlight ON's experience with luxury and e-commerce brands, which includes engagements with fashion giants The Armani Group and Valentino, according to a media release. As ON expands its reach, it brings its conversational AI chat technology to a broader range of brands. The ON platform addresses the bulk of inbound inquiries, offering an automated AI chat experience designed to accelerate speed-to-resolution through the shopping journey.  

“Partnering with ON marks a significant milestone for Kut from the Kloth as we look to redefine the digital shopping experience," Steve Morales, head of growth at Kut from the Kloth, said in the release. “As I look to drive profitable growth and identify opportunities in the tech stack for efficiency, collaborating with ON is a crucial first step. As a leader, I always look to partner with like-minded companies that are driving innovation. ON enables us to leverage the latest in AI chat technology, ensuring that every interaction our customers have with us online is personalized and engaging in real-time.”

In addition to its three new partners, ON says it is set to launch with more retail brands later this month.

"We welcome these new retail and e-commerce partners into the ON family,” said Richard Cheng, president of ON. “Our AI experiences empower brands to save time and increase revenue, while also providing personalized and engaging interactions with their customers. As we broaden our reach, we are not just transforming the way AI is used by leading retail brands but redefining the standards of customer engagement across industries." 

Headquartered in San Francisco, the ON platform works with a slew of brands, including big names like The Armani Group and growing brands like Manolita and U Beauty, on customer service engagements. It also works with sports teams in the NBA, NFL, NHL and elsewhere, assisting with brand awareness, lead nurturing, ticket purchasing and venue logistics.

DS Smith has launched Shop.able Carriers, a line of recyclable, reusable boxes for supermarkets that replaces plastic shopping bags. 

The boxes are durable and stackable, and were designed and manufactured by sustainable fiber-based packaging company DS Smith using renewable resources, according to a media release. They feature the company’s patented, food-safe, and water-resistant Greencoat coating technology.

Shop.able’s first user is an undisclosed regional U.S. supermarket chain, which is on pace to replace up to 100,000 plastic bags in its first year of selling the boxes in its stores. Supermarkets can create custom branded boxes, as well as incorporate sponsored logos and messaging from other partner brands. 

Individual Shop.able Carrier boxes are priced similarly to reusable plastic totes. DS Smith says each box has the capacity to replace between five-seven plastic bags. Along with having them in checkout retail sales, supermarkets can also use Shop.able Carriers as a loyalty program benefit in online curbside pick-up orders.

“The Shop.able Carrier product line gives consumers the ability to help remove the billions of plastic bags used across the U.S. each year while at the same time delivering convenience and sustainability to consumers’ day-to-day shopping experience,” DS Smith global customer business unit director Steve Cooper, said in the release. “This kind of innovative, sustainable packing solution is what more communities need to stem the tide of hard-to-recycle plastics and move away from single-use plastic bags.”

DS Smith’s North America Packaging and Paper (NAPP) division produces Shop.able Carriers at its U.S. specialty packaging plants. Company designers developed the box product line by reworking industrial packaging solutions NAPP uses in the poultry and produce industries.

The company says the new product comes at a time when many are closely examining the impact single-use plastic has on the environment. 

To date, 18 U.S. states have enacted legislation to ban plastic bags, and major retailers have joined the Beyond the Bag initiative, a group seeking to identify, test and implement viable design solutions and models that more sustainably serve the purpose of the current retail bag.

Menasha Packaging Co. plans to invest $70 million in capital into its Richmond, Indiana, footprint as part of an ongoing U.S. network modernization initiative, according to a media release.

Menasha currently has two locations in Richmond, which will be consolidated and expanded as part of the capital infusion. 

"These investments position our Richmond facility as one of the premier producers of graphic packaging solutions in the U.S., offering best-in-class corrugating, printing and converting technology," Mike Riegsecker, president of Menasha Packaging Co., said in the release. "We are excited about the growth and expansion plans we have in Richmond, and what this means not only for our customers, but for our employees and the community of Richmond."

Menasha is an independent, retail-focused packaging and merchandising solutions provider that designs, prints and produces graphic packaging displays and merchandising products for in-store and online. It comprises a U.S. network of design centers, manufacturing plants, contract packaging and fulfillment service center.

Swiftly, a retail media and technology company, acquired BYBE, a digital promotions platform specializing in the alcohol space, in March.

The move combines BYBE's domain expertise in the alcohol category — including its connections with suppliers, retailers and regulators — with Swiftly's Alcohol Cashback solution, launched in 2023. 

Swiftly says the acquisition will help scale Alcohol Cashback and enable it to reach more consumers with adult beverage offers and rebates, according to a media release.

"The acquisition of BYBE not only expands but also complements Swiftly's award-winning Alcohol Cashback solution,” Henry Kim, co-founder and CEO of Swiftly, said in the release. "The integration of our companies forms a powerful alliance, unlocking new opportunities for retailers and alcohol suppliers. With our combined platforms, customers and partners now have access to an extensive array of tools and solutions, specifically crafted to enhance operational efficiency, elevate customer satisfaction and fuel overall growth."

BYBE's rebate platform will be integrated into Swiftly's product suite. The companies believe BYBE's talent and brand network combined with Swiftly's platform will empower retailers to boost alcohol sales and the expanded distribution will grow alcohol suppliers’ consumer reach.

"Our track record of delivering game-changing innovation while maintaining strict compliance with individual state laws enables us to accelerate Swiftly's vision of creating greater value for retailers and brands alike,” Drew Knight, co-founder of BYBE, added. 

Knight and BYBE co-founder Ryan Moore will join Swiftly's leadership team, with Knight spearheading retailer acquisition and Bev/Alc partnerships as vice president, business development & partnerships. Moore will manage enterprise account relationships as vp, customer success.