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I Heart Mac & Cheese Makes 2 Key Hires in Operations and Marketing

by Katie Lee

Boca Raton, Fla. — I Heart Mac & Cheese has hired Angelo Freites as vice president of franchise operations and Rafael Romero as director of marketing. Freites has 40 years of experience in the franchise industry, previously as a franchisee of Wendy’s and Checkers. Romero joins the company from YUM! International (KFC) and Wendy’s International as brand strategist and marketing director across Latin America and the Caribbean. “I am so pleased to have such top industry veterans as Angelo Freites and Rafael Romero join the I Heart team,” says Steve …

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Arhaus Continues West Coast Expansion with New Showroom in California

by Katie Lee

Boston Heights, Ohio — Arhaus, a leader in artisan-crafted furniture and home décor, has opened a new 15,411-square-foot showroom at The Beacon La Costa in Carlsbad, Calif., as part of its continued West Coast expansion. Situated along the coast 35 miles north of San Diego, the Carlsbad showroom opened on June 14 and marks the brand’s 12th location in California, and 6th to open within the past year. Other nearby locations include Newport Beach and San Diego. Founded in 1986, Arhaus is a rapidly growing lifestyle brand and omnichannel retailer …

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LG and ChargePoint Team Up to Innovate EV Charging

by Katie Lee

Campbell, Calif. — ChargePoint, a leading provider of networked charging solutions for electric vehicles (EVs), and global innovator LG Electronics (LG) have formed a strategic partnership to leverage their respective strengths for future innovations in EV charging. LG’s U.S.-made EV chargers are UL-certified for charging stability and ENERGY STAR® certified for efficiency. These chargers will be paired with ChargePoint’s cloud software. The first output of this relationship will be commercial charging solutions that encompass ChargePoint’s charger management software and LG’s EV charging hardware, with deliveries expected to begin later this …

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Bojangles Names New VP of Business Insights and Analytics

by Katie Lee

Charlotte, N.C. — Bojangles, known for its iconic Southern food, has promoted Nick Swanson as the new vice president of business insights and analytics. In addition to experience with Bojangles, Swanson has a wealth of knowledge in leveraging consumer insights and data-driven decision-making to foster growth among notable brands in retail and consumer packaged goods. Since joining Bojangles in 2019, Swanson has been instrumental in fostering a strong data-driven culture within the company. His efforts have accelerated growth in both existing and new markets by closely partnering with marketing, operations, …

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Newspeopleretailers

Blain’s Farm & Fleet Names New President & CEO; Chief Stores Officer

by Katie Lee

Janesville, Wis. — Blain’s Farm & Fleet® has promoted Mark Hasting to chief executive officer and president. Kim Treece will be promoted to chief stores officer. Jane Blain Gilbertson will take on a new role as executive chair of the board and will remain the sole owner of Blain’s Farm & Fleet and Blain Supply, Inc. The transition will take place over the next several months and will be complete in September. “This succession plan was put into place 4 years ago when we hired Mark to join our company …

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Nothing Bundt Cakes Marks 600th-Bakery Milestone

by Katie Lee

Dallas — Nothing Bundt Cakes, famous for its handcrafted Bundt Cakes, Bundtlets and Bundtinis®, is celebrating the opening of its 600th bakery, located in Tampa, Fla., as the brand continues its strategic expansion. The brand has ambitious plans to open its 1,000th location by 2027. The Dallas-based company has grown into the nation’s largest specialty cake company, with locations throughout more than 40 states and Canada. Nothing Bundt Cakes opened 84 bakeries in 2023. Its 600th bakery is the 41st new location so far in 2024. The brand is on …

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New Ahold Delhaize USA Partnership Pilot to Decrease Emissions Across Value Chain

by Katie Lee

Salisbury, N.C. — Leading grocery retail group Ahold Delhaize USA has formed a partnership with global snacking leader Kellanova (formerly Kellogg Company) and North American agribusiness, Bartlett, to reduce Scope 3 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from wheat farming across the value chain. This collaboration aims to decrease Scope 3 emissions, improving farm and supply chain resiliency. The pilot program, which is expected to kick off this summer, will leverage financial investments from Ahold Delhaize USA, Kellanova and Bartlett to support the adoption of regenerative agricultural practices among wheat farmers in …

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Netflix House to Open First Texas Location at Galleria Dallas

by Katie Lee

Dallas — Galleria Dallas, a 1.9 million-square-foot shopping center managed by Trademark Property Group, will have a new anchor in fall 2025: a hotly anticipated entertainment venue called Netflix House. This will be the first Netflix House in Texas, and only one of two to be announced in the United States. Netflix House will be a permanent experiential venue featuring Netflix stories and characters beyond the screen year-round. Netflix House will offer regularly updated immersive experiences, Netflix related retail merchandise and unique, Netflix-inspired food and drink offerings. “Welcoming Netflix House …

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JOANN Names New Interim CEO

by Katie Lee

Hudson, Ohio — JOANN, the nation’s category leader in fabric and sewing and one of the fastest growing competitors in the arts and crafts industry, has appointed Michael Prendergast, a managing director in Alvarez & Marsal’s Consumer and Retail Group, as acting chief executive officer of JOANN. Prendergast is an experienced executive who has helped companies transform successfully and has served as an interim leader for other retailers. Chris DiTullio and Scott Sekella, who served as co-leads of the interim office of the CEO since May 2023 and led JOANN …

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CKE Restaurants Appoints First Chief Technology & Growth Officer

by Katie Lee

Franklin, Tenn. — CKE Restaurants Holdings, Inc. (CKE), parent company of Carl’s Jr.® and Hardee’s®, has appointed Justin Falciola as chief technology & growth officer for both brands. He joins CKE from Papa Johns. In this new role, Falciola will align business goals with information technology, digital strategy and operations, as well as guide the implementation of new technologies and support the digital evolution of loyalty, first-party and third-party digital channels. “We are excited to welcome Justin to the organization,” says Max Wetzel, CEO of CKE. “As technology continues to …

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