"Michelle Obama and Walmart: A Match Made in PR Heaven" by Matt Brownell at Daily Finance.  "The First Lady was effusive in her praise for the retailer, calling the commitment "historic" and saying that Walmart (WMT) was "setting a groundbreaking example for the private sector to follow."  Anthony Bianco, a critic of Walmart and the author of "The Bully of Bentonville: How the High Cost of Everyday Low Prices Is Hurting America," says it's unlikely that the retailer is wooing Michelle Obama as a means of getting in the administration's good graces. But the First Lady's seal of approval [...]

  "Supervalu to sell Albertsons stores" at MSNBC vis Lisa Liddane at Orange County Register.  "Supervalu Inc. announced Thursday that it will sell its Albertsons supermarkets and related in-store pharmacies as part of a broader divestment of five grocery chains to an investment group led by New York-based Cerberus Capital Management...The new sale will reunite and place under one banner Albertsons stores under Supervalu with the Albertsons Market stores under Albertson's LLC, which has been owned by the Cerberus-led consortium for five years. Read more:  https://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/50428593/ns/local_news-orange_county_ca/t/supervalu-sell-albertsons-stores/#.UPk_bCdEHX4   "Consumer Reports: Clark+Kensington Takes Top Spot In Tests Of Interior Paints"  "In Consumer [...]

   "Will Wal-Mart Sell Your Small Business Health Insurance?" by Bill Tozzi at Bloomberg Businessweek.  "Will Wal-Mart Stores soon be selling health insurance to small businesses? A report published Friday in the Orlando Business Journal quoted a Wal-Mart vice president saying the world’s largest retailer was exploring plans to work with insurers to sell low-cost coverage to small businesses: “It would allow small employers to piggyback [on] Wal-Mart,” Marcus Osborne, vice president for health and wellness payer relations at Wal-Mart Stores] said. “We haven’t got it all figured out, but it’s one of the things we’re looking at.”  Read more: https://www.businessweek.com/articles/2013-01-16/will-wal-mart-sell-your-small-business-health-insurance [...]

   "Walmart to Boost Sourcing of U.S. Products by $50 Billion Over the Next 10 Years."  "Walmart today announced bold commitments to increase domestic sourcing of the products it sells...Speaking at the National Retail Federation's annual BIG Show, Walmart U.S. President and CEO Bill Simon also announced the company is helping part-time associates who want to be full time, make that transition...On domestic sourcing, Walmart and Sam's Club will buy an additional $50 billion in U.S. products over the next 10 years. The company will grow U.S. manufacturing on two fronts: by increasing what it already buys here – in [...]

  "Amazon leader Bezos honored by unlikely bunch" by Amy Martinez at Seattle-Times.  "Amazon.com founder and Chief Executive Jeff Bezos has received his share of business awards lately. Fortune magazine named him its 2012 "Businessperson of the Year." Harvard Business Review ranks him as the No. 1 living CEO.  Now comes the National Retail Federation and its so-called Gold Award.  The trade group's selection of Bezos as retailer of the year may be the most surprising one yet when you consider the fierce rivalry between Amazon and the organization's brick-and-mortar base."  Read more:  https://seattletimes.com/html/businesstechnology/2020128023_amazon14.html   "Wal-Mart plans to hire 100,000 [...]

  Happening Now:  The National Retail Federation (NRF) kicks off its 102nd annual Convention and Expo in NYC @ Jacob Javits Convention Center, January 13-16.  We'll be reporting on highlights all week.  Read more:  https://events.nrf.com/annual2013/public/MainHall.aspx?ID=13380&sortMenu=101000    "Retailers gather for industry’s ‘mini Davos’ " by Andria Cheng at Market Watch.  "The retail industry’s biggest brainstorming session has begun.  A record 27,000-plus attendees are congregating for a four-day convention where they’re shopping for technology, exchanging ideas and listening in on 100 educational sessions and keynote speeches. The conference, hosted by the National Retail Federation, features speakers including Walmart U.S. CEO Bill Simon [...]