General Merchandise

SAN ANTONIO — GMDC and The Retail Gateway on Sunday will showcase the latest virtual connectivity innovation — GMDC365 — that will help bridge the gap between retail buyers and suppliers at the GMDC/FMI Health & Wellness @Retail 2013 conference.

The GMDC365 website helps vendors and buyers connect within their specific categories and retail channels.

SAN ANTONIO — The Health and Wellness @ Retail 2013 kicked off on a strong note as National Geographic Fellow Dan Buettner discussed, during his opening keynote presentation, his findings after traveling the globe to uncover the best strategies for longevity and happiness.

The session, sponsored by Cardinal Health, was titled “Integrating blue zones into communities to improve health outcomes.”

Thursday morning started on a high note as a panel of industry experts from both the retail and manufacturing side of the grocery industry engaged in a discussion on meeting the needs of today’s health-conscious consumer. The PepsiCo-sponsored panel, moderated by Phil Lempert of The Supermarket Guru, comprised of Natalia Menza of Wakefern Food Corp., Kate Rogers of H-E-B, Juli Hermanson of General Mills, Wendy Bazilian of Bazilian, Inc. and Leah McGrath of Ingles Markets.

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. — Bic is bringing something new to the stationery aisle with its Bic Brite Liner Highlighter Tape, the only highlighter tape on the market, according to the company. Available in yellow and pink, the fluorescent tape adds highlights without bleeding through paper and is erasable. Bic Brite Liner Highlighter Tape is available in a one-pack for less than $3 and in a two-pack for less than $5.

SAN ANTONIO — A panel of six consumers of varying backgrounds dished out real insights as to how — and more importantly, why — they shop health and wellness to a packed auditorium of supermarket executives on the opening day of the Health & Wellness @Retail 2013 jointly hosted by the Food Marketing Institute and the Global Market Development Center. Across the panel several common themes were identified. Nutrition labels ought to be simplified, for example, but also be specific.

Yoga products have become a high growth category, and drug store retailers are finding ways to capitalize on the growing trend. "Yoga participation has grown at a 12% compounded annual rate since 2000. There has also been a 10% annual growth rate in revenues related to yoga instruction from 2008 to 2012," said Mary Elisabeth Plowden, principal at Partnership Capital Growth. The investment firm estimated that there are approximately 16 million people in the United States who practice yoga, and at least half that many have indicated they would like to try it.

SAN ANTONIO — During Thursday’s education breakout sessions, Jeremy Doak, director of reward and wellness solutions for Edenred North America, shared with attendees the building blocks to create a strategy for delivering effective programs that impact consumer health-and-wellness outcomes during his presentation titled, “How to encourage consumer participation in health and wellness programs.”

SAN ANTONIO — The Food Marketing Institute Health and Wellness @Retail held in conjunction with the Global Market Development Center HBW Conference kicked off this week with a mission of bringing together retail pharmacy, nutrition, marketing and merchandising professionals with manufacturers and service providers to share insights on how stores can provide a one-stop shopping experience for today’s shoppers.

The new hybrid event is being held May 29 to June 3 at the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country in San Antonio.