September 9, 2025
- Walmart indicated it will be opening its first stores in South Africa by the end of 2026. Official opening dates for the locations are to be announced in October (via Reuters).
- Uber Eats is bringing Sephora to its platform, marking the first major beauty retailer to sign on with the delivery service (via Chain Store Age).
- PacSun announced the creation of a Youth Advisory Council comprised of influential Gen Z and Gen Alpha notables who will meet with executives in order to aid product ideation, among other duties (via Forbes).
- Ace Hardware is partnering with DoorDash to allow for delivery of its products, representing the first hardware retailer to sign up with the delivery app (via Chain Store Age).
- Girl Scouts of the USA announced a new cookie, Exploremores, in a “rocky road”-inspired flavor (via CNN Business).
- Ralph Lauren is joining the AI rush, launching its Ask Ralph customer service framework to serve customers. The AI agent is capable of providing a shoppable experience to users, with complete wardrobe laydowns on offer (via Chain Store Age).
- Ben & Jerry’s cofounders Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield wrote an open letter requesting the company be spun off from Unilever, arguing that Unilever had eroded the social mission envisioned for the brand. Cohen and Greenfield sold Ben & Jerry’s to Unilever in 2000 (via CNN Business).