Gene Munster, Managing Partner at Loup Ventures, discusses his prediction that Amazon will acquire Target in 2018 in an expansion of its brick and mortar business.
What does Target have that Amazon wants? He notes that Target appeals to the mothers and children that Amazon does not have a full grasp on yet. He also talks Amazon's desire to expand its retail footprint. We talk about some of the language around brick & mortar and the shift to retail. Munster adds that the future of retail is not strictly online - in 15 years, consumers will still want to make a grocery run.
Munster also discusses what will happen with Target locations if the buyout occurs. Will they all continue to be Target retailers or will Amazon use some of the spaces for warehouses, etc? The same question remains when it comes to Whole Foods locations.
Nestlé has dismissed its CEO Laurent Freixe after an investigation into an undisclosed relationship with a direct subordinate. The company announced on Monday that the dismissal was effective immediately. An investigation found that Freixe violated Nestlé’s code of conduct. He had been CEO for a year. Philipp Navratil, a longtime Nestlé executive, will replace him. Chairman Paul Bulcke stated that the decision was necessary to uphold the company’s values and governance. Navratil began his career with Nestlé in 2001 and has held various roles, including CEO of Nestlé's Nespresso division since 2024.
Kraft Heinz is splitting into two companies a decade after they joined in a massive merger that created one of the biggest food companies on the planet. One of the companies will include brands such as Heinz, Philadelphia cream cheese and Kraft Mac & Cheese. The other will include brands like Oscar Mayer, Kraft Singles and Lunchables. When the company formed in 2015 it wanted to capitalize on its massive scale, but shifting tastes complicated those plans, with households seeking to introduce healthier options at the table. Kraft Heinz's net revenue has fallen every year since 2020.
About 780,000 pressure washers sold at retailers like Home Depot are being recalled across the U.S. and Canada, due to a projectile hazard that has resulted in fractures and other injuries among some consumers.
