Victor A. Marrale Sr., a onetime Tops Markets executive, died Sept. 5 at Mercy Hospital in East Aurora, N.Y., from complications following surgery, according to a published report. Marrale was 87. 

The Buffalo, N.Y., native began his career after high school as a car salesman and by the early '60s had joined the general merchandising division of Williamsville, N.Y.-based Tops Markets. He rose through the ranks to the role of VP and director of general merchandising at the Tops subsidiary G&G Sales and Service, and later became president. Marrale also played a key role in launching Vix Discount Drugstores, another Tops subsidiary, which was named after him. 

He left Tops in 1987 and began his own business, Marrale Marketing, a general merchandising distributor of household goods, toys, and health and beauty items. After his retirement in 1995, he became an active volunteer in his local community and served on his village board. Marrale also served for many years as a deacon at his church.

Survivors include his wife, the former J. Cairn Eastman, a retired nurse practitioner; four sons; two daughters; 11 grandchildren; and several great-grandchildren.

Services were held Saturday, Sept. 10 at Fellowship Wesleyan Church, in West Seneca, N.Y.

Delivery management platform provider Bringg and Uber Direct, the on-demand white-label delivery service from San Francisco-based Uber, have formed a partnership in France giving retailers access to the extensive courier network for last-mile delivery. The collaboration will enable Uber Direct France to expand its ability to connect with more local businesses, leading to faster setup and delivery across the country. Uber will also be better equipped to support its current customers as they scale deliveries to unprecedented levels, ensuring that customers have the critical capabilities of real-time visibility, cost efficiency and flexibility in delivery options.

[Read more: "Uber Takes on Autonomous Food Deliveries With Nuro"]

“Bringg and Uber Direct France working together will be a force to reckon with in the delivery and fulfillment industry,” noted Bastien Pahus, general manager, Uber Eats France, Switzerland and Belgium. “Leveraging Bringg’s market-leading innovation and customer-first outlook will strengthen and grow our market presence in the French market and emphasize the importance of last-mile delivery. Omnichannel merchants who are willing to offer a best-in-class local delivery option to their clients will be able to benefit from this partnership and existing technology integration to access our large courier network with limited development efforts.”

“We are excited about partnering once again with industry giant Uber,” said Guy Bloch, CEO of Chicago-based Bringg, which serves more than 800 customers globally. “Online businesses are waking up to the fact that maximizing efficiencies and lowering delivery costs are critical factors in the customer journey. Retailers must concentrate on delivering the best experience possible, even when the market is unpredictable and competition is fierce. Bringg and Uber Direct France can provide new delivery options to the French market to address these challenges today and in the future.”

Bringg’s open SaaS platform and network of 250-plus delivery providers permits businesses to offer customers any delivery option, whether using internal drivers or external delivery providers, including 3PL, carriers, crowdsourced fleets or independent gig drivers.

Bringg and Uber Direct France will present at the upcoming Paris Retail Week, taking place Sept. 20-22 at the Paris Expo, Porte De Versailles.  

Target Corp. is introducing customers to a first-of-its-kind own brand with the rollout of Future Collective. The retailer will work with a rotating roster of style and cultural influencers to create the clothing line, beginning with former InStyle editor-turned-style expert Kahlana Barfield Brown.

Brown is known for streetwear-inspired looks and unique spins on the classics, and has created “great denim, bodysuits, blazers, jackets and pants that feel classic but versatile,” she said. Brown’s collection is also size inclusive, as all 120 items available in XXS-4X in stores and on Target.com.  

“By co-creating collections with a roster of amazing influencers who have diverse fashion perspectives, Future Collective is an exciting evolution in our owned brand assortment — offering guests more ways to celebrate their individual styles,” said Jill Sando, EVP and chief merchandising officer at Target. “We’re thrilled to have our longtime Target partner Kahlana Barfield Brown help us introduce this first-of-its-kind Target brand that promises to bring guests ongoing inspiration, style and joy — all at an incredible value.”

Two more influencer collections will be available within one year of this launch, the retailer said.

Minneapolis-based Target Corp. is No. 6 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2022 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America, with nearly 2,000 locations.

Amazon Fresh is adding to its stable of stores with the opening of two new locations in the East Coast region. A store in Broomall, Pa., near Philadelphia opened on Sept. 8 and an Amazon Fresh in Chevy Chase, Md., close to the Washington, D.C. metro area, welcomed its first customers on Sept. 1.

The Broomall store at 2924 Springfield Road is the second Amazon Fresh in Pennsylvania and the first to offer frictionless Just Walk Out shopping. The 40,000-square-foot store is open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily and includes competitively priced grocery staples as well as prepared foods and bakery items. Grand opening celebrations continue through the weekend of Sept. 9-11 and feature giveaway, discounts, free samples and children’s activities. 

Amazon Fresh’s site in Chevy Chase – the second such store to open in that city – is located at 8525 Chevy Chase Lake Terrace and spans about 46,000 square feet. Also open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., this one likewise includes Just Walk Out shopping as a convenient service for shoppers. Customers can browse a wide assortment of national brands and fresh produce, meat, seafood and prepared food offerings.  

Amazon Fresh stores accept cash, SNAP/EBT, credit or debit card payment. Customers shopping with Just Walk Out technology can use a credit or debit card, Amazon One, or the in-store QR code in the Amazon app to make their purchases.

With the opening of these two stores, there are now 43 Amazon Fresh locations nationwide. Seattle-based Amazon is No. 2 on The PG 100,  Progressive Grocer’s 2022 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America.

The Raley’s Cos. is now working with DoorDash to offer grocery delivery from more than 117 Raley’s stores across Northern California and Nevada, and over 91 Bashas’ stores throughout Arizona. The on-demand service can also be used at Bel Air, Nob Hill Foods, Raley’s O-N-E Market, Food City and AJ’s Fine Foods banners.

Participating stores will be available on DashPass, DoorDash’s membership program that offers $0 delivery fees from restaurants, grocery and convenience stores nationwide.

DoorDash also recently rolled out delivery service for Southeastern Grocers banners via its white label fulfillment platform DoorDash Drive. The partnership allows customers to order groceries online at the same price as in-store items for delivery within two hours.

With more than 21,000 employees, privately owned and family-run The Raley's Cos. operates 230-plus locations across four states and four Tribal Nations under eight banners: Raley’s, Bel Air, Nob Hill Foods, Raley’s O-N-E Market, Bashas’, Food City, AJ’s Fine Foods and Bashas’ Diné Market. In addition, the company bridges the divide between the physical and digital retail experiences through the operation of Apium Logistics, Fieldera and FieldTRUE. The company is No. 48 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2022 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America.

Family-owned and -operated Stew Leonard’s has launched its newly redesigned website, StewLeonards.com, with new ways to shop. This includes delivery to homes up to a 45-minute drive away from Stew Leonard’s seven farm fresh food store locations.

Stew Leonard’s has stores in Norwalk, Danbury, and Newington, Conn.; East Meadow, Farmingdale and Yonkers, N.Y.; and Paramus, N.J. The relaunch of StewLeonards.com heralds in more than 150 new zip codes that are now eligible for same-day delivery, bringing the total of delivery-eligible zips to 500. Customers placing their orders online for curbside pickup will still have their groceries shopped for by Stew’s team members.

“With the launch of the newly redesigned StewLeonards.com, customers can shop Stew’s in a way that fits their lifestyle best,” said Jake Tavello, VP of stores and a grandson of Stew Leonard’s founder Stew Leonard, Sr.  “Whether they want to place an order for delivery, pick it up curbside, or stop in at the store, Stew Leonard’s legendary customer service and my family’s commitment to freshness are always the same.” 

To get started, customers must create a new login for StewLeonards.com. Once logged in, they can take advantage of seeing their past purchases and rewards, plus create shopping lists from weekly specials, recipes and any other item that’s available in-store. Customers can shop by category, with the ability to sort by product type – such as organic and Stew’s Naked – and will receive personalized product suggestions based on past purchases. Shoppers can also enjoy more videos, recipes and in-depth product descriptions, including profiles of the local farmers, fishermen and ranchers who supply Stew Leonard’s with fresh food.

Norwalk, Conn.-based Stew Leonard’s earned its nickname, the “Disneyland of Dairy Stores,” because of its country-fair atmosphere, with costumed characters and animated entertainment throughout the store that keep children entertained while parents shop.