General Merchandise

IRVINGTON, N.Y. — Prestige Brands closed out its fiscal 2012 ended March 31 on a high note with $441.1 million in revenues for the year, up 31.1%. And fiscal 2013 is looking promising as the company will have full-year contributions from its 17 acquired over-the-counter brands from GlaxoSmithKline.

GLENDALE, Calif. — A line of insulated can covers is taking a provocative turn.

Boobzie is a line of coozies shaped like the female body. A novelty yet functional item, the Boobzie made its debut via the Boobzie online store and will be expanding to a number of retailers later this year.

Boobzies are retail priced under $10. More information can be found at Boobzie.com. 

Marshal Cohen, chief industry analyst at the NPD Group said that back-to-college has become a big opportunity for retailers, and everybody wants part of the business. Last year, families spent an average of $800 on back-to-college products.


LOS ANGELES — A leader in mosquito repelling solutions now is selling its products worldwide.

For niche brands, getting a foot in the door of mass market retail is no easy feat, and the stakes remain high as retailers have, in recent years, trimmed SKU counts and grown increasingly risk-adverse.

TAMPA, Fla. — Sam's Club has signed a deal with Triad Retail Media to provide pet care information on its website, Triad said Wednesday.

At first blush, there appears to be nothing special about Dollar General’s first Southern California store in the suburb of Montclair. It occupies about 7,500 sq. ft. of space in an aging strip center, and a small banner hung on the exterior beckons to passing motorists and pedestrians, “Now Open.” Inside, more signs explain the bare-bones merchandising of familiar brands to shoppers unfamiliar with the Dollar General value proposition.

SHELTON, Conn. — Bic Consumer Products USA’s new FlameDisk offers consumers a convenient, portable alternative to charcoal. FlameDisk, which uses ethanol as its main fuel ingredient, heats up quickly and is cleaner than charcoal. The portable disk, which fits most charcoal grills, is ready to use in minutes after lighting and provides a steady flame for between 35 and 45 minutes — about the same rate as charcoal. With no ashes or soot to remove, cleanup is easy. Once FlameDisk is cool, the aluminum container can be thrown away. FlameDisk retails for $4.99 for one disk.