Technology

The transaction creates one of the largest packaged food companies in North America, with sales of approximately $18 billion annually. It will also position ConAgra Foods as the largest private label packaged food business in North America, with combined private label sales of approximately $4.5 billion.

Holiday shoppers turned Cyber Monday into the biggest spending day ever with online sales growing 30.3 percent over the same period last year. What's more, nearly one in five consumers used mobile devices to reach retailers' web sites a whopping 70 percent increase over last year. Meanwhile, m-commerce sales experienced a 96 percent jump over Cyber Monday 2011.

The most successful new products include Hormel party trays, Hormel Natural Choice deli meats, Hormel Compleats microwave meals and Jennie-O Turkey Store oven ready items and turkey burgers.

Current Nestl Waters North America Inc. President and Chief Executive Officer, Kim Jeffery, plans to step down after 20 years, and 34 years with the company, to assume a non-executive Chairman position.

Brick and mortar retailers are painfully aware of the impact of showrooming the act of consumers using their mobile phones in-store to compare prices with competing retailers on their bottom line. However, only 10 percent of retailers have strategies in place to combat showrooming.

In advance of the biggest online shopping day of the year, the Consumer Fraud Center issued its annual Cyber Monday Shopping Alert to warn consumers of the growing use by cyber criminals of legitimate web sites such as Amazon Marketplace to sell illegal or counterfeit goods.

The former P&G executive will be responsible for global management of Avon's brand and marketing, including consumer insights, commercial marketing, digital marketing, and product category strategy and execution. She will also have oversight of Avon research & development, new product development and packaging, and the Liz Earle business.

A recent Huggies marketing program realized a whopping 56 percent click-through and 55 percent e-mail open rate, which drove 630,000 visitors to Huggies' site. Social referrals amplified the campaign reach by about 700 percent, proving that consumers today seek advice from friends and peers for product insights and deals, before making purchase decisions.