Chapek Again Takes Oversight of Disney Consumer Products While Keeping Parks and Resorts

Bob Chapek, former Chairman of Disney Consumer Products who moved over to Become Chairman of Disney Parks and Resorts in 2015, is adding oversight of Consumer Products back into his portfolio, named as Chairman of the Parks, Experiences and Consumer Products. The move follows last week’s move of James Pitaro from Chairman of Disney Consumer Products and Interactive Entertainment to President of ESPN.

Meanwhile, Disney Chief Strategy Officer Kevin Mayer now becomes Chairman of the company’s Direct-to-Consumer and International business, including the forthcoming streaming services, technology and international media operations.

“We are strategically positioning our businesses for the future, creating a more effective, global framework to serve consumers worldwide, increase growth, and maximize shareholder value,” CEO Bob Iger said in a statement. In combining the parks and consumer products businesses, Disney is creating business that focuses on products and experiences that bring the company’s characters to life.

Contact:

Bob Chapek, Chairman of Parks, Experiences and Consumer Products, 818-560-1000, bob.chepak@disney.com

Jack Links Brand Expanding into Refrigerated Meats

Jack Links is expanding from the snack aisle. The beef jerky supplier licensed its brand to Golden West Foods for refrigerated meats that will ship this spring. The line will start with six-ounce cups of beef, chicken and pork that will be available in four different flavors and be extended to include chicken wings in Q4. The products also will include breakfast sandwiches mixing eggs with flavored high-protein bacon and a version of the six ounce bowls packed with sandwich bread. The deal deepens Golden West’s roster of licensed foods. It also is a supplier of Jack Daniels brand pulled meats. The agreement also is the among the first Joester Loria Group has struck for Jack Links since it began representing the brand two years ago.

Contacts:

Golden West Food Group, Tony Cimolino, Chief Marketing Officer, 323- 581-3663

Joester Loria, Michael Almeida, VP Business Development, 646-354-4506, malmeida@jlggroup.com

Pioneer Woman Faces Challenge from Tasty at Walmart

Walmart’s decision to launch Epoca International’s Tasty brand kitchen products (gadgets and cookware) will be “challenging” for Gibson Overseas’ Pioneer Woman line that has been an exclusive at the mass retailer for three years, says Gibson’s David Nicklin. The Tasty and Pioneer Woman brand cookware and kitchenware are similar in pricing and it will require Gibson to rely on its sourcing skills to remain competitive with the new brand, says Nicklin. “We don’t know yet whether there will be conflict and cannibalization, but the nature of retail is it is super competitive,” says Nicklin. “It is not just product and price, but also the ability to build scale and innovation.” Nicklin also downplayed the notion that Pioneer Woman is more aimed at rural markets, while Buzzfeed’s Tasty brand focuses on urban areas. “You can’t say Pioneer Woman is a rural brand because it is more about the person you are selling to and what their state of mind is,” says Nicklin. “It is not as cut and dried as it might appear.”

Contact:

Gibson Overseas, David Nicklin, VP Marketing and Licensing, 323-832-8900 x1507, davidn@gibsonusa.com

Executive Changes

Molly Hartney, formerly with online home furnishings retailer The Mine, joins Funko as Chief Marketing Officer… Kevin Korney, ex-Converse, named Chief Marketing Officer at Vera Bradley… Erik Reid, ex-Swissmar, named VP of Sales at Clipper Corp… Jeff Malakasian, ex-Clipper, joins Epoca International as a regional VP… Genius Brands International COO Gregory Payne departs… Marshall Harting, ex-QuadMed, named Vice President of Sales and Marketing at cookware supplier Regal Ware Inc.

Contacts:

Clipper Corp., Erik Reid, VP Sales, 310-347-3064, erik.reid@clippercorp.com

Epoca International, Jeff Malakasian, Regional VP, jeff.malakasian@epoca.com

Funko, Molly Hartney, Chief Marketing Officer, 425-783-3616, molly@funko.com

Regal Ware, Marshall Harting, VP Sales and Marketing, 262-626-2121

Dick’s Sporting Goods Targets $2 Billion in Private Label Sales

Dick’s Sporting Goods has a goal to double private label sales to more than $2 billion during the next several years by adding new brands, including an outdoors label this fall, CEO Edward Stack told analysts. Dick’s private label business posted double-digit percentage same-store gains in Q4 and revenues topped $1 billion in the year ended Feb. 3, led by its Calia (a venture with Carrie Underwood), Field & Stream, Top-Flite, Walter Hagen and Fitness Gear brands, Stack said.

Sales of the private label items offset “significant weakness” in Under Armour products, where its business was affected by a broadening of the brand’s distribution to Kohl’s and other retailers, he said. As a result of the increase in private label revenue, Dick’s will give “premium” space in its stores to its own brands, Stack said. Not all private labels proved successful. Dick’s Second Skin compression apparel “had issues,” but will be redesigned and return to the market in a “pretty substantial way shortly,” Stack said.

Dick’s Q4 net income rose 28.5% to $115.9 million as revenue jumped 7.3% to $2.6 billion despite a 2% decline in same-store sales.

Contact:

Dick’s Sporting Goods, Edward Stack, CEO, 724-273