Amazon would be able to buy up to 5.43 million shares of SpartanNash's common stock under a warrant issued by the grocery distributor, a move that could make Amazon among the company's largest shareholders. SpartanNash, which began supplying groceries to Amazon's distribution centers in 2016, said in a Securities and Exchange Commission filing that Amazon would pay about $17 a share for common stock through 2027, which could ultimately result in a $96 million investment.

Americold Realty Trust has reached a definitive agreement to acquire Agro Merchants Group for $1.74 billion in cash and stock. Agro Merchants, a temperature-controlled warehouse company, has 46 facilities across 10 countries.

Systemax's Global Industrial brand has released a set of business management best practices related to the pandemic called Ready. Set. The practices cover the categories of protection, preparation and growth.

Distributors should study how Amazon Business has grown rapidly by using artificial intelligence to make product recommendations across its home page, product page and checkout page, writes Benj Cohen. "Amazon's recommendations don't just directly increase sales, they also draw customers into the shopping experience, creating further opportunities to make smart pitches," he writes.

All distribution verticals have the potential to be disrupted to some degree, so distributors need to be innovative and provide value and service to keep their customers, write Jonathan Bein and Ian Heller of Distribution Strategy Group. They explain how varied packaging and complexity makes certain verticals more vulnerable than others.

Marketers serving "hyper-relevant" ads on Microsoft Bing or Google may be missing the mark as many searchers are goal-minded instead of product-minded, according to research published by Intent Labs. The study found that marketers have a 26.7% better chance of unearthing a new customer when targeting the goal mindset versus the item-driven attitude.

Work might look different during the pandemic, but employees still need fulfillment of basic needs to feel engaged, motivated and at their best, write Harvard Business School's Boris Groysberg and Robin Abrahams. "Best practices: Processes must be transparent and fair, and their transparency and fairness must be communicated to employees," they write.

Manufacturers are reevaluating their distribution strategies in real time as channels undergo technology-driven disruption. Some suppliers are choosing to sell directly to end users, while others are betting on marketplaces -- or relying on traditional distributors. On this 60-minute webinar, which is based on original research with manufacturers during COVID-19, Ian Heller and Jonathan Bein of Distribution Strategy Group will discuss how manufacturers see emerging technologies transforming distribution channels. Register now for this Oct. 20, 2 p.m., webinar.

What will be the impact of AI on distributor sales and operations? While AI hasn't transformed distribution yet, the change is coming soon. Integral to research being done by the NAW Institute is hearing directly from distributor executives. Will you please spare 5-10 minutes to help ensure that we get the most accurate data to inform this research? All individual answers will be kept confidential. In return for your time, we'll send you benchmark data on your AI readiness, and an AI opportunity analysis upon your request. Take the survey.

Are you well-informed about different best practices and knowledge in our industry? If not, NAW's Top 10 E-book List can help get you up-to-speed quickly so you and your business can stay competitive in these challenging times.