ALEXANDRIA, VA (March 1, 2001) - The WorldWide Retail Exchange (WWRE), the premier Internet-based business-to-business (B2B) exchange for retailers and their suppliers, today announced the launch of its Collaborative Planning, Forecasting and Replenishment (CPFR®) pilots.

The WWRE kicked off two simultaneous pilots at the end of February, one in the U.S. and one in Europe. Each includes a major retailer and supplier. The U.S. based pilot includes Target Inc. Delhaize Group and Vandemoortele of Belgium are participating in the European pilot.

"By embarking in these first offerings of our CPFR solution, we're leading the B2B industry in CPFR and revolutionizing the way retailers and suppliers think about doing business," said Don Norman, chief information officer of the WWRE. "These pilots will validate the functionality of our services and will result in a product that dramatically improves the interaction and flow of information between all of our current - and future - member retailers and their suppliers."

Through the use of TradeMatrix Collaboration Platform (TMCP), a collaborative planning technology from i2 Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq: ITWO), the WWRE will help its retailers and suppliers to focus on their customers and jointly manage product categories to reduce costs in the existing supply chain. Through CPFR, retailers can reduce safety stocks, better plan asset utilization and distribution, and align business goals across the supply chain. Suppliers will be able to better plan production, improve their ability to manage distribution networks and reduce raw material stock.

"Essentially, the WWRE's CPFR solution will help us better serve our customers," explained Lynn Morris, vice president of Vendor Relations/B2B Business Development of BestBuy Co., Inc., a WWRE member company. "Both retailers and suppliers will be able to maximize resources and optimize safety stock, thereby offering customers the products they need when they want them."

The WWRE currently expects to ramp up its CPFR capabilities to all members after the conclusion of the pilot .

The WWRE is the premier Internet-based business-to-business (B2B) exchange in the retail e-marketplace. Designed to facilitate and simplify trading between retailers, suppliers, partners and distributors, the WWRE currently consists of 53 leading retailers from Africa, Asia, Europe, North America and South America with combined sales of U.S. $722 billion. For more information, visit the website at www.wwre.org or www.worldwideretailexchange.org.

WWRE Members:

• Albertson's (U.S., NYSE: ABS)
• Auchan (France)
• Best Buy (U.S., NYSE: BBY)
• The Boots Company (U.K., LSE: BOOT.L)
• C&A Europe (Belgium)
• Casino (France, Parisbourse: 12558)
• Coop Italia (Italy)
• Coop Schweiz (Switzerland)
• Cora (France, PSE: 06176)
• CVS/pharmacy (U.S., NYSE: CVS)
• Dairy Farm International (Hong Kong, SES: DAIR.SI/Reuters, DAIRYNEW SP/Bloomberg)
• Dansk Supermarked (Denmark)
• Delhaize Group (Belgium, BSE: DEL)
• Dixons Group plc (U.K., LSE: DXNS)
• Edeka (Germany)
• El Corte Ingles (Spain)
• Galeries Lafayette (France, Parisborse: 12124)
• Gap Inc. (U.S., NYSE: GPS)
• Giant Eagle (U.S.)
• H.E. Butt Grocery Company (U.S.)
• JCPenney (U.S., NYSE: JCP)
• John Lewis (U.K., JLH)
• Jusco (Japan, TSE: 8267)
• Kesko (Finland, HEX: KES)
• Kingfisher (U.K., LSE: KGF)
• Kmart Corporation (U.S., NYSE: KM)
• Laurus (The Netherlands)
• Longs Drugs (U.S., NYSE: LDG)
• Makro Asia (Bangkok)
• Marks & Spencer (U.K., LSE: MKS)
• Meijer, Inc. (U.S.)
• Otto Versand (Germany)
• Publix Super Markets (U.S.)
• RadioShack Corporation (U.S., NYSE: RSH)
• REWE (Germany)
• Rite Aid Corporation (U.S., NYSE, PSE: RAD)
• Royal Ahold (The Netherlands, NYSE: AHO)
• Safeway Inc. (U.S., NYSE: SWY)
• Safeway plc (U.K., LSE: SFW.L)
• Schlecker (Germany)
• Seibu Department Stores Ltd. (Japan)
• ShopKo Stores, Inc. (U.S., NYSE: SKO)
• Sobeys Inc. (Canada, TSE: SBY)
• SUPERVALU INC. (U.S., NYSE: SVU)
• Target Corporation (U.S., NYSE: TGT)
• Tengelmann Group (Germany)
• Tesco (U.K., LSE: TSC.OL)
• Toys R Us (U.S., NYSE: TOY)
• Walgreen Co. (U.S., NYSE: WAG)
• Wegmans Food Markets, Inc. (U.S.)
• Winn-Dixie Stores, Inc. (U.S., NYSE: WIN)
• Wooltru Ltd. (South Africa, JSE: WLO)
• Woolworths (Australia, ASX: WOW)

 

Media Contacts:
Keri Phifer
WorldWide Retail Exchange
703.234.5056
kphifer@wwre.org

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