MINNEAPOLIS – At an annual meeting with vendors, Target Corp. CEO Brian Cornell discussed the company’s planned emphasis on style, baby, kids and wellness throughout its 1,800 stores.

According to a story published by the Star Tribune, Cornell preached partnership and collaboration to approximately 700 vendors attending the event at the Minneapolis Convention Center Aug. 11, including suppliers of food products to the Minneapolis-based company.

Brian Cornell, CEO of Target Corp.
Since taking the leadership role at Target about one year ago, Cornell initiated a cost-saving strategy that included job cuts at its headquarters and closing approximately 133 unprofitable stores in Canada. During the vendor rally, he explained more about the company’s transformation and addressed the nervousness of some vendors by encouraging them to be innovative as the company focuses on growing online sales, building smaller stores and reworking the stores’ grocery department, which includes testing a grocery delivery service as part of its “on-demand shopping” campaign.

For packaged foods suppliers, Cornell said there will be a push to increase the natural and organic products available to customers.

“There’s a simple truth: This wellness movement is incredibly important to our guest,” Cornell said in the Star Tribune report. “It’s a really big space. …It’s growing faster than just about anything else.”

As part of the partnership with vendors, Cornell said the company planned to step up efforts to keep products fully stocked and merchandised well.

“You have my commitment that, at Target, our teams will do what it takes to raise the game, to make sure we get the fundamentals right,” he said.

Jeff Jones, Target’s chief marketing officer, said the grocery delivery service is planned to begin testing soon to address what today’s consumers demand: “Being able to shop wherever they want, however they want, whenever they want. It’s on-demand,” he said.