Seattle-based Starbucks Coffee Co. advanced its growth plans in China with the opening of its 100th store in Beijing, celebrating the first store in the China market led by all certified coffee masters.

The Coca-Cola Co., Atlanta, is expanding its 5by20 initiative to enable the economic empowerment of women beyond its pilot programs in four countries to a total of 12 countries: Brazil, China, Costa Rica, Egypt, Haiti, India, Kenya, Mexico, Nigeria, the Philippines, South Africa and Thailand.

Samuel Adams, a brand of The Boston Beer Co., Boston, teamed up with San Francisco-based craft chocolate maker TCHO to introduce the Samuel Adams Beer Lover's Chocolate Box.

According to a survey of top retail chief marketing officers by BDO USA LLP, Chicago, retailers are expressing increased optimism for Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales this year due to improving consumer confidence and unemployment numbers.

Seattle’s Best Coffee, a subsidiary of Starbucks Coffee Co., Seattle, is offering a free small cup of brewed coffee to those working on the busiest shopping day of the year — Black Friday (Nov. 23).

Milwaukee-based Lakefront Brewery Inc. will introduce its Black Friday imperial India-style black ale on Black Friday, Nov. 23.

 The National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS) hit it big in Las Vegas this year.  

Nestlé Waters North America (NWNA), Stamford, Conn., announced that its current president and chief executive officer, Kim Jeffery, plans to step down from that position after 34 years with the company, including 20 years in that role, to assume a non-executive chairman position effective Feb. 1, 2013.

Starbucks Coffee Co., Seattle, has agreed to acquire Teavana Holdings Inc., Atlanta, for $620 million in cash.

The Coca-Cola Co., Atlanta, replaced its corporate website with Coca-Cola Journey, a rich, socially enabled digital platform.