Singapore: Giant to shut Toa Payoh supermarket in September, ninth closure in 2024
Supermarket chain Giant will close its ninth store in Singapore by September 2024 as it faces intense competition from online retailers and other grocery chains. The store, located in Toa Payoh Lorong 4, is the latest in a series of closures that have taken place this year, as reported by The Straits Times.
Source: theonlinecitizen.com
UK: Fire engulfs lorries at M&S depot
An M&S depot is back in operation after a blaze broke out on an industrial estate overnight and engulfed eight HGV lorries. An M&S spokesperson said: "All our colleagues are safe, the depot itself did not catch fire and operations resumed earlier this morning."
Source: bbc.com
Amazon says exports from India-based sellers to cross $5bln in 2024
Amazon Inc expects to help Indian exporters sell about $5bln worth of small-ticket items through its platform this year in markets such as the United States and Britain, up from nearly $3bln in 2023, a company official said.
Source: reuters.com
Retail sales in third quarter 'disappointing' to date, says ING
Retail sales in the euro zone have 'disappointed' so far in the third quarter of the year, with a modest 0.1% increase in volumes for July indicating that the sector 'continues to flatline', an ING analyst has said.
Source: esmmagazine.com
Kaufland marketplace in Austria launches
Kaufland has opened the virtual doors of its marketplace in Austria, the first country where the brand does not have physical stores. At the launch, Kaufland.at offers more than three million items from three thousand different sellers. These figures were announced by Kaufland Global Marketplace, the 'all-in-one solution' for international sales partners, in a LinkedIn post.
Source: ecommercenews.eu
Ochama enhances customer convenience with new pickup points and expands next-day delivery options in France
Ochama, the European omni-channel retail brand of JD.com, Inc. (also known as JINGDONG), recently announced an expansion of its pickup point network in the Paris region to improve fulfillment efficiency aross France.
Source: jdcorporateblog.com
UK: John Lewis brings back 'never knowingly undersold'
Retailer John Lewis is bringing back its "never knowingly undersold" price pledge from Monday, two years after abandoning it. It will also apply to online sales for the first time, whereas it previously only applied to in-store shopping, and will use AI to match the prices of 25 top retailers.
Source: bbc.com
New mushroom-based soft drink Zooz set to launch in UK
A new non-alcoholic wellness drink, Zooz, made its debut on 5 September 2024, introducing a unique mushroom-based beverage to the growing no-and-low alcohol market.
Source: theretailbulletin.com
UK: Tesco backs further 16 innovative new brands as part of 2024 Accelerator Programme
Tesco has stepped up its commitment to championing exciting, diverse new brands by launching a second cohort of products for its 2024 Accelerator Programme. Building on the success of previous intakes, sixteen brands will join the Tesco initiative, which aims to introduce small and trend-led brands into Tesco.
Source: tescoplc.com
Japan's Seven & i rejects Couche-Tard's $38.5bln takeover offer
Japanese retail giant Seven & i Holdings said it had turned down Canada's Alimentation Couche-Tard's $38.5bln cash bid, rejecting an offer that would be the largest-ever foreign buyout of a Japanese company.
Source: reuters.com
Demographic differences create produce merchandising challenges in supermarkets
A diverse consumer landscape with myriad purchasing habits and values is making the optimal marketing of fruits and vegetables a difficult endeavor. While produce has high household penetration and the department attracts shoppers of all demographics, maximizing activity across the board can be a struggle. Many younger consumers with typically lower incomes, for instance, are reluctant to be regular fresh produce customers because of cost concerns, said Russell Zwanka, associate professor of food marketing and director of the food marketing program at Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo.
Source: supermarketnews.com
US: 25 new produce companies join ReposiTrak's rapidly expanding Food Traceability Network 
ReposiTrak is proud to welcome 25 new produce companies to the ReposiTrak Traceability Network® (RTN). Among the new suppliers are three with particularly rich histories. The first is a leading producer of high-quality dehydrated potato products, known for its efficient and sustainable field-to-shelf processes. The second is one of North America's largest open-field tomato growers, recognized for their commitment to sustainable farming practices and the freshness of their produce. The third is the world's largest grower and processor of horseradish, with over 90 years of experience, known for their vertically integrated operations that ensure product freshness from farm to table.
Source: businesswire.com
US: Save A Lot and Yellow Banana to reopen six remodeled Chicago grocery stores
Save A Lot, one of the nation's leading discount grocery chains, and Yellow Banana, a retail grocery platform that owns and operates Save A Lot locations, are announcing the reopening of six remodeled stores in different neighborhoods across Chicago.
Source: businesswire.com
US: Everbowl launches new avocado promotion, elevating the superfood to star status with delicious toasts and smoothie
Everbowl is excited to announce the launch of its latest promotion centered around the superfood powerhouse: avocado. Through the promotion, the brand will celebrate the fruit's rich nutritional profile, including monounsaturated fats to support heart health, nearly 20 essential vitamins and minerals, ample dietary fiber, and disease-fighting antioxidants.
Source: prnewswire.com
How Instacart is leading the fight against hunger and delivering impact 
Instacart reported: "Results from those who participated in a survey showed that access to Instacart and Fresh Funds helped improve nutrition security for food desert residents: 52% reported that their families ate more fruits and vegetables".
Source: instacart.com
US: KeHE enters into strategic partnership with Good Eggs
KeHE Distributors, a North American distributor of natural and organic, specialty, and fresh products, officially launched its primary distribution partnership with online grocer Good Eggs in July. Good Eggs provides fresh produce, meal kits and other groceries directly to customers in the San Francisco Bay and Los Angeles areas.
Source: progressivegrocer.com
Alimentation Couche-Tard reports decline in net earnings in a 'weak' Q1
Alimentation Couche-Tard has reported a 5.2% year-on-year decline in net earnings, to $790.8mln (€712.8mln), in the first quarter of its 2025 financial year to 21 July 2024. EBITDA for the quarter amounted to $1.6bln (€1.4bln), registering an increase of $75.6mln (€68.1mln), or 5.0%, compared with the same quarter last year.
Source: esmmagazine.com