Seven & i investor Artisan pushes for competitive bidding process
Artisan Partners, a U.S.-based investor in Japanese retail giant Seven & i Holdings, called on the company's special committee to consider a bidding process of competing takeover proposals to secure the highest offer.
Source: reuters.com
Online grocery sales hit a record high of $10.5bln in October
Online grocery sales spiked by 28% year over year to $10.5bln in October, with all three receiving methods posting sales growth, according to the Brick Meets Click/Mercatus Grocery Shopper Survey.
Source: supermarketnews.com
Canada: Loblaw misses earnings estimates in third quarter
A pre-holiday traffic bump helped propel Loblaw to solid third-quarter results, but the Canadian discount retailer still missed the mark on earnings estimates, according to an earnings call. Total revenue reached $13.28bln, reflecting a 1.5% increase year over year. Retail segment sales totaled $13.05bln, also showing a 1.5% gain compared to Q3 2023.
Source: supermarketnews.com
US: New Whole Foods Market in Stamford, Connecticut, to open December 12
Whole Foods Market will open a new 44,648-square-foot store located at 110 High Ridge Road on December 12. Features of the new Stamford store include: a vibrant produce section, evoking a fresh, organic market feel, with an array of certified organic, conventional and Sourced for Good produce, including potatoes and squashes from Row 7 Seed Co., salad varieties from Gotham Greens and microgreens from Gilberties Organics.
Source: media.wholefoodsmarket.com
US: UNFI will close Fort Wayne, Indiana, distribution center
United Natural Foods Inc. (UNFI) will pull out of Fort Wayne, Indiana, during the first quarter of 2025, the wholesale distributor of natural, organic, and specialty foods announced.
Source: supermarketnews.com
US: FMI statement on October CPI food price numbers
FMI - The Food Industry Association Vice President, Tax, Trade, Sustainability and Policy Development Andy Harig issued the following statement on the October 2024 Consumer Price Index (CPI). "With Thanksgiving around the corner, the good news for consumers is that many traditional items will cost less than last year. According to USDA and U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data, turkey prices are down by as much as 11% this year. Additionally, ham prices are projected to drop 2.5%, while potatoes are expected to cost 3.5% less. Other items like apples (-13%), fresh cranberries (-5%) and frozen pies (-0.7%) are also expected to be more affordable".
Source: fmi.org
US: The Fresh Market and Shipt partner for same-day delivery
Retail technology company Shipt has partnered with The Fresh Market to offer same-day delivery from more than 140 The Fresh Market locations across 22 states.
Source: progressivegrocer.com
The new "fun guys": 'Shrooms, hot honey & Southeast Asian flavors to spice up restaurant menus in 2025
The National Restaurant Association's 2025 What's Hot Culinary Forecast is here, revealing top trends set to shape the nation's menus with a fresh focus on flavor, wellness, and sustainability. This year, consumers can expect restaurant menus to buzz with wellness-enhancing mushrooms, honey-infused creations with a spicy twist, and the vibrant tastes of Southeast Asia.
Source: prnewswire.com
UK: Brakes wins Foodservice Operator of the Year at the Quality Food Awards
Brakes reported: "Brakes, the UK's leading foodservice wholesaler, has won the prestigious Foodservice Operator of the Year at the Quality Food Awards (Q Awards). The company also picked up ten product awards including two for its Birchstead range of meats, six for Sysco own label products and a Gold award for its Shredded Mushroom Meat, which was also Highly Commended in the Foodservice Product of the Year category".
Source: brake.co.uk
Denmark: Coop Amba members Fredensborg Brugsforening, Føroya Keypssamtøka form new company
Coop Amba members and independent utility associations Fredensborg Brugsforening (FOB) and Føroya Keypssamtøka (FK) have teamed up to form a joint company with 50% ownership and a voting majority for Fredensborg Brugsforening. Fredensborg Brugsforening operates several independent SuperBrugsen and Brugsen stores in Denmark.
Source: esmmagazine.com
M&S overtakes Waitrose as Middle England's top grocer
M&S has overtaken Waitrose for the first time outside of the festive period last month as it claims the title of Middle England's favourite grocer. Unpublished market data seen by The Telegraph has revealed that M&S outpaced Waitrose in sales over the past month, with stronger growth than any other supermarket.
Source: retailgazette.co.uk
France: Retailer Casino to step up investments to boost revenue growth
French food retailer Casino pledged to invest more over the next four years and refocus on convenience stores as it seeks to accelerate revenue growth in a new strategy plan led by CEO Philippe Palazzi, lifting its shares by nearly 2%.
Source: reuters.com
UAE: Billionaire's Lulu drops in debut after mega Abu Dhabi IPO
Lulu Retail Holdings Plc's shares fell after its $1.72bln initial public offering in Abu Dhabi, marking the second instance of a muted debut for a large Middle Eastern listing in recent weeks.
Source: bnnbloomberg.ca
UK: Sainsbury's autumn menu without free apple angers Ely woman
An Ely grandmother is fuming that apples are not included in Sainsbury's autumn hot meal menu for children and instead now cost 55 pence each - but the supermarket chain says it "continues to offer nutritionally balanced options at great value".
Source: elystandard.co.uk
Spain: El Corte Inglés posts double-digit EBITDA growth in H1
Spanish retailer El Corte Inglés reported double-digit growth in EBITDA to €520mln in the first half of its financial year. The company's net profit grew by 11% year on year to €203mln, with its retail unit witnessing 3.2% growth on a like-for-like basis, it noted.
Source: esmmagazine.com
Aldi launches world's first Brussels Sprout Hot Sauce for just £3.49
Aldi is extending its partnership with condiment connoisseurs, Sauce Shop, to launch a daring new Christmas sauce which is sure to cause a stir - the Sauce Shop x Aldi Brussels Sprout Kimchi Hot Sauce (£3.49, 155g). This one-of-a-kind sauce combines Brussels sprout kimchi, green jalapeños and festive spices for a tangy, fiery kick that promises to take festive meals to new heights.
Source: aldipresscentre.co.uk
UK grocery sales growth slows as consumers wait for Christmas and Black Friday, says NIQ
British grocery sales growth slowed over the last month as shoppers held back spending in anticipation of upcoming Christmas festivities and Black Friday promotions, industry data showed. Market researcher NIQ said UK supermarket sales rose 4.0% in the four weeks to November 2 year-on-year, having been up 4.7% in the previous month.
Source: reuters.com
Hungarian consumer prices increase by 3.2% year on year in October
Consumer prices in Hungary increased by 3.2% in October on average compared to the year-ago period, according to the latest data from the Hungarian Central Statistical Office (Központi Statisztikai Hivatal - KSH). Food prices increased by 4.5%, with flour, milk, and fruit and vegetable juice prices going up 38.9%, 16.8% and 12.1%, respectively.
Source: esmmagazine.com