Average price of Christmas dinner up 4.3% in Ireland: Kantar
The average price of Christmas dinner for 4 in Ireland has increased by 4.3% year on year to €30.97, according to the latest data from Kantar. The data includes prices of a small fresh whole turkey, 1 kilogram ham, 400 grams of stuffing, a packet of mince pies, 500 grams of sprouts, 250 grams of gravy granules, 2.5 kilograms of potatoes, 500 grams of carrots, 500 grams of parsnips, 1 jar of cranberry sauce and 1 bottle sparkling wine.
Source: esmmagazine.com
India: Flipkart, Walmart invest $145mln in Ninjacart
Flipkart India and Walmart said they have invested $145mln in fresh produce supply chain company Ninjacart. In October last year, Walmart and Flipkart Group had pumped in an undisclosed amount of funding in the Bengaluru-based company.
Source: moneycontrol.com
Australia: Woolworths sees lower earnings from food unit, shares slide 10%
Australia's biggest supermarket chain Woolworths Group forecast lower 1st-half operating income from its domestic food business as easing COVID-19 curbs brought an end to pandemic stockpiling. Shares of the grocer tumbled as much as 10.6% to A$36.26, hitting their lowest level in nearly 6 months, while the broader market fell 0.4%.
Source: reuters.com
Amazon-backed grocer More Retail weighing India IPO at $5bln value
More Retail Pvt., an Indian grocery chain backed by Amazon.com Inc., is considering an initial public offering that could value the company at as much as $5bln, according to people with knowledge of the matter. The company is weighing a 1st-time share sale in Mumbai as early as June, the people said, asking not to be identified as the information isn’t public.
Source: bnnbloomberg.ca
M&S was Britain's fastest growing food retailer in last quarter - NielsenIQ
Marks & Spencer was Britain's fastest growing food retailer in the 12 weeks to December 4, market researcher NielsenIQ said, providing more evidence the group's latest turnaround plan is delivering. NielsenIQ said M&S's sales rose 9.1% in the period year-on-year, outpacing German-owned discounters Lidl and Aldi, which recorded growth of 8.3% and 4.6% respectively.
Source: reuters.com
France: Families behind Auchan and Carrefour keep courting each other
A marriage between the French retail groups Auchan and Carrefour does not seem to be completely off the table: the major family shareholders behind both companies continue to hold talks. In principle, the exploratory takeover talks between Auchan and Carrefour were definitively halted in October. According to rumours, the Mulliez family, owner of Auchan, had tried to get closer earlier this year but had been turned down by Alexandre Bompard, Carrefour's top executive.
Source: retaildetail.eu
UK: Ocado Retail's sales hit by labour shortages in latest quarter
British online supermarket Ocado Retail reported a 3.9% fall in revenue in its latest quarter year-on-year, with its performance held back by labour shortages. Ocado Retail, a joint venture between Ocado Group and Marks & Spencer, said revenue totaled 547.8mln pounds ($723.7mln) in its 4th quarter to November 28 versus 570.1mln pounds in the same quarter last year.
Source: reuters.com
UK: Ocado wins patent infringement trial in ITC against AutoStore
British online supermarket group Ocado Group Plc said it had won a patent infringement lawsuit filed by Norwegian robotics company AutoStore Holdings Ltd in the International Trade Commission (ITC).
Source: reuters.com
German delivery startup Flink raises $750 mln in financing round
Grocery delivery start-up Flink has raised $750mln in an additional funding round, it said, giving the German company the funds to further expand and cash in on the home food delivery boom.
Source: reuters.com
Missfresh expands intelligent fresh markets to 20 cities in China
Missfresh Limited ("Missfresh" or the "Company"), an innovator in China's neighborhood retail industry, has partnered with Nanchang's Wangjia Market Management in Jiangxi Province to expand its Intelligent Fresh Market business to 20 cities across China. This partnership will enable Missfresh's Intelligent Fresh Market business to continue to rapidly grow into a mature business unit and further diversify its position in China's US$1.9tln neighborhood retail market.
Source: prnewswire.com
Shufersal deploys Israeli AI-based smart cart solution Shopic
Shufersal, Israel’s largest supermarket chain, has signed a cooperation deal with Israeli startup Shopic, to deploy its AI-based smart cart mobile self-checkout solution to customers.
Source: nocamels.com
Pepco Group core earnings surge 46% on new store openings
Pepco Group, owner of the PEPCO, Poundland and Dealz discount retailer brands in Europe, reported a 46% jump in its 2020-21 core profit, reflecting new store openings amid the easing of lockdown restrictions. The group said its underlying earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) came in at 647mln euros ($730mln) in the year ended September 30, in line with its forecast range of 640mln euros to 655mln euros.
Source: reuters.com
Uber Eats makes food delivery to outer space
Uber Technologies, Inc. announced their 1st-ever food delivery to outer space. Expanding the global company's footprint beyond earth's surface and into the thermosphere, Uber Eats became the 1st delivery platform to send food to the International Space Station.
Source: prnewswire.com
US: November online grocery sales hit $8.6bln, up 6% from year ago
The U.S. online grocery market generated $8.6bln in sales during November, reported the Brick Meets Click/Mercatus Grocery Shopping Survey, marking a 6% sales gain over last year’s $8.1bln. The growth was driven in large part by an increase in the active shopper base, especially in the mass retail channel, according to Brick Meets Click. The survey of 1,785 adults, 18 years and older, who participated in the household’s grocery shopping, was fielded by Brick Meets Click from November 29-30, 2021.
Source: supermarketnews.com
US: Instacart President Carolyn Everson to step down
Instacart President Carolyn Everson announced that she will leave the company at the end of the year, less than 4 months after joining the San Francisco-based delivery specialist from Facebook.
Source: winsightgrocerybusiness.com
Walmart’s robot SPAC automates industry disruption
Walmart is trying to automate industry disruption. The giant retailer is making an investment in a SoftBank-backed special-purpose acquisition company that is merging with Symbotic, a firm that specializes in robotic warehouse distribution.
Source: reuters.com
US: Kroger promotes Laura Gump to Houston division president
The Kroger Co. announced Laura Gump, formerly vice president of merchandising for the Houston division, has been promoted to president of the division. She succeeds Joe Kelley who was recently named president of King Soopers.
Source: prnewswire.com
US: Former Walmart and Ahold Delhaize Exec John Shaw Joins Farmstead as Head of Supply
Farmstead, the 1st online grocer to offer fresh, high-quality groceries, delivered for free, at better prices than local supermarkets, announced that former Walmart and Ahold/Peapod executive John Shaw has joined as Head of Supply. In this role, Shaw now leads merchandising, sourcing and supply chain activities.
Source: globenewswire.com
Canada: Walmart unveils new tech at Cornwall, Ontario distribution centre
Thanks to a $20mln investment, a Walmart distribution centre in Cornwall, Ontario, is now equipped with a “state-of-the-art” warehouse order fulfillment system. The retail giant says the technology is the 1st of its kind at Walmart Canada and will modernize warehouse work to improve speed, efficiency and accuracy. The technology will also improve product availability and allow for quicker service in-store and online.
Source: canadiangrocer.com