Amazon workers will go on formal strike for the first time in the UK
Employees at Amazon’s Coventry warehouse in central England voted to go on strike. It will be the first legally mandated strike to take place in the U.K. The walkout will add to the wave of industrial action happening across the U.K.
Source: cnbc.com
Holland: Jumbo Supermarkets founder Karel van Eerd passes away
Karel van Eerd, the Dutch entrepreneur who established the Jumbo Supermarkets chain, has passed away at the age of 84. In a statement, Jumbo said that van Eerd had been 'ill for some time', but remained closely involved with Jumbo until his passing, as chairman of the supervisory board.
Source: esmmagazine.com
UK: Spar owner reports 'positive trading' as sales rise by 9%
A.F. Blakemore, the parent company of symbol group retailer Spar, has reported a 9% increase in sales, claiming a “positive trading period”. In the 24 weeks ended 1 May 2022, the company announced underlying EBITDA of £20mln, despite “unprecedented market wide supply chain upheaval”. This follows on from a 19% rise in sales last year. The group also reported a pre-tax loss of £3.3mln, down from a pre-tax profit of £6mln in the previous year, with underlying pre-tax profit sitting at £2mln after exceptional costs.
Source: grocerygazette.co.uk
Northern Ireland: Mulrines is to make a substantial investment in a new drinks and liquid food manufacturing facility at Sion Mills, creating 54 new jobs
Mulrines, one of Ireland’s fastest growing indigenous food and drink businesses, is investing significantly in a new drinks and liquid food manufacturing facility at Sion Mills. The fourth-generation family business includes apple orchards, juice pressing, blending, and the production of fruit juices, fruit drinks and plant-based beverages, for the retail, wholesale and food service sectors in the Republic of Ireland, UK and other markets.
Source: investni.com
What did India need “quickly”?
Swiggy Instamart saw over 5 crore orders and counting just from Bangalore, Delhi and Mumbai. In Fruit & Vegetables, onions, potatoes, tomatoes, watermelons, bananas and tender coconut were the most ordered. Over 50 lakh kilograms of organic fruits and vegetables were also sold on the platform. The healthiest eaters came from Bangalore, Mumbai, Hyderabad, and Pune. Exotic fruits such as dragon fruit, pomelo, berries, and wood apple found love too with over 17 lakh kilograms of exotic fruit being sold.
Source: thehindubusinessline.com
Supermarket chain “Magnit” doubled the purchase of Uzbek fruits and vegetables
The Magnit chain, one of the leading retailers in the Russian grocery retail market, doubled the imports of fruits and vegetables from Uzbekistan in 11 months of 2022 compared to the same period last year, EastFruit experts report.
Source: east-fruit.com
Tesco's warning to New Zealand farmers
British supermarket chain Tesco wants to be assured that all fresh produce, meat and dairy it sells is sustainable, including that which comes from New Zealand farmers. Sustainable agriculture manager at Tesco Alice Ritchie said the supermarket chain was the biggest buyer of New Zealand products in Britain.
Source: stuff.co.nz
Luxembourg: One-time bonus and new collective agreement for Cora employees
A collective agreement was reached between supermarket chain Cora and trade unions LCGB and OGBL. Discussions were lengthy, but now there's positive news for the roughly 470 employees in Foetz and Bertrange. The agreement is applied retroactively from 1 January 2022. The agreement, signed until at least 2024, foresees a new salary grid and a gross bonus that honours seniority within the company. Employees in the two stores will receive a one-time bonus of €240 per person.
Source: today.rtl.lu
UK: Sheffield fruit and vegetable shop Barra Organics launches fundraiser to stop old fridges killing firm
A Sheffield organic fruit and vegetable shop is appealing for funds for a £7,380 new fridge after discovering the old ones could put them out of business. Barra Organics says an energy audit by Sheffield City Council found existing appliances cost £4,500-a-year. Bosses fear they could cost the firm its future - despite working non-stop as essential workers during the pandemic.
Source: thestar.co.uk
German union warns Amazon of rolling pre-Christmas strikesGerman union Verdi urged workers at Amazon warehouses across the country to support rolling strikes in coming days in a protest over pay, aimed at maximising disruption to the online retailer's pre-Christmas business. The union said that, in response to pay hikes that had lagged inflation, it had called on workers at seven German distribution centres to down tools unannounced in strikes that would alternate between different locations.
Source: reuters.com
Hungary: Spar ranks highest in plastic waste sustainability study by Greenpeace
Greenpeace Hungary has recently conducted a study on the state of grocery retailers’ efforts to reduce plastic waste. Spar and Auchan ranked highest in the study, with 72% and 63%, respectively, while Aldi, Lidl and Tesco all finished in the 40-59% bracket. Penny, CBA and Coop are at the end of the list in the lowest brackets.
Source: agroberichtenbuitenland.nl
South Africa's Woolworths to sell Australia's David Jones
South African retailer Woolworths said the group has entered into an agreement to sell its Australian upmarket department chain David Jones to private equity fund, Anchorage Capital Partners. Woolworths paid a big premium to bulk up in Australia via David Jones as part of former Chief Executive Ian Moir’s ambitions to turn Woolworths into a leading southern hemisphere retailer but overhauling the business was taking longer than expected, forcing the retailer to keep writing down the value of the unit.
Source: reuters.com
Carrefour Brasil Group opens first phase of Alto das Nações multipurpose complex
The Carrefour Brasil Group, through its business and real estate management unit Carrefour Property, has just opened the first phase of the Alto das Nações complex, a project developed in partnership with the developer WTorre. "Alto das Nações is a major milestone in the history of the Carrefour Brasil Group. In addition to being the largest retail group in South America, and the largest private employer in the country, we also show our strength in the real estate area, with an innovative project, monetizing and adding value to the company's assets", says Stephane Maquaire, CEO of the Group in Brazil.
Source: carrefour.com
US: Saladworks partners with Kitchen United as part of new takeout concept expanding in Columbus, Ohio area Kroger locations
Saladworks, the nation's leading fast-casual salad franchise and part of the WOWorks family of better-for-you restaurant brands, has announced their menu is now available for on-the-go meals, takeout, and delivery through two new Kitchen United Mix Food Hall locations in Columbus, Ohio. The two Mix Food Hall locations can be found inside neighborhood Kroger stores located at 300 Hamilton Rd., Gahanna, and 3417 N High St., Clintonville.
Source: prnewswire.com
US: Little Red Box Grocery working to end food deserts in Houston
Small-format community market Little Red Box Grocery, which is located in Houston’s underserved Second Ward, has teamed up with The Arena Foundation, the philanthropic arm of The Woodlands, Texas-based Arena Energy LLC, an independent oil and gas exploration company focused on the Gulf of Mexico Shelf, to tackle the pervasive issue of food deserts.
Source: progressivegrocer.com