Finland: Kesko sees decline in comparable group sales in April
Retailer Kesko has reported a 3.8% year-on-year decline in sales in comparable terms, to €964.4mln, in April. The grocery trade unit reported a 2.5% increase in sales, to €508.9mln, in this period.
Source: esmmagazine.com
Tesco launches first Finest Vegetables range as third of Brits cut out meat
Tesco has unveiled its first-ever range of ‘Finest Signature Vegetables’ main dishes to give shoppers more veg-led meal solutions as demand for vegetarian options continues to rise. The six-strong selection, which includes roasted butternut squash and stilton crunch, and roasted cauliflower and bean tagine, comes as 34% of the nation now limit or exclude meat from their diet.
Source: grocerygazette.co.uk
Discounter Pepco expands European roll-out into Portugal
European discount retailer Pepco Group will open its first shop in Portugal on Wednesday, launching in its twentieth European territory as one of the sector's biggest store roll-outs gathers pace.
Source: reuters.com
UK: Putting predictive analytics to good use in the food industry, Tenzo ties into $5mln
London-based hosptech company (and TechStars graduate) Tenzo has raised $5mln in a Series A funding round. According to the company, the fresh produce will be used to help the company continue the development of its AI-powered analytics for the food industry platform. Tenzo’s $5mln Series A round was led by Amadeus Capital Partners and S28 Capital.
Source: tech.eu
Japan: Loss-making Rakuten announces $2.5bln share issue to bolster finances
Rakuten Group Inc said it aimed to raise up to 332bln yen ($2.46bln) by issuing new shares, marking the latest step by the loss-making e-commerce and fintech company to fortify its finances.
Source: reuters.com
Ireland: Limerick catering company plants first vegetable crop
Master Chefs has begun its first vegetable and crop planting on a 20ac farm in Co. Limerick owned by Pat O’Sullivan, CEO and founder of Master Chefs. This first phase of planting will yield growth of a range of vegetables including carrots; parsnips; turnips; broccoli; kale; leeks; cabbage; and potatoes, all of which will supply Master Chefs’ central production kitchen and its food outlets.
Source: agriland.ie
O'Key Group reports 3.1% net retail revenue growth, DA! discounters deliver 25.1% revenue growth in Q1 2023
O`KEY Group S.A. (the “Group” or the “Company”), one of Russia’s leading food retailers, has announced its unaudited operating results for the first quarter (Q1) of 2023. Q1 2023 operating highlights: Group net retail revenue increased by 3.1% YoY to RUB48.7bln in Q1 2023, led by revenue growth at discounters and O’KEY online sales. O`KEY hypermarkets’ net retail revenue decreased by 3.8% YoY to RUB34.5bln in Q1 2023 vs RUB35.9bln in Q1 2022 on the back of a 5.9% YoY LFL revenue decrease. The decline resulted mainly from a high comparable base in February-March 2022, added by a year-on-year inflation slow down in Q1 2023.
Source: okeygroup.lu
Canadian grocery costs rose 9.1% in April, a slight decline from March
The cost of groceries in Canada climbed 9.1% in April, marking a gradual slowdown from the month prior, according to data from Statistics Canada. The price of fresh vegetables slowed to 8.8%, compared with 10.8% in March as the cost of lettuce fell from record highs in December 2022.
Source: bnnbloomberg.ca
US: Riverside, Howard Park ShopRite launch 'Fresh to Table'
Two Maryland ShopRite locations, the ShopRite of Riverside and the ShopRite of Howard Park, debuted Fresh to Table, a store-within-a-store where customers can find fresh, on-trend foods, easy-to-prepare ingredients, and meal solutions in grab-and-go formats.
Source: specialtyfood.com
FreshRealm strengthens leadership position in U.S. fresh meals category with significant investment in facilities and infrastructure
FreshRealm, a leading provider of fresh meals for top retailers nationwide, announced it has initiated plans to expand its national operational and production footprint to nearly 1mln square feet with a strategic investment in three new leading-edge facilities, which includes the purchase of the operational infrastructure of Blue Apron.
Source: prnewswire.com
US: Meijer opens new supercenters in Warren and Wooster
Meijer opened two new supercenters in Northeast Ohio, bringing its state-of-the-art retail experience, featuring multiple ways to shop, to customers in Warren and Wooster. The 159,000-square-foot stores at 2120 Niles Cortland Road SE in Warren and 4845 Burbank Road in Wooster, bring a one-stop shopping experience to customers in Northeast Ohio.
Source: prnewswire.com
US: CRISPR-edited Conscious Greens officially debut in foodservice
Pairwise’s first gene-edited greens, under the brand name Conscious Greens, are officially launching in foodservice. This is the first food product in the U.S. developed with CRISPR technology. The Conscious Greens Purple Power Baby Greens Blend is made up of purple and green mustard greens. The company says it has removed the bitterness and made the greens taste more like lettuce. It is co-branded with Performance Food Group’s Peak Fresh Produce offering and is available in select restaurants and outlets in PFG’s network. While gene-edited commodity crops are commonplace in the U.S., most previous modifications have been made to improve yields or for crops to be more pest-resistant. Pairwise is using CRISPR to make fruits and vegetables healthier and more desirable to consumers.
Source: fooddive.com
Need a new sales strategy? Try leaning into tonnage
At Superstition Ranch Market, the plan is to sell lots of produce at low prices. The McCuins’ strategy leans into tonnage: Get your hands on as much produce as you can and sell it as cheap as possible. They even have a “kids card” - take it up to the cashier and a child gets to pick out a free piece of fruit.
Source: supermarketnews.com
US: Target wants shoppers to think of it for groceries as retailer braces for leaner spending
Target wants to attract grocery shoppers as consumers buy fewer discretionary goods. The company has tried to stand out by selling its own unique food and beverage items, raising its fresh food standards and appealing to shoppers seeking convenience.
Source: cnbc.com
The North West Company extends relationship with Invafresh to drive business growth and enhance food safety regulatory compliance
Invafresh, the industry leading fresh grocery platform, announced that The North West Company, currently using Scale Management, will expand its use of Invafresh’s Fresh Retail Platform by deploying Recipe Management to ensure regulatory compliance, improve operating margins, and reduce shrink across their operations.
Source: prweb.com
US: Edible® appoints Somia Farid Silber as President, signaling a new chapter for the innovative gifting brand
Edible®, the world's largest franchisor of stores offering fresh fruit arrangements, baked goods, flowers, gourmet chocolates, and more, announced the appointment of Somia Farid Silber as President.
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Source: prnewswire.com