Ahold Delhaize announces leadership transitions at Delhaize Serbia
Ahold Delhaize announced that Gorica Jovović will be appointed interim Brand President of Delhaize Serbia as of January 1, 2024. She will succeed Jan-Willem Dockheer, who will step down on December 31, 2023. Gorica will report to Jesper Lauridsen, COO of the Central Southern Europe (CSE) region.
Source: aholddelhaize.com
Belgium: New list of 21 stores puts Delhaize over halfway in franchising process
Belgian retailer Delhaize has released a new list of 21 supermarkets that will soon be transferred to independent operators. The retailer has now found a new owner for 72 of its 128 stores, meaning the operation is now over halfway.
Source: retaildetail.eu
Lidl changes for the better: Discounter slashes food waste by almost half and plastic packaging by nearly a third since 2021
Lidl GB has published its fourth 'Good Food' report, updating on progress towards meeting key environmental targets and supporting communities between March 2021 and February 2023. Just one box from the discounter's industry-leading initiative offers shoppers approximately 5kg of fruit and veg equivalent to a whopping 50 portions of their 5-a-day (80g of fresh, canned, or frozen fruit and vegetables counts as 1 portion of your 5-A-Day. Source: https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/5-a-day/5-a-day-what-counts/). From loose produce to compostable fruit and veg bags, which can be reused at home as food waste caddy liners, to new recyclable packaging on mushrooms - sharp-eyed shoppers can spot a range of these 'Lidl' changes in-store.
Source: corporate.lidl.co.uk
Alnatura to collaborate with Markant Group
German organic retail chain Alnatura has announced that it will cooperate with Swiss service provider Markant Group from July 1, 2024. Markant AG provides a range of services for retailers and suppliers.
Source: esmmagazine.com
How Tesco is transforming UK agriculture with innovative low-carbon fertilizers
In a pioneering move that places Tesco at the forefront of sustainable agriculture in the UK, the retail giant has successfully trialed low-carbon fertilizers (LCFs), showcasing a remarkable commitment to environmental stewardship and innovation.
Source: fpcfreshtalkdaily.co.uk
Imperfectly good: movement tackles the issue of food going to waste on aesthetic grounds
Demand for "perfect" fruit and vegetables from commercial buyers is leading to huge food waste and diminished financial returns for farmers, a new report has found. The appearance of fruit and vegetables is the most common reason commercial buyers reject produce, outweighing other factors such as ripeness or evidence of pest infestation, according to farmers. According to the report commissioned by odd-but-edible food merchant Good and Fugly, growers also say that some rejected produce is given to supermarkets for free.
Source: theguardian.com
Saudi Arabia: Yanbu gets largest hypermarket with new LuLu store
LuLu Group International has announced the opening of its new outlet in the port city of Yanbu, located on the Red Sea coast of Saudi Arabia. There is also a wide choice of fresh items, from freshly squeezed juices to baked breads and cakes, in addition to fresh fruit and vegetables from around the world.
Source: arabnews.pk
Woolworths shopper speechless over man's 'Free Fruit For Kids' self-serve checkout stunt
A Woolworths shopper has been left stunned by a fellow customer's stunt with a haul of free bananas at the self-serve checkout. Sharing on social media, the shopper revealed how a man tried to take home 10 bananas from Woolies' Free Fruit For Kids stand without paying, even though he didn't have any kids. Woolworth's Free Fruit For Kids initiative sees stores offering a range of fresh seasonal produce - usually apples and bananas - for customers' children to eat as they roam the aisles.
Source: 7news.com.au
Italy: SPAR's wave of store openings and renewals continues
SPAR Italy's wave of store openings and renewals continues, reflecting ongoing investment in shopper experiences across the country. The revamped EUROSPAR Supermarket in Serramanna, Sardinia, has reopened, welcoming its customers with many new features. Retaining its focus on a high-quality offering, the store has a rich assortment of fresh fruit and vegetables, a delicious delicatessen and bakery department, top-quality meat, a fish market featuring the best local fish, and a sushi corner.
Source: spar-international.com
Switzerland: Federation of Migros Cooperatives to downsize administration
The board of the Federation of Migros Cooperatives (Migros-Genossenschafts-Bund - MGB) has decided to reduce the number of its members from 23 to 13 as of July 1, 2024.
Source: esmmagazine.com
South African supermarket Shoprite's Q1 sales rise 13.2%
South Africa's biggest supermarket group, Shoprite, said its first-quarter sales rose by 13.2% as it opened 81 new stores and continued to grow its market share.
Source: reuters.com
Belgium: Renewed Spar Colruyt Group in Eksaarde to open on November 16
On Thursday, November 16, the Spar Colruyt Group store in Eksaarde will open its doors again in a brand-new building. Independent storekeeper Kevin De Storme: "We sell honey, fruit juices, and strawberries that come from our village."
Source: press.colruytgroup.com
Encouraging signs in the fight against food price inflation; focus on buying well and efficiency continues", says Foodstuffs NZ Managing Director
Foodstuffs' data shows many vegetable essentials were well down this October compared to last year: cauliflower (down 33.6%), broccoli (down 30.7%), lettuce (down 27.5%), avocados (down 21.3%) and capsicums (down 10.2%).
Source: foodstuffs-si.co.nz
New monthly "CNBC/NRF Retail Monitor", powered by Affinity Solutions, offers a more accurate, timely & in-depth look at U.S. retail sales
The National Retail Federation (NRF) and CNBC announced the launch of their new monthly "CNBC/NRF Retail Monitor," powered by Affinity Solutions, and the release of October 2023 retail sales data.
Source: nrf.com
US: Giant Co. president dives into the state of food retail
John Ruane, who officially took over as president of The Giant Co. in July, has held 28 jobs in the grocery industry, each of which, he says, has been his favorite. Ruane joined Progressive Grocer Editor-in-Chief Gina Acosta at the publication's Grocery Impact event to discuss his first few months in the grocer's top position, the current state of food retail, where he finds inspiration, and much more.
Source: progressivegrocer.com
US: Kroger's Freshgiving prices are even low, low, lower than last year's
This season, Kroger is once again offering customers an affordable meal with zero compromise on value, convenience, or quality. Shop these delectable holiday favorites that will feed ten people all under $5 per person, including, among other things: Ocean Spray Fresh Premium Cranberries; Sweet Jewel Yams; Kroger Idaho Potatoes; Kroger Super Sweet Corn; Kroger Baby Carrots; Del Monte French Style Green Beans.
Source: prnewswire.com
Report: Walmart attracting online shoppers faster than other grocers
The monthly active user (MAU) base for mass merchandisers was up 29% year over year, signaling a flight to value in shopping behavior like that seen over the last several months, according to the latest Brick Meets Click/Mercatus grocery survey.
Source: winsightgrocerybusiness.com
US: Kroger breaks ground on largest Midwest store to dateThe Kroger Co. is expanding its presence in Central Ohio for the first time since 2009 with the addition of a Kroger Marketplace location in the Columbus suburb of Plain City. Kroger officially broke ground on the 123,000-square-foot store on November 9, with the location expected to open by the end of 2024.
Source: progressivegrocer.com