LuLu Hypermarket Qatar launches Festival of Vietnam
LuLu Hypermarket has prominently displayed nearly 100 Vietnamese items throughout its stores, including special displays of fresh fruits, groceries, and frozen products. The promotion features a wide selection of Vietnamese agricultural products such as rice, spices, and coffee, as well as premium fruits like dragon fruit, rambutan, mangosteen, passion fruit, jackfruit, and longan.
Source: thepeninsulaqatar.com
New Zealand: The Warehouse Group CEO quits with immediate exit
The Warehouse Group CEO Nick Grayston has stepped down, effective immediately, citing that the company "needs fresh energy" as it changes direction. The company has named John Journee as interim CEO until a new CEO is identified.
Source: insidefmcg.com.au
Penny Romania targets double-digit growth in 2024
Discounter Penny Romania ended 2023 with a revenue of over RON8.32bln (€716mln), representing a 16% increase year-on-year and a new record for the company. It is the ninth consecutive year that Penny Romania reported the highest turnover growth among food retail businesses under Germany's REWE Group. The company reported a net profit of RON224mln (€19mln) in 2023, representing a 47% jump from the previous year.
Source: esmmagazine.com
Belgium: Revamped Okay Affligem to reopen as a sustainable neighbourhood supermarket on 22 May
On Wednesday 22 April, Okay Affligem opened its doors after undergoing a thorough facelift. "In the freshmart, the wide aisles ensure a pleasant shopping experience. It's easy to choose from our ample offer of fruit and vegetables, dairy, meat, charcuterie, fish and ready-made meals, tasty and fresh like you are used to at Okay," store manager Jannick Vastenavondt says.
Source: press.colruytgroup.com
UK: Marks & Spencer sees profits jump 58%, but hikes cost-cutting target
Marks & Spencer has revealed a better-than-expected surge in annual profits as its turnaround pays off, but ramped up cost-cutting in the face of a soaring wage bill. The retail bellwether reported a 58% hike in underlying pre-tax profits to £716.4mln for the year to March 30.
Source: standard.co.uk
Switzerland: Migros Supermarket Ltd - organisation in place, 150 job cuts
Migros Supermarket Ltd reported: "The Migros Supermarket Ltd organisation is in place and will be implemented on 1 July 2024. The aim is to simplify processes, streamline structures and clarify roles. Unfortunately, this will result in 150 job cuts. The affected employees will receive support in their search for alternative employment. A comprehensive redundancy package is in place ... There will be a management change in the Fresh Produce division of Migros Supermarket Ltd."
Source: corporate.migros.ch
UK: Morrisons lowers and locks over 400 prices
Morrisons has lowered the price of over 400 popular food and household cleaning items and is committing to locking the prices for at least eight weeks. Dinner time favourites of fish and chips and fajitas are set to be on the menu as prices for Morrisons breaded frozen cod fillets, fries, mushy peas, red kidney beans, fajita kits and long grain rice are reduced by up to a third. As well as this latest round of price cuts, Morrisons is continuing to offer customers market leading offers and promotions on key products. Examples for w/c 20th May include: 2 for £3 on produce inc. Morrisons The Best Asparagus. £1 for Morrisons The Best Jersey Royal Potatoes (450g).
Source: morrisons-corporate.com
India: Flipkart's grocery business soars with 1.6X YoY growth with fresh produce and fast delivery
Flipkart has recorded 1.6X year-over-year growth. As a customer-first organization, Flipkart Grocery ensures the provision of fresh produce at affordable prices. To bolster consumer trust, all products display manufacturing and expiration dates, ensuring transparency and freshness.
Source: ibtimes.co.in
UK: Innocent Drinks launches new Blueberry Focus Super Smoothie
Innocent Drinks has announced the launch of Blueberry Focus Super Smoothie as part of its functional smoothie range. Blueberry Focus is a blend of blueberries, strawberries, apples, rhubarb, and spirulina plus added vitamins.
Source: talkingretail.com
JD.com launches JD NOW: Transforming on-demand retail with instant delivery
On May 16th, JD.com unveiled its upgraded on-demand retail business, JD NOW. To enhance the delivery experience for special deliveries such as flowers and perishable items, riders in black gloves use mini-fridges to maintain optimal conditions throughout the delivery process.
Source: jdcorporateblog.com
South Africa: Massive blow for Pick n Pay
Pick n Pay expects to record a substantial loss of over R3bln, despite increased sales. In a sales update and trading statement for the year ended 25 February 2024, the group said that Pick n Pay South African supermarkets saw sales growth of -0.2% (+0.2% like-for-like).
Source: businesstech.co.za
Barfoots reaches milestone donation to UKHarvest
UKHarvest are thrilled to announce that Barfoots have donated the equivalent of 1mln meals, an astonishing accomplishment. This incredible donation equates to 420,000kgs of food, including sweetcorn, butternut squash, courgettes, sweet potatoes and asparagus. The donation of 1mln meals is associated with 1592 tonnes of GHGs that would have been wasted.
Source: ukharvest.org.uk
Woolworths contributes little to food waste but rejects bananas that are 'too big', South Australian committee hears
Woolworths boss Brad Banducci has defended the amount of food the supermarket giant rejects with a top executive saying no one wants a banana that is "too big", a South Australian parliamentary inquiry has heard.
Source: abc.net.au
UK: Frozen snacking brand Pukpip launches new range of sharing bags
Frozen snacking brand Pukpip has launched Real Banana Bites - a new range of sharing bags, featuring three varieties of real frozen banana slices, dipped in milk chocolate, dark chocolate or peanut butter.
Source: retailtimes.co.uk
US: More UNFI truckers are now part of a union
Another group of UNFI workers in Florida are now part of a union, marking the second time in as many weeks that employees have come together in solidarity. By a vote of 74-0, workers in Pompano Beach joined Teamsters Local 769. The 74 drivers have concerns over wages, benefits, and working conditions.
Source: supermarketnews.com
Canada: T&T Supermarket partners with DoorDash
T&T Supermarket is partnering with DoorDash for on-demand grocery delivery. The partnership spans 33 of the Loblaw-owned Asian grocer's locations across Alberta, B.C., Ontario and Quebec.
Source: canadiangrocer.com
US: Walmart goes bigger with new Neighborhood Markets
Walmart is growing its Neighborhood Market format with a newly opened store in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida, and another slated to open soon in Atlanta. The retailer's two upcoming locations bolster the format's convenience and support the retailer's growing e-commerce business, Kyle Kinnard, senior vice president of Neighborhood Markets, said in an interview. The stores are the first to open as part of Walmart's previously announced five-year growth plan.
Source: grocerydive.com
US: Divert, Inc. announces Harrison, Ohio as the site of a future Integrated Diversion & Energy Facility
Divert, Inc., an impact technology company on a mission to Protect the Value of Food™, announced Harrison, Ohio as the location of a future Integrated Diversion & Energy Facility. "Kroger is proud to collaborate with Divert to further our Zero Hunger | Zero Waste plan, which aims to end hunger in our communities and eliminate waste across our business", said Keith Dailey, Kroger's group vice president of corporate affairs and chief sustainability officer.
Source: businesswire.com