New Zealand: Four Square hits 100
Four Square has marked a milestone within the New Zealand grocery industry by celebrating 100 years in business. The iconic brand first emerged in the 1920s and was established by Foodstuff's founder, J Heaton Barker.
Source: supermarketnews.co.nz
Portugal: Lidl accounted for 2% of food exports from the country in 2023
Lidl Portugal accounted for 2% of the country's total food product exports to the EU in 2023, a new study has revealed. Exports via Lidl contributed around €289mln to the Portuguese economy, representing an increase of 18% compared to 2022, according to a report by the consultancy firm Forvis Mazars. Top contributors to the export value were fruit and vegetables (€57.5mln) and tinned vegetables (€11.4mln).
Source: esmmagazine.com
EBRD increases stake in online food retailer Rohlik
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is increasing its stake in the Czech online retailer Rohlik Group, with an additional equity investment. The EBRD is the lead investor in this €160mln round of equity and debt financing, alongside the European Investment Bank (EIB), Sofina, Index Ventures and Quadrille.
Source: ebrd.com
France: Groupe Casino sells over €200mln of real estate assets to Tikehau Capital
Groupe Casino has signed a binding agreement with Tikehau Capital for the sale, in the second half of 2024, of a portfolio of 30 real estate assets comprising hypermarket and supermarket premises leased to the Casino, Intermarché, Carrefour and Auchan banners, as well as ancillary lots within these real estate complexes, some with real estate development potential.
Source: groupe-casino.fr
UK: Asda delivers record online grocery sales in FY23
Asda announced it recorded record online grocery sales in 2023, delivering 39mln orders with a sales value of £3.2bln, and ending the year with its highest ever online grocery market share of 20.8% (Kantar Worldpanel 12-week market share data). This was 2% ahead of the third-ranked supermarket and Asda's strongest market share performance since June 2020, prior to which the pandemic drove unprecedented online sales. Online now accounts for 18% of Asda's total grocery sales - an increase of 8% since 2020.
Source: corporate.asda.com
UK: Aldi introduces crownless pineapples to cut food waste
Aldi is trialling the sale of crownless pineapples in its latest move to reduce food waste. With the crown of the pineapple often being thrown away by shoppers, the UK's fourth largest supermarket will be removing the green leaves from its pineapples during the production process for recycling instead. The removed crowns will either be used to cultivate next year's crop or converted into animal feed, reducing food waste by an estimated 1,400 tonnes annually if the change is rolled out across stores.
Source: aldipresscentre.co.uk
New Zealand: Want a natural winter pick-me-up? Head straight to your fruit bowl
The 5+ A Day Charitable Trust recommends people eat five or more servings of colourful, fresh vegetables and two servings of fruit every day. 5+ A Day Trustee and Principal Scientist and Team Leader at Plant and Food Research, Dr Carolyn Lister, says adding a piece of seasonal fruit to your breakfast each morning is an easy way to boost your daily intake and help to look after your mental and physical wellbeing during the coldest months.
Source: 5aday.co.nz
Spanish startup Awevo cracks the plant-based EGGsperience with potato proteins, launches first product
Awevo Foods, a Spanish plant-based egg startup based in Madrid, has launched its first product for the food service & hospitality sector (canal HORECA) and retail: Awevo liquid eggs in 400 and 1000 ml formats. Made primarily from potato protein, they contain neither cholesterol nor saturated fats.
Source: vegconomist.com
UK: Asda predicts future food trends with the launch of its 2024/25 Trend BookLed by Asda's Senior Director of Food Trends and Innovation, Jonathan Moore, the Asda Trend book includes over 120 flavours and ingredients, including koji, adobo and banana ketchup.
Source: corporate.asda.com
UK: Bidcorp appoints Andy Farnworth as Managing Director of Bidfresh 
Bidcorp UK is proud to announce the appointment of Andy Farnworth as the new Managing Director of its fresh food division, Bidfresh. From 1st July 2024, Andy will replace Brian Hall, who after nearly 20 years at the company, will retire this summer. In a move to further cement Bidfresh's position as the market leader for fresh produce in foodservice, Andy brings with him a wealth of experience as well as some ambitious new targets, including aspirations to double the size of the business over the next five years.
Source: bidfood.co.uk
UK: Say hello to ZOE - Exclusive product is the start of an exciting new partnership with Waitrose
ZOE's Daily30+ is launching exclusively on the high street in Waitrose stores on 17 July. ZOE's Daily30+ is a savoury mix of seeds, herbs, nuts, legumes and functional mushrooms, formulated to provide the diversity of over 30 plants and introduce over 35 different types of fibre in just one scoop.
Source: johnlewispartnership.media
Lidl CEO reshuffle continuesMatúš Gála, the Slovak national who has headed Lidl's Belgian operations since May 2022, is moving to the discounter's international headquarters in Neckarsulm. It is not yet known who will succeed him. Hungarian CEO Jenő Grósz is also moving to headquarters, German trade magazine Lebensmittel Zeitung reports. Finally, Romanian national Marco Guidici will be succeeded in Spain by COO José Alberto Chueca Val.
Source: retaildetail.eu
Meet Walmart Canada's most northern store: Store #3121, Yellowknife
Walmart Canada's Yellowknife store has been proudly serving the north for 30 years. Nestled in the heart of the Northwest Territories, with fewer than 100 associates and a unique customer base, the Yellowknife Walmart is a small store with a big reach.
Source: walmartcanada.ca