Alison Dunn announced as new Amazon country manager for Ireland
It has been announced that Dubliner Alison Dunn will be the new country manager for Amazon Ireland and will oversee the launch of Amazon.ie, as it takes off in 2025.
Source: siliconrepublic.com
Britain's M&S has trading momentum in countdown to Christmas, says NIQ
British retailer Marks & Spencer's food business has entered Christmas trading with momentum as industry data showed it to be the country's second fastest growing bricks-and-mortar grocer after discounter Lidl. Market researcher NIQ said that M&S's grocery sales in the 12 weeks to November 30 were up 10.6% year on year, while Lidl's sales increased 11.6%. Online supermarket Ocado was the fastest growing of all grocers with sales up 16.2%.
Source: reuters.com
Continuing growth: METRO again increases sales and confirms long-term targets
METRO AG reported: "Financial year 2023/24 is characterised by the consistent implementation of the sCore growth strategy in a challenging environment: Sales grow by 5.9% adjusted for currency and portfolio effects and by 4.2% in local currency. All sales channels contribute to sales growth (currency and portfolio adjusted): store-based business grows by 2.3% to €22.9bln, delivery sales by 16.8% to €7.9bln and METRO MARKETS by 49.3% to €0.2bln. Adjusted EBITDA decrease to €1,058mln (2022/23: €1,174mln)."
Source: newsroom.metroag.de
Philippines: Metro Retail to put up more neighborhood grocery stores
Gaisano-led Metro Retail Stores Group Inc. (MRSGI) is further expanding and diversifying its store formats with the planned addition of more neighborhood grocery stores. "With its growing network of Metro Value Mart stores and plans for further expansion, MRSGI remains committed to delivering quality, convenience and affordability to Filipino households", the company said.
Source: philstar.com
UK: Uber Direct partners with retail technology firm Grozeo on fast delivery options for small and medium sized retailers
Grozeo has teamed up with Uber Direct, Uber's white label delivery solution. Retailers on the Grozeo platform can now offer to deliver everything from fresh groceries to last minute gifts within two hours.
Source: retailtechinnovationhub.com
Belgium: Colruyt loses sales and market share
Increased competition in the Belgian food market continues to hamper Colruyt Group, with the retailer seeing revenue down and costs rising. Its market share is under pressure despite the acquisition of Match and Smatch. Group sales fell 0.5% to 5.4bln euros. Due to higher costs - including wages - operating cash flow fell 2.6% to 444mln euros and operating profit 4.8% to 245mln euros.
Source: retaildetail.eu
India: E-commerce drives over 200,000 kirana stores to closure
As the quick commerce sector rapidly expands in India, traditional grocery or kirana stores are bearing the brunt of this transformation. A report by All India Consumer Products Distributors Federation (AICPDF) reveals that 200,000 such stores have closed in the past year in India due to the rise of online platforms offering faster and more convenient deliveries that are often cheaper.
Source: mediaindia.eu
UK: Asda trials electronic shelf edge labels in convenience store trial
Asda has announced a new trial of electronic shelf edge labels (eSELs) at an Asda Express convenience store in Manchester city centre. The Manchester Oxford Road store is a high footfall store, which will help to stress test the technology and provide even more learnings. The trial will be run across a wide array of product categories, including frozen, fresh, instore bakery, toiletries as well as beers, wines and spirits.
Source: corporate.asda.com
Spain's DIA appoints Pedro Devesa as new director of growth
Spanish retailer DIA has appointed Pedro Devesa as director of growth - a newly created position focusing on customer experience, marketing and e-commerce. The move reaffirms DIA's commitment to innovation, digitalisation and strengthening its position in the Spanish market, the company noted.
Source: esmmagazine.com
November sees record 78mln online grocery shoppers, beating pandemic high
Households making online grocery orders reached a record 77.8mln in November, eclipsing the previous record of 76.7mln set in April 2020, the first full month of the COVID pandemic, according to the monthly Brick Meets Click/Mercatus Grocery Shopper Survey. A 15% year-over-year jump in monthly active users drove the $9.6bln in monthly sales, up 17.8% from the same period a year ago.
Source: supermarketnews.com
Jamaica: Two new Hi-Lo supermarkets by 2026
Plans are far advanced to add two new outlets to the Hi-Lo supermarket chain by 2026, at a cost of more than $1bln. The two new stores are to be located in Morant Bay, St Thomas and Mandeville, Manchester, general manager of Hi-Lo Food Stores Cathrine Kennedy has confirmed.
Source: jamaica-gleaner.com
US: Entrepreneur builds vegetable stand into abundant business
Ten years ago, Evan Lutz's entrepreneurship class assignment to start a sustainable business resulted in a single folding table in front of the University of Maryland student union and selling a couple of ugly cucumbers. On November 1, back on the College Park campus, the former Terp received the Outstanding Young Alumnus Award for building that vegetable stand into Hungry Harvest, a company that recovers and sells imperfect fresh fruits, vegetables and pantry items from Maryland farmers and suppliers and distributes them to customers throughout the Mid-Atlantic region.
Source: severnaparkvoice.com
Kroger's $25bln deal for grocery rival Albertsons blocked by US courts
A U.S. judge blocked the pending $25bln merger of U.S. grocery chains Kroger and Albertsons, in a win for the Federal Trade Commission that Kroger has said would likely scuttle the deal.
Source: reuters.com
US: UNFI sees positive results of greater efficiency during strong Q1
An increase in efficiencies has started to produce real results for United Natural Foods Inc. as the wholesale distributor of natural and organic foods delivered strong first-quarter 2025 results. For the first quarter of 2025, net sales increased 4.2% year over year to $7.9bln, primarily driven by a nearly 2% increase in wholesale unit volumes. Gross profit reached $1bln, marking a 0.8% year-over-year increase. Adjusted EBITDA rose 14.5% compared to Q1 2024, reaching $134mln and marking the fifth consecutive quarter of sequential improvement in adjusted EBITDA dollars.
Source: supermarketnews.com
Sprouts Farmers Market named Retailer of the Year
"Sprouts Farmers Market is honored to receive Progressive Grocer's Retailer of the Year award, a reflection of the dedicated people, culture and values that define our organization", says CEO Jack Sinclair.
Source: progressivegrocer.com
Grupo Mateus reports 21% net profit growth in Q3
Brazil's third biggest food retailer Grupo Mateus announced a 20.9% year-over-year increase in third-quarter net profit, to R$379.2mln (€62.3mln). The positive performance was driven by a 20.2% revenue growth to R$8.34bln (€1.4bln) and was driven by strategic adjustments and countermeasures to mitigate challenges.
Source: esmmagazine.com