New 'Lidl Green Fund' launched to award sustainable community projects across Northern Ireland
Lidl Northern Ireland launched a new 'Lidl Green Fund', to award communities with £25,000 in funding in support of local projects that aim to tackle key environmental challenges across climate and biodiversity, circular economy and sustainable living, for the benefit of towns and villages throughout Northern Ireland.
Source: corporate.lidl-ni.co.uk
UK: Asda updates on FY24 results and Rollback to Asda Price strategy
Asda reported: "Total revenue, excluding fuel, was broadly flat at £21.7bln, while like-for-like sales were 3.4% lower. Group Adjusted EBITDA after rent increased by 5.8% to £1.14bln in 2024. Asda ended FY24 with net debt of £3.8bln and over £0.8bln in cash on its balance sheet. Significant programme of strategic price investment, including expanding Rollback to 25% of Asda's product range".
Source: corporate.asda.com
UK: Aldi gives shoppers the chance to win a year's supply of Too Good To Go Surprise Bags
Aldi and Too Good To Go are giving shoppers the chance to win a year's supply of Too Good To Go Surprise Bags. To also mark Food Waste Action Week and inspire shoppers, Aldi and Too Good To Go have joined forces with food waste disruptor Lagomchef to show just how easy and enjoyable tackling food waste can be.
Source: retailtimes.co.uk
India: Zepto CEO Aadit Palicha sees opportunity in creating a 'Delhivery for fruits, vegetables'
Zepto founder and CEO Aadit Palicha, in a recent LinkedIn post, highlighted the opportunity in logistics to create a "Delhivery for fruits and vegetables (FnV)". Gurgaon-based new-age logistics and supply chain company Delhivery services ecommerce and consumer goods firms. "As quick commerce scales, there is a serious opportunity in logistics to build a 'Delhivery for fruits and vegetables (FnV)'," Palicha noted.
Source: economictimes.indiatimes.com
SPAR Austria Group reports sales growth of 4.5% in FY 2024
SPAR Austria Group has reported 4.5% year-on-year growth in sales to €21.4bln in its financial year 2024. Earnings before tax amounted to €255mln, corresponding to a margin of 1.7%, the company noted. The retailer generated more than €10bln from the food retail sector in Austria during the financial year, which it says is a first for the company.
Source: esmmagazine.com
Poland: E-commerce firm Allegro sees rising 2025 earnings, proposes $364 mln buyback
Poland's biggest e-commerce platform Allegro expects its earnings to rise 8-12% in its home market this year, it said, and proposed a share buyback of around 1.4bln zlotys ($364mln).
Source: reuters.com
Singapore: Four major supermarket operators to introduce unit pricing for common grocery items
Unit pricing for common grocery items will be introduced at selected outlets across four major supermarket operators later in 2025. FairPrice, Cold Storage and Giant, Sheng Siong and Prime will display unit pricing for items such as rice, meat, eggs, cooking oils, fruits and vegetables. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry Gan Kim Yong said that in addition to the price of the product, consumers will also be able to see the price per unit displayed on the shelf, such as "per litre" or "per kilogram".
Source: straitstimes.com
UK's Bakkavor rejects $1.48bln bid by rival food group Greencore
Britain's Bakkavor has rejected two bids from Greencore to buy it, the latest of which would have valued the food manufacturer at 1.14bln pounds ($1.48bln), the companies said.
Bakkavor said the offer significantly undervalued it.
Source: reuters.com
US: Consumer Price Index - February 2025
The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) increased 0.2% on a seasonally adjusted basis in February, after rising 0.5% in January, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported. The index for food increased 0.2% in February, after rising 0.4% in January. The food at home index was unchanged over the month as declines in four of the six major grocery store food group indexes were offset by increases in the remaining two. The index for other food at home decreased 0.5% in February as did the index for fruits and vegetables and the index for nonalcoholic beverages.
Source: bls.gov
US: H-E-B announces another store planned for North Texas
H-E-B's rapidly growing North Texas footprint is about to get a little bit bigger with the announcement that the San Antonio-based grocer plans to open its first store in Denton. The purchase of the property at 35W and Robinson Ranch Road is not yet complete, but the grocery chain said that it plans to break ground on the 20-acre site this spring.
Source: supermarketnews.com
US: Red Arts Capital announces acquisition of Freshway Foods
Red Arts Capital ("Red Arts"), a leading investment firm specializing in supply chain-related and logistics businesses, announced its acquisition of Freshway Foods ("Freshway"). Freshway is a trusted supplier of fresh-cut processing, repacking, transportation and logistics services, operating in the Eastern United States.
Source: businesswire.com
US: Fareway upgrades continue in Iowa
Fareway Stores Inc. is on the move again, if not very far. This time, the Midwest grocer is moving across the street in Eldora, Iowa. In addition to Fareway's signature full-service butcher counter and meat section, the outpost will offer farm-fresh produce and array of everyday essentials.
Source: progressivegrocer.com
US: Sprouts Farmers Market is ready to party in Florida this spring
Sprouts Farmers Market is preparing to make a major store drop in Florida. The grocer will open five locations in the state, including one in Melbourne on Friday. Sprouts will open a store in Largo a week later before opening three more locations in April in Boynton Beach, Kissimmee, and Coconut Creek.
Source: supermarketnews.com
US: Jewish community outraged as Nuts Factory loses kosher certification in NYC
The kosher certification has been unexpectedly revoked from all branches of the Nuts Factory chain, owned by the Allall family in New York and New Jersey. Nuts Factory is one of the most successful nut chains in the U.S. and has become a powerhouse in recent years thanks to its innovative concept: stores designed in the style of an Israeli market.
Source: ynetnews.com