Kroger CEO says no one has the ‘data and insights’ that it has 
Kroger is coming off a record year. The grocer grew its same-store sales, excluding fuel, by 14.1 percent last year, aided by a 116 percent jump in online sales. Kroger’s growing private label business was up 13.6 percent during a year when it posted an operating profit of $2.8 billion. The supermarket giant also found alternative revenue streams, notably through its retail media program, which delivered $150 million in operating profit. CEO Rodney McMullen believes that the retailer’s data and insights enable it to outperform its rivals. “Many retailers have transactional data, but no one has the customer data and the insights that Kroger has,” he said on the company’s third quarter earnings call in December.
Source: Retailwire.com
Online grocery shopping quadruples since 2017
The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a major spike in shopping online for groceries, according to a new survey of nearly 8,000 consumers from PowerReviews. More than six in 10 consumers say they shop for groceries online more now than they did pre-pandemic. Seventy-three percent of consumers have bought grocery items online during the past three months compared to only 17% during 2017. The accelerated adoption of online grocery shopping is being led by millennials, with eight in 10 making a purchase in the past three months, followed by 74% of Gen Z and 72% of Gen X. This compares to 60% of baby boomers.
Source: Fooddive.com
Bashas', AJ's Fine Foods, and Food City looking to hire nearly 700 AZ workers 
Bashas' supermarkets, which includes Bashas' grocery store, AJ's Fine Foods, and Food City, is looking to fill nearly 700 positions across all of its stores in Arizona. The company said it is hiring both full-time and part-time positions across several departments including managers, cashiers, courtesy clerks, delivery drivers, department managers, Starbucks managers and baristas, deli clerks, meat clerks, pastry chefs, bakers, cake decorators, and dishwashers. They are also looking for sushi chefs, BBQ chefs, grillers, and people to work in the floral departments.
Source: ABC15
Amazon illegally fired employees critical of work conditions, labor board finds 
Amazon.com Inc illegally fired two employees who advocated for better working conditions during the pandemic, the U.S. National Labor Relations Board has found. The online retailer last year terminated the employment of Emily Cunningham and Maren Costa, who accused the company of enforcing policies in a discriminatory fashion and having vague rules that “chill and restrain” staff from exercising rights, according to their charge filed in October, seen by Reuters. The board said on Monday that its regional director in Seattle will issue a complaint if the parties do not settle the case.
Source: Metro
Dirk Van den Berghe, former CEO of Delhaize, leaves Walmart Asia 
Dirk Van den Berghe, CEO of Walmart in Asia and former CEO of Delhaize, left the world's largest retail group. He is now returning to Europe. This news is has been confirmed by Walmart, his former employer. "After six years at Walmart, Dirk Van den Berghe, executive vice president, global sourcing and regional CEO of Asia, has decided to retire in March 2021 to spend more time with family in Europe," a spokesperson told Fashion Network.
Source: RetailDetail
Network International reports shift in supermarket shopping trends among UAE residents during 2020
In 2020, UAE residents spent more when they did their supermarket shopping online compared to when they made their purchases at an outlet, according to Network International, the leading enabler of digital commerce across the Middle East and Africa (MEA). The payments company reports that the overall average transaction value (ATV) of an ecommerce basket among UAE residents in 2020 was 40% greater than that of point of sale (POS) transactions at supermarkets. The increase can be attributed to a shift in consumer behaviour following COVID-19 lockdown restrictions with safety concerns and convenience, prompting a growth in online and contactless purchases.
Source: menafn.com
Russia: O'Key Group sees revenue up 5.6% in FY 2020
Russian retailer O'Key Group has reported a 5.6% year-on-year growth in revenue to RUB174.3bln (€1.95bln) in its financial year 2020. The group's gross profit increased by 5.4% to RUB39.3bln (€440mln) with a gross margin of 22.5%. EBITDA grew by 5.5% year-on-year to RUB14.8bln (€170mln), and the EBITDA margin stood at 8.5%.
Source: esmmagazine.com
Europe: Report finds grocery shoppers focused on health, online and value
The new report launched by McKinsey & Company and EuroCommerce examines the long term-trends and effects of the pandemic on the European grocery industry. With government restrictions impacting shopping patterns and accelerating the shift to online, the Disruption and Uncertainty - State of Grocery Retail 2021 study, based on both a CEO survey and consumer research, identified 4 key trends that will shape the industry over the next years. These are based on the areas consumers intend to spend more money on and what CEOs see as the key industry-shaping trends, with the majority expecting an increased focus on adjusting to shoppers who want variety, value and online.
Source: kamcity.com
How Jüsto stands out in Mexico’s competitive grocery market
Mexico-based Jüsto (Spanish for fair) is a pureplay grocer. It is committed to offering customers fresh, and high-quality produce and meat at fair prices. It achieves this by working directly with suppliers and managing the complete end-to-end supply chain, without using intermediaries. This shortens the supply chain, meaning perishables do not spend lengthy times on shelves, losing freshness. The cost saving of working with suppliers is transferred to the customer, who receives fresher products at greater value.
Source: retailanalysis.igd.com