Sprouts CEO: Not fazed by Kroger, Albertsons merger
The CEO of Sprouts Farmers Market said he’s not concerned about the potential $24.6bln merger of Kroger and Albertsons affecting his company, and he doesn’t know how much it will actually help the two chains compete against Walmart, according to reporting from the Phoenix Business Journal.
Source: supermarketnews.com
US: Albertsons closes out fiscal 2022 on an up note
For the 12 weeks ended February 25, net sales and other revenue totaled $18.27bln, up 5.1% from $17.38bln a year earlier, when the top line rose 10.2%, Albertsons reported. The Boise, Idaho-based food and drug retailer attributed the gain to a 5.6% increase in identical sales, which came atop a 7.5% increase a year ago.
Source: winsightgrocerybusiness.com
Interest is high for grocery plant-based alternatives
While activity in some of the major plant-based categories is cooling, shoppers are still flocking to the sector and the potential for revenue expansion is vast. “The top 20 growing categories are across all departments, showing consumers are looking for plant-based alternatives in grocery, dairy, meat, baby, and even health and beauty”, said Sherry Frey, vice president of total wellness for NielsenIQ, a Chicago-based global consumer intelligence firm.
Source: supermarketnews.com
US: Walmart to close four underperforming Chicago stores
Walmart announced it will abruptly close four underperforming Chicago stores, citing millions in annual losses. The company said its eight Chicago stores collectively have not been profitable since the first opened 17 years ago. The locations are in the Kenwood, Lakeview, Little Village and Chatham neighborhoods of Chicago.
Source: cnbc.com
US: Meijer announces May 16 as opening date for new supercenters in Warren and Wooster
Meijer announced that it will open two new 159,000-square-foot supercenters in Warren and Wooster, Ohio on May 16, increasing the retailer's store count to 52 in the state. The supercenter will feature all the products Meijer customers have come to expect, including grocery staples, fresh produce, bakery, meat, and deli, as well as a floral area and garden center.
Source: prnewswire.com
US: Inflation, SNAP cuts lead to steep drop in online grocery sales
Online grocery sales fell 7.6% in March compared to a year ago, as consumers prioritized savings over convenience, according to the monthly Brick Meets Click/Mercatus Grocery Shopping Survey.
Source: winsightgrocerybusiness.com
FRAYT raises $7mln, brings last-mile on-demand delivery to over 50 major U.S. markets
FRAYT, the last-mile on-demand delivery and logistics platform, announced that it has closed $7mln in Series A funding, led by Refinery Ventures with participation from Capital Midwest, Venture 53, and the JobsOhio Growth Capital Fund. FRAYT will use the financing to drive product innovation, support rapid market expansion and grow its leadership team.
Source: prnewswire.com
UK: M&S confirms news on prices of over 100 essential items - and shoppers will be pleased
Marks and Spencer has extended its price lock on over 100 items until this summer, including fresh food and household essentials. The "refreshed" list of products includes white mushrooms for £1, easy peeler satsumas for £2 and Granny Smith apples for £2.
Source: mirror.co.uk
Italy: Conad Nord Ovest acquires three Bennet stores for €4.4mln
Retail cooperative Conad Nord Ovest, via its Nordovest Insieme unit, has acquired three stores from Italian retailer Bennet for €4.4mln. The acquired stores include Via Verolengo in Turin (3,571 square metres, sold for €1.9mln), Via Galliera in Ovada (1,948 square metres, valued at €1.5mln) and Via Guido Rossa in Verbania (1,499 square metres, purchase price of €1mln).
Source: esmmagazine.com
European retail volumes down 3.1% in February: Eurostat
Total retail sales volumes in February 2023 were down 3.1% on the same period last year across the European Union, new data from Eurostat has revealed.
Source: esmmagazine.com
JD Logistics launches the world’s first Supply Chain Emission Management Platform for logistics industry
JD Logistics, in collaboration with the Green Supply Chain Committee of the All-China Environment Federation, proudly introduced the world’s first Supply Chain Emission Management Platform (SCEMP) for logistics industry. This ground-breaking logistics transportation carbon footprint management platform accurately calculates carbon emissions based on the actual routes of transportation vehicles, providing unparalleled granularity.
Source: jdcorporateblog.com
Namdhari's Group CEO on what it takes to build a seed-to-plate agri-business in India
Namdhari's Group was started with the vision of bringing global fruits and fresh produce to the Indian market. Today, the group has grown to become a vegetarian seed-to-plate agribusiness with more than five lakh farmers using Namdhari seeds and a retail presence of 80,000 sq. ft in Bengaluru, offering a range of fresh fruits and vegetables, single-origin dairy products, an in-house bakery, imported dry fruits among others.
Source: entrepreneur.com
Maxima Latvija reports 6.5% increase in turnover in FY 2022
Maxima Latvija has reported a 6.5% year-on-year increase in turnover to €974.6mln in its financial year 2022. The company's profit before tax decreased slightly to €31.9mln, due to an increase in general costs as well as the company's investments to ensure the availability of affordable essential items.
Source: esmmagazine.com
German supermarket chain Aldi develops a taste for Northern Ireland food
Overall, Aldi spends around £1bln on buying food from across the island. A good example of this developing engagement is Gilfresh Produce, leading vegetable growers and producers based in Craigavon, Co. Armagh, which recently extended its successful portfolio of prepared vegetable products through the launch of their brand new ‘Fresh Value’ range which is available now in all Aldi Ireland stores.
Source: newsletter.co.uk
Bees map out biodiversity of the environment for Colruyt Group
Colruyt Group places beehives on own farming land to map out the biodiversity, the plant diversity in the environment and any pollutants. The health of the soil and environment is measured by analysing the pollen collected by the bees, and soil samples. The impact of actions to improve the quality of the environment can also be assessed with this method, and 'best practices' can be identified. The project is a collaboration with BeeOdiversity, in the context of ABInbev's 100+ Accelerator programme, of which Colruyt Group is the European partner. The first results of the project are expected by June, and improvement actions will be defined at the end of the year.
Source: press.colruytgroup.com
EBRD and ENEF II sign first project with Kosovo’s Interex retail chain
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) approved a financing package of up to €20mln to Proex Shp, one of Kosovo’s largest retail chains, which operates 34 Interex-branded stores across the country.
Source: ebrd.com
UK: Tesco seeks supplier price cuts as inflation begins to ease
Tesco has started to push its suppliers for price cuts in an early sign that climbing weekly shop costs will start to slow. The supermarket giant, which has a team monitoring the costs facing suppliers, is keen to start reducing prices for shoppers on certain products where it believes inflationary pressures have eased, The Sunday Times reported.
Source: retailgazette.co.uk