Matcha, fruity cereal, dragon fruit and more flavours on the rise in Canada: Kerry
Ireland-headquartered food company Kerry has released its 2024 Taste Charts. The charts identify flavours and ingredients here to stay, as well as those poised to create ripples in the food industry. Emerging flavours tracked by Kerry (the fastest growing flavours over the last year) in Canada: Sweet: Ginger, Watermelon, Rhubarb, Apricot, Passion fruit, Pear, Date. Savoury: Truffle mushroom, Turmeric, Cranberry, Apple, Shiitake mushroom.
Source: canadiangrocer.com
Target, Walmart, Albertsons tops in ecommerce and grocery pick-up: report
When it comes to streamlining the ordering and fulfillment process, whether online or for pick-up, grocers like Target, Walmart, and Albertsons are considered top performers. Marketing research and polling company Ipsos recently released a study on “buy online, pick-up in store” and ecommerce trends across the grocery industry and took a look at 17 grocers. Target, Walmart, and Albertsons were listed at the top and each one saw marked improvement year over year, according to Ipsos.
Source: supermarketnews.com
US: Southeastern Grocers completes strategic divestiture of its Hispanic banner
Southeastern Grocers Inc. (SEG) announced the completion of its strategic divestiture of Fresco y Más to Fresco Retail Group, LLC. SEG continues to own and operate Harveys Supermarket and Winn-Dixie grocery stores.
Source: businesswire.com
US: New Whole Foods Market in Albuquerque to open February 22
Whole Foods Market will open a new 47,327 square-foot store, located at 2100 Carlisle Boulevard NE, Albuquerque, New Mexico, on February 22 at 9 a.m. MST. The store is a relocation of the existing Albuquerque store (2103 Carlisle Blvd NE), which has served the community for more than 30 years. Features of the relocated Albuquerque store include: A large produce department with more than 280 certified organic items available at opening and Sourced for Good produce, floral bouquets, roses and tulips. Product selection at opening will include Dekopon citrus, organic blueberries, made-in-house salsas and guacamole dips and a large orchid variety.
Source: media.wholefoodsmarket.com
US: GS Foods Group acquires Diamond Foods - Expanding operations in Louisiana
GS Foods Group, Inc. (“GS Foods”), a world-class foodservice partner owned by affiliates of Highview Capital, LLC (“Highview”) and A&M Capital Partners (“AMCP”), announced its acquisition of Diamond Foods, a regional K-12 food distributor based in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Source: businesswire.com
US: The Fresh Factory reports preliminary unaudited Q4 2023 results
The Fresh Factory B.C. Ltd. ("The Fresh Factory" or the "Company"), a mission-driven company for fresh, clean-label, and better-for-you food and beverage brands, announced preliminary revenue, adjusted EBITDA, and other unaudited estimates for the quarter ending December 31, 2023, ("Q4 2023") and the year ending December 31, 2023 ("Fiscal 2023"). The Fresh Factory achieved various milestones in Q4 2023, recording the Company's highest-billed quarterly revenue to date of $6.4mln ($8.5mln CAD), compared to the previous quarterly record of $5.9mln ($7.9mln CAD) achieved in Q4 2022, or a 10.6% increase.
Source: accesswire.com
Top 5 supermarket retail chains in South Africa
ESM - European Supermarket Magazine reported: "South Africa's food retail market is the largest on the African continent. The industry achieved global sales of nearly $38bln (€34.9bln) in 2022, or 20% of GDP, according to data from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA). Here’s a list of the top five supermarket retail chains in South Africa, according to their most recently-available full-year turnover: 1. Shoprite turnover (2023): R215bln (€10.3bln) 2. Pick N Pay turnover (2023): R106bln (€5.1bln) 3. SPAR Group turnover (2023): R91bln (€4.37bln) 4. Massmart Holdings turnover (2021): R84.9bln (€4.1bln) 5. Woolworths Holding Limited turnover (2023): R73.2bln (€3.52bln)".
Source: esmmagazine.com
UK: Consumers less concerned with availability
IGD reported: "In the latest consumer research conducted for IGD (10-11 January 2024), fewer than half of adults (47%) experienced shortages of some food and groceries in-store or online recently. Compare that with a high of 77% in March 2023 when extreme weather conditions in Spain and north Africa affected harvests, resulting in some supermarkets introducing limits on some fruit and vegetables. Availability concerns have declined again for fresh produce (20% compared to a peak of 52% in March 2023)."
Source: igd.com
UK: Lidl announces 'significant' change to its vegetable range which will affect every customer
Lidl has announced a "significant change" to its vegetable range in a bid to help British farmers. It has said it will step up its support for farmers by moving British root veg suppliers to long-term contracts. Representing an investment of over £70mln, the new contracts of up to three years will offer those supplying Lidl’s Winter veg staples, including carrots, parsnips, and swedes, the certainty and security to invest in their operations.
Source: walesonline.co.uk
UK retail sales dive in January at fastest pace in 3 years: CBI
British retail sales volumes slid in January at the fastest pace for three years, according to an industry survey. The Confederation of British Industry's (CBI) monthly retail sales balance, a gauge of sales versus a year ago, fell in January to -50 from -32 in December, the lowest reading since January 2021 when Britain was in a COVID-19 lockdown.
Source: reuters.com
UK: Nisa outlines strategy with 400 new stores planned for 2024
Following Co-op’s recently revealed plans to recruit 400 new Nisa stores, the symbol group has expanded on its own 2024 strategy. Nisa retailers already have access to stock up to 2,400 Co-op own brand products and 93% of its retailers are buying into the range.
Source: talkingretail.com
UK: Asda to go cashless at more supermarket forecourts
Asda is converting more of its superstore petrol forecourts to card-only, unmanned operations with staff being redeployed into its stores. The supermarket chain has 300 forecourts attached to superstores with half of those already unmanned. Another 82 are to go cash-free, with 14 already having been converted since December last year, according to the supermarket.
Source: bbc.com
UK: New IGD report and food inflation forecast say companies should plan ahead for a critical 2024At the start of a critical year for the food and consumer goods industry and households across the UK, IGD has released an in-depth Economics Viewpoint Report and new food inflation forecast. With a general election looming and low household income on the rise, food and consumer goods businesses will need to move through a complex economic and political landscape, while meeting the needs of shoppers.
Source: retailtimes.co.uk