US: Monthly import cargo continues peak season surge
Monthly inbound cargo volume at the nation's major container ports could see a near-record surge this month as retailers bring in merchandise ahead of a potential strike at East Coast and Gulf Coast ports this fall, according to the Global Port Tracker report by the National Retail Federation and Hackett Associates.
Source: nrf.com
Costco reports higher Canadian sales in July
Costco Wholesale Corp. reported net sales of $19.26bln for the retail month of July, up 7.1% year-over-year. Comparable sales in Canada increased 6.3%, and total company sales were up 5.2%. Net sales for the first 48 weeks of the year were $229.81bln, up 7.1% from last year.
Source: canadiangrocer.com
US: Kroger names new Mid-Atlantic president
The Kroger Co. has named Kate Mora to lead its Mid-Atlantic division. Mora was previously VP for merchandising in the company's Michigan division. She succeeds the retiring Lori Raya.
Source: progressivegrocer.com
Canada: Marketing initiative bears fruit for Ontario's Tender Fruit Growers
The Government of Ontario is investing up to $1.6mln over four years to support Ontario Tender Fruit Growers in purchasing display bins branded with the Foodland Ontario logo. This will help consumers identify seasonal, locally grown tender fruits when shopping in grocery stores.
Source: news.ontario.ca
US: Aldi celebrates second store in Savannah, Georgia
Aldi opened its second store in Savannah, Georgia, on Thursday. To celebrate, the first 100 customers received a gift bag with a sampling of Aldi products and a gift card as part of the Aldi Golden Ticket gift card giveaway program.
Source: supermarketnews.com
US: HelloFresh unveils new family-friendly menu for back-to-school season
As families gear up for the busy back-to-school season, HelloFresh is introducing HelloFresh Family, a comprehensive new family menu with recipes and market items designed to make mealtime more delicious and convenient.
Source: businesswire.com
US: Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage announces third quarter fiscal 2024 results
Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage, Inc. announced results for its third quarter of fiscal 2024 ended June 30, 2024. Highlights for third quarter fiscal 2024 compared to third quarter fiscal 2023: Net sales increased 9.7% to $309.1mln; Operating income increased 41.4% to $12.8mln; Net income increased 30.2% to $9.2mln, with diluted earnings per share of $0.40.
Source: prnewswire.com
US: Albertsons class action claims grocer falsely advertises fruit cups with 100% juice
A California man has hit Albertsons with a class action lawsuit alleging it falsely advertises its fruit cups products as containing "100% Juice". Christian Lucas filed a class action complaint against Albertsons Companies Inc. in a California federal court, claiming the company misled consumers about the juice content of its Signature Select fruit products.
Source: topclassactions.com
French grocery retailer Franprix deploys A2Z Cust2Mate 3.0 smart shopping carts in Paris connected store
A2Z Smart Technologies Corp. has announced the first deployment of its new generation Cust2Mate 3.0 smart shopping carts at Franprix in Paris, France. Franprix is a grocery chain that operates over 600 stores in France.
Source: retailtechinnovationhub.com
UK: Groceries earn Deliveroo milestone profit
The British delivery service saw the number of orders rise by 2% to 147.4mln in the first six months of this year. Gross transaction value rose 6% to 3.7bln pounds (4.3bln euros), while sales grew 2% to 1.02bln pounds (1.2bln euros). A milestone is the 1.3mln pounds (1.5mln euros) in profit: a year earlier there was a loss of 82.9mln pounds (96mln euros).
Source: retaildetail.eu
Japan: Rakuten rebrands online grocery service as 'Rakuten Mart'
Rakuten Group, Inc. has announced that its subsidiary, Rakuten Seiyu Netsuper, Inc., will be renamed Rakuten Mart, Inc., effective 8 August. The online grocery delivery service will officially operate under the new name starting 25 September. The existing Rakuten Seiyu Netsuper website and app will remain in use, with operations extending from warehouses in Kohoku (Kanagawa Prefecture), Matsudo (Chiba Prefecture), and Ibaraki (Osaka Prefecture).
Source: retailasia.com
UK: Asda reports 5.3% drop in second-quarter like-for-like sales
Asda, Britain's third biggest supermarket group, posted a 5.3% decline in underlying sales in the three months to the end of June, as it continues to underperform its rivals. The group, which is majority owned by Mohsin Issa and private equity firm TDR Capital, said total revenues excluding fuel fell by 2.2% to 5.3bln pounds ($6.74bln).
Source: reuters.com
The power of branding in the fresh produce market: A closer look at fruits and vegetables
International Supermarket News reported: "Branding is a powerful tool that transforms everyday commodities into recognizable and desirable products. This phenomenon is not limited to packaged goods but extends to fresh produce like fruits and vegetables. Successful branding can differentiate products in a competitive market, enhance consumer loyalty, and command higher prices. This article explores how consumers purchase fruits and vegetables, the impact of branding in this sector, and the strategies producers use to market their branded produce".
Source: internationalsupermarketnews.com
Ireland: M&S launches final campaign in its Farm to Foodhall journey with Monaghan Mushrooms
Marks & Spencer (M&S) has launched the final phase of its Farm to Foodhall campaign showcasing Monaghan, a 43-year-old family-run mushroom farm based in Tyholland, County Monaghan. The campaign captures M&S Food Ambassador Mark Moriarty's visit to the family business, which employs 820 people across Ireland and has been supplying M&S with top-quality mushrooms for over 25 years.
Source: retailnews.ie
Bol sees turnover grow 6.3%
Since this year, Ahold Delhaize no longer reports separate figures on e-commerce subsidiary Bol. However, Belgian newspaper De Tijd managed to get hold of the figures: online sales raised 6.3% to 0.7bln euros, spokesperson Isabelle Meltzer said. "The market share grew by 20 basis points to 18.3%, while the market grew only slightly this year".
Source: retaildetail.eu
UK: Morrisons Media Group launches new sampling programme for suppliers
Morrisons' retail media business is launching a new food and drink sampling programme in its stores to help suppliers showcase their latest products to shoppers. Brands are now being offered the chance to book in-aisle sampling activity for the autumn, working with the Morrisons Media Group (MMG), the unit set up with marketing giant SMG in 2022.
Source: kamcity.com