US: Kroger announces resignation of CEO Rodney McMullen
The Kroger Co. announced that Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Rodney McMullen has resigned from the Company following a Board investigation of his personal conduct that, while unrelated to the business, was inconsistent with Kroger's Policy on Business Ethics. The Board has appointed Lead Director Ronald "Ron" Sargent to serve as Chairman of the Board of Directors and interim Chief Executive Officer, effective immediately. The Board also announced that Mark Sutton will serve as Kroger's lead independent director, also effective immediately.
Source: prnewswire.com
US: Albertsons names Susan Morris CEO
Albertsons Companies, Inc. announced that Executive Vice President and COO Susan Morris will succeed Vivek Sankaran as CEO upon his retirement from the role on May 1. She will also replace Sankaran on the Albertsons Cos. Board of Directors.
Source: supermarketnews.com
US: GrubMarket introduces AI Model Configuration and Enterprise Dictionary for GrubAssist AI
GrubMarket announced the launch of AI Model Configuration and Enterprise Dictionary for GrubAssist AI. This powerful update enables food supply chain companies to directly train GrubAssist AI to rapidly learn and adapt to not only industry-level context but also business-specific concepts and terminology, ensuring responses that are highly relevant and unparalleled in accuracy across diverse enterprises.
Source: prnewswire.com
US: Whole Foods Market donates first electric food rescue van in Austin
Whole Foods Market has announced a major milestone in its Nourishing Our Neighborhoods program with the donation of its first-ever electric food rescue vehicle. This donation, made in the company's hometown of Austin, marks a step forward in the program's evolution - advancing both food access and sustainability.
Source: wholefoodsmarket.com
US: Publix sees revenue growth in Q4, FY2024
Publix Super Markets' sales for its fourth quarter ended December 28 were $15.5bln, a 5.5% jump from the $14.7bln logged in 2023. Comparable-store sales increased 4.1%. Q4 net earnings were $1.2bln, no change from the same period last year.
Source: progressivegrocer.com
Japan: Shares of Seven & i fall after report to reject Couche-Tard bid
Shares of Seven & i tumbled as much as 12% on Tuesday, following a report the 7-Eleven owner plans to reject a $47bln takeover offer from Canada's Alimentation Couche-Tard, although the Japanese company said it was still considering the offer.
Source: reuters.com
South African retailer Shoprite earnings rise on festive demand
Shoprite Holdings, South Africa's biggest supermarket retailer, reported a 9.9% rise in half-year earnings, as both upmarket and discount customers stocked up on food during the festive season. Group sales from continuing operations grew by 9.6% to 128.6bln rand ($6.91bln), as the retailer's core business, Supermarkets South Africa, achieved sales growth of 10.4%, with like-for-like sales growth of 6.1%. The sales growth in Supermarkets South Africa was supported by strong volume growth as a result of across-the-board gains in customer visits, up 4.1% and average basket spend increase of 6.1%, Pieter Engelbrecht, the Group CEO said in a statement. Shoprite's rest of Africa supermarkets business, which operates in nine countries, saw a 4.1% increase in sales.
Source: reuters.com
Holland: Retail turnover up by almost 4% in January
Statistics Netherlands (CBS) reports that retail turnover was 3.8% higher in January 2025 than it was in January 2024. Turnover in shops selling food, beverages and tobacco was up by 5.3% in January, year on year. Sales volume was 0.5% higher. Turnover in supermarkets was up by 4.9%, and turnover in specialty shops was up by 8.0%.
Source: cbs.nl
M&S celebrates 130 years in Wales
M&S reported: "Marks & Spencer (M&S) is celebrating its 130th anniversary of trading in Wales this March. From its humble beginnings as a Penny Bazaar market stall in Cardiff's Hall in March 1895, M&S has grown to become a trusted retailer in the Welsh community. Today M&S has 22 owned stores across Wales including twelve full line and nine M&S Food stores. There are also 26 M&S franchise stores across Wales".
Source: corporate.marksandspencer.com
Switzerland: Coop sees sales and profit growth in FY 2024
Coop Switzerland has reported good performance in full-year 2024, with sales amounting to CHF 34.9bln (€37.0bln) - a 1.1% increase after adjusting for currency fluctuations. Profits slightly exceeded the previous year's CHF 585mln (€621mln) and will be reinvested, Coop Switzerland noted. Retail sales remained stable at CHF 20.8bln (€22.1bln), with Coop gaining market share in supermarkets and specialist formats during 2024. Net supermarket sales, including online, rose 2% to CHF 12.1bln (€12.8bln).
Source: esmmagazine.com
UK: Tesco extends national Fruit & Veg for Schools programme with £4mln extra funding
Tesco has announced that its Fruit & Veg for Schools programme is to be expanded for another year to reach more schools across the UK. For the whole of the next academic year (2025/2026), free fruit and veg from local Tesco stores will give children a nutritious boost that they might not ordinarily get.
Source: tescoplc.com
Grab acquires Malaysia's Everrise supermarkets from Navis Capital Partners
Singapore-based superapp Grab Holdings Limited has acquired Everrise supermarket business from Malaysia-based private equity firm Navis Capital Partners. Navis said in a statement the firm has sold its entire interest in Eastern Grocer Sdn Bhd, the holding company for the Everrise, to D Holdings Inc, H Holdings Inc and Green Aurora Sdn Bhd, holding companies controlled by Grab.
Source: technode.global
UK: Morrisons further strengthens senior team with three new hires and two promotions
Morrisons is further strengthening its senior leadership team with three new hires together with the formal appointment of Martin Dawson as Group Retail Director and the promotion of Charlotte Exell to Online Director. Matt Heslop has been appointed as Director of Convenience and Wholesale, starting in early March 2025. Matt McLellan has been appointed to the newly created role of Group Data and Media Director and will join Morrisons later this year. Bruno Lebon has been appointed as Group Trading Director, Non-Food, working closely with Andrew Staniland who started in early February as Morrisons Group Trading Director.
Source: morrisons-corporate.com
Wholesale & Me: Time to appreciate wholesale
EuroCommerce, representing the retail and wholesale sector in Europe, launched a campaign called #AppreciateWholesale to create awareness and ensure a better understanding of the role wholesale plays in daily lives.
Source: eurocommerce.eu
Cambodia: Ministry initiates the use of net bags over plastic bags in supermarkets
The Undersecretary of State at the Ministry of Environment Meas Chanthita, led a meeting to discuss a new initiative to introduce net bags to replace single-use plastic bags in supermarkets. The meeting was attended by representatives of supermarkets in Phnom Penh, such as Lucky, Makro, Bayon, Thai Huot, BigC, and representatives of the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) to gather feedback, collaboration, and contributions from supermarkets before the official launch of the net bags. The representatives of the supermarkets expressed interest in introducing net bags for fruit and vegetable packaging in supermarkets initially in Phnom Penh and will further consider and discuss with their teams.
Source: khmertimeskh.com