New DESPAR store openings in Italy expand SPAR’s retail footprint
New DESPAR and DESPAR Express store openings have expanded the SPAR Brand in several regions across Italy. Designed with a focus on fresh produce and convenience, the new stores offer a pleasant shopper environment and personal service.
Source: spar-international.com
Malta: Popular supermarkets Tower, Valyou merge under Welbee’s brand
Supermarkets Tower, Park Towers, Valyou and Trolees have amalgamated their brand names to become Welbee’s. The new supermarket brand consolidates the name of the long-established operations, which are now merged under the company Retail Marketing. 8 supermarkets spread across the island will now be welcoming customers under the new banner Welbee’s Supermarket as from 1 October.
Source: maltatoday.com.mt
Metro completes first phase of food waste prevention initiative
Metro AG and more than 30 of its major suppliers have completed or have committed to baseline measurements of their operations' food loss and waste as part of phase 1 in the 10x20x30 initiative to prevent food waste in business value chains, the company has announced.
Source: esmmagazine.com
UK: Groceries Code Adjudicator taking action on supplier audits and eyeing delisting processes
Mark White, the new Groceries Code Adjudicator (GCA), has unveiled a best practice statement to respond to suppliers’ concerns about the way large supermarkets are carrying out audits. He also revealed that he has been receiving a lot of queries about delisting products as retailers review their ranges in the wake of the pandemic.
Source: kamcity.com
UK: Sainsbury’s launches biggest ever Christmas recruitment drive
In its biggest ever Christmas recruitment drive, Sainsbury’s is creating 22,000 seasonal jobs across the UK to ensure customers receive outstanding service this Christmas. The move is firmly focussed on supporting Sainsbury’s plan to put food back at the heart of its business and will ensure that customers find everything they need to celebrate this year.
Source: about.sainsburys.co.uk
India: A convenient platform for both consumers and traders
It’s been about a year and a half since the Indian shopping pattern underwent drastic transformations owing to the pandemic and consequent restrictions. This situation gave birth to the MyGrozo.com platform. It was launched in Coimbatore by T P Padmanabhan. Mygrozo is an aggregator platform that brings the customers and the vendors/shops like grocery stores, fruits and vegetable stores, dry fruits and nuts shops, organic product stores, non-veg shops, cakes & bakery stores, sweets shops and others, together and facilitate them to do online trading very conveniently. MyGrozo also facilitates the pickup and delivery system of the orders.
Source: covaipost.com
France: Carrefour CEO exploring options for consolidation - Le Monde
French supermarket group Carrefour's CEO Alexandre Bompard is examining options for sector consolidation and talks have taken place with the family behind the Auchan chain of stores, French daily Le Monde reported. Both Carrefour and Auchan declined to comment on reports of talks between the 2 companies over a possible deal. The French finance ministry also declined to comment.
Source: reuters.com
New Zealand: Tex Edwards' proposed supermarket venture secured meeting with ComCom
The Commerce Commission has met with Northelia, a group of entrepreneurs who hope to set up a 3rd supermarket chain, to discuss its submission to the market study the commission is conducting into the groceries sector. 2degrees founder and former banker Tex Edwards is the driving force behind Northelia, which said in its submission that it could leverage $1bln of capital if the commission committed to a major structural reform of the supermarket industry.
Source: stuff.co.nz
Benelux launches retail information portal
All information regarding retail trade in the 3 Benelux countries Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg, can now be accessed on an online portal. Benelux's ministers of economy have launched "Benelux Retail Information Point" to inform both existing and new retailers on the relevant legislation in the 3 countries, whether they want to set up a company, e-commerce or trade activities in another Benelux country.
Source: retaildetail.eu
US: Whole Foods Market co-founder and CEO John Mackey to retire in 2022
John Mackey, co-founder and CEO of natural grocer Whole Foods Market, announced that he will be retiring next year, effective September 1, 2022. Mackey will be replaced by current chief operating officer Jason Buechel.
Source: supermarketnews.com
US: Costco to charter 3 vessels for Transpacific routes
Costco is chartering 3 ocean vessels to transport containers between Asia and the U.S. and Canada over the next year, CFO Richard Galanti said on the company's Q4 earnings call. Galanti said the chartered ships represent "less than 20% of our Asia shipping", and will make an estimated 10 deliveries in the next year. Each vessel can carry 800 to 1,000 containers at a time, the CFO said. "Containers, trucks and drivers all are impacting the timing of deliveries and higher freight costs. Despite all these issues, we continue to work to mitigate cost increases in a variety of different ways," said Galanti.
Source: supplychaindive.com
NGA to FTC: Big retailers engage in ‘predatory action’
The National Grocers Association (NGA) has filed comment with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) alleging that independent grocers are being squeezed by unfair contract terms in supply and pricing due to “predatory action” by “dominant retailers.” NGA submitted its remarks to the FTC in response to the agency’s request for public comment on potentially anticompetitive contract terms.
Source: supermarketnews.com
US: ShopRite of Cortlandt launches “Fresh to Table” in-store experience
The ShopRite of Cortlandt announced the debut of Fresh to Table, an innovative store-within-a-store concept where customers can find fresh, on-trend foods and easy to prepare ingredients and meal solutions in a variety of grab-and-go formats.
Source: newsroom.shoprite.com
US: Uber launches "The Holiday Shop" for on-demand seasonal delivery
Uber Technologies, Inc. announced the launch of the first official Holiday Shop on the Uber Eats platform. The exclusive partnership with Proper Companies' holiday division (which includes Mr. Jack O' Lanterns Pumpkin Patch and Mr. Jingles Christmas Trees), The Holiday Shop will offer Uber Eats customers to order their favorite seasonal items to be delivered right to their door.
Source: prnewswire.com
US: Network Distribution supply chain partnership with Whole Foods Market
Network Distribution®, a global distribution organization, is honored to announce a continued partnership as supplier to Whole Foods Market. Trade partners since 2016, Network provides food packaging, store supplies, and front end bags to the grocery retailer, with the goal of creating an outstanding shopping experience for Whole Foods customers.
Source: prnewswire.com