Italy: Supercentro to invest over €23mln in sales network
Regional Italian retailer Grupo Supercentro plans to invest over €23mln in its network as part of its three-year strategic plan. According to local media reports, the group plans to invest in the restyling and expansion of the sales network, the expansion and efficiency upgrade of its distribution centres, and the inauguration of a new headquarters with a focus on energy sustainability.
Source: esmmagazine.com
Britain's Asda returns to sales growth as shoppers snap up value range
British supermarket group Asda returned to underlying sales growth in its latest quarter, helped by the popularity of its new value range amongst cash-strapped shoppers, it said. The group, Britain's third largest grocer after market leader Tesco and Sainsbury's, said its like-for-like sales, excluding fuel, rose 4.7% in the three months to September 30, its fiscal third quarter, having fallen 1.9% in the second quarter. The outcome was its strongest quarterly performance since the first quarter of 2021. Total revenue, excluding fuel, was 5.2bln pounds ($6.1bln) for the period.
Source: reuters.com
Akatale on Cloud, Uganda's fresh food online store, wins $100,000 grant funding in YouthADAPT competition
Twenty African youth-led enterprises have won grant funding of up to $100,000 each in this year’s African Youth Adaptation Solutions Challenge (YouthADAPT) competition. Akatale on Cloud, a Ugandan fresh food online market, a digital food life span an quality testing company, is listed among the winners. Based in Kololo, Kampala, Akatale Fresh serves as an online store for ordering your daily fruits, vegetables, spices, dry foods, herbs and animal products.
Source: softpower.ug
Australia: How supermarket design influences what you put in your trolley
It starts as soon as you enter the store, when you pass through what’s known as a “decompression zone”. It’s designed to provide a transition from the outside world to a carefully curated retail environment that primes you for the forthcoming shopping experience. You might see a stand of bright flowers and the fresh produce section filled with colourful fruit and vegetables. “All of this is done on purpose”, says Louise Grimmer, a senior lecturer in retail marketing at the University of Tasmania. “When we see fresh things, like flowers and fruit and vegetables, it puts us in a good mood, we might be more relaxed, and we’re going to spend more money if we’re relaxed and feeling good.”
Source: abc.net.au
UK: Tesco urges shoppers to ‘take stock before the shop’ as new survey finds 9 in 10 shoppers don’t always know what’s in their kitchen
Top food items wasted in the home, according to research by Tesco: Fruit and vegetables 1. Bananas; 2. Lettuce; 3. Potatoes; 4. Tomatoes; 5. Carrots; 6. Oranges/satsumas; 7. Apples; 8. Strawberries; 9. Grapes; 10. Peppers.
Source: tescoplc.com
Koto rebrands Boxy, a French startup turning cargo containers into automated stores
In the UK, we might all be suffering from the cost-of-living crisis, but at least most of us can easily get to a food store. Many suburbs of Paris, in contrast, are severely under-serviced by supermarket chains, which mostly exist out-of-town. Boxy is an innovative startup with an interesting solution. This French company transforms cargo containers into fully automated, 24/7 grocery stores in the suburbs all over France. The aim is to provide convenient, local shopping experiences in areas with very limited food shopping options. Boxy recently reached out to creative agency Koto to help them rebrand.
Source: creativeboom.com
Gatik named a TIME Best Invention of 2022 for world-first fully driverless middle mile trucking solution
Gatik has been named by TIME as a Best Invention of 2022 on its prestigious annual list. The company was selected for its long-term commercial partnership with Walmart in Bentonville, Arkansas where it moves customer orders between a warehouse and a Neighborhood Market in its fleet of fully driverless box trucks. The milestone represents the first time that an autonomous trucking company has removed the safety driver from a middle mile commercial delivery route anywhere in the world.
Source: businesswire.com
US: Rapid grocery delivery service debuts hot-meal kitchens
Food Rocket, a rapid grocery delivery service backed by c-store chain Circle K (Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. ACT), has rolled out its first four in-house hot-meal kitchens in Chicago. By doing so, Food Rocket has created “a new segment of super-delivery apps with an improved business model”, according to the company, which has invested more than $1mln in the endeavor. Its expanded portfolio will enable the startup to deliver a wider range of products within the same consumer’s order, bolstering its market penetration.
Source: progressivegrocer.com
Technomic announces 2023 trend predictions for the U.S. foodservice industry
Technomic released its latest U.S. whitepaper, What We Foresee for 2023, sharing its foodservice industry trend predictions for the upcoming year. Restaurants are still facing significant challenges - largely due to the continued effects of the COVID-19 pandemic - resulting in a delay in a complete return to sustained normalcy. Economic headwinds, including inflation and the threat of a recession, are also setting up new hurdles for operators to navigate. But, despite a challenging start to 2023 expected, the latter part of the year should bring about optimism as the industry emerges from high inflation and a soft economy.
Source: prnewswire.com
US: Wagner’s IGA marks 100th anniversary with new ownership
As Minster, Ohio-based Wagner’s IGA celebrates its 100th anniversary this year, the independent grocer is making a huge transition: Former owner Wally Wagner Jr. will retire in the next few weeks, to be succeeded by new owner Leo Braido, who is taking over not only the Minster store, but also two other IGAs previously owned by Wagner. All three locations will remain under the IGA banner.
Source: progressivegrocer.com