As fresh produce prices soar in South Korea, retailers race to preserve freshness
With apple prices hitting record highs and fresh food costs skyrocketing, retail chains in South Korea are deploying innovative techniques to extend the shelf life of fruits and vegetables, seeking to minimize wastage of these increasingly precious and perishable commodities. At Lotte Mart, the company has been installing "Pure Space" machines since October in the produce storage facilities of its Junggye, Seocho, and Seoul Station outlets. These devices remove ethylene gas from the air - a naturally occurring compound emitted during the respiration of fruits and vegetables that hastens ripening and wilting.
Source: koreabizwire.com
Intermarché leaves Flanders, sells remaining stores to Colruyt
Just days after reports emerged that Intermarché was leaving Tienen, the French retailer has also sold its last remaining store in the Dutch-speaking North of Belgium (in Aarschot). Both supermarkets will reopen as Colruyt.
Source: retaildetail.eu
Co-op launches 'Best of British' section online to champion local suppliers
Co-op has launched a dedicated 'Best of British' section across its online delivery website to further demonstrate its commitment to British sourcing and champion local suppliers. The convenience retailer's new section includes a range of 100% British products, including beef, pork, chicken, fresh fruits, vegetables, eggs, milk, and cheese lines.
Source: grocerygazette.co.uk
China: Freshippo's global grocery business more than doubles GMV
High-tech supermarket chain Freshippo's value-for-money Global Go business recorded over 100% growth in its gross merchandise value year-on-year, the company announced. Freshippo plans to launch Global Go in-person shopping experiences at 66 Freshippo stores across China, giving consumers the opportunity to try items and receive personalized product recommendations.
Source: alizila.com
UK: Asda's popular £1 kids café meal deal extends all year round as it hits over 3mln meals ahead of Easter
Asda announced that its hugely popular 'Kids Eat for £1' café meal deals will continue to run in over 205 Asda Café's all year round and not just during the school holidays. In addition, children will receive a free piece of fruit such as an apple, pear, or banana when purchasing the hot kids £1 meal deal.
Source: corporate.asda.com
Christmas dinner wars: UK watchdog raps Aldi over Sainsbury's price comparison
Britain's advertising regulator has upheld a complaint from supermarket group Sainsbury's that German-owned discounter Aldi's ad comparing the prices of their Christmas dinners was misleading. Sainsbury's is the second largest supermarket group after Tesco in Britain's 230bln pound ($293bln) grocery market, while Aldi is No. 4. The ruling published by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) relates to a wrap-around four-page national press ad for Aldi, published on December 6.
Source: reuters.com
DESPAR Italia partner opens revamped store in Liguria
DESPAR Italia, partner for the North-West, opened the restyled DESPAR Express store in Bordighera, in the province of Liguria. Customers can make use of an extensive food and non-food grocery offer. Instore, shoppers find a large fresh assortment, including fruit and vegetables, chilled meats and cheese, as well as warm pastries.
Source: spar-international.com
UK: Are social media hacks worth a try? Food Waste industry expert thinks so
Ahead of Food Waste Action Week (18-24 March), Waitrose commissioned a survey (OnePoll survey carried out between February 27 to March 4, 2024, across the UK with 2,000 respondents) into household hacks on social media. This year, Food Waste Action Week, Love Food Hate Waste's flagship annual campaign, will be encouraging citizens to 'Choose What You'll Use,' highlighting the benefits of buying loose fruit and vegetables and inspiring people to do this wherever they can.
Source: johnlewispartnership.media
Vegan-only REWE supermarket to open in Germany
REWE is setting up an exclusively plant-based branch of the German supermarket chain, which will take over the disused Warschauer Straße building that housed the Veganz vegan supermarket in Berlin until recently. The branch will be called REWE voll pflanzlich, according to the supermarket blog "Supermarktblog," which cited an undisclosed insider as its source.
Source: iamexpat.de
UK: Low-income parents struggle to afford healthy foods, research shows
A report carried out by The Food Foundation has spotlighted new information regarding the accessibility of healthy food items including fruit, vegetables and wholegrains in the UK. As part of its Kids Food Guarantee Programme, The Food Foundation's research revealed that 14% of the lowest-priced fruit and veg products sold in major UK retailers contain salt and/or sugar.
Source: newfoodmagazine.com
UK: Tesco to change Clubcard logo after losing Lidl legal battle
Tesco has been told to stop using its Clubcard Prices logo after losing a long legal battle with rival Lidl. The German discounter had argued the Clubcard logo of a yellow circle on a blue square infringed its copyright and took "unfair advantage" of its "reputation for great value."
Source: bbc.com
The most innovative companies in food for 2024
Fast Company's Most Innovative Companies in food for 2024 offer some well-vetted prospects for weary supermarket-goers. Driscoll's leveraged its mastery of fruit breeding to mass-produce extra-sweet designer strawberries that retail for $4 per 10-ounce pack next to competitors selling six berries for $20.
Source: fastcompany.com
US: Walmart closing three more stores
Walmart will close two stores in California and one in Maryland, the retailer confirmed. The move brings Walmart to six confirmed store closings so far this year. The three closures come on the heels of a store closing in Ohio and a pair of store closures in the San Diego metro area, which Walmart said did not meet financial performance expectations, a Walmart spokeswoman said.
Source: supermarketnews.com
US: Heart of the Harvest chooses ReposiTrak Traceability Network to meet and exceed FDA's FSMA 204 food traceability regulation
Family-run Heart of the Harvest (parent company, Capitol Sausage, and Provisions), whose expansive operations include wholesale fruits and vegetables as well as pre-cut offerings, has automated food traceability with the ReposiTrak Traceability Network (RTN). Through RTN, the company can collect a complex set of FDA-required Key Data Elements (KDEs) from each of its hundreds of valued suppliers from any of the suppliers' systems. Use of RTN enables Heart of the Harvest to meet and exceed the requirements of the FDA's FSMA 204 food traceability law.
Source: businesswire.com