Whole Foods is making a big push to lower its prices amid growing competition in organic food. But it isn't dropping prices fast enough to compete with its rival Kroger, according to a recent store check. Prices of 31 items at a Whole Foods store in Glen Allen, Virginia were compared by uk.businessinsider.com, to an identical set of items at a nearby Kroger store. The Whole Foods basket was about $60 more expensive than the total at Kroger. The biggest cost differences we found at each retailer were in coconut oil, fresh whole turkeys, fruit, and salmon. (uk.businessinsider.com)
Source: uk.businessinsider.com
US: Smart & Final announces approval of acquisition of 32 Haggen stores
Smart & Final Stores today announced that its subsidiary, Smart & Final Stores LLC, has been approved by the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware as the purchaser of 32 Haggen store leases for a total cash purchase price of approximately $68m. (prnewswire.com)Coop, Lidl and Carrefour scoop Fresh Retailer Awards in Italy
Coop Consorzio Nord Ovest has won the Top Fresh Retailer 2016 award in Italy. The food retail chain, which has around 260 points-of-sale in northwest Italy, took the main prize for 
the second year in a row. Lidl is the retailer that made the most progress in recent years, especially in relation to provision, assortment, quality requirements and staff. According to the director of acqusitions of Lidl Italia, the result was achieved as a result of the expansion of the range of fruit & veg products, from 70 in 2010 to 
110 today, of which 80% produced in Italy. Carrefour Market Gourmet has the most innovative format, while the best chain operating in south-central Italy is PAC 2000A, a cooperative that is part of retail chain Conad. (esmmagazine.com)Aeon to offer more high quality Japanese fresh products
Aeon aims to import more Japanese agricultural products to Malaysia via its collaboration with the National Federation of Agricultural Cooperative Associations. Aeon Big Managing Director, Mitsuru Nakata, said with the popularity of healthy and clean eating habits in Malaysia – the hypermarket was excited to expose high-quality, carefully-tended and innovative agricultural produce that Japan has to offer. “We will bring in more products, among them – fresh fish, fruits and vegetables – to Malaysian consumers next year,” he told reporters at the launch of Nikkori pear and Ibaraki Japanese sweet potatoes here today. (therakyatpost.com)ALDI Nord appoints McCann Worldgroup as AOR in Germany
Discount retailer ALDI Nord appointed McCann Worldgroup Germany as its marketing agency of record in Germany, following a review. The agency will be responsible for all integrated marketing communications and advertising services in the country and will create a new Düsseldorf-based agency to handle the needs of the new client. ALDI Nord will work with McCann on the creation of the new agency, which “will not only focus on marketing and communications but also leverage digital channels and emerging technologies,” while focusing on today’s customer needs. (adweek.com)SA company NoQ sets up online shopping for independents
An Adelaide-developed flexible web platform, NoQ is helping nearly 70 independent supermarkets nationally cope with growing competition. The Bendigo and Adelaide Bank-backed company’s software, a customised offering, allows supermarkets to offer online shopping for customers at their finger tips. The system interfaces with store’s stocks and layout and connects with an iPad “picking” app to allow the order to be processed at the retailer’s end using bluetooth. (adelaidenow.com.au)US: Food Lion names new ad agency
Food Lion on Monday said it has selected Doner as its advertising agency of record, effective immediately. Doner succeeds Mullen as the agency of record. (supermarketnews.com) Metcash CEO: "Transformation Plan is producing positive results"
Group CEO Ian Morrice said Metcash's five year transformation plan, introduced in March 2014, was producing results across the group. These include improvements in sales trends for the food and grocery business. Food and grocery sales rose by 0.7% to AU$4.54bn, with positive trends in like-for-like sales at IGA stores. (igd.com)Africa: Choppies expands footprint beyond region
Leading Johannesburg Stock Exchange listed Botswana supermarket chain Choppies has revealed ambitions to expand its footprint beyond the region. The supermarket chain said it is growing rapidly and profitably in South Africa and Zimbabwe, and is building its first stores in Zambia and Tanzania. The grocer plans to roll out more than 35 stores in all regions by the end of 2016, excluding acquisitions and also hopes to enter the East African market. (southernafrican.news)UK: Spar group AF Blakemore boosts sales by £120m
A Black Country retail and logistics group which runs almost 300 Spar shops has added £120 m to its sales as it enjoys increased spending in the convenience store sector. (birminghampost.co.uk)
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Grocery shopping simplified: reasons more people are buying food online
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