Albertsons will retain Haggen name on 15 stores
Albertsons plans to operate 15 of the 29 Haggen stores it has agreed to acquire as a separate business unit under the Haggen banner, the company said Monday. Of the 14 other stores Albertsons plans to acquire, all are former Albertsons locations that will be converted back to their original banner “over time,” the company said, with six operated by Albertsons’ Seattle division and eight by its Portland, Ore., division. (supermarketnews.com)
Apollo Global adds grocery chain Fresh Market to shopping cart
Albertsons plans to operate 15 of the 29 Haggen stores it has agreed to acquire as a separate business unit under the Haggen banner, the company said Monday. Of the 14 other stores Albertsons plans to acquire, all are former Albertsons locations that will be converted back to their original banner “over time,” the company said, with six operated by Albertsons’ Seattle division and eight by its Portland, Ore., division. (supermarketnews.com)Apollo Global adds grocery chain Fresh Market to shopping cart
The gourmet grocery chain Fresh Market has agreed to a $1.36bn takeover by Apollo Global Management, ending a six-month strategic review with a deal that is a 24% premium to its closing stock price on Friday. “We are excited about this transaction with Apollo, which recognizes the value of the Fresh Market’s strong brand and significant growth prospects while providing stockholders with an immediate and substantial premium,” said Rick Anicetti, the grocer’s president and CEO.(nytimes.com)Shareholders approve Ahold-Delhaize merger
Ahold’s shareholders have overwhelmingly approved the company’s proposal to merge with Delhaize group, following a vote at an EGM held today (March14) in Amsterdam. The meeting was attended by 129 
shareholders, representing approximately 869 million shares. Meanwhile, in a separate meeting in Brussels today, Delhaize shareholders also voted in favour of merger, as well as all related resolutions.(esmmagazine.com)UK: Sainsbury's reports first rise in sales in two years
Sainsbury's has reported its first rise in sales in two years, as it continued to cut back on multi-buy promotions and lowered prices on everyday items. The UK's third-largest supermarket reported that sales at stores open more than a year, excluding fuel, rose 0.1% in the three months to 12 March. That compared with a 0.4% fall in like-for-like sales over Christmas. Sainsbury's is facing a continued pricing war and challenges from discount chains. (BBC)UK: Ocado delivers healthy jump in quarterly sales
Online supermarket Ocado Group PLC on Tuesday said it maintained double digit sales growth in the first quarter despite the challenging retail environment. Gross group sales for the 12 weeks to Feb. 21 rose 15.3% to 312.4m pounds ($449.1m), while gross retail sales were up 13.8% to GBP286.7m. Average orders per week increased by 16.9% to 214,000, although the average order size dropped by 2.9%. (marketwatch.com)Botswana: Sefalana unveils online grocery shopping
Sefalana Holdings has embraced the improvements in technology by introducing online grocery shopping in Botswana. The initiative, which was successfully piloted last year, is done in collaboration with BotswanaPost -- for delivery purposes -- and Barclays Bank, which will ensure safety during transactions through their partners, United Kingdom-based Cyber Source. (mmegi.bw)Irish shoppers undeterred as price inflation continues
The latest supermarket share figures from Kantar Worldpanel in Ireland, published today for the 12 weeks ending 28 February, show that the strong start to 2016 has continued for the supermarket sector. Shopper spend has increased by 3.6% over the past 12 weeks, making this the third successive period where growth has been above 3% for the Irish grocery market. (kantarworldpanel.com)Portugal’s Alisuper bankrupt for second time
Portuguese supermarket chain Alisuper is again in insolvency proceedings following failed negotiations with creditors. Alisuper is faced with more than €17m in arrears, of which €14m to banks, reports local daily Publico. At the end of 2015, the company initiated a Special Revitalization Process (PER) to try to negotiate debts with creditors. (supermarketnews.com)Dunnes Stores looks set to overtake Tesco in grocery market
SuperValu has retained its position as the country's biggest grocery retailer, with a 25pc share of the market, according to new figures from research group Kantar Worldpanel. And Dunnes Stores - the country's third biggest grocery retailer - has continued to fight back to regain lost ground, adding an extra €3m a week in sales during the last quarter, according to the data, which covers the 12 weeks to February 28. The resurgence at Dunnes threatens to nudge Tesco into third place in the grocery retailer ranks here, which would mark a stark reversal of Tesco's dominance of the Irish market for almost a decade. (independent.ie)
Applegreen earnings surge 26% amid expansion drivePetrol and food retailer Applegreen said its strategy for steady but non-spectacular expansion is paying off, as it reported a 26% rise in earnings. (irishexaminer.com)
Thief held for stealing mini Albert Heijn vegetable garden giveaways
A suspected burglar was arrested early Saturday morning after breaking into an Albert Heijn store in Nijmegen and stealing four dozen mini vegetable garden kits, the police there reported on Sunday. The popular kits are given away as a promotion to paying customers. (nltimes.nl)
