Taiwan: Chuan Lian aiming for 1000 stores
Chuan Lian Enterprise, which runs Taiwan’s largest supermarket chain, PXmart, is targeting 20 per cent growth to 1000 stores by the end of next year. These will be mainly in urban centres, featuring fresh and prepared foods, reports Nikkei Asian Review. Chuan Lian last year opened a bakery store in the heart of Taipei, and in January spent 450 million New Taiwan dollars (US$13.9 million) to acquire grocery chain Matsusei. Its 53 stores brought Chuan Lian’s total to more than 840 locations. Taiwanese supermarkets typically receive product shipments directly from manufacturers through third-party logistics services, but Hsu wants to create a more efficient framework with a network of logistics centres and information systems to manage distribution. Read more
Spar buys remaining Alisuper supermarkets
Portuguese food retailer Alisuper has sold 12 stores to Dutch retail group Spar for €750,000. Spar Portugal’s Development Director Luís da Bernarda explained that the reason behind purchasing the group of 12 stores is that these supermarkets fall within the scope of “our chain, which is to have retail points close to people.” Mr da Bernarda explained that Spar would be increasing their team by 67 workers across the dozen stores. Read more
SPAR said to target 24 new stores in Oman
Dutch supermarket chain SPAR International reportedly plans to open 24 outlets in Oman by 2017, as part of significant expansion plans in the Gulf. He did not reveal the planned locations of the stores, but said SPAR was focusing on a multi-format retail offer – unlike the large store formats of regional giants such as Carrefour and Lulu – tailored to suit particular regions. Read more
Worldwide retail sales Spar €33 bln
3.5% increase on 2014 represents strongest sales growth in five years
European market growth a key contributor
Entry into four new countries in 2015 in Asia, Africa and Middle East
12,100 Stores in 42 countries worldwide serving 13 million customers a day Read more
US Supermarkets aim to reduce food waste
Refrigerated trucks from the Maryland Food Bank stop several times a week at Giant stores, where workers load them with frozen steak, hamburger, chicken and pork to be delivered to food pantries throughout the state. The Landover-based unit of Ahold USA is among a growing number of grocers, restaurants and food makers looking for new ways to tackle the huge amount of waste in the food industry. As much as 40 percent of the food produced in the United States ends up in landfills, where food ranks as the biggest category of waste, according to the Food Waste Reduction Alliance. The group says waste is generated all along the supply chain, from farms and manufacturers to retailers, restaurants and consumers at home. In 2010, nearly 40 million tons of food ended up in landfills. The alliance, which includes manufacturers, food retailers and restaurants, took on the issue in 2012, hoping to reduce food waste, increase the amount of food being donated and recycle more of the unavoidable food waste — such as plate scraps at restaurants and trim from food preparation.... Read more
AU: Woolworths won't beat competitors Coles and Aldi
Woolworths recorded a 0.9 per cent drop in sales over the third quarter. Direct competitors Coles managed to increase its sales by 5.9 per cent. New CEO Brad Banducci said Woolworths has the potential to improve. 'It will be a three to five year journey to rebuild Woolworths,' he said Woolworths will take another 'three to five years' before it expects to overthrow its competitors, as recent sales results show consumers are continuing to choose rivals, Aldi and Coles. Chief Executive Officer Brad Banducci has only been at the helm of the embattled retailer for around a week, but has announced the supermarket is on its way to improvement despite waning sales over the third quarter. Australian food and liquor stores showed sales drop by 0.9 per cent, adjusted for Easter, over the last four months, while competitors Coles outperformed Woolworths for the 27th consecutive quarter, recording an an increase in sales of 5.9 per cent, the Sydney Morning Herald reported.... Read more
US: Weis posts sales, earnings gain in 1Q
Weis Markets on Monday said sales and comps for the fiscal first quarter increased by 3.6%, aided in part by the early Easter holiday. For the quarter, which ended March 26, sales totaled $738.2 million. Weis said about $7.1 million, or 1% of the comp gain, could be attributed to incremental Easter sales, which last year fell in the second quarter. Net income soared by 51.1% to $20.1 million, which officials attributed in part to improved efficiency and supply chain support.... Read more
Local CSAS provide freshalternative to supermarkets
Instead of driving to a supermarket to buy produce, imagine driving straight to the farm that grows that produce. This is just what community supported agriculture (CSA) programs facilitate. A CSA acts as a subscription service and allows residents to buy shares of fresh fruits and vegetables directly from a farmer... Read more
Sainsbury's results put UK retail under spotlight
As if the UK retail sector hadn't had enough coverage last week, it's now the turn of Sainsbury's. The company has final results out on Wednesday, May 4 and traders will be keen to see how the figures compare with its peer group, otherwise known as the "Big Four". Notably, Morrison's also has a trading update the following day (May 5). Last month, the Bradford-based group reported lower annual sales but swung to pre-tax profit of £217mln against a loss of £792mln a year ago and said it had reduced net debt by £594mln to £1.75bn. Read More
SuperValu set for global expansion as Musgrave eyes export markets
The SuperValu brand could start making an appearance on shop shelves around the world, as Cork-based retail group Musgrave plots a targeted internationalisation of its products. Musgrave chief executive Chris Martin told the Irish Independent that while its plans are at a very early stage, the group is looking at how it might emulate retailers such as UK-based Waitrose, which sells its products to other retailers around the globe. He cited Waitrose as an example of a retailer that exports branded goods around the world. Dunnes Stores, for example, has stocked Waitrose products in the past. Waitrose sells its products in about 60 countries..... read more