Waitrose is the first UK supermarket in 20 years to stock fresh British morello cherries. Morello cherries are not often grown as a crop in the UK anymore and the trees are more commonly used in orchards as a pollinator, the retailer said in a press release. They are a very seasonal fruit and only available for a few weeks a year.
US: Dollar General announces to offer fresh produce
Dollar General Corp. said Wednesday that it bought 41 Walmart Express stores across 11 states, which will allow the discount retailer to expand its offerings to fresh meat and produce. The company said it expects to relocate 40 of its existing stores into the acquired Walmart Express stores by October 2016, meaning it will enter one new market as part of the purchases. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. (marketwatch.com)
US: Alabama online grocery delivery company raises $20M in funding
Fast-growing Alabama online grocery delivery service Shipt is looking to become a bigger player in the market after securing more than $20m in Series A funding. The Birmingham-based company, which provides services to 27 cities in 10 states, is currently operational in Huntsville, and it looks to use the funding to bring this delivery service to new markets. Greycroft Partners, Harbert Growth Partners and e.ventures were three of the participants in the company's first round of funding, and the amount of money invested is a sign Shipt could become a longtime industry leader. (waaytv.com)
Carrefour Q1 profit beats estimates on Europe
Carrefour SA, France’s largest retailer, reported higher first-half earnings and maintained its full-year outlook as European revenue held up despite bad weather. Recurring operating income rose 5.3% at constant exchange rates to €706m ($781m), the eighth straight increase, Boulogne-Billancourt-based Carrefour said Thursday in a statement. Analysts predicted 683.5m Euro, the average of six estimates compiled by Bloomberg. Net sales rose 2.9% to €36.3bn, matching the average estimate. Sales in Europe were stable, hurt by “a sluggish consumption environment,” while emerging market revenue rose 10%.(marketwatch.com)
US: Weis 2Q sales up but profits dip on wage hikes
Weis Markets said sales in its fiscal second quarter improved by 1.7% on higher store traffic, but profits were down as a result of increasing employee wages and the shift of the Easter holiday, which also impacted sales. For the period, which ended June 25, sales totaled $730.4m, while comparable-store sales improved by 1.8%. Sales were dampened by about 1% as a result the Easter holiday falling in the first quarter of this year, vs. the second quarter last year. (supermarketnews.com)
CA: Loblaw gears up for price war as profits plunge
The head of Canada's largest grocer says it's prepared to duke it out in a price war with its rivals in order to stay competitive in a low-inflation environment. On Wednesday, the company reported that its net profit dropped by nearly 15% in the second quarter from a year earlier, even though it had higher revenue. Loblaw's net income was $158m for the period ended June 18. That's down from $185m a year ago. It attributed the reduced profit to higher interest expenses and financing charges. (huffingtonpost.ca)
Supervalu earnings fall short
Supervalu Inc. reported first-quarter results that came in lower than expected, as it continues efforts to spin off its deep-discount chain. For the quarter ended June 18, the supermarket-chain owner posted a profit of $46m, down from $61m, in the year-ago period. Adjusted for charges related to the potential separation of Save-A-Lot and other factors, earnings declined to $53m from $65m. Revenue fell 3.9% to $5.2bn. (marketwatch.com)
US: Whole Foods shares drop on lower earnings, sales
Whole Foods on Wednesday reported quarterly sales that missed analysts expectations, as it worked to cut prices and boost traffic. The grocery-store chain reported fiscal-third-quarter sales totaling a record $3.7bn. Comparable-store sales - at locations open for at least one year - fell 2.6%, greater than an expected decline by 2.4%. The company has been focusing on cutting costs, with a $300m-target. This could lead to cheaper groceries for its customers who have cheaper options that are also organic; Whole Foods is currently one of the most expensive places to buy food. (inc.com)
Walmex reports 'solid' Q2
Walmex has reported an 11.5% increase in net sales for the second quarter of 2016. First half revenue grew by 12.3%. Same store sales growth drove the improvement in total Walmex sales for the second quarter, however the retailer is seeking to develop a stronger contribution from new stores and e-commerce. For Mexico, Q2 total sales were up 9.0, and +6.9% for Central America. (igd.com)