Yesterday, Southeastern Grocers, parent company of BI-LO, Fresco y Más, Harveys and Winn-Dixie stores, unveiled its new Harveys Supermarket store concept in 73 locations throughout the Southeast during a simultaneous ribbon-cutting ceremony at each location, spanning Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina and Florida. The new and improved Harveys Supermarket locations offer enhancements throughout the store, including refreshed produce departments featuring fresh quality produce from over 90 local farmers. (businesswire.com)Ahold Delhaize net profit rises 25%
Ahold Delhaize said its third-quarter net profit rose 25% from a year ago in its first combined earnings report since its multibillion-dollar merger. Howevery, the company reported earnings below analysts’ estimates as the first results since a merger were overshadowed by the impact of deflation on the grocer’s Food Lion stores in the U.S. Underlying operating income rose 4.3% to €513m ($549m) in the third quarter, the Zaandam, Netherlands-based owner of the U.S. Stop & Shop chain, said in a statement, Thursday. Sales growth in the US decelerated as rival Wal-Mart Stores Inc. slashed prices. CEO Boer noted that in the Netherlands, the group “achieved a seventh consecutive quarter of volume growth driven by the continued strong momentum at Albert Heijn.” In Belgium, it “generated savings from the Transformation Plan, with an almost doubling of our pro forma underlying operating income.” (Bloomberg / esmmagazine.com)Thailand’s Central Group earmarks $30m for expansion in Vietnam
The Thai retailer is expanding rapidly in Vietnam with a focus on the growing middle class. Central Group plans to invest about $30m in Vietnam over the next five years. The family-owned business said it aims to double the number of supermarkets in Vietnam to around 70 and develop 13 commercial complexes by 2021. (e.vnexpress.net) US: Private equity firms to acquire Mi Pueblo, Cardenas
Private-equity firms KKR and Victory Park Capital will be investing in California-based Hispanic grocery chains Mi Pueblo Food Centers and Cardenas Markets, a KKR spokeswoman told SN late Tuesday. The chains between them did about $1.3bn in sales last year at 48 stores (29 operated by Ontario-based Cardenas Markets in Southern California and Nevada generated $628m) and $400m at 19 stores operated by San Jose-based Mi Pueblo, according to SN's Top 50 Independents list. (supermarketnews.com) South Africa’s Spar Group sees turnover up 23.8% in full year results
Spar Group, which operates the Spar business in Southern Africa, as well as holding a majority stake in the Irish and Swiss Spar businesses, has seen its turnover in the year to September 30 rise by 23.8%. In its Southern Africa business, turnover increased by 9.5%, while profit before tax grew by 15.7% to R2.1bn. In Ireland, its BWG Group business saw turnover grow by 36.8% (euro-denominated turnover growth of 14.5%), (esmmagazine.com)CA: Loblaw reports better-than-expected profit
Canadian Loblaw reported a better-than-expected quarterly profit on Wednesday, as expenses fell and discounting attracted more shoppers. Profit at Loblaw's main retail unit was helped by lower selling, general and administrative costs and an increase in same-store sales in the quarter, the company said. "We lowered prices and consumers responded," Executive Chairman Galen Weston said in a statement. (Reuters) US: Target's grocery sales continue to slide
Although Target Corp. surprised analysts with better-than-expected sales and earnings numbers during its fiscal third quarter, officials of the discounter said Wednesday that food sales continued to slide as a result of deflation and intense competition. CEO Brian Cornell acknowledged the Minneapolis-based mass merchant had “more work to do,” in grocery and still needed to better communicate to shoppers the improvements in assortment and quality it had made in recent months. (supermarketnews.com) UK: Sainsbury’s launches new packaging to stop potatoes going green
Sainsbury's is launching a new range of opaque and breathable packaging designed to help potatoes last longer. The new packaging is being rolled out across all of Sainsbury’s 12000 stores for King Edwards and Lady Balfour – the two varieties most susceptible to going green. (anglenews.com) Metro leads growth in Canada
Metro continued with its consistent strong delivery in the final quarter of the year. Sales increased 3.4% to $2.9bn, with same-store sales up 2.8% and net earnings up 10.1% to $145.0m. This performance was delivered against a backdrop of an intensively competitive market, with the retailer delivering market share gains and growth in operating income. For the full year, the retailer saw sales increase 4.6% to $12.8bn, and net earnings up 12.9% to $586.2m. (igd.com)China: JD.com reports a strong Q3
JD.com, the second largest e-commerce player in China which sells groceries too, has reported a 38% growth in revenue to US$8.9bn for the third quarter. Total gross merchandise volume reached nearly $24bn in Q3, marking 43% year-on-year growth. The number of annual active customer accounts was 199m, growing 57% year-on-year. Excluding virtual items, JD.com fulfilled over 401m online orders in Q3, a 55% increase compared to Q3 last year. (igd.com)Germany: Edeka submits complaint against Coop eG-Rewe venture
A planned joint venture between Coop eG and Rewe might now be threatened by a complaint issued by rival Edeka. Lebensmittel Zeitung reported that the company had submitted a complaint to the high court of Düsseldorf against federal approval of such a joint venture. The high court is set to rule on Rewe's takeover of around 200 Sky stores operated by Coop eG in four federal states of Germany. Edeka's complaint might endanger or block the Coop deal permanently. Please, click here to read more at esmmagazine.com. 50th Carrefour Express opens in Brazil
Carrefour has opened its 50th Brazilian Carrefour Express store in the city of São Paulo, in a move that it says ‘reinforces the company’s investment in a sector that offers customers improved levels of flexibility and comfort, focusing on a daily range of fresh and ready-to-consume items.’ The first Brazilian opening under the banner took place in August 2014. (esmmagazine.com)Iberian food distribution market grows 2.3% in 2016
The Iberian food distribution market should end 2016 with a turnover of €102.3bn, growing by 2.3% from last year. According to the DBK Informa study, the food distribution sector in Spain and Portugal (which includes hypermarkets, supermarkets, self-service and cash & carry) was worth €100bn in 2015 (+1.8% on 2014). Spain accounted for €85.5bn (+1.9%) or 85.5% of the total, while the Portuguese market was worth €14.5bn (+1%). (esmmagazine.com) 
Earthquake: Supermarkets keep stocked despite distribution centre's closurePlease, click here to read the article.