Switzerland-based buying group European Marketing Distribution AG (EMD) has announced a partnership with Australian retailer Woolworths, taking the group Down Under for the first time. Woolworths will use EMD to source volume for its private label range, for its approximately 1,000 stores in Australia and more than 180 in New Zealand. (esmmagazine.com) German grocer takes big steps towards Australian shores
German grocery giant Kaufland is reported to be looking for land and staff in Australia. According to the new Australian addition to their website, Kaufland is looking for big lots of land of up to 20,000 square metres, similar in size to the Masters stores before they collapsed. According to its website, Kaufland operates more than 1230 stores in Germany, the Czech Republic, Poland, Bulgaria, Croatia, Romania and Slovakia, with more than 150,000 employees across Europe. (startsat60.com)UK supermarkets charge suppliers to be on shelf
Supermarkets are using “shocking” tactics to obtain money from suppliers, including demanding they pay up to £25,000 for charity dinner tickets, according to a government watchdog, The Times reports. Among the other ploys are claiming delivered goods never arrived, asking suppliers to pay to keep their goods on the shelves and charging up to £55 if a customer complains, said Christine Tacon, the groceries code adjudicator. (The Times) UK: Tesco fears boycott after chairman's comments
Tesco Chairman John Allan backtracked on his comments about the disadvantages for white men in corporate boardrooms as critics urged greater diversity of the retailer’s directors and some shoppers said they would boycott the U.K.’s biggest supermarket chain. (Bloomberg) Costco: We're 28% cheaper than Woolworths, Coles
Costco Australia managing director Patrick Noone said Costco was 28% cheaper than the big two chains, based on an internal review of 150 to 160 fresh food and grocery products. He said he wanted to widen that gap back to 30%. (smh.com.au) Brazil: Carrefour to open 70 new mini-markets
French retailer Carrefour SA (CARR.PA) will open 70 new Express mini-markets in Brazil this year, newspaper Valor Econômico reported on Friday from Paris, citing CEO Georges Plassat. (Reuters)Carrefour Brazil wins Rama Prize for fresh produce sustainability
Brazil’s supermarket association Abras has given Carrefour the Rama Prize for sustainability for a second year in a row. The Rama programme is designed to monitor and control the use of pesticides in fresh produce supply chains in Brazil, and last year 1.24 million tonnes of food produce was tracked through it (23.6% more than in 2015). Carrefour’s accolade came in the ‘Distinguished Retailer’ category. (esmmagazine.com) US: Sales in Weis Markets increase
Weis Markets on Thursday posted a fourth-quarter sales increase of 17.6% to $925.1m, adjusted for the extra week in 2016, driven by comparable-store sales gains of 3.4% for the 14-week period ended Dec. 31. For the year, the company's sales increased 9% to $3.1bn. Year-to-date net income increased 46.9% to $87.2m. (drugstorenews.com) US: Wegmans again named 'Best Company To Work For'
Wegmans has been named in the 2017 Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For list, this year ranking No. 2, (Google No. 1) according to global research and consulting firm Great Place to Work and Fortune, according to a news release. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For list. (sungazette.com) French Auchan reports modest FY growth
Auchan has reported modest sales and profit growth for its 2016 fiscal year, which it said was one of “major changes”. For the year, revenue edged up 0.7% to €52.8bn, while underlying operating profit grew by 1.3% to €1.2bn, and underlying net profit jumped up 18.2% to €824m. Auchan Retail saw revenue grow by 0.7% to €51.7bn, helped by growth in 11 of its 14 markets (in constant-currency terms). (kamcity.com) Carrefour Belgium rolls out meal ingredient 'Simply You Box'
Carrefour Belgium has launched its meal ingredient box, the 'Simply You Box', following a successful trial period in October of 2016. The scheme, which places emphasis on seasonal Belgian SKUs, is available in portions suitable for two to four people. It offers a selection of nine ‘balanced’ sets of ingredients for meals weekly – three ‘traditional’, three ‘hearty’, and three vegetarian. (esmmagazine.com) Tesco Ireland welcomes food waste action group
Tesco Ireland has welcomed the launch of a Food Waste Action Group by the minister for communications, climate action and environment, Denis Naughten. The new action group, launched on 9 March 2017, is an initiative meant to help Irish retailers achieve the UN's Sustainable Development Goals for 2030, which include cutting down food waste, in retail and across production and supply chains, by up to 50%. (esmmagazine.com) Carrefour network reaches 298 units in Romania at end-2016
The French retailer Carrefour reached a network of 298 stores in Romania at the end of 2016, according to a company report. At the end of 2015 the group recorded 192 stores in Romania, out of which 29 were hypermarkets, 110 supermarkets and 53 were stores, according to News.ro. According to the presentation regarding the results from 2016, Carrefour said it increased its network in 2016 by three hypermarkets and 103 supermarkets. (business-review.eu) Bingo leading grocery retailer in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Local company Bingo has become the leading grocery retailer in Bosnia and Herzegovina with a 17% market share at the end of 2016. As a result, Konzum (owned by Croatian grocery-to-retail consortium Agrokor) slipped into second place with 16%, according to a report by Euromonitor. (esmmagazine.com) Organic food delivery service expands to Peru
Green BEAN Delivery, the region’s largest online natural and organic grocery delivery service, has announced it is expanding its services to cover residents in Peru. Beginning at 3 pm on Oct. 20, members can shop online from a full selection of local, organic produce and all-natural, artisanal groceries and have them delivered directly to their doorsteps. (kokomotribune.com)French retailer Greenweez adds fresh produce to online range
French online retailer Greenweez has extended its assortment of organics and eco-friendly goods with a range of fresh foods, fruit and vegetables. The new range, which was launched in February 2017, consists of 550 local, regional and imported products, including fruit and vegetables. (esmmagazine.com)Germany: Metro group maintains demerger schedule as legal suits mount
German retailer Metro Group released a statement that the planned demerger into two 'strong, successful and strategically focused companies', as well as the associated share listing, would proceed as scheduled despite four legal suits that have been served to the company. (esmmagazine.com) 
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