UK: Amazon to build £500mln fulfilment centre in East Midlands
Amazon has announced plans to construct a new multimillion-pound facility in Northampton, East Midlands. The £500mln fulfilment centre in the East Midlands town is anticipated to start processing online orders by 2026.
Source: kamcity.com
UK startup OSY Group reports funding boost for retail technology which extends shelf life of food produce
OSY Group, whose flagship technology increases the shelf-life of food produce and reduces waste, has secured £750,000 from investors to support its roll-out across the UK and internationally. The funding boost will accelerate its commercialisation of Xtend, an antimicrobial packaging coating which enables a range of food types, including fruit and vegetables, to stay fresh in their packaging for longer.
Source: retailtechinnovationhub.com
Waitrose unveils plans to accelerate nature-friendly farming for British farmers
Waitrose unveils 'Farming for Nature' - working with its British farmers to move to nature-friendly farming. In his speech to farmers, Executive Director James Bailey announced that Waitrose will work with them to produce food that works in harmony with nature, to source meat, milk, eggs, fruit and vegetables from UK farms which use regenerative practices by 2035.
Source: johnlewispartnership.media
Germany: Trigo powered REWE Pick&Go Düsseldorf store starts new test phase for retailer's autonomous shopping experience
Christoph Eltze, Chief Digital and Technology Officer at German grocery giant REWE Group, has taken to social media to discuss the retailer's Pick&Go store format landing in Düsseldorf, Germany, and how this marks the start of a new test phase for its autonomous shopping experience.
Source: retailtechinnovationhub.com
UK: He shoots, he spores! Welsh exotic mushroom farmer wins life-changing Aldi contract on Channel 4 show
A small, independent mushroom farmer who abandoned city life to set up a mushroom farm in the hills of North Wales has landed a life-changing contract with supermarket Aldi. Gareth Griffith-Swain, founder of Fungi Foods, showcased his Dried Lion's Mane Mushroom (£2.99, 20g) as part of Channel 4 series 'Aldi's Next Big Thing' and won the coveted contract to stock his product in over 1,000 Aldi stores nationwide from 8th May.
Source: aldipresscentre.co.uk
Germany's Mix Markt arrives in Serbia
German grocery chain Mix Markt has entered Serbia with three stores, including two in Belgrade and one in Novi Sad. Mix Markt specialises in bringing a taste of Eastern Europe, offering products from Russia, Ukraine, Georgia, the Baltics, Poland, Turkiye, and the Balkans.
Source: esmmagazine.com
UK: Supermarket's oldest worker going strong at 90
A supermarket chain's oldest worker said he has no plans to retire despite turning 90. Ron Ellis began working at Asda's Trafford Park store in Manchester in 2006, and has become a firm favourite with customers.
Source: bbc.com
Bol experiences Chinese headwinds
Ahold Delhaize subsidiary Bol accounted for revenues of 1.4bln euros in the first quarter. The webshop is gaining market share, but sees a slowdown in sales from third-party vendors, due to increasing Chinese competition.
Source: retaildetail.eu
Australia: Grocery food prices are beginning to 'stabilise'
Ritchies IGA Chief Executive Fred Harrison discussed the decreasing food category prices. This follows discussions following the senate inquiry into price gouging by the major supermarket chains. "Fruit and vegetable is probably most indicative of what's happening the market place, because there's a change almost daily … depending on supply and demand", Mr Harrison said.
Source: skynews.com.au
US: Monthly import cargo to reach 2mln TEU through early fall
Monthly inbound cargo volume at the nation's major container ports should consistently be above 2mln Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units through this summer and into early fall, according to the Global Port Tracker report by the National Retail Federation and Hackett Associates.
Source: nrf.com
US: UNFI drivers vote to join Florida Teamsters
Drivers at United Natural Foods, Inc. (UNFI) have unanimously voted to join Teamsters Local 79 in Tampa, Florida. The 80-worker group had recently taken a case to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) to secure a union election and push back on efforts from UNFI to outsource their jobs to nonunion transportation and logistics company J.B. Hunt, based in Lowell, Arkansas.
Source: supermarketnews.com
US: Instacart beats Q1 expectations, sees rise in total orders
Instacart, which is incorporated as Maplebear, posted its first-quarter report revealing revenue of $820mln, beating expectations of $794.5mln. The company also posted a gain in total orders of 72.8mln, up 9% year-over-year, while announcing that CFO Nick Giovanni will be succeeded by former Uber executive Emily Reuter.
Source: finance.yahoo.com
US: Sodexo's InReach acquires Legend Food Service
Sodexo's InReach, the global foodservice leader's multimarket convenience solution, announced the acquisition of Legend Food Service's Linthicum Heights, MD branch. This addition will strengthen the InReach footprint in the DC, Maryland, and Virginia markets, adding approximately 35 additional employees while offering micro-markets, vending, pantry, office coffee, water, and fresh food.
Source: us.sodexo.com
US: Prioritizing growth, Caulipower names former PepsiCo exec as CEO
Plant-based brand Caulipower named veteran CPG executive Tyler Ricks as its new CEO, the company said in a press release. Ricks has served on Caulipower's board since 2022.
Source: fooddive.com
US: Weis Markets reports first quarter 2024 results
Weis Markets, Inc. reported its financial results for the 13-week first quarter ended March 30, 2024. Net sales totaled $1.18bln for the 13-week first quarter ended March 30, 2024, compared to $1.14bln for the 13-week first quarter ended April 1, 2023, up 2.9%.
Source: prnewswire.com
US: Kroger begins contract negotiations with Michigan UFCW
The United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 951 announced that negotiations have begun with Kroger for a new contract, affecting over 1,000 Michigan grocery workers across the state.
Source: supermarketnews.com
Brazil's GPA posts steeper net loss in first quarter as taxes, impairment weigh
Reuters reported: "Brazilian food retailer GPA said its first-quarter net loss for continuing operations widened by nearly 28% from a year-ago period, weighed down by tax effects and an impairment related to a real estate sale. The company reported a net loss for continuing operations of 407mln reais (€74.6mln) in the quarter".
Source: esmmagazine.com