Grocery shopping just got faster and easier for Torontonians with the grand opening of two new Penguin Pick-Up/Walmart locations at Yonge and Eglinton and Queens Quay. With just a few clicks, consumers can place their grocery order online at walmart.ca/grocery, select a convenient time and location and enjoy free pickup. With these new locations, Toronto residents now have greater access to Walmart's fresh groceries available at low prices every day – all backed by a 100% satisfaction money-back guarantee. Customers can shop for fresh groceries, including fruits and vegetables, 100% Canadian AAA Angus beef, pork and chicken and seafood, dairy, baked goods, deli, frozen foods as well as health and beauty products, household supplies, pet food, baby food, diapers, and lots more.Source: newswire.ca
US: Whole Foods Market Dadeland opens in Miami, Florida
Whole Foods Market America’s Healthiest Grocery Store, opened the doors of its newest natural and organic community market in the Dadeland neighborhood of Miami, Florida. With a focus on creating a food destination, Whole Foods Market Dadeland was designed to give shoppers an elevated grocery shopping experience highlighted by culinary convenience and delicious dining at every turn.Source: communitynewspapers.com
US: Earth Fare supermarket opens first store in Fairfax
Fairfax County residents now have a new option for grocery shopping after the North Carolina-based chain Earth Fare officially opened its first location in the area on Jan. 10. “What’s really unique about Earth Fare is, while we have the cleanest assortment in North America, we still have a full shop assortment,” Earth Fare president and CEO Frank Scorpiniti said. Source: fairfaxtimes.com
US: Boxed becomes acquisition target for Kroger
Boxed, a bulk-shopping ecommerce retailer, may soon be acquired by a brick-and-mortar grocer, with a number of “major retailers” showing interest, including The Kroger Co., Forbes has reported. Founded by a group of tech pioneers in 2013, Boxed has received “acquisition interest” from Kroger and other retailers – possibly including club-store chain Costco, mass-merchandiser Target and hard-discounter Aldi – people close to the matter told the business news outlet. If multiple companies make formal bids for the New York-based startup, the company could move through a quick auction.Source: progressivegrocer.com
US: World’s largest retail corporation launches online grocery brand
American e-commerce company Jet.com which is owned by American Multinational retail corporation Walmart is launching its own in-house grocery label. The launch comes as Amazon ramps up its own private label grocery offering. Walmart, the world’s largest company by revenue, is in the news with its raises and bonuses stories. Founded by Sam Walton in 1962, it works under the name Walmart in Canada and the United States.Source: geopolmonitor.com
Dutch retail sales growth accelerates in November
Dutch retail sales growth quickened in November after easing sharply in the previous month, figures from the Central Bureau of Statistics show. Retail sales climbed 5.5% year-over-year in November, much faster than the 1.5% gain in October. The measure has been rising since May 2016. Food sales grew 3.8% annually in November and shops selling non-food products advanced by 5.1%.Source: markets.businessinsider.com
Ireland: Dublin airport Spar to close as DAA moves in new direction
Dublin Airport is planning on replacing the Spar convenience store in its terminal two arrivals area with an outlet that it believes will better appeal to its international passengers. It marks the end of Spar’s presence in Dublin Airport. The retailer closed its terminal one arrivals outlet in the last 18 months. The change of the outlet is in line with Dublin Airport’s vision that every passenger is “well fed and ready for their journey”.Source: irishtimes.com
Chile's Cencosud expects $400mln in investment this year
Chilean retailer Cencosud said it plans to make $400mln in investments this year and expects revenue of $16.5bln over the 12-month period. One of the largest retailers in South America, Cencosud said that its investment plan could be revised depending on the sale of non-strategic assets. Source: reuters.com
France: Carrefour acquires stake in online fashion retailer
French retailer Carrefour has announced that it is acquiring a 17% stake in online clothing retailer Showroomprivé for around €79mln. The supermarket giant claims that the new partnership will help both groups to develop a leading omni-channel offering, covering areas such as commercial, marketing, logistics and data. "This partnership is a new step in the acceleration of our digital strategy, in an omni-channel approach," said Alexandre Bompard, Carrefour CEO.Source: esmmagazine.com
Metro reports Christmas cheer in Germany, not Russia
German retailer Metro reported a slowdown in sales in its Russian business for the important Christmas quarter, although it saw an improvement in same-store sales at its core German wholesale unit and its hypermarkets stabilised. Metro’s cash-and-carry business in Russia has traditionally contributed a big chunk of operating profits and it previously considered listing the business until the Ukraine crisis and sanctions on Moscow dampened the Russian economy.Source: reuters.com