SPAR China partner modernises supermarkets
SPAR Shandong Qingdao Jimo District Baolong Plaza Supermarket: Fresh produce is a core part of the instore offering, including fresh fruit and vegetables, meat, and freshly caught fish. SPAR Shandong Yantai Longkou Poly Plaza Supermarket: This renovation focuses on optimising the instore product assortment, including fresh produce and food-to-go, with local and international products make up a core tenet of the product offer.
Source: spar-international.com
Woolworths posts slight sales increase driven by food and e-commerce growth
Woolworths' New Zealand food sales rose 3.2% in the first quarter, to $2.18bln, driven by e-commerce growth and sales in the categories of fruit and vegetables, meat, chilled, and frozen. Australian food sales were up 2.1% to $13.8bln, driven by chilled, meat and fruit sales, while long-life sales lagged.
Source: insideretail.co.nz
France sees pumpkin boom
French consumers bought 25,000 tonnes of pumpkins and gourds in September 2025 - a notable jump from 21,000 tonnes in the same period in 2024, according to Worldpanel. Total spending on pumpkins and gourds reached €55mln this year - up significantly from €44mln in 2024.
Source: esmmagazine.com
Amazon subsidiary to invest $5bln in South Korea, presidential office says
Amazon Web Services will invest at least $5bln in South Korea by 2031 to build new artificial intelligence data centres, South Korea's presidential office said, leveraging Seoul's ambition to become an AI hub in Asia.
Source: reuters.com
Vatican supermarket opens under new management
The Governorate of the Vatican City State has announced the reopening of its internal supermarket, Annona, now rebranded as Tigre-Annona. It will be staffed by 34 employees, offer an assortment of approximately 11,000 products and focus on sourcing local products, especially for the delicatessen, bakery, and fresh fruit and vegetable departments.
Source: esmmagazine.com
UK: Food inflation eases in October amid intense retail competition
Annual food price inflation in the UK cooled to 3.7% in October, down from 4.2% in September, according to the latest data released by the British Retail Consortium (BRC) and research partner NielsenIQ. For the fruit, vegetable and plant-and-flower wholesale sector, several implications stand out: Fresh produce inflation remains elevated. The 4.3% annual increase means growers, packers and wholesalers cannot yet expect a return to pre-pressure levels; cost and pricing challenges remain. Ambient category relief may benefit packaged lines. The strong drop in ambient food inflation suggests shelf-stable products may see less cost pressure, but fresh produce remains exposed.
Source: fpcfreshtalkdaily.co.uk
Sysco reports first quarter 2026 results; reiterates FY26 guidance
Sysco Corporation ("Sysco" or the "company") announced financial results for its 13-week first fiscal quarter ended September 27, 2025. Sales increased 3.2%; U.S. Foodservice volume increased 0.1%; Gross profit increased 3.9% to $3.9bln; Operating income decreased 1.0% to $800mln, and adjusted operating income increased 2.9% to $898mln; Net earnings decreased 2.9% to $476mln, and adjusted net earnings increased 2.0% to $551mln.
Source: globenewswire.com
US: UNFI closes 8 Shoppers stores over two months in Maryland
United Natural Foods Inc. (UNFI) announced that it will close four additional Shoppers stores in Central Maryland by November 8. The locations in College Park, Laurel, Germantown and Capitol Heights will shut down, bringing the total number of closures in Maryland to eight over the past two months. Shoppers stores in Essex, New Carrollton, Waldorf and Westminster were closed in September.
Source: supermarketnews.com
Q&A: Behind Food Lion's latest private label push
The Salisbury, North Carolina-based food retailer recently rolled out new private brand French toast sticks and ice cream pints, as well as a line of frozen vegetables ranging from steam-in-bag Brussels sprouts to riced cauliflower. Progressive Grocer spoke with Gene Faller, SVP, center store category management, about the company's recent moves. PG: What was behind the decision to add new French toast sticks, ice cream and frozen vegetables to the private label lineup? GF: We listen to our customers and continuously evaluate our private brand offerings to ensure we're providing the products they want. The frozen vegetables appeal to our customers' needs and supplement our current assortment while the new pint-sized ice cream flavors offer more choices to the current flavor lineup our customers know and love. The French toast sticks will expand our growing frozen breakfast line, with plans for more products to come.
Source: progressivegrocer.com
US: Grubhub users can order groceries
Grubhub has partnered with Instacart to allow customers to order groceries from more than a thousand national, regional and local retailers directly through Grubhub's app and website. Under the arrangement, orders are placed on Grubhub's platform but fulfilled and delivered by Instacart shoppers.
Source: supermarketnews.com
Playa Bowls eyes 160-plus Canadian locations through partnership
Playa Bowls is planning to grow its footprint north of the border. The fast-casual superfruit bowl shop has announced a master franchise agreement with Eat Up Canada Inc. to expand the brand across Canada.
Source: chainstoreage.com
Walmart's Mexico unit posts 9% drop in Q3 profit, below forecasts
Walmart's Mexico and Central America unit reported a 9% drop in third-quarter net profit, mainly due to higher financial costs and a one-off accounting adjustment, despite growth in sales and operational efficiencies. Net profit for Mexico's largest retailer was 11.75bln pesos ($641.41mln) in the three months through September, below the 13.7bln-peso forecast of analysts polled by LSEG.
Source: reuters.com
US: Savannah farmers and SNAP shoppers worry as government shutdown threatens benefits
For 16 years, farmer Joe King has sold his produce and eggs at a stand in the Forsyth Farmers' Market every Saturday morning. King is up by 4 a.m. most days to tend to his fields. On Friday, he begins harvesting around 3 p.m., gathering a colorful spread of vegetables and fruits for the weekly market - the only place he sells his goods. If the federal government doesn't reopen soon then his sweet potatoes, onions, tomatoes, cucumbers and apples could spoil before they are sold.
Source: eu.savannahnow.com
