US: Winco to enter Montana with 2 stores
WinCo Foods is entering its 10th state on March 3 with the opening of two stores in Montana. The stores - WinCo's 125th and 126th locations - will be located in Helena and Billings, and each will measure roughly 84,000 square feet. Each will be staffed by about 150 associates from nearby communities. Each store will house many of WinCo's signature features, including its trademark Wall of Values at the entrance, where some of the deepest savings can be found, as well as a wide assortment of grocery items and a full produce section, meat department, deli department and in-store bakery. Each store also will offer the 700-plus-item bulk food department, where customers can purchase whatever quantities they desire of such products as rice, dried beans, pastas, baking ingredients, dry cereals, snacks, candies and pet foods.
Source: progressivegrocer.com
US: McLane announces the opening of a new grocery distribution center in Ocala, Florida
McLane Company, Inc., a leading supply chain services company providing grocery and foodservice supply chain solutions, formally announced it has opened a new grocery distribution center, McLane Ocala, in the Ocala International Commerce Center at 910 NW 50th Avenue in Ocala, Florida. The 400,000 square foot facility will house 165,000 square feet of dry grocery, nearly 200,000 square feet of perishables and 35,000 square feet of office and support space. The first shipment arrived on February 4, 2019 and deliveries will begin on March 17, 2019.
Source: businesswire.com
US: Walmart Q4 results
Fourth-quarter highlights: Total revenue was $138.8bln, an increase of $2.5bln, or 1.9%. Excluding currency, total revenue was $140.5bln, an increase of $4.2bln, or 3.1%. Walmart U.S. comp sales on a two-year stack of 6.8% is the strongest growth in 9 years. Walmart U.S. eCommerce continued to benefit from the expansion of grocery pickup and delivery and a broader assortment on Walmart.com. Sam's Club comp sales increased 3.3%, and eCommerce sales grew 21%. Net sales at Walmart International were $32.3bln, a decline of 2.3%. Excluding currency, net sales were $34.0bln, an increase of 2.7%. Adjusted EPS excludes the effects of two items: A charge of $0.17 due to an adjustment in the provisional amount related to Tax Reform; An unrealized gain of $0.03 on the company's equity investment in JD.com.
Source: news.walmart.com
Amazon aims to cut its carbon footprint
Amazon, which ships millions of packages a year to shopper’s doorsteps, says it wants to be greener. The online retail giant announced plans to make half of all its shipments carbon neutral by 2030. To reach that goal, the online retail giant said it would use more renewable energy like solar power; have more packages delivered in electric vans; and push suppliers to remake their packaging. Amazon is calling its program “Shipment Zero,” and plans to publicly publish its carbon footprint for the first time later this year.
Source: canadiangrocer.com
Carrefour to 'downsize' five hypermarkets in Italy
Due to challenges in the hypermarket sector, Carrefour Italia is to downsize five of its 51 hypermarkets in Italy, reports Il Sole 24 Ore. Under the Carrefour 2022 transformation plan, the retailer is to review its large-scale retail model in favour of smaller stores, resulting in around about 590 redundancies. Carrefour said that it will consider all opportunities for the relocation of the affected employees. The five stores involved in the reduction plan include outlets at Marcon (Venice), Tavagnucco (Udine), Grugliasco (Turin), Casalecchio del Reno (Bologna) and Roma-La Romanina.
Source: esmmagazine.com
Germany: Kaufland is doing good with new sustainable food range
Kaufland is offering more than 150 Demeter and Campo Verde products in its stores in Germany. It will expand the range to 200 by the end of 2019. Demeter International is one of Germany’s key organic food and sustainable land management associations. It is famous for the high standard of its sustainable farming, which exceed the government’s own regulatory standards. The addition of the Demeter range is helping Kaufland to raise its quality credentials and to be more vocal about its supply chain sustainability initiatives.
Source: retailanalysis.igd.com
Future Consumer partners with Middle East’s supermarket chain, T Choithrams & Sons
FCL and Choithrams have identified an opportunity to strategically partner across the UAE, Bahrain and Qatar - to bring FCL’s portfolio of leading brands to consumers across the Middle East. With a network of more than 60 supermarkets across UAE, Bahrain and Qatar, Choithrams will market, distribute and retail FCL brands for sale through its own stores, as well as distribute FCL brands to other retail stores. The partnership has been signed between FCL and Choithrams during the Gulfood Dubai 2019. Commenting on the new partnership, Rajiv Warrier, CEO, Choithrams said: “As one of the oldest brands in the UAE, Choithrams has established itself not only as conveniently located supermarkets dotted across the country, but has also become a leading name in retail distribution. We are delighted to partner with Future Consumer Limited, a company which has always brought innovative products for the new generation. I think together we will add an array of new products for consumers in the UAE and increase our range of products catering to different nationalities.”
Source: indiaretailing.com
Italy: Penny Market invests in organic private label
Italian discounter Penny Market has relaunched the 'Natura è' private label range, featuring 100% Italian origin quality fruit and vegetables sourced from integrated agriculture production. The retailer, which is part of the REWE Group, said that the range demonstrates its commitment to the environment and biodiversity. The range consists of 40 SKUs, both loose and packaged, which change according to seasonal availability. The fruit and vegetable producers which supply the range are carefully selected and subjected to constant checks, while the integrated production system provides for greater coordination at all stages along the supply chain.
Source: esmmagazine.com
UK: Asda reports seventh quarter of year-on-year growth
Walmart has published its earnings returns for the final quarter of 2018 including financial results for Asda (1st October 2018 to 31st December 2018). The supermarket delivered a 1.0% increase in like-for-like sales excluding petrol over the fourth quarter - the seventh consecutive quarter of positive YOY comp growth. Walmart President and CEO, Doug McMillon said: “In the U.K., Brexit - and the potential implications of a hard Brexit - is increasingly on the mind of everyone. No matter the situation, Asda will always work to keep prices as low as possible for its customers, I visited our team in the UK a few weeks ago, and am really impressed with their performance, attitudes and leadership. They’re amazing.”
Source: corporate.asda.com
Holland: Albert Heijn tests zero-emission delivery trucks for city supermarkets
Dutch retail giant Albert Heijn has announced that it has launched a pilot project to test electric trucks that will ensure emission-free delivery of supplies to supermarkets in cities. In association with DAF Trucks, Simon Loos, Peter Appel Transport and TNO, the retailer is testing fully electric trucks as well as plug-in hybrid trucks. The pilot project will help in determining functional and operational requirements that are essential for zero-emission delivery of goods to supermarkets.
Source: esmmagazine.com
Russia: X5 opens first Pyaterochka store in Krasnoyarsk
Russia's X5 Retail Group has announced that it has opened its first Pyaterochka store in Krasnoyarsk, in the Siberian Federal District. The store, located at 134 Bograd Street, has a sales area of more than 500 square metres. It offers around 5,000 SKUs, comprising local products from Siberia as well as brands from Krasnoyarsk including DiHleb, Sibirzhinka, and the Krasnoyarsk Food Company.
Source: esmmagazine.com