Grupo DIA may exit Portugal: reports
Spain’s Grupo DIA, which operates the Minipreço and Clarel stores in Portugal, has indicated that it may have to exit the country. The company may have to reduce its staff count in the country by 2,100 employees and is asking Price Waterhouse Coopers (PwC) for assistance in keeping the number of redundancies to a minimum by identifying stores to sell off, reports Portugal’s Jornal de Negocios. The consultancy is in charge of finding buyers for as many stores as possible, according to the paper.
Source: esmmagazine.com
Holland: Jumbo commences delivery of online grocery orders from its Middelburg hub
Dutch retailer Jumbo has announced that it has started to deliver groceries from its hub in Middelburg in Zeeland to cut delivery time and process more online requests. Customers can now receive their online orders within one or two hours. Previously, the processing time for such orders was three hours. The retailer will also deliver groceries to the residents of Middelburg between 7:00 and 8:00 in the morning for the first time. Delivering online orders through hubs is part of the retailer's latest efforts to make the process of home delivery more efficient.
Source: esmmagazine.com
EBRD invests in Lira-denominated bond issued by Migros Turkey
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development has announced a TRY 40mln (€6.63mln) investment in a TRY 200mln Turkish-lira denominated bond issued by Migros Turkey. This is the third time that the company has tapped debt capital markets in Turkey and builds on the success of previous bonds in 2018, also backed by the EBRD. The bond will be listed on Borsa Istanbul and its proceeds will reduce the company’s foreign currency exposure. In a statement, the EBRD said that its support for Migros bonds promotes debt capital markets as an 'alternative source of financing at a time when bank lending conditions are tightening in Turkey'.
Source: esmmagazine.com
Germany: Lidl owner has its eye on Metro subsidiary Real
The German Schwarz group, parent company of Lidl and Kaufland, has shown an interest in about 100 Real stores, currently belonging to the Metro Group. There are at least five other interested parties, including fellow food retailer Edeka. Metro has found at least six acquisition candidates for its hypermarket chain, which has been for sale since September. One of the interested parties is the Schwarz group, which is looking to take over about a hundred stores and turn them into Kaufland outlets, as CEO Klaus Gehrig revealed in local newspaper Handelsblatt. Other candidates include supermarket groups Edeka and Globus, as well as investors Morgan Stanley and Cerberus.
Source: retaildetail.eu
Saudi-based Nana Direct raises $6mln for its online grocery delivery marketplace
Riyadh-based online grocery delivery marketplace Nana Direct has raised $6mln investment from Middle East Venture Partners, Impact 46, and Saudi Venture Capital Investment Company, MEVP announced at their investment conference. It is one of the biggest funding rounds ever raised by a Saudi startup. Founded by Sami Al-Helwah and Ahmed Al Samaani in early 2016, Nana Direct follows a three-sided Uber Eats-like marketplace model for grocery deliveries. Its marketplace consists of customers who want to buy groceries online, stores who want to sell through its mobile-only platform and freelance delivery partners who pick groceries up from the stores and deliver them to customers.
Source: menabytes.com
Future Retail secures deal to open 7-Eleven stores in India
U.S.-based 7-Eleven Inc expects to open its first branded store in India this year, after reaching a deal with Future Retail Ltd to run the chain in the Asian nation. Future Retail, which operates local retail chains such as Food Hall and Nilgiris, plans to set up 7-Eleven stores from scratch and convert some of its existing operations into the U.S. brand, the company said in a statement. Shares in Future Retail, founded by Kishore Biyani has 1,444 stores, closed up 3.2% after the announcement. “The agreement gives Future Retail an additional revenue basket”, Abneesh Roy, senior vice president of research at Edelweiss Financial Services, said. He said it would also benefit customer of Future Consumer, the group’s sourcing-to-supermarket food company. The first 7-Eleven store in India is expected to launch this year, the companies said.
Source: ca.reuters.com
China: JD.com shares jump on upbeat sales performance
JD.com Inc, China’s second largest e-commerce firm, reported a 22.4% jump in quarterly sales, beating estimates on the back of robust retail sales and sending its U.S.-listed shares up 13.8% in pre-market trade. The results, however, still represent the company’s slowest quarterly revenue growth rate since its 2015 initial public offering, as an economic slowdown hits China’s top ecommerce companies.
Source: reuters.com
France: Retailer Casino to sell two hypermarkets as part of debt-cut program
French supermarket retailer Casino said that it would sell two of its ‘Geant’ hypermarkets for around 23mln euros ($26mln), as Casino continues a program of asset sales in order to cut debt. Casino said it was selling the stores to French company Groupement Les Mousquetaires.
Source: reuters.com
Australia: Woolworths partners with Jamie Oliver
Woolworths in Australia has joined forces with Jamie Oliver to launch a healthy eating programme. The new programme is called 'Healthier Easier' with advice available both in-store and online via the Woolworths website. The activity includes recipe ideas and videos from Jamie offering hints and tips to help customers produce delicious and healthier breakfasts, lunches and dinners. As well as being able to access the content online, Woolworths will make information available via its catalogue, magazine, social media pages and recipe cards in-store.
Source: retailanalysis.igd.com
US: Fresco y Más partners with Shipt to provide grocery delivery services in South Florida, Orlando and Tampa
Southeastern Grocers, Inc. (SEG), parent company of BI-LO, Fresco y Más, Harveys Supermarket and Winn-Dixie stores, reveals its new partnership with Shipt, a leading online grocery marketplace, to provide grocery delivery to Fresco y Más customers across South Florida, Tampa and Orlando. Fresco y Más is among the first Hispanic grocers to launch a home-delivery service for its Hispanic and Caribbean customers in metro markets across Florida; offering customers a convenient way to purchase their favorite products online, including hot items from the grocer’s Cocina (kitchen).
Source: businesswire.com
Ahold stays on course to meet U.S. online sales growth targets
Ahold Delhaize, which operates supermarkets in Europe and the United States, is on track to meet a 20% U.S. online sales growth target this year as it opens automated grocery distribution points along the East Coast, its chief executive said. Frans Muller, promoted to the top job last July, said in an interview that Ahold, which makes roughly two-thirds of its sales in the United States, plans to open several more of the automated hubs in 2019. The comments came after Ahold said that group net consumer online sales rose 25% to 1.1bln euros in the fourth quarter at constant exchange rates.
Source: reuters.com
US: Natural grocer Fresh Thyme celebrates strong growth in 2018
Natural and organic grocer Fresh Thyme Farmers Market has posted double-digit dollar growth in 2018, claiming to have outpaced nearly all other natural retailers during the period. According to SPINS data, the Downers Grove, Illinois-based grocer recorded 19.8% dollar growth during the period. During the period, the grocer opened new stores in Minnesota, Ohio, Missouri, Indiana and Pittsburgh, bringing its store count to 75 locations throughout the Midwest. It also has four new locations scheduled for 2019.
Source: progressivegrocer.com
US: Walmart unveils plan to reduce plastic packaging waste
Walmart announced a strategic plan to significantly reduce the plastic waste of its private brand packaging, according to a company press release. Walmart also wants to promote consumer-friendly recycling labels. Walmart is partnering with its private labels on a number of initiatives including: achieving 100% recyclable, reusable or compostable packaging for private brands by 2025; achieving 20% post-consumer recycled content in private brand packaging by 2025; labeling all food and consumable private brand packaging with the How2Recycle label by 2022; eliminating the non-recyclable packaging material PVC in general merchandise packaging by 2020; and decreasing private brand plastic packaging. The initiative was announced at Walmart's annual supplier forum, and is expected to impact over 30,000 SKUs. The retailer wants national brands to follow its lead to reduce plastics in packaging, and is providing a "recycling playbook" to help others achieve their sustainability goals, the company stated in the release.
Source: retaildive.com