Finland: S Group reports net sales decrease
S Group reported net sales for Q1. It said these fell by 0.7% in compared to 2018, to €2.6bln. Like-for-like retail sales decreased by 1.3% to €1.8bln (including sales in Estonia and Russia) following exceptional sales last year and Easter being in April this year. In Russia, the retailer closed some of its Prisma stores, also affecting its performance. Online grocery trade, the only growing channel, was up by almost 25% compared to last year.
Source: retailanalysis.igd.com
Eurotorg reports strong 2018 results as Belarusian retail grows
The leading supermarket chain in Belarus Eurotorg (aka Euroopt) reported strong 2018 results that will bolster its chance of getting a mooted IPO away this year after postponing an attempt last year. As bne IntelliNews reported with “The long march of Belarusian retail” in September 2018, Belarusian retail has come of age as a middle class appears and that has fed the rapid growth of Eurotorg. Eurotorg CEO Andrei Zubkou, commenting on the company’s results, said: “2018 was a year of successful growth for Eurotorg. We set a new record for store openings, with 362 net new stores during the period, and continued to focus primarily on developing smaller-format stores in leased premises, in line with our capex-light expansion strategy." The company’s revenue was up by 15.3% y/y and reached BYN4.5bln ($2.1bln), while revenue in dollar terms was up 9.4% y/y and net retail sales were up 8.6% in dollar terms and equal to $2bln.
Source: intellinews.com
Coviran Plus launches in Portugal
After a decade of positive performance in Spain, Coviran has launched its first Coviran Plus store in Portugal. The store implements cutting-edge technology to ensure better customer service and greater profitability in the point of sale, the retailer said. It is located in Supermercado Oceano in Albufeira in the Faro district, and is managed by retail partner José Geraldo Barreto. The cooperative operates around 250 Coviran Plus outlets in Spain.
Source: esmmagazine.com
Australia: Woolworths lifts Q3 food sales by 4.2%
Supermarket giant Woolworths has lifted third-quarter grocery sales by 4.2%, reaping the benefits of lower deflation and more favourable weather conditions. Comparable grocery sales for the 13 weeks to March 31 rose 4.2% to $10.0bln after adjusting for the timing of Easter, and total group sales from continuing operations lifted 5.1% to $14.90bln. The grocery sales growth was an improvement on the first half’s 2.3%, while major rival Coles this week reported 2.2% comparable supermarket sales growth for the third quarter.
Source: news.com.au
Russia: X5 teams up with Ozon for state-of-the-art delivery solutions
Russia's X5 Retail Group has entered into a partnership with e-commerce firm Ozon, to set up around 2,000 parcel lockers and 2,000 pick-up points in Pyaterochka stores by the end of 2020. Pyaterochka general director, Sergei Goncharov, said: "Cooperation with Ozon is an important step in developing our omni-channel platform and new services for our customers, who are increasingly looking for a convenient digital experience and time-saving solutions." The deal will also enable customers to pick up their Ozon orders from Pyaterochka checkout counters as well as parcel lockers and pick-up points of X5 Omni's partners. X5 Omni is a subsidiary of the X5 Retail Group that offers parcel delivery services in Pyaterochka, Perekrestok and Karusel stores. It will extend logistical support to deliver Ozon packages to Pyaterochka stores.
Source: esmmagazine.com
South Africa: Spar announces new growth strategy
Spar South Africa has unveiled a new growth strategy that focuses on independent retailers and the ever-evolving needs of consumers. Independent retailers are an essential component in the company's growth story and 'bring the brand to life', Spar Group said. While formulating the new strategy, Spar South Africa took into account key retail trends like convenience-integrated digital technologies, health and wellness, alternative packaging solutions, food waste reduction, and local product sourcing. The process was further guided by the retailer's sustainable development goals, which helped in defining primary themes around equality, poverty reduction, human settlement, food and nutrition, sustainable growth, and quality education. Chief executive of Spar South Africa, Graham O’Connor, said: "Our priority for the next year will be to drive the implementation of our new strategy in South Africa."
Source: esmmagazine.com
Amazon expands Denver Tech Hub and announces plans to create 400 new tech jobs
Amazon announced an expansion of its Denver Tech Hub and plans to create 400 new high-tech jobs in fields including software and hardware engineering, cloud computing, and advertising. To accommodate this job creation, Amazon will open a new office in downtown Denver - joining the company’s Boulder office which opened last fall - and allowing the company to more than double its tech workforce in the Denver area. Together with its customer fulfillment and retail facilities, the company has created more than 3,500 full-time jobs in Colorado. “We’re excited to continue to grow and invest in the Denver area”, said Dave Wood, Site Lead for Amazon’s Denver Tech Hub. “Our new office will offer our teams the convenience of a downtown location with an array of outdoor adventures just up the road.”
Source: businesswire.com
US: QFC takes supermarkets out of the doghouse
Next month, eight QFC stores in greater Seattle plan to deploy high-tech doghouses to give customers a safe, comfortable place to keep their pets outside as they shop. Developed by “pet tech” startup DogSpot, the app-connected doghouses are temperature-controlled, camera-monitored, lockable and self-sanitizing. QFC, a Kroger Co. chain, will be the first grocery retailer chain in the Pacific Northwest to have DogSpot houses at its stores. Plans call for the DogSpot houses to become available in late May at QFC stores in Capitol Hill, Queen Anne, Ballard, Wallingford, University Village, Kirkland and Redmond, Washington. The service will be offered free to QFC customers. Dog owners can sign up in advance by downloading the DogSpot app, where they also will be able to find doghouse locations.
Source: supermarketnews.com
Canada: Loblaw announced Q1 financial results
Loblaw Companies Limited ("Loblaw" or the "Company") announced its unaudited financial results for the first quarter ended March 23, 2019. Revenue was $10,659mln, an increase of $324mln, or 3.1%, compared to the first quarter of 2018. Retail segment sales were $10,452mln, an increase of $297mln, or 2.9%, compared to the first quarter of 2018. Food retail (Loblaw) same-store sales growth was 2.0%. Drug retail (Shoppers Drug Mart) same-store sales growth was 2.2%, with pharmacy same-store sales growth of 1.2% and front store same-store sales growth of 3.1%. The timing of Easter had a nominal impact on same-store sales growth for both Food retail and Drug retail in the first quarter of 2019. Operating income was $451mln, an increase of $75mln, or 19.9%, compared to the first quarter of 2018. Operating income included the year-over-year favourable impact of the implementation of IFRS 16 of approximately $75mln and the unfavourable impact of spin-out related incremental depreciation of approximately $22mln. Normalized for these impacts operating income increased by $22mln. Adjusted EBITDA was $1,040mln, an increase of $307mln, or 41.9%, compared to the first quarter of 2018. Adjusted EBITDA included the year-over-year favourable impact of the implementation of IFRS 16 of $282mln. Normalized for this impact, adjusted EBITDA increased by $25mln, or 3.4%.
Source: media.loblaw.ca
US: Blue Apron trims losses in Q1
Blue Apron reported a loss of $5.3mln in the first quarter of fiscal 2019, down from a loss of $31.7mln during the same period last year, according to a company release. The meal kit company reported adjusted EBITDA of $8.6mln, more than double its goal of $3.4mln, making it Blue Apron’s first reported profit since its IPO in 2017. However, the company’s orders dropped 29% to 2.5mln along with its customer count, which stands at 550,000, down from 786,000 a year ago. Sales also plunged to $141.9mln from $196.7mln the year prior. During the company's earnings call, Tim Bensley, CFO of Blue Apron said it will discontinue its same-day delivery pilot in New York City through Grubhub and launch delivery through its own platform in the San Francisco Bay Area. Customers go directly to the Blue Apron site and order any of the two-person offerings, which he says will likely be priced at a slight premium. If orders are placed before noon, they’ll be delivered between 4 and 6 p.m.
Source: grocerydive.com
Amazon expands grocery delivery from Whole Foods Market to thirteen metros
Amazon and Whole Foods Market launched delivery of natural and organic products from Whole Foods Market through Prime Now in Chattanooga and Knoxville, Tennessee, Destin and Tallahassee, Florida, Greensboro and Wilmington, North Carolina, Allentown, Pennsylvania, Fort Collins, Colorado, Huntsville and Montgomery, Alabama, Jackson, Mississippi, Palm Desert, California, and Portland, Maine. Prime members in those cities can shop through Prime Now for thousands of bestselling items including fresh produce, high-quality meat and seafood, everyday staples and other locally sourced items from Whole Foods Market and enjoy delivery in as little as an hour. The service is now available in 88 U.S. metros and will continue to expand throughout 2019.
Source: businesswire.com
US: Publix reports first quarter 2019 results and stock price
Publix’s sales for the three months ended March 30, 2019 were $9.7bln, a 4.3% increase from $9.3bln in 2018. Comparable store sales for the three months ended March 30, 2019 increased 1.9%. The company estimates the increase in sales for the three months ended March 30, 2019 compared to the three months ended March 31, 2018 was 1.2% lower due to the effect of the Easter holiday being in the second quarter in 2019 and in the first quarter in 2018. Net earnings for the three months ended March 30, 2019 were $981mln, compared to $680.3mln in 2018, an increase of 44.2%. Earnings per share for the three months ended March 30, 2019 increased to $1.37 per share, up from $0.93 per share in 2018. Net earnings and earnings per share were impacted by net unrealized gains and losses on equity securities. Excluding the impact of net unrealized gains on equity securities in 2019 and net unrealized losses on equity securities in 2018, net earnings for the three months ended March 30, 2019 would have been $741.7mln, compared to $704.2mln in 2018, an increase of 5.3%. Earnings per share would have been $1.04 per share, compared to $0.96 per share in 2018.
Source: businesswire.com