Germany: Discounter Norma commits to responsible staff uniforms
German discounter Norma has announced it will only source staff uniforms bearing the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) seal, which ensures responsible production. This standard guarantees the use of only pesticide-free organic cotton as well as the socially-responsible manufacturing of each garment. "Just as we pay attention to sustainable and environmentally friendly production for the benefit of our customers, we also want to offer this opportunity to our employees", Norma management said in a statement.
Source: esmmagazine.com
Big C Thailand grows 5.4% for Q1
Berli Jucker, operator of Big C, reports revenue of THB30.9bln (US$979mln), gaining THB1.6bln (US$50.5mln) over the same period last year. The revenue growth is driven by continued store network expansion with 27 Mini Big C in the quarter. 13 convenience stores were closed. By the end of March 2019, the retailer has 147 hypermarkets, 61 supermarkets, 797 Mini Big C and 140 Pure drugstores. Like for like sales grew 1% year on year while other income including rental increased 4.7% over the same period. Gross profit margin decreased from 16.3% to 15.9% due to lower B2B sales contribution. Net profit registered a slight decline of 2.3% due to higher staff cost from store expansion and yearly bonuses, increased store opening and closing expenses and rising utility expenses.
Source: retailanalysis.igd.com
Retail sales in Romania up 8.4% year-on-year in Jan-Mar
Romania’s average retail sales index calculated for the first quarter of the year (Q1) increased by 8.4% compared to the same period last year, the National Statistics Institute (INS) reported. It was the highest annual growth rate in the past five quarters and hardly a surprise after the net average wage soared by some 14% year-on-year, in real terms, in January-February. Sales in Romania had decelerated somehow to an average annual growth rate of 5.5% in 2018, but private consumption is likely to remain the main growth driver this year as well.
Source: romania-insider.com
Germany: Edeka Südbayern sees 3.1% growth in 2018
Edeka Südbayern, part of Germany’s Edeka group of companies, has posted a 3.1% increase in sales in full-year 2018, to €2.59bln. Trade platform rundschau.de reported that the group, which includes around 740 retail entrepreneurs, posted ‘above-average’ growth in its production division. Edeka Südbayern chief executive Claus Hollinger added that he was ‘particularly pleased’ with the development of former Kaiser's Tengelmann stores which were converted to Edeka outlets. Together, the businesses that comprise Edeka Südbayern operate 959 Edeka supermarkets and hypermarkets.
Source: esmmagazine.com
Japan: Seven-Eleven to start discounting unsold food
Japan's Seven-Eleven convenience stores will start discounting unsold food in an effort to reduce waste and decrease costs associated with discarding leftover food. This fall, about 20,000 Seven-Eleven stores will offer discounts on hundreds of items that have only four to five hours left before their sell-by date, including lunchboxes, rice balls and noodles. The discounts - about 5% of the purchase price - will be credited to customers' Nanaco e-money, the chain's loyalty program. Currently, individual stores have to pay 85% of the costs for discarding old food, squeezing already thin profit margins.
Source: asia.nikkei.com
Russia: O`KEY Group announces operating results for Q1 2019
O`KEY Group S.A. announces its unaudited operating results for the first quarter of 2019. Q1 2019 operating highlights: Underlying Group net retail revenue, excluding the effect of the supermarket business sale, increased by 0.7% YoY to RUB39,421mln (€545.25mln). Underlying net retail revenue generated by O`KEY hypermarkets decreased by 2.2% YoY in Q1 2019 to RUB35,437mln as a result of weaker than expected sales in January. Sequential improvement in sales in February, March and April, driven by significant traffic improvements and higher shelf inflation, supported the revenue dynamics YTD. Net retail revenue generated by DA! grew by 36.0% YoY to RUB3,985mln in Q1 2019, supported by a steady growth in traffic (up 25.9% YoY) and the average ticket (up 8.6% YoY). During the first four months of 2019, discounters demonstrated solid growth dynamics consistently improving the top line on YoY basis.
Source: okeyinvestors.ru
Majid Al Futtaim to bring solar power to Carrefour Jordan stores
Dubai-based holding company Majid Al Futtaim has signed an agreement with Yellow Door Energy, a leading commercial solar developer based in the UAE, to add solar power to Carrefour stores in Jordan. The 17-megawatt build-own-operate-transfer (BOOT) wheeling agreement will bring 29 gigawatt-hours of clean energy to Carrefour stores located in Amman, Zarqa, Madaba, and Al-Salt in the first year of operation to meet 100% of the retailer’s electricity needs in those areas, according to a press release.
Source: zawya.com
Like-for-like sales up 1.1% at Portugal's Sonae MC in Q1
Sonae MC, the food retail arm of Portugal's Sonae Group, has posted a 1.1% increase in like-for-like sales in the first quarter of its financial year. Sonae MC, which operates the Continente banner, said that it commenced the year with 'strong top-line growth', despite the negative calendar effect of Easter, with turnover up 7.4% to €1.05bln in there period. Underlying EBTIDA was up 8.1% compared to the same period last year. 'This solid performance was backed by the positive evolution in turnover, which compensated the pressure of the challenging competitive environment and investment of the ongoing expansion programme', the retailer said. The group opened three stores under its Continente Bom Dia banner in the period, as well as one Continente Modelo store.
Source: esmmagazine.com
US: Basics Market expands next-gen concept in Oregon
Oregon-based Basics Market has announced plans for a new location in Portland's Pearl District, according to a company press release. Once opened, the store will be the company’s third location since it launched last September. The 13,000-square-foot store, which is scheduled to open this fall, will be an expanded version of the original Portland store and tailored to its new neighborhood. Features include a beer and wine bar, cheese aging observation station, a fresh deli and dry cured meats. Similar to the first Basics Market location, the new store will also have nutrition classes, a Discovery Kitchen and rotating meal stations. Basics Market’s second location is opening in Tualatin, Oregon this summer.
Source: grocerydive.com
US: KeHE finds partner to fund growth
KeHE Distributors has joined with TowerBrook Capital Partners as a strategic capital partner to help fund the distributor’s growth and continue to bring new and emerging brands to market in the United States and Canada. The international investment management firm replaces a longtime minority shareholder. Naperville, Illinois-based KeHE was the first food distributor to earn B Corporation certification, in 2016, while TowerBrook was the first mainstream private-equity firm to earn B Corporation status.
Source: progressivegrocer.com