US: Whole Foods tops grocery ad spending in Q2
Whole Foods was the top spender in grocery advertising in the U.S. during the second quarter of 2019, according to data emailed to Grocery Dive from consulting firm Kantar. Before Amazon bought it, Whole Foods ranked 10th in ad spending. It has trended upward since the acquisition, spending roughly $18mln on advertisements in Q2 this year compared with about $4.3mln in Q2 2016. Kroger was the second most active grocery advertiser with $15mln in ad spending, and Publix ranked third with $10.3mln. Walmart spent $8.6mln.
Source: grocerydive.com
US: Next Kroger/Ocado warehouse slated for Dallas
An upcoming automated warehouse operated by the Kroger Co. and U.K. online grocer Ocado will be located in southern Dallas, according to a published report that noted that the City Council had unanimously approved $5.7mln in property, business tax abatements and bond funds for the project. The Dallas News reported that Kroger sold the city on the warehouse by arguing that it would bring fresh groceries to an underserved area and create jobs for its residents. The facility, planned on 55 acres south of Interstate 20, will take an estimated 24 months to complete. Kroger operates 98 stores in the North Texas region.
Source: progressivegrocer.com
US: Grocery workers give supermarkets a September 9 deadline in labor contract talks
Saying little progress has been made in contract talks with supermarket chains, Southern California grocery workers’ union leaders have set a deadline of September 9: on that day, workers will start voting on whether to ratify - or reject - the companies’ latest contract offer. The deadline was set after four days of talks that concluded Sunday with no agreement reached. A new round of negotiations is scheduled to start September 4 and go through September 8, but United Food and Commercial Workers union locals decided late Sunday that it was time to hold a vote by their members on a specific contract proposal. Some 46,000 unionized employees of Ralphs, Albertsons, Vons and Pavilions stores from north of Santa Maria to the U.S.-Mexico border are still working under a three-year contract that expired March 3.
Source: latimes.com
US: Lucky's Market to sell Kroger's Simple Truth products
Natural grocer Lucky's Market will now sell Kroger's Simple Truth private label products in all 39 of its stores, according to a press release sent to Grocery Dive. The company has tested the sale of Simple Truth products at 20 stores in Florida and Georgia this year, and has seen a positive response from shoppers. Simple Truth products "meet or exceed" Lucky's natural organic program standards, the company said. Lucky's will continue to sell its own private label products as well.
Source: grocerydive.com
US: H-E-B plans grocery expansion in west Texas
H-E-B has revealed plans for its first store in Lubbock, Texas, which will open in late 2020. The 120,000-square-foot location will feature a fuel station with a car wash, a Texas Tech collegiate shop, and a True Texas BBQ restaurant with drive-through and indoor and outdoor seating, in addition to the grocer's usual offerings. The store is being designed in-house to embrace a West Texas look, with many of the H-E-B employees being Texas Tech University graduates. It will incorporate several energy-efficient measures such as CO2 refrigeration units and LED lighting. Construction also includes a separate 13,000-square-foot building on the property that will be separate from the store. The tenant for this is unknown.
Source: progressivegrocer.com
US: The Kroger Co. Zero Hunger | Zero Waste Foundation's innovation fund names its inaugural cohort
The Innovation Fund (the "Fund"), a program of The Kroger Co. Zero Hunger | Zero Waste Foundation (the "Foundation"), named its inaugural cohort of innovators, selected from nearly 400 applicants who submitted interest earlier this year during the first-ever open call. The invitation welcomed innovators to submit ideas and solutions to prevent food waste for an opportunity to receive a grant, ranging from $25,000 to $250,000 per project, from the $1mln designated for the first cohort.
Source: prnewswire.com
Amazon in talks for stake in Indonesia's ride-hailing startup Go-Jek: source
Amazon.com Inc is in early talks with Go-Jek Group to buy a stake in the Indonesian ride-hailing startup, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters. Details of the stake were not known and the source did not want to be identified as the talks are private. Both Amazon and Go-Jek did not respond to a Reuters request for comment.
Source: reuters.com
Sweden: Hemköp president Thomas Gäreskog steps down
Swedish grocer Hemköp, part of the Axfood Group, has announced that its president Thomas Gäreskog has stepped down from his position. After seven years at the helm, Gäreskog will now focus on specific business development projects within the company. Axfood Group chief executive, Klas Balkow, commented: "Under Thomas’ leadership, Hemköp has grown in profitability in an increasingly competitive and fast-changing market. We agree that the time is right for Thomas to take on new assignments.” Gäreskog will continue to serve as the president until a successor is recruited, Axfood said in its statement.
Source: esmmagazine.com
Australia: David Jones and BP announce new partnership
David Jones and BP have decided to join forces to roll out a new forecourt convenience concept to 10 locations in Australia. The new premium David Jones branded forecast stores will open over the next six months, with five in Sydney and five in Melbourne. Compared to Australia's typical forecast store offer, the shops will focus on providing high quality fresh food and healthy snacking solutions. Stores will stock over 350 products ranging from groceries, to fresh produce, food-to-go items, ready meals and rotisserie chickens. They will also retain the best elements of a standard BP offer, such as BP's Wild Bean cafe, a core range of drinks and snacks, plus the functionality of the BPme app and self-service checkouts.
Source: retailanalysis.igd.com
Malaysia: 7-Eleven sales rise as new stores open
7-Eleven Malaysia has boosted sales by 7.2% in the first half of this year, aided by new store openings, increased promotions and a higher average spend per customer. The company now has 2323 stores trading and plans further openings in the second half of this year. For the six months to June 30, 7-Eleven Malaysia group revenue reached RM1.17bln (US$277.9mln). Revenue from its food-service business surpassed 3.5% of the group’s total, an increase of more than 30% year on year.
Source: insideretail.asia
Spar Express expanding in Austria
In partnership with petrol forecourt operator, Doppler Mineralöl, Spar Austria will convert 15 Nah & Frischpunkt forecourt stores to its Spar Express format. The expansion of this format builds on the success Spar Austria has seen with its convenience concept, with sales growth of more than 10% in the first half of 2019. The retailer currently operates 50 Spar Express forecourt stores, with two new stores in Amstetten and Wels already planned for 2019, as well as the 15 conversions that will occur through the partnership. By understanding the needs of their customers and responding to the latest trends towards increased convenience, Spar Express has been able to establish a successful format which resonates well with the Austrian shopper. Open seven days a week and with extended hours, the Express stores offer a wide range of up to 2,500 products, giving customers the convenience and flexibility they need.
Source: retailanalysis.igd.com
Belarus: Eurotorg signs syndicated loan facility with Russian banks
Eurotorg LLC, the largest food retailer in Belarus, has announced the signing of a RUB3.5bln (€47.4mln) syndicated loan facility agreement with two Russian banks. The syndicated loan consists of two tranches; a three-year loan of RUB0.5bln and a five-year loan of RUB3bln. The structure of the transaction makes it possible for additional lenders to join the facility, Eurotorg said in a statement. Gazprombank and MKB Bank acted as the mandated lead arrangers and lenders. Gazprombank also acted as documentation agent.
Source: esmmagazine.com
Irish supermarket price inflation eases back to 2.5% this summer, as spending lifts off to €2.49bln
Price inflation at Irish supermarkets has eased somewhat this summer but continues at a fair clip of 2.5% despite the rise in the euro against sterling, a leading survey of the big five grocers suggests. Market researcher Kantar said the annual inflation rate of the 30,000 grocery items it tracks was running at 2.5% in the 12 weeks through August 11. That brings grocery price inflation back to April’s level and compares with a rate of over 3% recorded in early summer - which was the highest level of price increases for five years.
Source: irishexaminer.com
France: Protests spoil opening of unmanned Casino hypermarket
The 'gilets jaunes' and trade unionists have protested at the very first unmanned opening of a Casino Géant hypermarket in France. The hypermarket in Angers is usually staffed, but trials an 'autonomous' Sunday afternoon opening. French trade union CGT says all in all 250 protesters were present at the opening, some of which also entered the stores to loudly voice their protests and even tried to get customers to drop their baskets. Patrice Auvinet of CGT Trade says the atmosphere was friendly and that he was happy to be joined by other trade unions, yellow jackets and even ordinary civilians.
Source: retaildetail.eu
UAE: Lulu Group to invest $500mln in Egypt's retail sector
Lulu Group plans to invest $500mln in Egypt’s retail sector, the United Arab Emirates supermarket chain said. It plans to build malls, hypermarkets and mini markets, providing 8,000 sustainable jobs, Youssef Ali, group chairman and managing director, said in a statement. The agreement was signed with Egypt’s Ministry of Supply & Internal Trade and the Ministry of Housing, Utilities & Urban Communities, the statement said.
Source: reuters.com