US: Rosie CEO sees local retailers and customers embracing digital tools
Launched in 2012 - and cleverly named after the robot housekeeper on “The Jetsons” - online grocery app Rosie allows customers to shop online from their favorite local stores for same-day delivery or in-store pickup. In addition to e-commerce, Rosie provides retailers with delivery opportunities, omnichannel marketing and deep data services. Since its founding, Rosie’s mission has been to bring online grocery to Main Street or, as co-founder and CEO Nick Nickitas says: “Let's make it as easy to shop online, from a local store, as it would be to shop on Amazon or Walmart”.
Source: supermarketnews.com
US: Village Super Market reports pandemic gains
Village Super Market reported a 13.6% year-over-year increase in same-store sales for its most recent financial quarter, the latest evidence of how the pandemic has boosted revenue for food retailers. The results cover the company’s fiscal third quarter, which ended April 25. “Same store sales increased due primarily to the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak and related stay-at-home measures, most significantly in March where sales reached unprecedented levels”, the food retailer said. Overall revenues for Village Super Market reached $485.3mln, a year-over-year increase of 15.9%. Digital sales also grew by 41.8%, another sign of the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on the company. The chain expanded its mobile scan program to 10 stores as well.
Source: progressivegrocer.com
US: Grocers scramble to protect workers and stores as protests continue
Grocers are continuing to respond to the sometimes violent protests and looting that persists in cities across the United States and has impacted the ability of food retailers to maintain operations. Chains such as Albertsons, Schnucks and Hy-Vee have shortened hours at certain stores as they adhere to local curfews and look to keep employees safe, according to statements the companies sent to Grocery Dive. “Because our employees live in various parts of the community [or] region where our stores operate, we want to make sure everyone is safe and able to take care of family members in the evenings”, Christina Gayman, a spokeswoman for Hy-Vee, said in an email sent to Grocery Dive. The protests have also impacted the ability of grocery stores to fulfill online orders. Instacart and Shipt have altered their operations at partner stores with shortened hours, the companies said. Instacart added that it has temporarily stopped service in some areas with states of emergency or curfews in effect. “Our goal is to continue to serve as an essential service for millions of customers, while also prioritizing the health and safety of the Instacart shopper community,” the company said in a statement provided to Grocery Dive.
Source: grocerydive.com
US: C&S, Instacart offer e-commerce solutions to Independent Grocers
With online shopping options more in demand than ever amid the COVID-19 pandemic, C&S Wholesale Grocers Inc. and Instacart have teamed up to offer e-commerce and same-day delivery solutions to more than 3,000 C&S independent grocery retailers across the United States. “C&S is proud to provide our retail partners with the ability to move their businesses online”, stated Corey Quiring, VP of retail services at Keene, New Hampshire-based C&S. “Now more than ever before, shoppers need the safety and convenience of online shopping and home delivery. Instacart’s services are unparalleled in providing a seamless shopping experience”.
Source: progressivegrocer.com
Australia: Charter Hall bags ALDI logistics portfolio for $648mln at the checkout
Charter Hall Group and its joint venture (JV) partner Allianz Real Estate have acquired supermarket group ALDI's $648mln Australian logistics portfolio. Located in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane, the distribution centres were designed and built by ALDI and sold to the JV with seven-year lease back initial terms plus multiple seven-year options. The JV sees Charter Hall's $6bln Prime Industrial Fund (CPIF) acquire the portfolio in a 50/50 split with Allianz Real Estate.
Source: businessnewsaus.com.au
Euro zone retail sales see record decline in April: Eurostat
Euro zone retail sales fell at a new record pace in April, but not as steeply as expected, as shopping declined for nearly all items, including food and drink, during a full month of coronavirus lockdowns across the bloc. Sales in the 19 countries sharing the euro zone fell by 11.7% in April from March and by 19.6% year-on-year, EU statistics agency Eurostat said. That compared with market expectations of 15.0% and 22.3% declines respectively, according to a Reuters poll of economists.
Source: esmmagazine.com
Denmark: nemlig boosts supply chain operations with RELEX tech
Danish online supermarket nemlig.com has teamed with RELEX Solutions on a supply chain project. The retailer says the partnership gives it an artificial intelligence driven forecasting solution that improves the quality and accuracy of its sales forecasts, including for promotional and markdown campaigns. RELEX will also automate its replenishment processes.
Source: retailtechinnovationhub.com
First 7-Eleven store in China's Hunan sets global sales record on opening day
Japanese convenience store chain 7-Eleven said its first store in Changsha, capital of central China's Hunan Province, registered over 500,000 yuan (about 70,310 U.S. dollars) of sales on opening day, breaking its global sales record. Hunan Friendship&Apollo Commercial Corporation Ltd. acquired 7-Eleven's Hunan franchise in October of 2019. But the opening date was postponed twice due to COVID-19. On May 30, the first store finally opened.
Source: xinhuanet.com
Holland: Picnic doesn't have to pay Max Verstappen damages over parody ad, appeals court rules
Online supermarket Picnic does not have to pay Formula 1 driver Max Verstappen damages for using a lookalike of him in a video posted on Facebook in 2016, the Amsterdam court of appeals ruled. There was no infringement of portrait rights as the actor was clearly not Verstappen himself, and the video was a parody of an advertisement Verstappen did for Jumbo, the court ruled.
Source: nltimes.nl
24% of ecommerce in Europe is cross-border
The total online cross-border market (excluding travel) in Europe represented a turnover of 108.75bln euros in 2019. This is an increase of 14.4% compared to the situation one year before. The cross-border share represents 23.55% of total online sales in Europe, which is similar to the situation last year. The cross-border share of total ecommerce in Europe is only slightly higher than it was last year. Back then, it was 22.8%, now it’s 23.55%. And most of the cross-border trade in Europe (55%) is generated by players from within the European Union. Their market share has increased by 3% compared to 2018. The numbers come from Cross-Border Commerce Europe, which has made a list of the strongest ecommerce companies in Europe with a focus on cross-border performance.
Source: ecommercenews.eu
UK: John Lewis & Waitrose launch workshops to alleviate Covid-19 stress
Waitrose and John Lewis have joined forces with health and life insurer Vitality to offer customers a series of free virtual workshops on health and wellbeing. The initiative is exclusively available to myWaitrose and myJohn Lewis members, and the sessions have been designed to address some of the effects of the Covid-19 lockdown.
Source: retailgazette.co.uk