Amazon lays off staff at Prime Air drone project
Amazon.com Inc said it had laid off dozens of staff working on the e-commerce giant’s delivery drone project as part of a reorganization of the team. The U.S. retailer has been working on a plan to deliver goods to millions of its customers by using a fleet of unmanned drones, and had received federal approval in August to begin testing commercial deliveries in the country.
Source: reuters.com
US: Afresh increases momentum with new funding
Afresh Technologies’ fresh ordering technology continues to get more support with new funding and the addition of former Ahold USA CEO to its board of directors. The company develops A.I.-powered solutions that optimize merchandising, ordering and operations for grocers’ fresh departments to help minimize food waste. Afresh raised $13mln in new funding, a Series A extension that was sparked by inbound investor interest.
Source: progressivegrocer.com
US: Schnuck Markets launches supplier diversity initiative
Schnuck Markets announced the launch of a supplier diversity initiative to promote supplier participation reflective of the diverse communities throughout the Midwest in which the grocery retailer operates. St. Louis-based Schnucks operates 112 stores, serving customers in Missouri, Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin.
Source: supermarketnews.com
US: BJ's sees 'remarkable' Q3 performance
With robust same-store sales growth, significant market share gains and record profitability, it's no wonder that BJ’s Wholesale Club CEO Lee Delaney called the company’s third-quarter performance "remarkable." Same-store sales, excluding fuel, increased 18.5% and digitally enabled sales increased 200% during the third quarter ended October 31, compared with the prior year.
Source: progressivegrocer.com
China: Dada Group net revenue up 85.5% in Q3
Dada Group, China's leading local on-demand delivery and retail platform reported its net revenue reached 1.3bln yuan ($197.6mln) in the third quarter of 2020, an increase of 85.5% year-on-year. The orders delivered through Dada Now for the 12 months ending September 30 were 1.0bln, as compared with 635.5mln in the same period of last year. The total gross merchandise volume of JD Daojia, the on-demand retail platform of Dada Group, for the 12 months ending September 30, was 21.3bln yuan, up 102.9% on a yearly basis. The number of active consumers on JD Daojia for the 12 months ending September 30 was 37.3mln, an increase of 77.1% year-on-year from 21.1mln in the same period of 2019.
Source: chinadaily.com.cn
Singapore: Grab jumps aboard Asian grocery-delivery wave amid COVID
Southeast Asia's biggest ride-hailing company Grab is racing to cash in on the food and grocery delivery boom as the pandemic dampens appetites for brick-and-mortar shopping. The Singapore-based company spans 8 countries, including Indonesia and Thailand. Its branded grocery delivery service, GrabMart, offers behind-the-scenes support for about 13,000 retail stores in the region, enabling home deliveries in as fast as 20 to 30 minutes. In an interview with Nikkei Asia, Demi Yu, regional head of GrabFood and GrabMart, said the company is pursuing an "anything you can eat" strategy as regards home deliveries. "Whenever you are hungry or whenever you are planning your next meal ... we want you to think of Grab", she said.
Source: asia.nikkei.com
Carrefour chooses Pricer as preferred ESL supplier for worldwide installations
Pricer announces that the retail group Carrefour has chosen Pricer as preferred supplier for new ESL (Electronic Shelf Label) installations and upgrading of stores that are already equipped with Pricer's ESL. Although the framework agreement contains no commitments with regard to volumes or amounts, the intent is to deploy the Pricer system in approximately 500 stores before the end of 2022. The grocery chain Carrefour plans to leverage Pricer's advanced in-store communication and management system to equip and upgrade all store formats (hypermarkets, supermarkets, proximity stores and cash & carry) in France, Spain, Italy, Belgium, Romania, Poland, Brazil, Argentina and Taiwan.
Source: prnewswire.com
Bestway partners offer home delivery with Jisp
Bestway has partnered with Jisp, a shopping and payment app, to provide its franchise and symbol partners with the opportunity to offer their customers home delivery and click-and-collect services. The Jisp app is currently being trialled within the Bestway estate and is expected to be made available to all Bestway’s partners in the New Year. Bestway has confirmed there will be no charge to its retail partners to use Jisp, including its home delivery and click-and-collect platform.
Source: talkingretail.com
UAE: Dubai start-up Fruitful Day raises Dh3mln in two funding rounds as it eyes growth
Fruitful Day, a Dubai-based fresh fruit delivery company, raised Dh3mln ($816,726) in two successive fundraising rounds as it looks to expand operations despite Covid-19 headwinds. The latest financing has expanded the healthy snacking company’s investor base, bringing on board 40 new investors from countries including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Switzerland and Singapore, the company said in a statement.
Source: thenationalnews.com
Australia: Woolworths Group to be powered by 100% green energy by 2025 in move set to help grow renewable sector
Woolworths Group will power its entire operations with renewable electricity by 2025, on the road to net positive carbon emissions by at least 2050. The ambitious power pledge is part of the retail group’s newly announced Sustainability Plan, which charts its path to 2025. The plan includes a range of initiatives across 3 key pillars - Planet, Product and People - to help deliver a better tomorrow for Woolworths customers, team members, communities and the environment.
Source: woolworthsgroup.com.au
UK: Morrisons unveils new 'Market Kitchen' in Edgbaston
Morrisons’ Edgbaston store has had a makeover which will make it part-supermarket part-fresh food takeaway. In the new ‘Market Kitchen’ section, meals are freshly made by a team of chefs including 48 new chef and front of house roles. The new format means that customers can have their breakfast, lunch or evening meal freshly made-to-order by a chef, at the same time as popping in for their groceries. What’s more, customers don’t even need to leave their house to enjoy the meals as they can have the food delivered to their doorstep via Deliveroo.
Source: morrisons-corporate.com
UK: M&S to extend opening hours until midnight in time for Christmas
Marks & Spencer has announced that it is extending its opening hours until midnight for the final shopping days before Christmas. This marks the longest ever store opening hours that the retailer has offered in time for the festive period. From December 21 to 23, 400 M&S stores across the UK - which is two thirds of its store estate - will be open until midnight to give customers extra time to shop.
Source: retailgazette.co.uk
UK: Aldi accelerates online push with ramp-up of Deliveroo trial
Aldi UK, the British arm of the German supermarket discounter, is stepping-up its push into groceries home delivery by expanding a trial with Deliveroo to almost 130 stores. Aldi customers can choose from around 400 items on the Deliveroo app. Products are then picked and packed by Aldi staff before being delivered by Deliveroo riders in as little as 20 minutes. Delivery via Deliveroo costs 4.99 pounds, including a 49 pence platform fee.
Source: reuters.com