Canada: Couche-Tard CEO would love second shot at Carrefour deal
Alimentation Couche-Tard would revive its $20bln bid for France’s Carrefour if the Canadian convenience store operator saw a change in the French government’s stance on the proposed deal, its chief executive said. “We’d love to do the transaction .... if we got signals that the environment could change or would change from the French government or other key stakeholders”, Brian Hannasch told an analyst.
Source: reuters.com
US: Sprouts Farmers Market partners with MyFitnessPal for healthy challenge
Through this partnership, customers of natural foods retailer Sprouts Farmers Market are required to track 20 meals in 30 days using the MyFitnessPal app in January and February. Participants will be awarded custom digital badges to help them remain motivated until 20 meals are logged, with cash prizes also available at the end of the challenge. MyFitnessPal is one of the most widely used health and fitness apps in the US, helping users to track their calories, break down ingredients and log their fitness activities. These help users to adopt and maintain healthier lifestyles over a period of time.
Source: retailanalysis.igd.com
Reeco lures Amazon Fresh to Whittier shopping center in long-term lease deal
Reeco, a Southern California based real estate brokerage serving residential and commercial customers, has completed the lease of an approximately 38,000-square-foot building in the Friendly Hills Marketplace in Whittier. Formerly home to an Orchard Supply Hardware located at 15225 Whittier Blvd., the building has become an Amazon Fresh grocery store.
Source: prnewswire.com
Brazil retail sales surprisingly fall in November, first fall in seven months
Brazilian retail sales surprisingly fell in November, official figures showed, the first decline in 7 months mainly driven by a sizeable fall in sales of food products. Retail activity had rebounded to record levels in October from the depths of the COVID-19 crisis earlier last year, which Economy Ministry officials said reflected the wider economic rebound. But that momentum is clearly slowing. October's increase was revised down slightly and November's decline, while small, suggests the recent spike in inflation is starting to bite and that lower income consumers are tightening their belts ahead of the end of emergency government aid. "It is common for consumers, when there is a drop in income or purchasing power, to buy fewer non-essential products and to choose cheaper brands", said IBGE survey manager Cristiano Santos.
Source: brecorder.com
Spanish court drops inquiry into Russian tycoon's bid for DIA retailer
Spain’s High Court has dropped an investigation into allegations that Russian tycoon Mikhail Fridman acted to depress the share price of DIA while trying to take over the supermarket chain, two judicial sources told Reuters. Following a drawn-out takeover bid, Fridman’s LetterOne fund took control of the loss-making retailer in 2019 and rescued it from the brink of insolvency after DIA’s market value fell by 90% in 2018 as it lost out to rising competition.
Source: reuters.com
Croatia: Konzum launches service with Uber
Konzum has made its products available through Uber, enabling shoppers in Zagreb and its surroundings and six other cities, to have its products delivered by Uber. Konzum’s online shoppers will be able to select the Partner Delivery service and then select their delivery location. When selecting Uber shoppers will need to be aware the service will be slightly different to that offered by its own delivery staff, due to Uber drivers doing the picking and not having visibility to real time stock availability. A minimum order size of HRK200 (US$32) is required for choosing delivery by Uber, while a delivery fee of HRK30 (US$4.80) is charged whatever the size of the order.
Source: retailanalysis.igd.com
SPAR further expands its retail footprint in Northwest Italy
Gruppo 3A, Partner of DESPAR Italia for the Northwest, closed 2020 with two new additions to its retail portfolio: a EUROSPAR Supermarket in Castagnito (Cuneo), and a DESPAR Express in Trofarello. Offering shopping convenience and high-quality local products, these energy-efficient, SPAR stores are a welcome addition to their local communities. SPAR retailers promote locally sourced products and typical delicacies from the best local suppliers.
Source: spar-international.com
Ireland: Aldi announce return of their ‘Grow with’ programme
Aldi has announced the return of its ‘Grow with Aldi’ supplier development programme for 2021, which will see it supporting Irish suppliers, offering them the chance to become a core range listing in all 145 Aldi Ireland stores. To date, more than 500 Irish suppliers have entered the Grow with Aldi programme over the last three years, with Aldi’s investment hitting €3mln.
Source: echolive.ie
Switzerland: Farmy tripled its turnover in 2020
Farmy, an online grocery specialist that only sells regional and organic products from more than 1,200 authentic producers in Switzerland, has reported growth of 170%, to CHF26mln (US$29.2mln). The company benefited from strong local ‘demand for secure and contactless eFood solutions’. Farmy highlighted the work it did to ensure ‘supply to high-risk groups in particular with separate delivery capacities’. In 2020 it added more than 2,000 new products from more than 200 new producers. Following the addition of the new products, Farmy said 72% of its range is made up fresh products, while 70% of the range is certified organic products.
Source: retailanalysis.igd.com
UK: Deliveroo secures $180mln in funding as it prepares for IPO
Deliveroo has secured another $180mln (£132mln) of funding from shareholders including Amazon, in a move that values the takeaway delivery company at more than $7bln as it gears up for a blockbuster stock exchange listing. Will Shu, Deliveroo’s founder and chief executive, said the London-based company would use the new cash from existing investors to improve the business for “consumers, riders and restaurants”, as he confirmed for the first time that the company was working on plans for an initial public offering (IPO).
Source: theguardian.com
Amazon to open two new hubs in Italy this year
Amazon will open two new logistics centres in Italy this year, investing over 230mln euros ($278mln), the world’s largest online retailer said. With the two new hubs - a distribution centre in the north-western city of Novara and a fulfilment centre close to the city of Modena - Amazon will create 1,100 new jobs in the coming three years.
Source: reuters.com
UK: Ocado’s CEO to address the ‘online challenge’ in the City Food Lecture 2021
Mel Smith, CEO of Ocado Retail, the world’s largest dedicated online supermarket, will discuss the challenges facing traditional retailers in serving customers online, when she gives The City Food Lecture 2021. Held on the evening of 10 February, the lecture titled: ‘The role of new technology in the future of UK food retailing’ is being held virtually for an audience of UK and international food and drink industry leaders.
Source: foodanddrinktechnology.com/
Italy: Conad’s 2020 preliminary results
Conad announced its preliminary results for 2020, saying it expected to increase its turnover by 10.2% to €15.7bln. Francesco Avanzini, Conad’s general manager said: “Multichannel, development of Conad brand products, sustainability, digitalisation, these are Conad's strategic guidelines. With the integration of Auchan sales points we want to become decisive in all channels”.
Source: retailanalysis.igd.com