Romania: French retailer Cora tests supermini mixed format in Bucharest
Hypermarket operator Cora, controlled by French-Belgian group Louis Delhaize, will launch a new convenience store format in Romania, Economica.net reported. The new stores will also serve as pick-up points for online shopping. If successful, the new format will compete directly with Mega Image stores, controlled by Dutch-Belgian Ahold Delhaize Group.
Source: romania-insider.com
Poland: Żabka updates management structure
Polish retailer Żabka has implemented a number of changes to its organisational structure since the beginning of 2021. The new structure sees the group put its main focus on the areas of store chain management, development, and strategy, with the aim of concentrating responsibilities in clearly defined and specialised teams.
Source: esmmagazine.com
South Africa: Retailer Shoprite sees half-year profits growing by up to 22.5%
Shoprite Holdings Ltd said its profits for the half year that ended December 27 will be higher by between 12.5% and 22.5% compared with the same period a year ago. Adjusted basic headline earnings per share (HEPS) - the main measure of corporate profit in South Africa - will be between 400.1 cents ($0.2762) and 435.7 cents, the company said, driven mainly by sales in its local market. Home market sales, which account for over three quarters of the company’s total sales, grew by 5.6% for the half year, said Shoprite, the country’s largest retailer by market capitalisation.
Source: reuters.com
UK: Spar Scotland unveils plans to grow business
Spar Scotland has outlined its future plans for growth. The business told more than 250 suppliers that it is building a programme that will look to achieve better engagement with existing and new customers; improve brand awareness, launch new model stores and invest in-store formats, range development, and developing its home delivery service with Snappy Shopper.
Source: talkingretail.com
UK: Ocado confirms start date for new CFO
Ocado revealed that its new Chief Financial Officer, Stephen Daintith, will officially take up the position on 22 March. The online grocer announced in August last year that the CFO of Rolls-Royce had been hired to replace Duncan Tatton-Brown who recently stepped down from the finance role after eight years.
Source: kamcity.com
Ahold to buy 39 stores in deal for Deen chain in the Netherlands
Ahold Delhaize has agreed to take over 39 stores from the Deen chain in the Netherlands as part of a larger deal to buy and dissolve Deen, the grocery store chain operator said. Financial details were not disclosed. In a joint statement, Ahold said Deen was selling all its 80 stores. Ahold will convert 39 of them to its Albert Heijn brand, while competitors Vomar will buy and convert 22 and DekaMarkt will buy and convert 19. The companies said that all or almost all employees will keep their jobs.
Source: reuters.com
India's Future Group creditors scramble to recover $2.5bln loans amid Reliance deal woes: bankers
Future Group’s creditors are exploring options to recover more than $2.5bln in loans, amid worries the Indian retailer’s planned sale of assets to Reliance Industries could fail, four bankers with knowledge of the matter said. Future may face liquidation if the deal, already mired in legal wrangling, falls through and banks are actively discussing an alternate one-time restructuring option that could include an easier repayment tenure and fresh capital infusion, the people said on condition of anonymity as the talks are private.
Source: reuters.com
Uzbekistan: Makro grocery chain to roll out 30 electric vehicle charging stations
Uzbekistan’s first charging network for electric vehicles will be built by supermarket chain Makro, following the success of a pilot at one of the company’s stores in Tashkent, the capital of Central Asia’s most populous country. The new network will comprise of 30 charging stations located at Makro supermarkets in Tashkent and 10 other cities across the country. Makro, the largest supermarket chain in Uzbekistan, has agreed to purchase AC, CCS and CHAdeMO charging stations.
Source: retailtimes.co.uk
Spain: DIA signs up Daniel del Toro for its “Cooking with DIA” programme
DIA has secured the services of Daniel del Toro as a collaborator in its “Cooking with DIA” programme, the virtual showcase for recipes and culinary tips that the supermarket chain started during the pandemic on its social media platforms, together with the specialised website DivinaCocina.es, and which has already attracted more than 1.5mln followers to all their channels. The one-time competitor on MasterChef 4 has been chosen to represent the company’s defining values of local presence and commitment to the community.
Source: diacorporate.com
US: Smart Foodservice Warehouse Stores to become US Foods CHEF’STORE
US Foods Holding Corp. announced that effective March 1, Smart Foodservice® Warehouse Stores will be rebranded as US Foods CHEF’STORE®. US Foods acquired Smart Foodservice Warehouse Stores in April 2020 to accelerate growth in the cash and carry market. This change will combine the power of the US Foods brand with the assortment, pricing and customer service of Smart Foodservice Warehouse Stores and pave the way for an enhanced customer experience.
Source: businesswire.com