Finland: Kesko sees grocery sales continue to rise
Grocery sales at Finland's Kesko Group were up 4.5% in July 2021, the retailer has said, while the group's Kespro wholesale operation increased 12.4% during the month. Grocery sales totalled €514.9mln during the period, with grocery sales at K-food stores rising by 2.5%, and trade also increasing in K-Citymarket's home and specialty goods segments. Overall, Kesko Group saw sales increase 8.3% in July, to €954.6mln, while comparable sales growth was 6.2%.
Source: esmmagazine.com
Germany: Aldi Süd teams up with celebrity chef The Duc Ngo
Aldi Süd has teamed up with Berlin-based celebrity chef The Duc Ngo for its new social media campaign #WieEinGourmet. The restaurateur will cook gourmet recipes with products from the Aldi Süd range to prove that quality products at Aldi prices also fit into the gourmet kitchen. It campaign aims to highlight that enjoyment and a good price are not mutually exclusive.
Source: esmmagazine.com
SPAR Netherlands promotes primary producers and local specialities
SPAR is committed to providing customers with a wide range of foods that are locally and sustainably sourced. SPAR Netherlands CEO John van der Ent recently called on fellow retailers and consumers to consider the journey our food makes from farm to plate. Eating locally produced foods is not only more environmentally sustainable but provides real support to local primary producers and traditions.
Source: spar-international.com
CVC Funds to buy 24.99% of Portugal’s Sonae MC
Sonae SGPS has reached an agreement to sell 24.99% of its grocery retail unit Sonae MC to CVC Advisers Company (CVC Funds). Sonae MC is a top Portuguese grocery retailer with almost 1,000 multi-format stores, a €5.2bln turnover, and €527mln underlying EBITDA. Besides cash proceeds of €528mln, the transaction includes a contingent deferred cash payment of around €63mln to Sonae SGPS, which can bring the equity value for 100% of the share capital of Sonae MC up to €2.36bln.
Source: esmmagazine.com
Russia: X5 Retail Group sees 10.7% jump in second-quarter revenue
Russia's largest food retailer X5 reported a 10.7% rise in second-quarter revenue, boosted by higher like-for-like sales, an expansion in selling space and a two-fold jump in its online business. Although X5's online sales accounted for just 2% of its consolidated revenue in the latest quarter, the business has been growing at a furious pace as more Russians rely on mobile apps for shopping or ordering food. X5, which has created a separate entity for its digital businesses amid plans for an initial public offering, said net profit rose 1% to RUB14.9bln in the quarter from a year earlier. Its revenue was RUB546.5bln ($7.43bln) for the period.
Source: esmmagazine.com
A UK grocery start-up founded just 8 months ago has already been snapped up by a bigger U.S. rival
U.S. grocery delivery firm Gopuff is acquiring British competitor Dija to expand into Europe. Dija was founded just 8 months ago by former employees of food delivery firm Deliveroo. Grocery apps have grown rapidly over the past year, aided by billions of dollars in venture capital.
Source: cnbc.com
US: Grocery Outlet to take e-commerce plunge
After holding off on online shopping, Grocery Outlet Holding Corp. has begun exploring options for e-commerce partners. Discussions with potential third-party online grocery providers are under way, and Grocery Outlet expects to be piloting one or more solutions within months, CEO Eric Lindberg said.
Source: supermarketnews.com
US: FreshDirect acquisition bears fruit for Ahold Delhaize
Ahold Delhaize is seeing signs that its recent acquisition of New York online grocer FreshDirect is helping it gain ground with omnichannel consumers in the nation's largest metropolitan area, according to Frans Muller, the Dutch grocery conglomerate's chief executive. The company expects to see online sales in the United States grow more than 70% in 2021, driven by revenue from FreshDirect as well as an expansion in the number of click-and-collect locations across its fleet of supermarkets, Muller said during an earnings call. Ahold Delhaize is looking to tap momentum from FreshDirect as it looks to juice sales at Stop & Shop, which serves the same region as the e-grocer and is the only one of the company's U.S. brands that it is not seeing market share expand.
Source: grocerydive.com
US: Stater Bros. marks 85th Anniversary
Stater Bros. Markets is observing its 85 years in business with in-store anniversary giveaways in all of its stores on Saturday, August 14 and Sunday, August 15. During the weekend celebration, the locations will randomly bestow $25 gift cards every hour between 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. Additionally, shoppers will receive 10% off Stater Bros.’ brand products when they enter their Digital Deals ID at checkout, and prizes will be given away every Monday during August via Instagram.
Source: progressivegrocer.com
A big day for last-mile delivery at Amazon
Nearly 5 years after breaking ground, Amazon has finally opened a $1.5bln air hub in Kentucky that promises to accelerate its efforts to dominate last-mile delivery. The Amazon Air Hub at the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG) will serve as the central hub for Amazon Air’s U.S. cargo network, facilitating the rapid transport of customer packages across the country.
Source: progressivegrocer.com
US: Schnucks expands curbside pickup, launches SNAP EBT online payment
With online grocery partner Instacart, Schnuck Markets is adding more curbside pickup locations and has enabled electronic benefit transfer (EBT) payment for pickup and delivery orders from Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) customers.
Source: supermarketnews.com