Analysis - Higher U.S. food benefits give legs to dollar stores' fresh food push
U.S. dollar stores including Dollar General and Family Dollar are likely to see a sales and earnings boost from the Biden administration’s plan to hike food stamp benefits, an added payoff for the chains’ strategy to tap the $274bln fresh food market. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) said last week that as part of a plan to promote a more nutritious diet among Americans, it is raising average Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits by more than 25% versus pre-pandemic levels. In a $1tln food-at-home industry, the additional payout is expected to potentially add about $6bln of increased funding to shoppers’ wallets starting in October, analysts at Evercore said. Under the new rules, average monthly benefits, $121 per person before the pandemic, will rise by $36. All 42mln people in the program will receive additional aid. With the additional $36, “you would expect they would buy more things like meat, fish, fruits and vegetables because those are high-priced items that tend to be responsive to income changes”, said Joe Glauber, former USDA chief economist and a senior research fellow at the International Food Policy Research Institute.
Source: reuters.com
US: New Acosta report details the evolving impact of COVID-19 on consumer behavior
Acosta, a global integrated sales and marketing services provider in the consumer packaged goods (CPG) industry, released its latest COVID-19 Shopper Insights report, COVID-19 Shopper Insights: Which Habits Are Sticking? The report examines pandemic-related shopping behaviors that are continuing to impact the CPG industry as COVID-19 evolves.
Source: prnewswire.com
US: Thrive Market opens 3rd fulfillment center
Mission-backed online marketplace Thrive Market has opened its third fulfillment center, a 458,000-square-foot location on 125 Logistics Drive in Hanover Township, Pennsylvania, in partnership with Kansas City, Missouri-based NorthPoint Development. With the new facility, the e-commerce company will materially increase its one-day carbon-neutral shipping coverage within the continental United States, primarily serving the East Coast. Thrive Market also operates fulfillment centers in Sparks, Nevada, and Batesville, Indiana.
Source: progressivegrocer.com
US: Kroger releases 2021 Environmental, Social and Governance report
The Kroger Co. released its 2021 Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) report, sharing its new long-term ESG strategy and framework to benefit people and the planet, and to help create a more resilient, equitable food system for tomorrow.
Source: prnewswire.com
Spain: Mercadona to expand to Lisbon next year
Spanish food retail chain Mercadona is set to enter the Portuguese capital Lisbon as it continues to expand its presence in the country. By the end of 2021, 5 stores are to open in Matosinhos, Valongo, Vila do Conde, Felgueiras and Santa Maria da Feira, all located in northern Portugal. The Valencia-based company has now confirmed it will extend its footprint to the Lisbon metropolitan area in 2022, opening 2 stores in Setúbal and Montijo, for which it has already started hiring staff, according to Spanish daily El Pais.
Source: esmmagazine.com
UK: Anya Hindmarch launches fruit & veg concept store
Anya Hindmarch has launched Anya’s Fruit & Veg, its new greengrocer concept store which is now available to visit at its Village at 11 Pont Street in London until September 25. The store is inspired by a traditional greengrocer with fruit and veg stacked outside in crates, and even a traditional till and scales. However, stickers on the fruit are collectables, featuring winking eyes on boxes, while there are piercings on lemons and knickers on peaches.
Source: retailgazette.co.uk
China: Missfresh's sales on JD.com's platforms up by 389% since commencing collaboration in April
Missfresh Limited, a leader in China's neighborhood retail industry, has seen a 389% increase in its sales on JD.com and JD-Daojia (JDDJ) since commencing its collaboration with JDDJ in April this year. Currently, approximately 570 of Missfresh's Distributed Mini Warehouses (DMWs) sell on JDDJ, in 17 cities including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Hangzhou.
Source: prnewswire.com
UK: OLIO Food Waste Heroes have saved 5.6mln meals by working with Tesco
Tesco reported: "Thousands of food waste heroes have stopped more than 5mln meals from going to waste in the past year, thanks to a ground-breaking partnership between Tesco and OLIO. In August last year Tesco became the first supermarket to partner with the food sharing app to provide unsold surplus food fit for consumption to people in the community and prevent it from going to waste. In the first full year of the partnership OLIO’s network of more than 3,700 Food Waste Heroes has helped to save 5.6mln meals from Tesco stores being wasted, with more than 72,000 people benefitting from the food".
Source: tescoplc.com
South Africa: Massmart in talks to buy grocery service OneCart
Massmart is in advanced talks to buy a controlling stake in grocery delivery service OneCart Pty Ltd as part of a push to grow its e-commerce business, the Walmart-owned retailer said. “The proposed acquisition is consistent with Massmart’s strategy to invest in and accelerate e-Commerce growth, particularly in the fast growing on-demand delivery segment”, Massmart Group Chief Executive Officer, Mitch Slape said.
Source: reuters.com
UK: BPI backs fruit and veg delivery firm
BurdaPrincipal Investments (BPI), the growth capital arm of media and tech company Hubert Burda Media, has invested in Oddbox in a £16mln deal. Oddbox delivers boxes of fresh fruit and vegetable which is at risk of going to waste from farms across the South and Midlands.
Source: insidermedia.com
Membo to expand virtual farmers market delivery across Europe
Estonia based Membo has plans to expand its locally produced groceries operations across Europe. Membo is an app-based marketplace for local food producers to sell directly to customers, cutting out middlemen and ultimately getting higher margins than selling through high street stores. The food producers display their goods on the Membo app that the firm describes as a ‘virtual farmer’s market’ and allows customers to buy from multiple high quality local producers and to have it all delivered in one go.
Source: apex-insight.com
Aldi tops Australia supermarket rankings
For another year in a row, ALDI has rated best in Canstar Blue’s 2020 supermarket ratings - taking the top spot in Canstar Blue’s Most Satisfied Customers Award for 2020. In Canstar Blue’s latest supermarket review, the survey asked more than 2,600 shoppers about their experiences of buying groceries from a retail supermarket in the last month. This year, ALDI stocked up its 7th win in 9 years. It rated best for the freshness of its fruit, vegetables and meat, the quality of private label products, store layout, deals and specials available, value for money and overall satisfaction.
Source: retailnews.asia
Carrefour Romania, Bringo launch 30-minute delivery service
Carrefour Romania and Bringo have strengthened their partnership with the launch of a fast delivery service in Bucharest and Iasi and by including more delivery areas in Mangalia, Craiova, and Resita. Customers in Bucharest and Iasi, who live close to the Carrefour Market stores will have access to the new 30-minute delivery service through Bringo. The Bringo app will now cover 63 stores in the Carrefour Romania network across 38 cities in the country.
Source: esmmagazine.com