US: Kroger's Home Chef surpasses $1bln in annual sales
The Kroger Co. and Home Chef announced the meal solutions brand reached $1bln in annual sales. Founded in 2013 by Pat Vihtelic, Home Chef merged with Kroger, America's largest grocery retailer, in 2018. Since then, Kroger and Home Chef have advanced the availability of mealtime shortcuts and solutions, offered new product innovations, and continued to transform how customers approach preparing meals.
Source: prnewswire.com
US: Wakefern Food Corp. marks 75 years in business
Retailer cooperative Wakefern Food Corp. celebrated 75 years in business during its October 21 annual meeting, at which Chairman and CEO Joseph S. Colalillo, President and COO Joe Sheridan, and EVP Chris Lane addressed an audience comprising Wakefern members, shareholders, staff and store management who attended in person and virtually. As part of the meeting, Wakefern reported retail sales of $17.8bln for the fiscal year ending October 2, a 2.7% decline from the prior year’s $18.3bln.
Source: progressivegrocer.com
Union vote at Amazon’s NY warehouse big step closer
The National Labor Relations Board said there was enough interest to form a union at an Amazon distribution center in New York, after union organizers delivered hundreds of signatures to the agency - a key step in authorizing a vote that could establish the first union at the nation’s largest online retailer.
Source: apnews.com
US: Salad chain Sweetgreen files to go public, hopes to double footprint within 5 years
Salad chain Sweetgreen filed to go public on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker SG. In the fiscal year ended December 27, Sweetgreen reported a net loss of $141.2mln on revenue of $220.6mln. The salad chain’s business has bounced back this year, with same-store sales rising 21% as of September 26.
Source: cnbc.com
Uber jumps into Europe’s rapid grocery delivery market with 15-minute service in Paris
Uber said it has expanded a partnership with French retailer Carrefour to debut a 15-minute grocery delivery service in Paris. The service, Carrefour Sprint, relies on so-called dark stores - small warehouses - operated by French start-up Cajoo.
Source: cnbc.com
Amazon still leader in German ecommerce
In Germany, ecommerce is becoming more and more defined by marketplaces. Amazon, specifically, is the top player in German ecommerce. Its revenue is at least 3 times higher than Otto, who is the 2nd largest player in the country. German ecommerce has grown exponentially last year during the corona pandemic, just as the ecommerce industry has in most European countries. The top 1.000 online shops and marketplaces reached 70bln euros in sales in 2020, which corresponds to a sales growth of over 30%. These figures are released in a study by EHI Retail Institute.
Source: ecommercenews.eu
Carrefour launches the European Food Transition Awards to reward virtuous suppliers
Following its ambition to be the food transition’s leader for everyone, Carrefour announces the launch of the European Food Transition Awards 1st edition. This competition will reward the most virtuous suppliers in terms of CSR according to customers. The European Food Transition Awards are an online competition between the main global and local Carrefour suppliers within the Group’s 6 European countries: France, Belgium, Italy, Spain, Romania and Poland.
Source: carrefour.com
Spinneys and UAE government entities launch "Farm to Table"
Spinneys, the leading UAE supermarket chain known for its high-quality produce, is launching the region's 1st comprehensive healthy eating and sustainable food program for children with support from UAE government entities and local farms. The fun educational program, called Farm to Table, will show children aged 7-10 years how food is produced both locally and internationally, and its journey to their dinner tables. The program will also encourage healthier, more sustainable diets for children and their families.
Source: prnewswire.com
UK: In Ocado's world, the rise of the machines is unstoppable
Reuters reported: "Built by UK online supermarket pioneer Ocado, the washing-machine sized bots have caught the eye of international retailers battling a shortage of workers and rising wage demands in a post-pandemic world. It has already struck deals to provide its technology to supermarket groups in 8 countries including the United States, Japan and France. In a recent 3-week window it hosted prospective clients from another 5 countries."
Source: finance.yahoo.com
UK: Waitrose to sell potato milk as demand for plant-based options grows
Britons already eat potatoes boiled, baked, roasted and mashed but now the humble spud is being milked for all its worth, with potato milk set to be the next big thing. It is tipped as a challenger to big selling alt-milks made from oats, almonds and soy, with the supermarket Waitrose predicting consumers will soon be adding it to their shopping trolley or ordering potato milk lattes in coffee shops.
Source: theguardian.com
Holland: Jumbo trials delivery subscription
Dutch supermarket chain Jumbo is testing a delivery subscription. Subscribers do not have to pay additional delivery charges for online orders. "Jumbo Bezorgeloos" is the name of the new service that has been running since the summer. Some 7,000 customers are taking part in the pilot project, which will be evaluated at the end of this year, reports Distrifood.
Source: retaildetail.eu
UK: Rapid grocery delivery app Zapp renews appetite for sector’s bid to devour new funding
Zapp, one of the new breed of rapid grocery delivery apps engaged in a battle for share of British shoppers’ wallets, is opening talks about a new round of funding less than 7 months after tapping investors for nearly $100mln (£72.5mln). Sky News has learnt that Zapp has hired JP Morgan, the Wall Street banking giant, to advise on its next capital-raising, underlining the rapacious rate at which food delivery platforms are devouring investors' money.
Source: news.sky.com
UK: Sainsbury’s cuts 5 years from target to become Net Zero by 2035 in its own operations
Sainsbury’s has strengthened its commitment to tackle the climate crisis by accelerating its target to become Net Zero in its own operations by 2035, 5 years earlier than its original ambition and aligned to UN’s goal to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees.
Source: about.sainsburys.co.uk
Greece’s Pop Market, another dark store grocery delivery startup, gets $3.5mln
Pop Market is a Greek startup which launched last week in Athens - taking orders via an app and touting 15-minute delivery times and a curated selection of “thousands” of items (including fresh fruit and vegetables). The seed round, which Pop Market claims is the country’s largest seed raise to date, was led by Global Founders Capital and 468 Capital.
Source: techcrunch.com
SPAR Albania celebrates 5th anniversary
SPAR is celebrating the brand’s 5th anniversary in Albania with a month of instore campaigns. The SPAR country operator organised a lottery during October, with prizes including a brand new supercar, and more than 150 fantastic offers and incredible deals for all customers.
Source: spar-international.com