Who tops Fortune's Best Workplaces in Retail 2021 list?
For the 6th consecutive year, Great Place to Work and Fortune magazine have ranked Wegmans Food Markets Inc. No. 1 on the list of the 2021 Best Workplaces in Retail in the Large Company category. Close behind, Target Corp., Nugget Market Inc. and Publix Super Markets ranked Nos. 2, 3 and 5, respectively. “The Best Workplaces in Retail have used the COVID-19 pandemic to inspire much needed change in the industry. These companies pivoted to new ways of working while putting the health and safety of their employees and customers first”, said Michael C. Bush, CEO of Oakland, California-based Great Place to Work.
Source: progressivegrocer.com
US: Sprouts Farmers Market Q3 sales dip, but CEO optimistic about 2022 rebound
Sprouts Farmers Market overcame continued top line weakness to muster improved profits in the 3rd quarter, while tempering its sales outlook for the 4th quarter. Sprouts said sales during its 3rd quarter ended October 3, fell 4% to $1.5bln and same store sales declined 5.4%, compared to a prior year comp increase of 4.2%. The company began the year forecasting a full year comp decline in the low to mid single digits, but when customer traffic failed to rebound earlier this year, guidance was reduced to a decline of 5% to 7% at the end of the 2nd quarter.
Source: progressivegrocer.com
US: Greer’s Markets eyes drone grocery delivery
Southern grocer Greer’s Markets plans to offer customers drone delivery service via a technology development partnership with Deuce Drone Inc. Mobile, Alabama-based startup Deuce Drone said that flights are slated to begin in November between the Greer’s Market store on St. Louis Street in Mobile and business incubator Innovation Portal, which has provided funding to Deuce, to finalize the drones’ autonomous flight and package handling systems.
Source: supermarketnews.com
2021 Retailer of the Year: Dollar General
Here’s why the operator of a growing base of 18,000 stores was named Progressive Grocer’s Retailer of the Year: Food and consumables accounted for 77% of Dollar General’s annual sales last year of $33.7bln. The expansion of cooler and freezer capacity at new and remodeled stores has for several years been described as the Goodlettsville, Tennessee-based company’s most impactful merchandising initiative. Dollar General began selling fresh produce at select stores last year, expanded the program to 2,000 locations this year, and its current plan is to add produce in up to 10,000 stores. Dollar General now self-distributes frozen and refrigerated products from a network of 12 facilities after completing a multiyear rollout of its DG Fresh supply chain initiative ahead of schedule during a pandemic.
Source: progressivegrocer.com
Sobeys opens 1st Flexstore in North America
Sobeys has opened a store in Orangeville, Ontario, that, according to Zurich-based design and shopfitting company Interstore | Schweitzer, “is a completely new brand experience that will break new ground and set it apart from the competition”. The location’s debut marks the 1st time that Interstore | Schweitzer’s Flexstore concept has been implemented in North America.
Source: progressivegrocer.com
Brazil’s GPA and Assaí reveal network expansion plans
Brazilian grocery retailers GPA and Assaí Atacadista have announced plans for a raft of new store openings in the period 2022-2024. GPA plans to open 100 Pão de Açúcar stores by 2024, compared to the previous goal of 50 by 2023. During a conference call, president Jorge Faiçal said that, out of the 100 stores planned, 14 have already been approved and an additional 14 regard conversions of Extra hypermarkets, reports Valor Economico. GPA reported consolidated net revenue from Q3 sales of 12.1bln reais (€1.89bln), in line with Q3 2020, with LFL sales, excluding hypermarkets and drugstores, in line with Q3 2020. The figures include the performance of GPA Brasil and Grupo Exito (Colombia, Uruguay and Argentina). The group recorded all-time high online food sales of 475mln reais (€74.5mln), up 46% and accounting for 9.3% of total sales (6.3% in Q3 2020).
Source: esmmagazine.com
Volume of retail trade down by 0.3% in euro area and by 0.2% in the EU
In September 2021, the seasonally adjusted volume of retail trade decreased by 0.3% in the euro area and by 0.2% in the EU, compared with August 2021, according to estimates from Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union. In August 2021, the retail trade volume increased by 1.0% in the euro area and by 0.8% in the EU.
Source: ec.europa.eu
India: Future Retail's independent directors urge CCI to revoke nod for Amazon-Future Coupons deal
In escalation of the Future group-Amazon feud, Future Retail Ltd's independent directors have urged the Competition Commission to revoke the approval given 2 years ago for Amazon's deal with Future Coupons, alleging that the e-commerce major had made false statements for getting the regulatory nod. Future Retail Ltd's (FRL) independent directors wrote to the Competition Commission of India (CCI) Chairman on the matter.
Source: livemint.com
UAE: Yandex partners with Majid Al Futtaim to bring autonomous robot delivery to Dubai
Yandex Self-Driving Group has signed an agreement with Majid Al Futtaim Retail - a shopping mall, communities, retail, and leisure company with interests across the Middle East, Africa and Central Asia - to enhance Carrefour’s last-mile delivery capabilities via autonomous technology solutions. The partnership will make Carrefour the first omnichannel retailer in the region to use self-driving robots to deliver orders.
Source: roboticsandautomationnews.com
Colruyt Lier: completely renovated store with bigger fresh market
On Wednesday 10 November, the Colruyt Lowest Prices store in Lier opens its doors after a renovation. The very spacious store of 2542 m² was completely refurbished. In addition, the fresh market became bigger. During the renovation, sustainable choices were made, making the store even more energy-efficient.
Source: colruytgroup.com
COP26: Supermarkets promise to halve environmental impact by 2030
5 of the UK's biggest supermarkets have promised to halve the environmental impact of a weekly food shop by the end of the decade. Tesco, Sainsbury's, Waitrose, Co-op and M&S said they would reduce carbon emissions, deforestation and the food waste and packaging they produce. Their efforts will be monitored by the WWF conservation group. "Food production is one of the biggest threats to our planet", said WWF chief executive Tanya Steele.
Source: bbc.com
Spain: DIA and Amazon extend their fast grocery delivery service to Pamplona
Amazon Prime customers living in Pamplona and the surrounding area can now shop online for grocery products at the DIA shop on Amazon.es and receive their order the same day in the two-hour delivery slot of their choice, free of delivery charges on orders over €50.
Source: diacorporate.com
New Zealand: Commerce Commission’s grocery sector submission
The Commerce Commission’s consultation conference on its Market Study into the Retail Grocery Sector finished on 2 November. HortNZ and Vegetables NZ have participated in the conference. HortNZ has until 23 November to make further submissions in writing. In March 2022, the Commission will release its report. This will inform the Government’s next actions and possible reform of the supermarket system.
Source: hortnz.co.nz
China: JD.com’s winning battles for green economy
JD.com has announced that it will reduce carbon emissions by 50% by 2030, comparing with 2019. At the same time, JD will collaborate with partners to build the largest rooftop photovoltaic (PV) power generation ecosystem by 2030.
Source: jdcorporateblog.com