Italy: Gruppo VéGé partner Migross opens 1st cash-and-carry store
Migross, a partner company of Gruppo VéGé and one of the leading retailers in Veneto, has opened its 1st cash-and-carry store in Lonato, northern Italy. The opening follows Migross' recent acquisition of the L'Alco Grandi Magazzini Group business unit and its 8 Altasfera branded department stores.
Source: esmmagazine.com
Germany: METRO launches “sCore” growth offensive with ambitious targets for 2030
As part of its Capital Markets Day, wholesaler METRO unveiled its “sCore” growth strategy. The name is a combination of “score”, meaning hitting the stated targets, and “core” for METRO’s strong wholesale core.
Source: newsroom.metroag.de
Japan: Z Holdings Group to deploy quick commerce of groceries and daily necessities in full scale
The group companies of Z Holdings Corporation (hereinafter “ZHD”): Yahoo Japan Corporation (hereinafter “Yahoo! JAPAN”), ASKUL Corporation (hereinafter “ASKUL”) and Demae-can Co., Ltd. (hereinafter “Demae-can”) will deploy Yahoo! JAPAN Mart by ASKUL (hereinafter “Yahoo! JAPAN Mart”) in full-scale. Yahoo! JAPAN Mart is a Quick Commerce (instant delivery service) of groceries and daily necessities. The ZHD Group aims to expand Yahoo! JAPAN Mart to several dozen locations in all 23 wards of Tokyo and other additional areas by the end of fiscal 2022. Further expansion of areas will also be considered in fiscal 2023 and beyond.
Source: z-holdings.co.jp
IGD publishes trend predictions for the global retail market in 2022
Global insight provider IGD has published its predictions for the global retail trends that are set to shape the international food and consumer goods industry in 2022. The new report outlines 5 key trends to help retailers and suppliers navigate the ongoing challenges brought about by COVID-19 and plan for the year ahead. IGD’s 5 global retail trends for 2022: 1. Dealing with disruption; 2. Physical fights back; 3. Quick commerce evolution; 4. Restoration retail; 5. Powering up profitability.
Source: retailtimes.co.uk
Belgium: Not Coca-Cola, but local brands at new online supermarket Rayon
Smartmat, the company behind the Foodbag recipe kits, is launching an online supermarket under the name Rayon. The supermarket offers the lowest delivery charge on the market, but the product range is not like any other typical supermarket. The new pure play company wants to cover the whole of Belgium: in Flanders and Brussels, customers who order before 6 p.m. get their shopping delivered the next day; in Wallonia, the new player offers delivery 3 times a week. Rayon literally delivers everywhere, manager Mattias Decuypere told Belgian newspaper Het Nieuwsblad: "To the farthest point of the region "Westhoek" or the Dutch border. And all that for a delivery fee of just 4.95 euros, the lowest rate on the market".
Source: retaildetail.eu
Kencko takes in new capital to shake up how we consume our fruits, vegetables
Kencko, the plant-based, blender-free smoothie company, raised $10mln in Series A funding to expand into new categories. Existing investor Siddhi Capital led the round and was joined by both current and new investors, including Next View Ventures, Riverside Ventures, Silas Capital, Cheyenne Ventures, Shilling Capital, Indico Capital, Mission Point, Gather Ventures and Nextblue Ventures. The latest investment brings Kencko’s total funding to over $13.5mln.
Source: techcrunch.com
Brazil antitrust watchdog recommends approval of Carrefour acquisition of BIG Brasil
Brazilian antitrust watchdog CADE has initially recommended approval of Carrefour's acquisition of Grupo BIG Brasil, but conditioned the deal to the divestment of some retail units. The recommendation by the CADE superintendent's office still needs to be endorsed by the watchdog's court. In a statement, CADE said the recommended divestment involves self-service retail units. CADE has 240 days, extendable for another 90 days, to rule on the deal.
Source: reuters.com
US: On-demand grocery delivery apps go zero waste with Too Good To Go
Too Good To Go, the app powering the world's #1 marketplace for surplus food, announced its partnership with several of the largest instant-delivery grocers in the U.S., including JOKR, Gorillas, REEF Technology's Lightspeed Market and Food Rocket.
Source: prnewswire.com
US: SpartanNash extends distribution reach to West Coast
Grocery wholesaler and retailer SpartanNash is expanding its distribution footprint to the West Coast through its partnership with Coastal Pacific Food Distributors (CPFD). Grand Rapids, Michigan-based SpartanNash said that it will launch new operations out of CPFD’s 500,000-square-foot, multi-temperature distribution center in Stockton, California.
Source: supermarketnews.com
Amazon eyes suburbs with larger Go format
Amazon has unveiled a new suburban format for its cashierless Amazon Go convenience stores, with the 1st 2 locations slated to open in the coming months. Plans call for a 6,150-square-foot Amazon Go to open in Mill Creek, Washington, followed by another new-concept Go store in metropolitan Los Angeles, Amazon said. The Seattle-based e-tail giant didn’t give details on the upcoming L.A.-area location.
Source: supermarketnews.com
US: Retail returns increased to $761bln in 2021 as a result of overall sales growth
Retailers expect more than $761bln in merchandise sold last year to be returned by consumers, according to a report by the National Retail Federation and Appriss Retail. This accounts for an average of 16.6% of total U.S. retail sales, which soared to $4.583tln in 2021.
Source: nrf.com
US: Smart & Final expands grocery delivery with Uber
Smart & Final, the West Coast grocery warehouse chain, kicked off its new partnership with Uber Technologies to expand the retailer’s on-demand and scheduled grocery delivery to customers through Uber and Uber Eats.
Source: supermarketnews.com
Canada: Metro's Q1 profit up year over year amid higher sales
Metro Inc. reports its 1st-quarter profit and sales climbed compared with a year ago, despite challenges caused by rising inflation. The Montreal-based grocery and drugstore retailer says it earned $207.7mln or 85 cents per diluted shared for the 12-week period ended December 18, up from a profit of $191.2mln or 76 cents per share in the same quarter a year earlier. Sales in the quarter totalled $4.32bln, up from $4.28bln in the same quarter last year.
Source: canadiangrocer.com
US: FTC OKs sale of 12 stores as condition of Price Chopper-Tops merger
After a public comment period, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has approved a final order settling charges that the merger of supermarket operators The Golub Corp., owner of the Price Chopper/Market 32 chain, and Tops Markets LLC would likely be anticompetitive in 11 local markets in upstate New York and in Vermont.
Source: progressivegrocer.com
US: Stop & Shop customers in need can use pre-paid debit cards to buy fresh produce
New England retailer Stop & Shop is partnering with the nonprofit group About Fresh to help provide healthy food to communities in need. Through the “Fresh Connect” program in place at more than 100 stores, people can use pre-paid debit cards to purchase fresh produce at Stop & Shop stores.
Source: progressivegrocer.com
US: BJ's Wholesale Club strengthens cold chain
BJ's Wholesale Club is bringing its end-to-end perishable supply chain in-house. The retailer announced it has entered into an agreement to acquire the assets and operations of 4 distribution centers and the related private transportation fleet from longtime partner Burris Logistics. The transaction will allow BJ’s to in-source its perishable supply chain. The terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
Source: progressivegrocer.com