UK retailers raise prices by most since 2011 - BRC
British shoppers were hit last month by the biggest price rises from major retailers since 2011, according to a survey that adds to signs of fast-rising inflation which the Bank of England is trying to tackle with higher interest rates. The British Retail Consortium said that shop prices rose by 1.8% in February compared with a year earlier, the fastest annual increase since November 2011 and speeding up from 1.5% in January.
Source: reuters.com
Philippines: Ex-Grab PH boss’ group buying firm nets $10.7mln, expands to quick commerce
SariSuki, a Philippine social commerce startup, has raised US$10.7mln in total this year from Openspace Ventures, SIG, and Global Founders Capital, among others. Established in May 2021 with former Grab Philippines president Brian Cu as one of its co-founders, SariSuki is a community group-buying startup that’s now expanding into quick commerce. It promises deliveries under 15 minutes of groceries and daily needs within its covered areas.
Source: techinasia.com
Holland: Ahold Delhaize publishes 2021 Annual Report
Ahold Delhaize published its 2021 Annual Report, an integrated report that provides an overview of the Company’s financial and ESG performance in 2021. The 2021 Annual Report is available here.
Source: aholddelhaize.com
Spain: Día supermarket ‘unaffected’ as EU blacklists Russian tycoon
Día supermarket chain, which is majority owned by Mikhail Fridman's LetterOne investment firm, insisted it would not be affected by the EU's blacklisting of the billionaire over Russia's Ukraine invasion. The Spanish chain, which operates nearly 6,000 supermarkets in Spain, Portugal, Argentina and Brazil, posted a turnover of 6.64bln euros ($7.4bln) last year, the group said, giving a net loss figure of €257.3mln.
Source: thelocal.com
talabat Mart expands to Assiut, Zagazig, Ismailia and Port Said to better serve customers across Egypt
talabat Mart, the 20-minute grocery delivery service by talabat, the region’s leading food delivery and q-commerce platform announced its latest expansion in Assiut, Zagazig, Ismailia and Port Said.
Source: zawya.com
Intermarché acquires Carrefour's largest franchiser in Belgium
The French distributor Intermarché is acquiring all 87 Carrefour Market outlets that belong to Carrefour's largest Belgian franchiser Mestdagh. Together, they have over 160 supermarkets in Belgium, mostly in the French-speaking South.
Source: retaildetail.eu
Big Australian supermarket chain introduces drone delivery service
Coles has become Australia’s 1st major supermarket to offer drone delivery. Thanks to a pilot with global on-demand drone delivery service Wing, a subsidiary of Google’s parent company Alphabet, Coles customers in the Australian capital city of Canberra are able to order more than 250 of the grocer’s most popular grocery items, including bread, fresh produce, snacks, convenience meals, health care items, kitchen essentials and even toilet paper, with no minimum spend and no delivery fee.
Source: progressivegrocer.com
Ireland: Lidl to be official fresh food partner of parkrun
Lidl Ireland are to be the official fresh food partner for parkrun, the free, family friendly, community event held in parks and open spaces around the world every weekend.
Source: westmeathexaminer.ie
Data: Lidl overtakes Co-op to become UK’s 6th largest supermarket
Lidl has overtaken The Co-op to become the UK’s 6th largest supermarket group as rising inflation sees shoppers flock to the discounters. In the latest Kantar Worldpanel market share data for the 12 weeks to 20 February 2022, Lidl grew sales by 3.3% and added 1mln new customers, making it the joint-fastest growing grocer alongside Aldi. The surge in new customers helped Lidl overtake The Co-op’s market share for the 1st time, with 6.1% share compared to The Co-op’s 5.7%.
Source: retailgazette.co.uk
US: Food Lion kicks off Orange Bag campaign
Combining sustenance with a bit of sunshine, shoppers who buy specially marked bags of oranges at Food Lion stores can help combat food insecurity. From now through March 22, the North Carolina grocer will provide 5 meals for every bag it sells of its private label oranges. “For the 4th year in a row, Food Lion Feeds is partnering with customers to support our neighbors in need through the annual Orange Bag campaign”, said Kevin Durkee, manager of the Food Lion Feeds arm of Food Lion. “Every orange bag purchase helps support local food banks and nourishes customers in the towns and cities Food Lion serves”.
Source: progressivegrocer.com
Farmstead and Circle K team on e-commerce and last mile systems projects
Grocery e-commerce startup Farmstead has struck an agreement with Circle K which will see the pair piloting projects in supply chain, distribution and e-commerce fulfilment and leveraging the former’s Grocery OS software. In addition, Circle K has made an undisclosed equity investment in Farmstead via its Circle K Venture Fund.
Source: retailtechinnovationhub.com
Canada: Couche-Tard invests half of Circle K Venture Fund in startups
Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. has announced that it has invested more than half of the initial $100mln (€89.6mln) of its Circle K Venture Fund in startup companies. The group added that it is focusing on investing in groups that are developing forward-looking solutions in customer experience and improving efficiency.
Source: esmmagazine.com
US: Target sees brighter 2022 with easing supply pressures
Retailer Target Corp posted record holiday quarter earnings and forecast an upbeat 2022 as it expects supply chain pressures to ease later in the year, lifting shares 14%. The big box chain said it would invest up to $5bln this year - compared with the $4bln it outlined for 2021 - to remodel stores, open more mid-size outlets and improve its online business to sustain the sales momentum.
Source: reuters.com
Ahold Delhaize USA proceeds with shift to self-distribution
As part of an ongoing transition, Ahold Delhaize USA has converted its 1st supply-chain facility to its integrated, self-managed network in 2022. ADUSA Supply Chain, the grocery retailer’s distribution and logistics arm, said that its 1.2mln-square-foot distribution center in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, has joined the network, bringing its total number of self-distributed facilities to 21.
Source: supermarketnews.com
US: Wegmans supermarket chain to open 1st Connecticut store in Norwalk
Wegmans, a popular supermarket chain with locations in a number of states, plans to open its 1st Connecticut location in Norwalk, according to an announcement from the company. In a news release, company spokesperson Marcie Rivera said Wegmans Norwalk will be located on nearly 11 acres of land off Connecticut Avenue, adjacent to Interstate 95.
Source: patch.com
Cardenas Markets expands on-demand grocery delivery with Uber
Cardenas Markets is pleased to announce it has expanded its partnership with Uber Technologies, Inc. to now offer on-demand and scheduled grocery delivery across all the company's 59 locations. In addition to ordering authentic Hispanic dishes prepared daily by the company's famous Cocinas, customers can now conveniently shop for their everyday grocery staples and have them delivered, on-demand, directly to their door through Uber Eats.
Source: prnewswire.com
US: Walmart steps up automated store distribution
As Walmart dives deeper into store fulfillment, the retailer has been redesigning its retail tech to support this new supply chain model. The retailer has increased the number of digital orders coming from its stores by 170% in the last year, leading it to scale its automated market fulfillment centers, tap machine learning and test autonomous delivery, it said in a recent online post.
Source: progressivegrocer.com