UK grocery price inflation at highest level since December 2011: Kantar
Grocery price inflation in the UK currently stands at 5.9%, its highest level since December 2011, according to the latest market share data from Kantar. In the 12 weeks to 17 April, Kantar said that supermarket sales in the UK were down 5.9% compared to the same period last year, while sales are also down compared to the same period 2 years ago, by 0.6%.
Source: esmmagazine.com
China: MissFresh triples its stock and accelerates the delivery efforts to meet increasing consumer demand
After some of COVID cases in Beijing and mass COVID-19 testing in most of the city, residents snapped up food and other suppliers with the fear of rising number of cases. Missfresh Limited ("Missfresh" or the "Company"), a pioneer in China's neighborhood retail industry, has tripled its stock volume to meet consumer demand during this challenging time. With more than 200 tons of "essential for livelihood" commodities such as meat, eggs, vegetables, and fruits, the Missfresh customers are able to access to fresh goods.
Source: prnewswire.com
China: JD.com increases living necessity inventory by 3-5 times in Beijing
As multiple COVID cases have occurred in Beijing since April 24, JD.com has increased inventory of key living necessities by 3-5 times the usual amount to ensure adequate supplies in the capital city. JD’s omni-channel supermarket SEVEN FRESH has tripled its stock from the usual amount as part of the epidemic response mechanism. JD’s everyday life shopping platform Jingxi mobilized its fruits and vegetable suppliers from Shandong, Henan, Hainan, Yunnan provinces and other partner production bases, and has purchased 1,000 tons of fresh produce from over 500 large farms to ensure supplies to Beijing.
Source: jdcorporateblog.com
Hungary: SPAR invests about €28,3mln in store network
SPAR Hungary has modernised 2 INTERSPAR Hypermarkets and 2 SPAR Supermarkets and opened a new supermarket in Budapest. SPAR Hungary’s ongoing modernisation programme focuses on offering an extensive product range in a modern shopping environment, providing high-quality customer service, and reducing environmental impact. Investment in the latest 5 stores totalled about €28,3mln.
Source: spar-international.com
South Africa: Shoprite and Nelson Mandela Foundation sowing seeds of hope with garden starter kits
Shoprite, in partnership with the Nelson Mandela Foundation, distributed 200 garden-in-a-box starter kits in Orange Farm, Mpumalanga, to ensure greater food security in this community. Each kit, handmade by Reel Gardening - a social enterprise which creates job opportunities for previously unemployed mothers, contains a variety of essential garden resources including seeds and fertiliser to produce enough herbs and vegetables to feed a family of 4 for a year.
Source: shopriteholdings.co.za
Singapore: Sheng Siong records 13.9% increase in 1Q profit, but warns that demand may taper with reopening
Supermarket chain Sheng Siong has reported a stronger set of results for its 1QFY2022 despite Singapore’s reopening, higher administrative costs and lower government subsidies. Sheng Siong reported revenue of $358.0mln for the quarter, 6% up y-o-y, while net profit increased 13.9% to $35.2mln, up from the 1QFY2021 figure of $30.9mln.
Source: theedgesingapore.com
Czech Republic: Online grocer Rohlik posts 53% rise in revenue as expansion builds
Rohlik Group posted a 53% year-on-year rise in net revenue to 490mln euros ($522mln) in its past fiscal year, the company said, as the Czech-based online grocery delivery firm builds on a European expansion push. The group, founded in 2014 by entrepreneur Tomas Cupr, will end its fiscal year to April with more than 1mln customers, it said, after launching operations in Germany last year, adding to existing markets in the Czech Republic, Austria and Hungary. It plans to start in Italy, Romania and Spain in 2022, as well as to further expand in Germany.
Source: reuters.com
Italy: Maiora relaunches 2 upgraded INTERSPAR Hypermarkets and a DESPAR Supermarket
SPAR Italy regional retailer Maiora has reopened 2 INTERSPAR Hypermarkets and a DESPAR store in Calabria, following their complete renovation. Investing in modernisation is part of Maiora's store network development programme. The company’s ongoing focus is to further enhance the SPAR brand presence in Calabria. In this region, Maiora operates 85 stores, comprising company-owned and independently owned stores.
Source: spar-international.com
US: Tops promotes Jeff Cady to VP of Produce and Floral
Tops Friendly Markets has promoted Jeff Cady to the position of VP of produce and floral as part of Shared Services Center (SSC), which supports Tops and Price Chopper/Market 32 following a merger this past fall, the Williamsville, New York-based supermarket chain announced.
Source: winsightgrocerybusiness.com
US: Food distributor SpartanNash attracts acquisition interest - sources
United Natural Foods Inc and Oak Street Real Estate Capital are separately working on bids for U.S. food distributor SpartanNash Co, people familiar the matter said. United Natural Foods, a SpartanNash competitor, is exploring a bid to buy the entire company, the sources said. Oak Street, a Chicago-based investment firm, contacted SpartanNash last month to reiterate its interest in buying real estate from the company worth up to $1bln, shortly after 2 activist investors began pushing SpartanNash to explore changes, including putting itself up for sale, the sources added. There is no certainty of a deal, said the sources, who asked not to be identified in order to discuss the private conversations.
Source: reuters.com
New Amazon Go format makes debut
Amazon opened its 1st larger-format Amazon Go cashierless convenience store, a 6,150-square-foot location in suburban Mill Creek, Washington. Situated at 13209 39th Ave. SE, Suite 101, in Mill Creek, the new Amazon Go has front-of-store selling space of about 3,250 square feet. The total size of more than 6,000 square feet makes the latest Go concept much bigger than current 25 Amazon Go stores, which range from 450 to 2,700 square feet in the front end.
Source: supermarketnews.com
Canada: Giant Tiger partners with Instacart on same-day delivery
Many Giant Tiger customers can now order groceries and other household staples online and have them delivered that day, thanks to a new partnership with Instacart. The fast-growing discount retailer announced that the service would be available at more than 180 of its 260 stores, with shoppers able to place their orders from the Giant Tiger storefront at Instacart or via the Instacart app.
Source: canadiangrocer.com
US: Wegmans set to enter New York’s Long Island
Wegmans Food Markets is in growth mode, and will make its grand entrance into New York’s Long Island with a 100,000-square-foot location set for construction in Lake Grove. The grocer has yet to establish a timeline for construction and opening. The new store will be located in an existing DSW plaza where Wegmans has purchased 8.5 acres.
Source: progressivegrocer.com
More than half of the companies in Ecuador have developed e-commerce platforms from 2020 to date
53% of companies in Ecuador have incorporated, more frequently from 2020 to date, mobile applications, development of e-commerce platforms, chatbots and interactive catalogs to digitize their businesses, according to Justo Ecuador, a company that is responsible for of the creation of self-managed e-commerce platforms.
Source: ecuadortimes.net