Amazon continues to close cashier-less Go stores
Amazon is closing more and more of its Go stores. The cashier-less technology that Amazon pioneered there can now be found at more and more other retailers, but what future does the chain itself have?
Source: retaildetail.eu
US: Winthrop Hannaford features new products, services following series of store enhancements
Hannaford Supermarkets is welcoming shoppers to enjoy numerous enhancements to its newly updated store at 399 Main St. in Winthrop. Designed with customer convenience in mind, the remodeled store features a fresh look, as well as new products and services. The centerpiece of the remodel is an expansion of the store’s produce department, which has doubled in size and includes an increased assortment of fresh-cut fruits and vegetables.
Source: centralmaine.com
US: Inside Sweetgreen’s first automated location - and the salad chain’s plans to take the tech nationwide
Sweetgreen’s first automated Infinite Kitchen location, in Naperville, Illinois, has been operating since early May. CEO Jonathan Neman told investors weeks later that the salad chain expects all of its stores to be automated eventually. Sweetgreen hopes that the Infinite Kitchen will cut down on labor costs and improve the customer experience.
Source: cnbc.com
US: Trader Joe’s to open 1mln-square-foot distribution center
Later this year, Trader Joe’s will begin a massive construction project on a 1mln-square-foot food assembly and distribution center in Palmdale, California, according to local news outlet Whittier Daily News. The facility is said to be the first distribution center in Los Angeles County and the company’s largest logistics location in California.
Source: supermarketnews.com
US: GrubMarket joins forces with One Tree Planted to advance tree planting and reforestation efforts
GrubMarket announced a partnership with One Tree Planted, a non-profit organization dedicated to global reforestation. This partnership, a core part of GrubMarket's ambitious Sustainable California initiative, aims to support nationwide reforestation efforts and combat climate change by planting trees in critical agricultural areas that have been devastated by natural disasters and climate events.
Source: prnewswire.com
US: Hegedorns Market to shutter in New York
A family-owned independent grocer in Webster, New York, dating back nearly 87 years is closing its doors. Hegedorns Market will serve its last customers this week in the town of nearly 5,400 east of Rochester. The 45,000-square-foot store at 964 Ridge Road offered a variety of grocery essentials and featured full-service meat, bakery and produce departments.
Source: progressivegrocer.com
UK: Whole Foods profits plummet as shoppers cut costs
Amazon-owned Whole Foods’ UK division plunged to a record loss last year, as shoppers cut costs amid sky-high inflation. The upmarket grocer reported a pre-tax loss of £26.3mln from its seven supermarkets, which are all located in London, while its sales dropped 2.9% to £91.6mln.
Source: retailgazette.co.uk
UK: Supermarkets under pressure to explain high prices
Supermarket executives will be questioned by MPs over why food prices are still rising as some wholesale costs are falling. The UK's biggest grocers - Tesco, Sainsbury's, Asda and Morrisons - will face a parliamentary committee examining the cost of a weekly shop. As well as pointing to recent price cuts, the executives are likely to tell the committee that not all commodities have been falling in price, said Ged Futter, a retail analyst and former senior buying manager at Asda. "Yes, prices have come down for some things, but other things have gone up like sugar, potatoes [and] chocolate", he said. Severe weather has meant lower supplies of potatoes, carrots and onions grown in the UK, meaning more have had to be imported.
Source: bbc.com
Twiga Foods works with micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to transform the Kenyan food system
Twiga Foods is one of the most successful technology-enabled food distribution companies in Kenya. It connects suppliers with vendors operating micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), providing consumers with access to high-quality products and retail services. Through Twiga’s cashless mobile-based application, vendors can place orders for various products (mostly fruits and vegetables).
Source: cgiar.org
UK: Agnelli-backed firm discloses 5% Ocado stake
Lingotto Investment Management, a firm owned by the Exor NV holding company of Italy's Agnelli industrial dynasty, disclosed a 5% holding in Ocado, the British online supermarket and technology group.
Source: reuters.com
Ireland: Just Eat expanding further into grocery market
Online delivery platform Just Eat is looking to expand further into the grocery market in Ireland. A new report from the platform reveals that grocery is a rapidly growing area for the food delivery and takeaway sector with almost a quarter of Irish people having used a food delivery service to order groceries in the past year, spending an average of €174.30 on grocery delivery services in a month.
Source: rte.ie
Retailer Carrefour may cut maximum of around 1,000 jobs in France
French supermarket retailer Carrefour said that it could cut a maximum of up to 979 positions in France on a voluntary basis, as part of a broader restructuring. The planned job cuts, which had first been reported by Agence France Presse, are currently being negotiated with trade union representatives, the company said.
Source: reuters.com
Belgium: Over 400 prospective buyers for Delhaize supermarkets
Delhaize already has more than 400 prospective buyers for the 128 self-managed supermarkets it wants to franchise, as another ordinary works council to resolve the labour dispute was once again stalled on Monday. There is at least one candidate for each of Delhaize's 128 self-managed shops and at least two candidates for 90% of the shops, Delhaize management stated in a press release.
Source: brusselstimes.com
South Africa: Food Lover’s Market talks growth in times of load shedding with new shops, solar trucks
Food Lover’s Market is investing in two new trucks with solar powered freezers, launching a new store and unveiling a significant store refurbishment in the coming weeks as the company pushes for growth in a load shedding battered economy. Food Lover’s Market retail CEO Travis Coppin said customers were also big on pre-packed fruits and vegetables.
Source: iol.co.za
UK: Ocado has freshest online groceries, says Which?
Groceries delivered by Ocado have been found to have the longest average time left before their use-by dates, a new report has found. According to consumer research company Which?, the online supermarket came out on top in the investigation, with an average shelf life of over 11 days.
Source: grocerygazette.co.uk
UK: M&S partners with interactive investor on first-of-its-kind pilot project enabling direct access to nominee shareholders
M&S has partnered with interactive investor, the UK’s second largest investment platform for private investors, to launch a first-of-its-kind pilot project which will connect the company directly with thousands of nominee shareholders, encouraging them to participate and vote at its AGM.
Source: corporate.marksandspencer.com
Belgians set new record for cross-border grocery shopping
Belgian shoppers spent €688mln on cross-border supermarket purchases during the first quarter of 2023, up from €489mln in Q1 2022, setting a new record. Of this figure, €423mln was spent in France alone, accounting for an almost 70% increase year-on-year, according to figures from the Belgian retail trade federation Comeos, which were published by daily De Standaard.
Source: esmmagazine.com