Latvia: Farmers demand resignation of finance minister
Latvian agricultural organizations are demanding the resignation of Finance Minister Arvils Aseradens (New Unity), representatives of organization Farmers' Parliament informed LETA. The resignation is being demanded by Farmers' Parliament together with the Council for Cooperation of Agricultural Organitions (LOSP), the Latvian Association of Agricultural Cooperatives, the Latvian Fruit Growers Association, the organization Latvijas Darznieks and the Latvian Association of Fruit and Vegetable Merchants.
Source: baltictimes.com
UK: Lidl on track for ‘record-breaking’ Christmas
Lidl GB has stated that it is preparing for a record-breaking Christmas after seeing an 11% uptick in customers over the past six weeks. Lidl pointed to recent Kantar data showing that shoppers had switched over £685mln of spending to the retailer during the course of the year as cash-strapped consumers looked to manage their budgets. Of this, £58mln was switched to the discounter from premium supermarkets Waitrose, M&S and Ocado.
Source: kamcity.com
Tikehau Capital acquires five supermarket properties in Italy
Global alternative asset manager Tikehau Capital has acquired five properties housing supermarkets in key tourist destinations across North-West Italy. Situated along the Tuscan coast in the towns of Castiglione della Pescaia, Forte dei Marmi, Venturina Terme, Orbetello, and San Vincenzo, these assets, mostly constructed or extensively renovated in the past decade, primarily consist of stand-alone units below 2,500 square metres, Tikehau Capital noted.
Source: esmmagazine.com
UK: Tesco launches new vegan brand
Tesco will launch a plant-based brand called Root & Soul, despite a slowdown in vegan food sales across the sector. The supermarket has applied to register the trademark name with the Intellectual Property Officer, under classes 29, 30 and 31 - which covers a range of plant-based products, such as milk alternatives, meat alternatives and fruit and veg, according to The Grocer.
Source: grocerygazette.co.uk
UK: Iceland reassures over Christmas dinner staples availability
Iceland reassured shoppers that it has an ‘abundance’ of festive veg quelling concerns over availability of Christmas dinner staples due to an ‘unseasonably’ wet October harvest. The frozen food specialist confirmed it as a “strong stock levels” of festive vegetables including potatoes, parsnips, sprouts, broccoli, and cauliflower.
Source: grocerygazette.co.uk
Lidl España reiterates commitment to Spanish producersLidl España will purchase some 125,000 tonnes of Spanish tomatoes this year, of which 80% is destined for export, the discounter said. The group said that these tomatoes will be distributed both across the 670 stores it operates in Spain, as well as 11,500 outlets across 30 countries.
Source: esmmagazine.com
Germany: Galeria looks for new owner after Signa collapse
German department store chain Galeria is looking for a new owner now that Austrian parent company Signa Holding has collapsed. The chain, which also owns Belgian Inno, hopes to come away from its current owner’s financial predicaments unscathed.
Source: retaildetail.eu
E-commerce startup Zubale targets Brazil, Mexico expansion with $25mln boost
E-commerce startup Zubale is setting its sights on expanding throughout Brazil and Mexico with a fresh $25mln capital injection, the company said.
Source: reuters.com
US: What you should order at Subway, according to nutrition experts
Nutrition experts say that with some planning, it's possible to order a healthy meal at Subway thanks to the many veggies and the various breads on offer (wheat bread, malted rye bread or gluten-free wraps). "Mosey on down to Subway if you want a fast-food meal that puts you and your choices in the driver's seat", said Dr. Joan Salge Blake, a nutrition professor at Boston University, author of "Nutrition & You" and the host of the nutrition and health podcast, "Spot On!". Salge Blake said to opt for a six-inch sub instead of the foot-long - and to request that the employee making the sandwich loads it up "with high fiber veggies such as spinach, lettuce, tomatoes, green peppers and banana peppers for extra tummy-filling bulk."
Source: foxnews.com
US: Disinflation impacts Kroger’s 3rd quarter sales
For the quarter ended November 4, net sales totaled $33.96bln, down 0.7% from $34.2bln a year earlier, Kroger said. Also during the third quarter, Kroger expanded its End-to-End Fresh Produce initiative to 2.053 certified stores, up from 1,940 stores as of Q2, 1,738 stores as of Q1 and from 1,252 stores as of Q3 2022.
Source: winsightgrocerybusiness.com
US: Moser’s Foods acquired by PFSbrands, group’s first foray into grocery
Holts Summit, Missouri-based Foodservice company Pro Food Systems, Inc. (PFSbrands) has announced its intention to acquire Show Me Oil Company, which operates a convenience store and eight grocery stores in the Mid-Missouri area as Moser’s Foods (Moser’s).
Source: supermarketnews.com
US: Lidl releases first Corporate Social Responsibility Report showcasing new goals and progressLidl US released its first Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Report, highlighting the company’s environmental and social impact initiatives and progress over the last two years.
Source: mediacenter.lidl.com
US: Digital sales surge lifts Costco in November
A jump in e-commerce sales contributed to slightly improved sales results at Costco Wholesale for November. For the four weeks ended November 26, net sales grew 5.1% to $20.14bln from $19.17bln a year earlier, Costco reported.
Source: winsightgrocerybusiness.com
US: Sam’s Club to open two new distribution centers in St. Louis and Minneapolis areas
Sam's Club®, a division of Walmart Inc. and a leading membership warehouse club, announced plans to open two new distribution centers in early 2024 outside St. Louis and Minneapolis.
Source: businesswire.com
Canada: Alimentation Couche-Tard reports net earnings of $819.2mln in second quarter
Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. says its net earnings for the second quarter were $819.2mln (U.S.), up from US$810.4mln a year earlier. The Laval, Quebec-based company says total merchandise and service revenues were $4.1bln, up 1% from last year.
Source: supermarketnews.com