Strikes break out at Carrefour Mestdagh as new owner remains silent
Trade unions have decided to block access to the logistic hub of Mestdagh, which is the largest Belgian franchise partner of Carrefour until 31 December. Several stores remain closed as well.
Source: retaildetail.eu
Deliveroo quits Australia citing ‘challenging economic conditions’
Deliveroo is quitting the Australian market, with the food delivery service announcing it had suspended orders made through its app and entered voluntary administration. In an email to customers, the company said it had made the “sad announcement” to shut down its operations in Australia and appoint KordaMentha as administrators.
Source: theguardian.com
Italy: Pam Panorama to invest €100mln in sales network
Pam Panorama is set to invest more than €100mln between 2023 and 2025 to open 10 new superstores and 50 Pam Local outlets, with the first opening in Bologna in March 2023. The Italian grocery retailer will also upgrade 20 existing supermarkets and restructure seven hypermarkets, reducing their size to between 3,500 and 5,000 square metres, and focusing solely on food.
Source: esmmagazine.com
HelloFresh launches in Spain
HelloFresh SE (“HelloFresh”) is officially launching its service in Spain. The expansion into the company’s 19th geography marks an important milestone in HelloFresh’s global growth strategy. It follows the introduction of HelloFresh to Japan and Ireland and HelloFresh Group’s Green Chef brand to the Netherlands earlier this year. Preceded by the successful launch of HelloFresh Italy in 2021 it’s also a major step for expanding meal kits to Southern European countries characterized by their rich culinary heritage.
Source: hellofreshgroup.com
China: Alibaba quarterly revenue misses expectations as spending slows
Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Group Holding Ltd posted a low single-digit rise in quarterly revenue, slightly below expectations, as COVID-19 curbs and a worsening economic outlook stifled consumer spending. Revenue grew 3% to 207.18bln yuan ($28.96bln) in the three months ended September 30, compared with a Refinitiv consensus estimate of 208.62bln yuan drawn from 25 analysts.
Source: reuters.com
Australia: Perth-based Christmas feasts in box - changing way we host Christmas lunch
Innovative Perth meal-kit delivery service My Foodie Box have released their 2022 Christmas Box that aims to help make cooking up a festive feast as easy as possible. With different box sizes to accommodate, and a plant-based option, the Christmas Box is touted as a foolproof solution to hosting the most anticipated meal of the year.
Source: nationaltribune.com.au
UK: Workers at Tesco and Morrisons factory set for five-week strike
More than 700 workers at a food manufacturing facility that supplies Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Morrisons and Marks and Spencer will strike from late November until the new year in a row over pay. Workers on the production line at the factory in Spalding, Lincolnshire, make own-brand salads, dips, sauces and deli produce for the UK’s major supermarkets. They have rejected a 6.5% pay offer from the factory’s owner, the fresh food manufacturer Bakkavor, and the strikes will begin on 25 November and last until 2 January.
Source: theguardian.com
UK: Uber and Gopuff tie up to offer customers wider range of everyday essentials
Uber has announced a partnership with quick commerce giant Gopuff which will help to enable customers across the country to order from Gopuff’s wide range of everyday essentials, including branded products and fresh food items, direct from the Uber Eats app. The deal helps to combine Uber Eats‘ consumer base in the UK with Gopuff’s quick commerce expertise.
Source: chargedretail.co.uk
UK: Behind the scenes: Freddie’s Farm founder on winning Aldi contract
Channel 4’s latest reality TV show ‘Aldi’s Next Big Thing’ has been championing a wide range of new food and drink brands over recent weeks. One of these lucky brands is Freddie’s Farm, which officially hit Aldi shelves earlier this month after being awarded an exclusive contract with the UK’s fourth-largest supermarket and beating hundreds of other competitors. The healthy confectionery brand offers fruit and veg snacks for kids made with British produce, sourced from the founders’ orchards and fields in Kent.
Source: grocerygazette.co.uk
US: Smart & Final readies next Extra! location
Smart & Final, the smaller, faster grocery warehouse store for household and business customers, is expanding its presence in Santa Clara County with the opening of a new Smart & Final Extra! in San Jose on December 14. Located at 430 Blossom Hill Road in San Jose, the new 39,000 square foot Smart & Final Extra! grocery warehouse store, which will be open daily from 6 a.m. - 10 p.m. (7 a.m. - 10 p.m. on opening day), will provide shoppers with high-quality, USDA-certified meats, fresh and organic produce, frozen and packaged grocery items, a bulk department featuring coffee, nuts, and more, a sushi bar, as well as personal care and household products.
Source: supermarketnews.com
US: BJ’s posts Q3 sales gains, maintains aggressive expansion plans
BJ’s Wholesale Club Holdings reported strong momentum behind both its grocery offerings and its gasoline business, helping drive sales gains of 12.3% in the third quarter. Total revenues, including membership fees, were up 12.2% for the quarter, to about $4.8bln, while net income was up 2.7%, to about $130mln. Through the first three quarters, revenues were up 16.9%, to $14.4bln, and net income rose 20.2%, to 383.4mln.
Source: supermarketnews.com
Canada: Toronto grocer The Sweet Potato expands with second store
Toronto’s The Sweet Potato is opening a second location in the city’s Leaside neighbourhood. The 16,000 square foot store on Bayview Avenue, already under construction, is slated to open in March 2023.
Source: canadiangrocer.com
B&G Foods to partner with America’s Grow-a-Row to provide over 1mln servings of fresh produce to those in need
B&G Foods, Inc. announced a philanthropic partnership with America’s Grow-a-Row (AGAR), a not-for-profit organization that grows and gleans fresh, healthy fruits and vegetables that are donated to those suffering from hunger or living in areas that lack reliable access to fresh, affordable produce. In 2023, B&G Foods will donate $250,000 to AGAR, which will result in the planting, growing, harvesting and distribution of 1.25mln servings of fresh produce to communities in need across the United States.
Source: businesswire.com
Amazon layoffs to extend into 2023
Amazon.com Inc said there would be more role reductions as its annual planning process extends into next year and leaders continue to make adjustments. "Those decisions will be shared with impacted employees and organizations early in 2023", said Andy Jassy, who became the company's Chief Executive Officer in 2021, in a letter to Amazon employees.
Source: reuters.com
US: Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage announces fiscal 2022 fourth quarter and full year results
Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage, Inc. announced results for its fourth quarter and fiscal year ended September 30, 2022 and provided its outlook for fiscal 2023. Highlights for fourth quarter fiscal 2022 compared to fourth quarter fiscal 2021: net sales increased 0.6% to $274.2mln; net income was $2.2mln, with diluted earnings per share of $0.09; and adjusted EBITDA was $13.6mln. Highlights for fiscal 2022 compared to fiscal 2021: Net sales increased 3.2% to $1.1bln; 19th consecutive year of positive comparable store sales growth; net income was $21.4mln, with diluted earnings per share of $0.94; and adjusted EBITDA was $62.2mln.
Source: prnewswire.com