Aldi is to trial four new loose fruit and vegetable lines

UK: Iceland launches back-to-school deals, including bags and bottles
Iceland's Back-to-School money-saving offers 3 for £5 - helping kids get their five-a-day for less: Iceland British Strawberries (£2.40, 227g); Iceland Red Seedless Grapes (£2.29, 340g); Iceland Blueberries (£2.39, 125g). 3 for £5 - pack lunch bits: Iceland Mixed Seedless Grapes (£2.29, 400g); Pinkids 8pk Pink Lady Apples (£2.35).
Source: belfastlive.co.uk

France's Casino CDS holders gear up for payout as committee declares credit event
A committee that reviews disputes in the credit default swaps (CDS) market ruled that a failure to pay credit event occurred regarding retailer Casino Guichard-Perrachon, paving the way for a payout to investors holding the swaps. The French company is undergoing a restructuring process via court conciliation, which will result in Czech billionaire Daniel Kretinsky taking over Casino and its 6.4bln euro ($6.86bln) debt being restructured.
Source: reuters.com

UK: Aldi trials new loose-produce items
Aldi is to trial four new loose fruit and vegetable lines in a bid to further reduce plastic waste. Starting this week, items including garlic, limes, lemons, and oranges will be introduced as loose in select Aldi stores across the country. Select stores in the North East, Cumbria, Yorkshire, South East, and London will begin offering loose garlic and limes, while shoppers in the East of England, East Midlands, and London will be able to purchase loose garlic, limes, oranges, and lemons.
Source: aldipresscentre.co.uk

South Africa: Pick n Pay founder Raymond Ackerman has died
Retail legend Raymond Ackerman (92) has died, Pick n Pay, the retail group he founded, announced. "With profound sadness, we announce that Pick n Pay founder Raymond Ackerman has passed away," the group said in a short release.
Source: news24.com

Bord Bia investigate the use of QA mark by Irish supermarket
An investigation is underway by Bord Bia into the use of its Quality Assurance (QA) mark in advertisements and in-store by a supermarket chain in Ireland. The Irish Food Board has stressed that it takes the misuse of the QA mark "very seriously." It said: "The Bord Bia quality mark is important for both the sourcing and marketing of Irish fresh produce. Recent Bord Bia research indicates that 77% of consumers are more likely to purchase fruit and vegetables that carry the Bord Bia quality mark".
Source: agriland.ie

UK: Stand by net zero and back green innovation urges boss as Tesco unveils rapid expansion of low-carbon fertilizer trial
Tesco's CEO Ken Murphy called on political parties to stand by their net zero commitments and give businesses the confidence to invest. The call to action came as he unveiled the rapid expansion of one of Tesco's key agricultural innovation initiatives, the largest commercial field trial of low-carbon fertilizers in the UK.
Source: tescoplc.com

Australia's best-value fruit and veg for September: "Lettuce is cheaper than I've seen in five years"
Damian Toscano, owner of the Toscano's grocery stores in Melbourne, says iceberg lettuce is the top pick of early spring and far more affordable than the double-digit prices from last year. "Lettuce has come right back… It's cheaper than I've seen it in the last five years", he says.
Source: theguardian.com

Aldi UK sets new long-term target of 1,500 stores
The UK arm of German discount supermarket Aldi raised its long-term target to 1,500 stores, saying it would invest billions of pounds to achieve it. Aldi UK, whose previous target was 1,200 UK stores by 2025, is opening its 1,000th UK store on Thursday in Woking, southern England.
Source: reuters.com

UK: Ocado cuts prices for third time since June
Ocado has reduced prices on a further 330 items as part of its Big Price Drop, marking the third price cut since June. The total number of reductions now stands at more than 630 products, with the most recent additions including Warburton's plain bagels, M&S Oakham Gold chicken breast fillets, its Ripen At Home Conference pears, and McCain frozen hash browns.
Source: grocerygazette.co.uk

Italian government to meet supermarkets and small retailers to address high prices
Italy's government will meet with supermarkets and small retailers' associations to address stubborn inflation in the prices of consumer staples, people close to the matter said.
Source: reuters.com

Maersk finalizes ECO Delivery deal with Amazon
A.P. Moller - Maersk (Maersk) and Amazon have finalized a 2023-2024 agreement for the transport of 20,000 FFE containers using green biofuel through Maersk's "ECO Delivery" ocean product offering.
Source: maersk.com

Making plant-based meat more 'meaty' - with fermented onions
Plant-based alternatives such as tempeh and bean burgers provide protein-rich options for those who want to reduce their meat consumption. However, replicating meat's flavors and aromas has proven challenging, with companies often relying on synthetic additives. A recent study in ACS' Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry unveils a potential solution: onions, chives, and leeks that produce natural chemicals akin to the savory scents of meat when fermented with common fungi.
Source: acs.org

US: Fareway relocating headquarters after decades in Boone, Iowa
After more than 80 years in Boone, Iowa, the grocery chain Fareway is relocating its headquarters 35 miles south to Johnston, according to reporting from We Are Iowa, Local 5. The grocer plans on bringing at least 100 employees to the new location.
Source: supermarketnews.com

US: New Whole Foods Market in Springfield, Virginia, to open October 4
Whole Foods Market will open a new 49,499-square-foot store located at 6426 Springfield Plaza, Springfield, Virginia, on October 4 at 8 a.m. EST. Features of the Springfield Plaza store include an array of certified organic, conventional, and Sourced for Good produce, plus offerings from 14 local farms, including apple totes from Hess Brother's Fruit Company, Asian pears from Mountain View Orchards, and microgreens from AeroFarms.
Source: media.wholefoodsmarket.com

US: Kroger Albertsons plans to offload over 400 stores for close to $2bln, sources say
Kroger Co and Albertsons Cos Inc. are nearing a deal they hope will secure US regulatory clearance for their proposed $24.5bln merger by selling more than 400 grocery stores to C&S Wholesale Grocers for nearly $2bln, according to people familiar with the matter.
Source: reuters.com

US: Instacart to deliver groceries for Giant Eagle
Regional grocer Giant Eagle has partnered with Instacart to provide same-day delivery at more than 20 supermarkets across Ohio and Indiana, with more to be added soon, according to an announcement.
Source: winsightgrocerybusiness.com

You can't get bananas at Starbucks anymore, and no one seemed to notice for over a year
Starbucks has stopped selling bananas, removing both fresh and frozen bananas from its US menus in May 2022, a spokesperson for the coffee giant told Insider. They're listed as unavailable on the company's website, too.
Source: businessinsider.com

US: SpartanNash enlists an AI-based platform to optimize store operations
In line with companywide efforts to hone execution and act on insights, SpartanNash is expanding its deployment of the Magic inventory and replenishment optimization system from store operations technology specialist Upshop.
Source: winsightgrocerybusiness.com