Kroger said it would close three automated warehouses in January

US: Aldi to host holiday pop-up event in NYC
Aldi will open a holiday-themed pop-up event in New York City on December 3, offering free entry to visitors who reserve tickets in advance. The temporary installation, located at 54 E. 13th Street, will feature food samples, seasonal desserts, drinks and displays of the retailer's holiday assortment.
Source: supermarketnews.com

America's grocery carts are getting a health check: New data from FoodHealth Co. and NielsenIQ reveal what we're really eating
A first-of-its-kind analysis covering more than 200bln grocery purchases and 70,000 U.S. households shows that the typical American grocery basket scores just 48.94 out of 100 on the FoodHealth Score, a new nutrition index developed by the FoodHealth Co. - 55% below an ideal score of 88, which indicates a basket aligned with positive long-term health outcomes. These and other findings, developed in partnership with NielsenIQ, are unveiled in the inaugural Health of America's Grocery Carts report, painting the clearest picture yet of American nutrition and how our food choices vary by demographics and life stage.
Source: businesswire.com

UK: Ocado slides 17% as US partner Kroger closes robotic warehouses
Shares in British online supermarket and technology group Ocado slumped after U.S. partner Kroger said it would close three automated warehouses in January, dealing a heavy blow to the Ocado investment story. Ocado stock closed down 17.4% as the group also said its fee revenue would fall by about $50mln next year as a result of the closures, extending 2025 losses for the shares to 40.5%.
Source: reuters.com

How AI enables faster, more efficient delivery of HelloFresh's Chef-crafted recipes
"This extensive dataset is the perfect foundation for our own GenAI system. While many companies use off-the-shelf AI tools, far fewer are able to build proprietary GenAI solutions that meaningfully boost productivity and ultimately deliver an even better product experience", said Assaf Ronen, Group President and CEO of HelloFresh US.
Source: hellofreshgroup.com

Lidl US CEO: Private brands are life and death for us
Noting that private brands are "life and death" for Lidl, the company regularly stocks about 3,300 core items, with about 80% of those products private label. CEO Joel Rampoldt: "When you walk into one of our stores, typically the first thing that you'll see is fresh fruits and vegetables, fresh flowers, and fresh bakery. Immediately beyond that will be fresh protein. We use the fresh departments to signal quality to our customers. These categories turn quickly, and they have to always be fresh. That signals that everything else in the store is going to be high quality".
Source: discountretailconsulting.com

US: Target opens large-format store in Virginia
Target opened its latest large-format store last month in South Riding, Virginia, just outside of Fairfax. The nearly 150,000-square-foot store includes a CVS pharmacy, a Starbucks Cafe, an Apple at Target, a Disney store at Target, and 13,000 square feet of fresh food.
Source: progressivegrocer.com

Category update: Government shutdown had little impact on food sales
The government shutdown did not appear to have a noticeable impact on grocery unit sales, which were down 0.2% in October versus 0.5% in September, according to the latest data from Circana. October delivered $8.7bln in fresh produce sales, reflecting little growth in dollars. Vegetable pound sales were flat while fruit was up 2.4% year over year.
Source: supermarketnews.com

Belgium: Okay opens sustainable neighbourhood supermarket in Oelegem
On Friday 21 November, Okay will open its 150th store in Oelegem. "In our Freshmart, the wide aisles and glass wall ensure a comfortable and enjoyable shopping experience. ​ Our broad selection of fresh fruit and vegetables, delivered daily, really comes into its own here", says store manager Ynke Matheussen.
Source: press.colruytgroup.com

Iceland expands presence in Ireland
Iceland Foods has doubled its number of store-within-a-store concepts in Ireland via its partnership with the country's leading grocery retailer Dunnes. Four new Iceland concessions have been opened in Dunnes stores in Ennis, Charlestown, Clondalkin, and Marshes over the last couple of weeks, bringing the total to eight nationwide.
Source: kamcity.com

Lidl crowned Retailer of the Year 2025 by British Berry Growers!
British Berry Growers reported: "We're delighted to announce this year's winners from the British Berry Growers' annual retailer awards, celebrating the retailers helping deliver more delicious, healthy British berries to shoppers across the UK. Lidl took the top title of Retailer of the Year 2025, following an impressive 22% increase in total sales across strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries. The retailer also claimed Strawberry Retailer of the Year and Raspberry Retailer of the Year, thanks to standout growth across both berry favourites. Other category winners included: Blueberry Retailer of the Year - Asda; Blackberry Retailer of the Year - Aldi; Special Recognition Award - Ocado".
Source: linkedin.com

SPAR Gran Canaria ensures the complete marketing of Telde oranges for another year
SPAR Gran Canaria signed a new collaboration agreement with orange growers in Telde, reaffirming its commitment to the island's primary sector and to promoting one of the municipality's most emblematic crops. Through this agreement, the chain plans to market 250.000 kilos of oranges grown on local farms in Telde and distribute them directly to the Fruit and Vegetable sections of SPAR stores in the town.
Source: maspalomas24h.uk

Lidl Northern Ireland announces £557mln worth of goods and services procured from local suppliers in 2024
Lidl Northern Ireland has procured more than half-a-billion pounds (£557mln) from local suppliers and business partners across Northern Ireland last year (FY24/25, ending February), according to its latest Supplier and Business Partner Impact Report. This report confirms a year-on-year increase of £27mln (or 6%) in additional investment in the region by the retailer. The report also reveals that the retailer procured goods from more than 90 local agri-food suppliers, including Gilfresh, Wilson's Country, Dale Farm, Moy Park, Crust & Crumb, WD Meats, Foyle Foods and more.
Source: northernirelandchamber.com

Delhaize announces opening dates of new supermarkets at Cora sites
Delhaize has announced the opening dates for the seven new supermarkets that will open next year on the former Cora sites. The new supermarkets will open one by one from January 21 and will be run by entrepreneurs who all have a proven track record within the Delhaize family, according to the retailer.
Source: retaildetail.eu

SPAR Denmark retailer honoured with Danish Retail Award
SPAR Denmark retailer Michael Sangill received the Danish Retail Award, the industry's highest honour, at a major ceremony at Axelborg in Copenhagen. His SPAR store in Hvide Sande has been celebrated for its strong growth, commitment to local values, and people-focused management.
Source: spar-international.com

Belgium: Colruyt Group opens autonomous pop-up shop with plant-based products
In a high-tech pop-up store on the campus of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Okay, Colruyt Group's neighborhood store chain, offers exclusively plant-based products. Next year, the pop-up will tour Belgium.
Source: retaildetail.eu

Lidl GB exceeds sustainability targets and announces new goals
Lidl GB has exceeded a number of sustainability targets ahead of schedule and has now set new goals, according to its fifth sustainability report Beyond the Basket.
Source: esmmagazine.com