US: Hy-Vee’s former, current CEOs look ahead to the future
Hy-Vee recently handed off its CEO role: from Randy Edeker, who held the role for over a decade and who will continue on as executive chairman of Hy-Vee’s board of directors, to Jeremy Gosch, former president and chief operating officer at the company. Supermarket News sat down with both Edeker and Gosch at the recent FMI Midwinter conference in Orlando, Florida to talk about Hy-Vee’s vision looking ahead.
Source: supermarketnews.com
US: Boxed lands $20mln in funding
Online retailer Boxed Inc. has secured up to $20mln in its quest for either profitability or a sale of the company. According to Boxed, the company will receive $10mln in funding from un unknown lender by entering into a second lien secured term loan facility. The company will receive an additional $10mln in funding subject to the completion of certain milestones in a process for selling the operation.
Source: supermarketnews.com
Lab-grown meat moves closer to American dinner plates
Once the stuff of science fiction, lab-grown meat could become reality in some restaurants in the United States as early as this year. UPSIDE Foods is now hoping to bring its product to restaurants as soon as 2023 and to grocery stores by 2028, its executives told Reuters.
Source: reuters.com
US: Opposition to Albertsons-Kroger merger continues
Now that Albertsons has paid out the special dividend of nearly $4bln to its shareholders, many of those who opposed the payment are poised to continue to voice their objecting to the company’s pending merger with Kroger Co. as well. Washington state Attorney General Bob Ferguson, who failed to win an appeal to the state Supreme Court in his effort to block the dividend payment, said his office will continue to review the merger and its potential impact on residents of the state.
Source: supermarketnews.com
US: Save A Lot to shutter two distribution centers
Discount store chain Save A Lot will be closing two distribution centers and reducing staff at its St. Louis support center. The Coxsackie, New York, distribution center is scheduled to close February 25, and the St. Johns, Michigan, center is set for a March 11 closing. Stores served by the two centers will operate as normal and be supplied by other nearby distribution centers, said Leon Bergmann, Save A Lot chief executive officer, in a statement.
Source: supermarketnews.com
SPAR Netherlands again named Top Employer in 2023
SPAR Netherlands has been awarded the ‘Top Employers’ certification for the second consecutive year. The Top Employers Institute presents this international recognition annually to qualifying organisations that achieve excellence in people practices. SPAR Netherlands’ continued success in this arena highlights the consistent application of quality HR policy over several years.
Source: spar-international.com
Aldi Süd hits 2,000 store milestone in Germany
Aldi Süd has announced that it has reached the milestone of 2,000 stores in Germany, with the landmark store set to open in Hamminkeln-Mehrhoog on January 26. “Opening the 2000th Aldi Süd branch is something special for us", commented Jan Riemann, director real estate at Aldi Süd. "For more than 100 years we have been making sustainable shopping affordable for everyone in the Aldi Süd branches and are continuously improving accessibility for our customers".
Source: esmmagazine.com
Merger conditions: acquisition of select Massmart businesses
Following the Shoprite Group’s announcement in August 2021 that it intended to acquire select businesses from Massmart Holdings Limited - including Cambridge Food, Rhino and Massfresh (comprising Fruitspot and two meat processing plants), as well as 12 Cash & Carry stores - the Competition Tribunal approved the aforementioned transaction on 9 December 2022, subject to certain conditions. Herewith the non-confidential version of the conditions imposed by the Competition Tribunal.
Source: shopriteholdings.co.za
Holland: Amsterdam-based Crisp consolidates its status as a market leader with acquisition of De Krat
Dutch startup Crisp has just acquired local meal box supplier De Krat as it establishes itself as a leader in the market and diversifies its product offering. The Amsterdam-based team is on a mission to make better food available for all and it’s growing fast as the demand for sustainable food options grows.
Source: eu-startups.com
UK: Central Co-op to close three distribution centres, putting 400 jobs at risk
Central Co-op is set to close three of its distribution centres, which will put almost 400 jobs at risk as a result. The convenience retailer has proposed to shut its distribution centres and garage in Leicester and transfer distribution operations to the Co-operative Group. Central Co-op has said approval has been reached for it to join the LIDIA network from 2024, which is a national collective distribution and logistics operation owned and operated by the Co-op Group on behalf of its own stores and independent Co-operative stores in the UK.
Source: grocerygazette.co.uk
UK: Ocado tackles food waste with 'miniature meals'
Ocado has partnered with the RSPB to design miniature meals for birds using food scraps in a bid to tackle food waste at home. The online-only supermarket’s recipes, which include Blackbird Berry Cheesecake, Wagtail’s Winter Stew, Robin Raisin Ice Cream, Seedy Sushi and Fruity Finch Tart, have also been launched to help families keep the nation’s birds well fed this winter. The recipes include food that WRAP has said are most likely to be thrown away such as cheese, vegetables and fruit, as well as suet and lard.
Source: grocerygazette.co.uk
UK: One Stop introduces self-service check-outs and doubles home delivery range
One Stop is doubling its home delivery range with over 2500 products now available online. Using recently integrated Deliverect software, One Stop said it will be able to offer home delivery customers an increased product range, reduced delivery times and an improved service.
Source: talkingretail.com
Maxima Latvija launches scheme to deal with bio waste
Maxima Latvija has unveiled a new initiative that seeks to inform customers about sorting waste and encourage them to review their daily waste habits. The scheme is within the framework of the '#biovaig' campaign implemented by the Riga City Council.
Source: esmmagazine.com
New Zealand: A solution to the egg shortage?
The Vegan Society of Aotearoa is sharing the secrets of egg alternatives as the nation battles with an egg shortage. Plant-based alternatives such as flax seeds, chia seeds, applesauce, mashed banana, tofu, aquafaba, peanut butter and agar agar can all be used in baking and cooking.
Source: supermarketnews.co.nz
UK: Autonomous robots firm Dexory announces new round of angel investors joining advisory board
AI and robotics company Dexory, formerly known as BotsAndUs, has secured a new round of angel investors. This follows investment in 2022, when it bagged $13mln in a seed round led by Swiss venture capital firm Lakestar. The new investors include Paul Dodd, Martin Bysh, and Thomas Bagge. Founded in 2015, Dexory works with the likes of Menzies Aviation, Maersk, Huboo, and a number of other logistics and warehousing companies in the UK and across Europe.
Source: retailtechinnovationhub.com