Lidl Portugal invests €21mln in store modernisation
Discount chain Lidl has invested €21mln across its Portuguese network, furthering its commitment to the region. The investment was spent on modernising 5 stores in Montijo, Moita, Gouveia, Montemor-o-Velho, and Gondomar.
Source: esmmagazine.com
Indonesia tycoon teams up with Bukalapak for online grocery push
Tycoon Chairul Tanjung’s CT Corp. conglomerate is teaming up with internet company PT Bukalapak.com for an online grocery venture as e-commerce gains ground in Indonesia, according to people with knowledge of the matter. Closely held CT Corp.’s supermarket unit PT Trans Retail Indonesia is driving the push with Bukalapak, and private equity firm Growtheum Capital Partners is joining the pact, said the people, who asked not to be identified as the matter is private. The companies will together invest 1tln rupiah ($70mln) into the venture called AlloFresh, with Trans Retail owning 55%, Bukalapak 35% and Growtheum 10%, they said.
Source: bloombergquint.com
UK: Convenience store giant McColl's scrambles to stave off collapse
McColl's, which employs a total of about 16,000 people, needs to raise capital within weeks or risk collapsing into administration, Sky News learns. McColl's Retail Group, one of Britain's biggest convenience store chains, is racing to secure new funding to stave off a collapse that could put thousands of jobs at risk. Sky News has learnt that McColl's is working with advisers on attempts to find a buyer or third parties willing to inject fresh capital into the business.
Source: news.sky.com
India: Reliance to take over operations of 250 more Future Retail stores - sources
India’s top retailer Reliance will add 250 more Future Retail stores to its portfolio after the company failed to make lease payments for the outlets to Reliance, 2 people with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters. Reliance’s move assumes significance as it follows failed efforts since 2020 to close a $3.4bln deal to acquire the retail assets of Future. Future Retail suspends supermarket operations as Reliance plans takeover.
Source: reuters.com
EuroCommerce: Retail and wholesale industry will 'do all it can' to assist Ukraine
EuroCommerce, which represents the retail and wholesale sectors in Europe, has pledged to do 'all it can' to assist Ukraine with supply chain disruption linked to the Russian invasion and its fallout. In a statement, EuroCommerce said: 'The thoughts of Europe’s retailers and wholesalers are with the Ukrainian people'.
Source: esmmagazine.com
Annual Which? survey puts M&S as UK’s favourite in-store supermarket
Marks & Spencer has been voted the UK’s favourite in-store supermarket despite a strong showing from discounters Aldi and Lidl as consumers face up to the cost-of-living crisis. The high street stalwart’s upscale food offering received a customer score of 78% in the annual Which? survey, receiving 5 stars for store appearance, customer service and the quality of its own-brand and fresh products.
Source: walesonline.co.uk
John Lewis drops ‘never knowingly undersold’ pledge
John Lewis is ditching its “never knowingly undersold” price match pledge after almost a century, saying it has lost relevance at a time when it faces stiff competition from online retailers such as Amazon. The staff-owned department store chain said it had made the decision to retire the well-known slogan this summer because its price promise did not apply to online-only retailers, and shoppers were increasingly buying online.
Source: theguardian.com
Brazil: GPA sells up to 17 properties to GIC-backed fund; Assai to rent them
Brazilian retailer GPA has reached a deal to sell up to 17 of its properties to investment fund Barzel Properties for about 1.2bln reais ($234mln), it said in a securities filing. According to GPA, the properties will then be rented by cash and carry chain Assai for 25 years, which could be extended for an additional 15 years. The deal still requires approval from Brazil’s antitrust watchdog, it added.
Source: reuters.com
Canada: Organic Garage Ltd. gets a name change
Organic Garage Ltd. has a new origin story. The Toronto-based parent company, which owns the Organic Garage grocery retail banner, has changed its name to Oragin Foods Inc. The move comes on the heels of the company’s recent acquisition of plant-based cheese company Future of Cheese.
Source: canadiangrocer.com
US: Pod Foods creates ‘infinite shelf’ capability for grocery retailers
In an effort to boost supply on physical shelves, distribution platform Pod Foods has launched a data-driven discovery engine that is intended to make "the infinite shelf" a reality for grocery retailers. The new engine connects any retailer, in any location, with Pod Foods' infinite warehouse of emerging brands, along with its software and data-enriched warehousing and fulfillment platform.
Source: progressivegrocer.com
US: Sprouts Farmers Market, Inc. reports 4th quarter and full year 2021 results
Sprouts Farmers Market, Inc. reported results for the 13-week 4th quarter and 52-week year ending January 2, 2022. 4th quarter highlights: Net sales totaled $1.49bln; a 7% decrease from the same period in 2020, primarily due to the $122mln in sales during the extra week of the 4th quarter of 2020. Net sales increased 9% from the same period in 2019. Fiscal year 2021 highlights: Net sales of $6.1bln; a 6% decrease from 2020, primarily due to cycling the demand from the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the 53rd week in 2020. Net sales increased 8% from the same period 2019. Sprouts Farmers Market, Inc. announces appointment of Nicholas Konat as President and Chief Operating Officer.
Source: globenewswire.com
US: Grocery workers seek better pay and conditions as chains reap huge profits
After more than 2 years as essential workers on the frontlines of the Covid-19 pandemic, grocery store workers around the US are pressuring supermarket corporations to raise wages and improve working conditions amid record profits for the industry. Ahead of the expiration of their union contract, 60,000 grocery workers at subsidiaries of Kroger and Albertsons in California are holding actions outside stores, demanding at least a $5 wage increase over 3 years, improved safety and security for workers, improved staffing and eliminating the two-tier system of workers.
Source: theguardian.com
US: As online grocery surges, brick-and-mortar still resonates with shoppers
While online grocery has taken huge leaps in shopper adoption - much of that spurred on by the now 2-year-old COVIID pandemic - the vast majority of the country’s grocery shoppers still do all or most of their shopping in person and they’re visiting more than one retailer to fill their needs, according to an Advantage Sales survey of more than 1,000 U.S. adults who do at least half of their household’s grocery shopping. In fact, nearly 9 in 10 households do most or all of their grocery shopping in person, according to the report “What Brick-and-Mortar Grocery Shoppers Really Want”. Advantage Sales is a division of Advantage Solutions, a provider of outsourced sales and marketing solutions to consumer goods companies and retailers.
Source: supermarketnews.com
US: Misfits Market expands across lower 48
E-grocer Misfits Market is now officially available in all of the lower 48 states with its expansion into Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota and South Dakota. The brand’s comprehensive rollout to these 4 states encompasses nearly all ZIP codes in urban centers, suburbs and rural areas.
Source: progressivegrocer.com
