Kroger Co. is about to open a new store brand focused on fresh produce, food preparation advice and high-quality prepared foods. Kroger is expanding its existing organic offerings with its newest store concept. The store will offer customers “fresh, affordable” local produce and meat and local craft beer and wine. It will feature plenty of fresh food – some of it already prepared – that it describes as “unique culinary experiences and taste adventures, with tasty meals made fresh in our kitchen.” It could also offer home delivery services, something Kroger has experimented with on a limited basis in the past. Kroger just received final federal government approval for its trademark of Main & Vine on Nov. 26, according to federal records. That application lists Main & Vine’s business services as including “retail grocery story and online grocery store services with in-store pickup or home delivery.” It listed natural and organic foods and fresh foods. It also included numerous categories included in typical grocery store merchandise, likely as a way to cover its bases regardless of what it offers. Read more
Hate posts prompt SPAR to pull out halal meat
Austria’s second biggest supermarket chain SPAR has stopped a trial sale of halal meat following hate posts on social media (SPAR International) After a “shocking” storm of Islamophobic comments on social media, Austria’s second-biggest supermarket chain SPAR has stopped a trial of selling halal meat. SPAR began last month selling two halal meat products -- from animals slaughtered according to Islamic sharia law, widely available in other European countries -- in 20 supermarkets in areas of Vienna with sizeable Muslim populations. read more
Spar foresees increasing revenue and expansion in 2016
The Hungarian unit of supermarket chain Spar foresees its revenue increasing further in 2016, and is also planning to expand in the country. Spar Magyarország is looking to open three or four new stores in the Hungary next year and renovate 30 other units. Spar has more than 400 stores in Hungary and operates approximately 75 units with its franchise partners, employing almost 13,000 workers, Hungarian news agency MTI said. The company projects positive results on revenue of HUF 490 bln in 2015 after losses of HUF 18 bln on HUF 473.7 bln in revenue last year. Read more
Woolworths opens online store for Chinese market
Australian supermarket giant Woolworths says it is opening an online store on the Chinese website Tmall. Customers have been on-selling its products in China, and Woolworths has responded by directly selling 80 products - including powdered milk, baby formula and vitamins. Source
SuperValu biggest supermarket chain in run-up to Christmas
SuperValu is still the biggest supermarket chain in Ireland, according to the latest survey of the market by Kantor Worldpanel. The report shows that Super Value had a 24.7pc market share in the 12 weeks to December 6. That was ahead of Tesco’s 24.1pc and Dunnes Stores 23.8pc. Discounters Lidl and Aldi had market shares of 8.5pc and 8.4pc respectively. read more