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Woolworths new concept focuses on fruit | McColl's, Nisa reach deal

Sainsbury’s warns suppliers | Carrefour accused of abusing farms

Carrefour Spain to offer more fruit and vegetables online - 
Carrefour Spain is challenging rivals Amazon and El Corte Inglés by offering a more bountiful selection of fresh produce available online, with 75% of customers including fruits and vegetables in their order. (esmmagazine.com)

UK: Sainsbury’s boss says suppliers should take hit over falling pound

The chief executive of Sainsbury’s has warned major suppliers that they should be taking the hit on any cost increases resulting from the falling value of the pound, rather than trying to pass on price rises to retailers and shoppers. (theguardian.com)

Carrefour taken to court for 'abusive trade practices' with farms
The French government said on Wednesday it was taking retail giant Carrefour to court for illegally seeking big discounts from suppliers, following an investigation. The Economy Ministry said it would seek a fine and a court order on the world's second-biggest retailer to stop what it described as "abusive commercial practices". It added that the investigation had found that the group had forced suppliers to give big discounts, with nothing in return outside of annual commercial negotiations, which it said was not only illegal but hurt companies and farms. (Reuters)

UK: McColl's and Nisa agree new supply contract
Subject to McColl’s receiving CMA clearance for the acquisition, Nisa will begin supplying the first of the new stores in January 2017, followed by a rapid rollout which will be completed by June 2017. McColl’s CEO, said: “Nisa’s quality fresh and chilled food supply strongly complements our ongoing expansion in the convenience sector, and will enable us to provide our new customers with a full range of high quality products at competitive prices." (theretailbulletin.com)

Woolworths “next generation” has focus on (organic) fruit and veg
Woolworths has unveiled the first in its “next generation” of stores featuring overhauled fresh food sections and an increased health range. The Woolworths at Warringah Mall on Sydney’s Northern Beaches reopened on Thursday. Health will be a key focus of the new store rollouts. Loose organic fruit and vegetables will be on offer, while 26 bays in one aisle are “solely dedicated to healthy eating options” with a large selection of “new, on-trend, health foods and choose your own bulk foods and nuts”. Woolworths says its popular free fruit for kids offering will also be organic, and the “marketplace” feel of the fruit and veg section will extend to the rest of the store. Please, click here to read more at news.com.au

Rewe Group puts hold on complaint against Edeka
German supermarket chain Rewe has announced that the company will freeze the complaint procedure against rival Edeka's acquisition of ageing supermarket chain Kaiser's Tengelmann. The Rewe Group brought the complaint forward due to competition concerns, which resulted in Edeka offering some Berlin stores to the company. (esmmagazine.com

US: Tops 3Q loss deepens on new-store expenses
Tops Friendly Markets late Tuesday said net losses deepened in the fiscal third quarter as it incurred increased expenses acquiring and opening several new stores, while same-store sales slipped due to the effects of deflation. The Williamsville, N.Y.-based company posted a loss of $12.7m on sales of $537.7m for the 12-week period, which ended Oct. 8. While net sales were up by 1.4% from last year's third quarter, the loss expanded from $5.2m last year, as operating expenses, as a percent of net sales, increased 150 basis points to 28.5%. (supermarketnews.com)

Supervalu gains wholesale business of America's Food Basket

Supervalu announced it has entered a long-term agreement to supply America’s Food Basket (AFB), a Lake Success, N.Y.-based regional cooperative with 47 stores. The wholesaler will provide AFB member stores with traditional grocery products including fresh produce. (supermarketnews.com)

Vietnam gets new supermarket chain with safe produce
The Vietnam Alliance Cooperative yesterday opened supermarket chains of safe food and agricultural produce in Hanoi. To support farmers in consuming safe food and agricultural produces, the cooperative has set up cooperatives connecting farmers with enterprises. Additionally, the cooperative has set up a safe agricultural produce cooperative which links with 50 safe agricultural produce cooperatives, nationwide, to sell 1,000 safe farm products. At present, four cooperatives have been opened in Hanoi. (saigon-gpdaily.com.vn)

Alibaba’s US growth ambitions at risk after Trump victory

Chinese internet companies face a new reality after Donald Trump’s surprise victory as U.S. president-elect -- and Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. has the most to lose. On the campaign trail, Trump promised to upend global trade, saying that China is “killing us” on trade policy and proposing tariffs on Chinese goods of as much as 45%. If implemented, his ideas could lead to "devastating" results, from global trade wars to higher costs of living, and "spell the end of globalization," according to Darrell West, a vice president at the Brookings Institution. (Bloomberg)

Industry leaders seek to define ‘the Trump effect’ on the retail sector
Please, click here to read the article.

Korean anti-corruption law impacts on retail sales
The Korean anti-corruption law may be showing its desired extra effect of creating more time for family and home cooking, if sales records at a leading retailer is any indication. October sales figures from E-mart released show an 11.5% increase for the month to 1.14 trillion won (US$987.3bn) compared to a year ago. Discount chain E-mart marked a 7.6% jump while the retailer’s warehouse outlet Traders made a 43.7% leap. The online store E-mart Mall showed a 28.3% increase. “People leaving the office on time and shopping for groceries, all due to the anti-corruption law, appear to have contributed largely to the double-digit growth in E-mart’s sales,” Lee Joon-ki of Mirae Asset Daewoo said. Please, click here to read more at insideretail.asia.

Distribution gains pace at SpartanNash in 3Q

SpartanNash said Wednesday that consolidated sales nudged higher in the fiscal third quarter as new wholesale business offset price deflation pressure and overcame declining sales at its retail stores. For the 12-week period ended Oct. 8, sales of $1.8bn increased by 1.1% from the same period last year, and net earnings increased by 2.4% to $29.9m. Revenues were paced by a 5.5% increase in sales from Spartan's food distribution segment. (supermarketnews.com)

OK Zimbabwe sales fruit and veg grows in H1

OK Zimbabwe said total revenues rose 2.3% in H1 to US$218.6m, aided by a slowing in deflation in the country, a growth in average basket size, the opening of two new stores and successful promotions. In H1 OK Zimbabwe said that sales of fruit and vegetables and from its in-house bakeries grew strongly. (igd.com)

Nakumatt to sell 51% stake in Tanzania-based business

Nakumatt has confirmed that will sell a 51% stake in its Tanzania-based business as part of its drive to seek capital to shore up its financial position and pay off its gross debt in Kenya and Uganda. (igd.com)

China: Dairy Farm performance improving in Q3

In its food division, sales in the hypermarket and supermarket operations showed some improvement for the period, despite modest like-for-like sales growth being offset by some store closures. Slightly higher margins helped to produce an increased profit compared with the same period last year. (igd.com)

Italy: Esselunga enjoys sales growth in H1

Esselunga has said that sales rose 4.1% to €3.76 bn, with both net profit and operating profit outstripping this pace at 7.7% and 7.1% respectively. The retailer said that its sales growth had been driven by store expansion. (igd.com)

Italy: U2 expands premium private label line

U2 has launched an expansion of its premium private label line with the introduction of ‘Il Viaggiator Biologico’ brand. The new brand adds to the retailer’s successful Il Viaggiator Goloso label, which offers a selection of local specialties and dishes, by providing shoppers with a range of about 100 organic products that used to sit under Il Viaggiator Goloso umbrella. (igd.com)

SA: No basis for grocer probe, says Pick n Pay
South-African Pick n Pay does not believe there is a basis for the inquiry into the grocery retail sector. In its non-confidential submission, prepared by law firm Nortons, to the panel overseeing the process, the retailer says there is a relatively clear difference between the formal and informal grocery retail trade. (bizcommunity.com)

US: Dollar General to build large DC

Dollar General is working out details to construct a $91m distribution center in Orange County, New York. The building would supply merchandise to 1,000 stores in the Northeast, and could bring more than 500 jobs to the Albany, N.Y., region over the next five years, according to the report. (chainstoreage.com)

Auchan least expensive food retailer in Spain: OCU
Spain's Organización de Consumidores y Usuarios (OCU) has named Auchan Retail as Spain’s least expensive food retailer for the eighth consecutive year, the company stated in a press release. (esmmagazine.com)

Philippines: 7-Eleven operator says 9-month profit up 24.8%
The Philippine operator of 7-Eleven convenience stores, said Thursday, net income in the first nine months of the year surged 24.8% on the back of strong sales. Philippine Seven Corporation (PSC) told the stock exchange that its net income in the January to September period grew to P643.4m from P515.5m during the same period last year. Retail sales of all stores grew 24.4% to P23bn, driven by the higher number of operating stores, the company said. (news.abs-cbn.com)