Beijing: Retail giant Amazon has launched direct cargo flights from the US to Zhengzhou, capital of central China's Henan Province. The planes which were carrying products, including food flew from New York, Chicago and Los Angels to the Chinese transportation hub, Xinhua news agency reported on Wednesday. (retail.economictimes.indiatimes.com) Albertsons takeover of Whole Foods and Sprouts likely to fail
Albertsons’ push to acquire Whole Foods and Sprouts Farmers Market is not going well, with both takeover bids likely to fail, sources told the New York Post. The sources said Albertsons has met stiff resistance from Whole Foods, which has been under increasing pressure from activist investors to explore a sale. Sprouts, meanwhile, is willing to sell, but the two sides can’t come to terms. (fooddive.com)Canadian grocer Pirate Joe's prepares for Trader Joe's court battle
Trader Joe's is suing a Canadian grocery operation called Pirate Joe's for violating its trademark, according to the Guardian. The Vancouver-based retailer buys Trader Joe's products and brings them across the Canadian border to supply local shoppers with goods not sold in their country. Pirate Joe's owner Mike Hallatt has launched a crowdfunding campaign to raise $250,000 for the trial, which is scheduled to take place in November. Hallatt says he has spent more than $1m at Trader Joe's in the U.S. to supply his store. (fooddive.com) Coop Switzerland opens first vegetarian supermarket
Coop Switzerland has launched its first Karma supermarket - a store dedicated entirely to vegetarian and vegan products. The new format, which has opened in Zug, will offer fresh produce, basic food items, vegan and vegetarian cosmetics, freshly prepared beverages, nuts, cereals, and a range of convenience products. (esmmagazine.com) UK: Asda reduces payment terms
Asda is set to reduce the payment terms to 14 days for over 1000 small suppliers as it aims to improve relationships with its supply base. In March, it was reported that suppliers were told the waiting time for payments would rise to 90 days, up 50% from its previous 60-day waiting time. (retailgazette.co.uk) Spar Group plans Swiss expansion as profit dips
South African retailer and wholesaler Spar Group aims to double its market share in Switzerland to 4% in four years, its CEO said on Wednesday, as part of an effort to expand outside its weak home market. "All we need is 4% and then we double our business and that we should be able to do relatively easily," Spar CEO Graham O'Connor told Reuters by telephone. Spar plans to open 15 to 20 stores in the next three or four years in the Italian-speaking region of Switzerland. He said Spar would "do even more than that in the German-speaking side." Sales rose 12.6% to 47.4bn rand ($3.62bn) for the six months ended March 31, slowing from 16.7% growth a year earlier. (Reuters)Saudi retailer Danube launches new online grocery app
Saudi based retail giant Danube has launched a new app that will provide fresh products to customers in the kingdom at a time of their convenience. Set to become the MENA region’s biggest online grocery and shopping application, Danube App will provide consumers with flexible and convenient payment options. (arabianbusiness.com) 
Profi opens new Supermarkets in RomaniaRomanian grocery retailer Profi opened five new supermarkets last week in Iasi, Sacele, Darasti Vlasca, Pielesti and Potcoava. With the latest openings, Profi now has 561 stores. (esmmagazine.com)
Sweden's Axfood acquires 'Meal Pack' provider Middagsfrid
Swedish retailer Axfood has announced the acquisition of Middagsfrid, a business that delivers ready-packed grocery bags with predefined recipes to customers homes. The acquisition, which was carried out through Axfood's subsidiary Matse Holding, will "strengthen and further broaden our customer offering,” according to Klas Balkow, president and CEO of Axfood. (esmmagazine.com) Aldi and Lidl sales soar as prices rise
Sales at Aldi and Lidl have grown at their fastest rate in more than two years as the discounters opened new stores and passed on price rises to consumers, new research shows. The two retailers' combined sales rose almost 20% in the 12 weeks to 21 May compared with the same period last year, Kantar Worldpanel said. Meanwhile, 1.1m more households shopped at either store. Kantar said all supermarkets had seen "some level of rising prices". All 10 leading grocers also recorded growth, with average sales up 1.6% across the big four supermarkets: Tesco, Sainsbury's, Asda and Morrisons. Click here to read more at bbc.com South Korea's E-mart to exit China over mounting losses
South Korean supermarket chain E-mart Inc (139480.KS) will close its stores in China due to mounting losses and souring relations between the two countries over the deployment of an anti-missile system, the Nikkei said, quoting the vice-chairman of the E-mart's parent. (Reuters)China: Yonghui to build supply chain
Chinese supermarket chain retailer Yonghui Supermarket has decided to build a supply chain industrial park in Sichuan's Pengzhou city, with a total investment of CNY1bn. The company says the industrial park will better support its regional distribution and warehousing demands and food processing business development in Sichuan. (chinaretailnews.com)