J Sainsbury Plc reported a first-quarter sales growth that beat estimates as Brexit-fueled food-price inflation boosted revenues in its core grocery business. Retail sales rose 2.3% on a like-for-like basis excluding fuel in the 16 weeks ended July 1, the London-based company said in a statement Tuesday. Demand for deals on British strawberries and its summer eating range also boosted grocery sales. Sales at convenience stores rose 10%, Sainsbury said, highlighting the performance of one of the U.K.’s most dynamic retail sectors. (Bloomberg)Billa continues operating in Ukraine, could close stores in regions
Germany's REWE Group, developing the Billa supermarket chain in Central and Eastern Europe, does not plan to leave Ukraine. "Billa continues operating in Ukraine and would be successfully present on the Ukrainian market. We do not plan to leave Ukraine," Rewe International AG, the subsidiary of the German concern, told Interfax-Ukraine. The company confirmed that the chain could close one or several stores in the regions of the country. (en.interfax.com.ua) First Carrefour Market opens in Ivory Coast
The first Carrefour Market store has begun operating in the Ivory Coast, following the opening of a hypermarket in the West African nation in 2015. The new store is located in the PlaYce Palmeraie shopping centre. The 2,400 square-metre retail unit offers branded as well as private label goods, and features produce from around 200 local suppliers. (esmmagazine.com)
SuperValu remains top supermarket in Ireland: Kantar Worldpanel
Irish retailer SuperValu has retained its position at the top supermarket in the country, according to the latest figures from Kantar Worldpanel. The figures for the 12 weeks ending 18 June 2017 also reveal that the Irish grocery market has grown at the fastest rate since January 2017. “The grocery sector grew by €80m over the past 12 weeks – that’s a 3.5% increase on the year before," said Cora Campbell, consumer insight director at Kantar Worldpanel. (esmmagazine.com)
Safeway enrolls 11 stores in sustainability pilot
Safeway has enrolled 11 of its stores in Manomet's Grocery Stewardship Certification (GSC) program, making them the first stores in California to pilot the program. By joining the program, grocers show their commitment to incorporating operational sustainability best practices in stores, reducing their environmental impact and saving resources. This helps retailers save money, which, in turn, helps keep prices down for shoppers. (progressivegrocer.com)
Carrefour to expand further in Georgia
A new deal signed by the Wissol Group and Majid Al Futtaim Retail, which has a franchise arrangement with Carrefour, will see further supermarket openings for the French chain in Georgia, where it began trading in 2012, reports The Financial. At the outset, this partnership will lead to the opening of a supermarket in a new Batumi City shopping centre in the second half of July. The new store will occupy 2,500 square metres of floor space, and retail over 15,000 products. (esmmagazine.com)
US: Meyers out as SpartanNash CFO
Chris Meyers, who became CFO of SpartanNash a little more than a year ago, is resigning from the distributor effective July 14. Spartan, in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, said Meyers was leaving for “personal reasons but included no further details on the circumstances of his resignation. The company said its board has named Thomas Van Hall to serve as interim CEO while it searches for a replacement. (supermarketnews.com)
The Summer that would save Agrokor from decay may never come
The annual invasion of tourists was supposed to offer a financial reprieve for the biggest retailer in scenic Croatia. Instead, this summer is shaping up as another source of grief in Agrokor’s spiralling crisis, which has threatened economies across the Balkans. Please, click here to read more at Bloomberg.
The first Carrefour Market store has begun operating in the Ivory Coast, following the opening of a hypermarket in the West African nation in 2015. The new store is located in the PlaYce Palmeraie shopping centre. The 2,400 square-metre retail unit offers branded as well as private label goods, and features produce from around 200 local suppliers. (esmmagazine.com) SuperValu remains top supermarket in Ireland: Kantar Worldpanel
Irish retailer SuperValu has retained its position at the top supermarket in the country, according to the latest figures from Kantar Worldpanel. The figures for the 12 weeks ending 18 June 2017 also reveal that the Irish grocery market has grown at the fastest rate since January 2017. “The grocery sector grew by €80m over the past 12 weeks – that’s a 3.5% increase on the year before," said Cora Campbell, consumer insight director at Kantar Worldpanel. (esmmagazine.com) Safeway enrolls 11 stores in sustainability pilot
Safeway has enrolled 11 of its stores in Manomet's Grocery Stewardship Certification (GSC) program, making them the first stores in California to pilot the program. By joining the program, grocers show their commitment to incorporating operational sustainability best practices in stores, reducing their environmental impact and saving resources. This helps retailers save money, which, in turn, helps keep prices down for shoppers. (progressivegrocer.com) Carrefour to expand further in Georgia
A new deal signed by the Wissol Group and Majid Al Futtaim Retail, which has a franchise arrangement with Carrefour, will see further supermarket openings for the French chain in Georgia, where it began trading in 2012, reports The Financial. At the outset, this partnership will lead to the opening of a supermarket in a new Batumi City shopping centre in the second half of July. The new store will occupy 2,500 square metres of floor space, and retail over 15,000 products. (esmmagazine.com) US: Meyers out as SpartanNash CFO
Chris Meyers, who became CFO of SpartanNash a little more than a year ago, is resigning from the distributor effective July 14. Spartan, in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, said Meyers was leaving for “personal reasons but included no further details on the circumstances of his resignation. The company said its board has named Thomas Van Hall to serve as interim CEO while it searches for a replacement. (supermarketnews.com) The Summer that would save Agrokor from decay may never come
The annual invasion of tourists was supposed to offer a financial reprieve for the biggest retailer in scenic Croatia. Instead, this summer is shaping up as another source of grief in Agrokor’s spiralling crisis, which has threatened economies across the Balkans. Please, click here to read more at Bloomberg. 
