US retail giant Target's CEO Brian Cornell on Tuesday played down Amazon's massive deal to acquire grocery chain Whole Foods, arguing that it "validates" his company's business model. "It wasn't a surprise that that deal took place," Cornell told a forum at the Fortune Brainstorm Tech conference in Aspen, Colorado. "It really validates what we've been talking about for almost four years now. For Amazon I think there's a recognition that a physical store and proximity is important to the consumer." Cornell said Target has been focusing on both online and in-store sales, expecting this will help the large Wal-Mart rival navigate the current troubles in retail. (phys.org)'H-E-B was potential acquisition target for Amazon'
Brittain Ladd, who until February led the expansion of the AmazonFresh grocery business, tells CultureMap that while he was an executive at Amazon, he suggested both H-E-B and Whole Foods as potential acquisition targets for the e-commerce giant. “I don’t know if Amazon executives ever seriously considered buying H-E-B, but all of the executives I spoke to agreed that H-E-B could be a viable acquisition target,” says Ladd. (houston.culturemap.com) Amazon's new meal kit is already selling
An Amazon Prime member told GeekWire that he has purchased and tested the company's new meal kit. The Seattle-based Prime member said that the Amazon service currently offers 17 different meals. CNBC was unable to replicate the search, which could mean that Amazon is currently only testing it certain locations. (cnbc.com) US: Target's chief sounds alarm on pullback by Hispanic shoppers
Target Corp. CEO Brian Cornell is sounding alarm bells over the
state of Hispanic shoppers in the U.S. -- a key growth demographic for many retailers and consumer brands. “The Hispanic consumer in the U.S. is shopping much less,” Cornell said at the Fortune Brainstorm Tech event Tuesday in Aspen, Colorado. “They are staying home. They are going out less often.” (esmmagazine.com) Finland: Kesko reports comparable sales growth of 1.6% in June
Finnish retailer Kesko has announced that sales decreased by 3.5% in June 2017 to €971.3mln. However, the company notes that this represents a growth of 1.6% in comparable terms in local currencies. Sales in the grocery trade totalled €456.5mln in June, representing a decrease of 5.3%. However, grocery sales including the comparable stores of Suomen Lähikauppa amounted to €444.4mln with 0.7% growth. (esmmagazine.com) Carrefour Italia posts €400m losses over three year period
Carrefour's Italian arm recorded losses of €203mln last year, with the retailer reporting total losses of around €400mln in the three-year period from 2014 to 2016, reports Il Sole 24 Ore. Last year, turnover at Carrefour Italia stood at €4.85bn, down from €4.9bn in 2015, with the retailer posting gross operating margin of €59mln (-€21.7mln) and EBIT of -€5.5mln. However, a positive trend has been observed in the first half of 2017, with revenues rising by 2% to €2.72bn. (esmmagazine.com) South Africa's Shoprite says H2 remains challenging
South African supermarket group Shoprite said on Tuesday that trading conditions in its local market, where the economy is in recession, remained challenging in the second half of its financial year, sending its shares lower. "The challenging trading conditions in South Africa continued in the second half of the year and the South African supermarket operation increased sales by 10.1%," the company said in a trading update. But it said on a "like-for-like basis" - a comparison which usually excludes the affects of expansion or acquisition - sales increased by a more moderate 6.9%. Elsewhere in Africa, Shoprite said it recorded sales growth of 13.5%. (Reuters)Bompard becomes head of supermarket retailer Carrefour
Carrefour, the world's second-largest retailer, said on Tuesday that its board had appointed Alexandre Bompard as its new chairman and CEO with immediate effect. Bompard, 44, who was until now CEO of consumer electronics retailer Fnac Darty, succeeds Georges Plassat, who had been at the helm of Carrefour since 2012. In a statement, Carrefour thanked Plassat for his work at the company and wished success to Bompard. (Reuters)Carrefour prices Brazil's largest IPO in four years at bottom of range
Grupo Carrefour Brasil SA on Tuesday priced Brazil's largest initial public offering in four years at 15 reais per share, the bottom of a suggested price range, according to a securities filing late on Tuesday. Reuters had reported the pricing earlier in the day citing sources familiar with the matter. (Reuters)Carrefour opens first Supeco discount store In Italy
French retailer Carrefour has opened its first Superco discount store in Italy, located in Trofarello near Turin, reports La Repubblica. The new store offers fresh produce, a deli, grill, bakery, and butcher counter. Carrefour plans to open another Supeco store in Borgomanero near Novara and, again, it will replace a Carrefour hypermarket. (esmmagazine.com)Jerónimo Martins expands Ara store network in Colombia
Portuguese retail group Jerónimo Martins has purchased five new stores in Colombia, where operates the Ara supermarket chain, reports El Tiempo. Of the five new supermarket outlets recently acquired by the group, two are in Bogotá, two in Cudinamarca and one in Boyacá. (esmmagazine.com) The Co-Operative expands local sourcing programme
UK retailer the Co-operative is rolling out its local sourcing programme across the country, following a successful pilot in Yorkshire. New programmes are being introduced in Lancashire, Cheshire, Cornwall, Devon, Wales, Avon and Somerset, as the retailer aims to double its number of local suppliers. (esmmagazine.com) Denmark: Dansk Supermarked to open newly designed Netto stores
Dansk Supermarked has announced that it will start opening its new Netto outlets this week, after acquiring 81 former Kiwi stores from Dagrofa last month. In the coming months, the retailer will open over 40 Netto stores across Denmark with a new design concept. This week sees the opening of outlets in Odense, Odder, and Ullerslev. (esmmagazine.com) Coop Danmark opens vegetarian departments in Irma stores
Coop Danmark, has announced that it is introducing special departments with only vegetarian and vegan products in its Irma supermarkets, featuring approximately 150 different items. (esmmagazine.com)India: Flipkart plans to take on online grocery retailers
Ahead of the commercial launch of its grocery delivery service, Flipkart is planning to launch a pilot phase in several cities of India in order to cope-up with the rival Amazon. Currently, it is running its pilot in Bengaluru. With the pilot testing, the company is expecting to get very innovative and unique propositions that today India does not have. The e-commerce giant is looking at the food and groceries sector to increase repeatability of orders made by customers, thereby boosting their loyalty and the overall spend on its platform. (theindianwire.com) 
