US: Jewel-Osco kicks off tts F.A.B Women program
Albertsons Co.'s Jewel-Osco launched its F.A.B (food and beverage) Women program to recognize both the women within Jewel-Osco and the women-owned businesses whose products are on the grocer's shelves. The first event took place June 26 at a Jewel-Osco location in Westmont, Illinois, and featured two panel discussions, product sampling, live music, raffles and more. The first panel was on "Women Making an Impact" and was moderated by Karianne Gomez of the Network of Executive Women. It included Michelle Speziale, director of customer development at E. & J. Gallo Winery; Lindsey Hickey, president of Simek's; and Merry Green, founder of the Black Women's Expo.
Source: progressivegrocer.com
Canada: Farm Boy helps lift sales at Sobeys
Food retail sales climbed at Sobeys Inc. for its 2019 fourth quarter and fiscal year, while parent Empire Company Ltd. topped analysts’ earnings estimates for both periods. For the quarter ended May 4, Sobeys tallied food retail sales of $6.22bln (Canadian), up 5.7% from $5.89bln a year earlier. Stellarton, Nova Scotia-based Empire attributed the gain to a stronger performance across the business and the $800mln acquisition of the Farm Boy chain, which closed in December.
Source: supermarketnews.com
US: Walmart quashes local grocery competition, report says
Walmart captures 50% or more of grocery sales in 43 metropolitan areas and 160 smaller markets across the U.S., according to a new analysis from the Institute for Local Self-Reliance (ILSR) that examined spending data from 2018. In 38 of the regions studied, Walmart has a share of 70% or more of the grocery market in places such as Joplin, Missouri (71%) and Bismarck, North Dakota (83%). The report found that nationally, one out of every four U.S. grocery dollars go to Walmart - more than the market share of the next five largest supermarket chains combined.
Source: grocerydive.com
Amsterdam courts provisionally rule in favour of Spar International in Poland case
Spar International has 'welcomed' the decision of the courts in Amsterdam to provisionally reject a claim by Spar Polska over the termination of its licence agreement in Poland. In a statement issued by Spar International, the retailer said that in provisional proceedings, the Court took the decision that the termination of the licence agreement was judged to be 'reasonable and fair'. As a result of the ruling, Spar Polska will be ordered to pay the costs of the provisional proceedings.
Source: esmmagazine.com
Australia: Woolworths plans store restructure and addition of two new departments
Woolworths will revamp its store operating model for the first time since 2011, to put a greater focus on fresh food, convenience and customer service to suit changing customer needs. The supermarket briefed team members about the implementation of the store model which will see the creation of two new fresh food departments at stores in the coming months. Fresh Service will manage customer service at the deli, butchery and seafood counters while Fresh Convenience will cover dairy, eggs, pre-pack meat, branded bread and meal solutions. “Over the last few years our customers’ needs have changed, but the way we have been operating our stores has stayed the same”, Claire Peters, managing director, Woolworths Supermarkets said.
Source: retailnews.asia
Vietnam: Saigon Co.op takes over Auchan retail system
The Saigon Union of Trading Co-operatives (Saigon Co.op) will take over 18 stores and entire e-commerce retail system of France’s Auchan Retail in Vietnam under a merger and acquisition deal reached between two sides on late June 27. As for the three operating supermarkets, Saigon Co.op will maintain Auchan brand until February 2020, while the 15 supermarkets in Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi and Tay Ninh, which were closed, will be renovated and put into operation under Saigon Co.op brands of Co.opmart, Co.opXtra and Finelife.
Source: en.vietnamplus.vn
OneCart launches grocery shopping platform in South Africa
OneCart has launched a new e-commerce grocery website and mobile application that allow users to shop by category across multiple stores. Products can be filtered according to dietary preferences, allowing for a more tailor-made shopping experience. Founded by Lynton Peter’s and Ariel Navarro in 2016, the South African startup launched to the public in 2018. The online grocery e-commerce platform boasts personalization features including cultural and lifestyle shopping such as Halaal, Kosher, Vegan, Paleo and Banting AI understanding. The start-up has grown in the last year, with the addition of retail giants like Woolworths, Pick n Pay, CNA, Food Lovers Market and speciality stores such as Jacksons Real Food Market and Fruits & Roots.
Source: itnewsafrica.com
France: Casino Group has completed the sale of 3 hypermarkets, 11 Casino supermarkets and 16 Leader Price stores
Following the signature at the beginning of the year of purchase agreements with Leclerc members, Groupement des Mousquetaires and Lidl, Casino Group announces that it has completed the sale transactions relating to: the hypermarket of Dole (39) to Leclerc; the hypermarkets of Nevers (58) and Montauban (82) to Groupement des Mousquetaires; 11 Casino supermarkets (including 6 franchises) and 16 Leader Price stores (including 7 franchises) to Lidl. On this occasion, Casino received 58mln euros.
Source: globenewswire.com
Alibaba breaks up Benelux
Roland Palmer will be stepping down as CEO of Alibaba in the Benelux, and he will be the last one to have held that position: the region will be broken up, with Belgium and Luxemburg being assigned to France. Palmer has been managing director Benelux since 2016, as well as the head of Alibaba's payment service AliPay for the EMEA zone, and will be focusing on the latter. The former Blokker CEO will be (partially) succeeded by David Lloyd, who will become managing director of Alibaba in the Netherlands as well as the director of Alipay England and Scandinavia, according to RetailNews. Belgium and Luxembourg will be split off and become part of the French branch.
Source: retaildetail.eu
Gruppo VéGé emerges as market leader in three Italian regions
Italian retail distribution group Gruppo VéGé has emerged as a market leader in the Sicily, Campania and Basilicata regions. The company secured the second spot in Sardinia and Veneto, reports the daily La Stampa. Gruppo VéGé, which is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year, is aiming for further growth, especially in areas where it does not have a significant presence, namely the North West, the Centre and the Adriatic Coast. According to CEO Giorgio Santambrogio, Gruppo VéGé should close 2019 with a like-for-like turnover of €7.5bln, from €6.5bln in 2018.
Source: esmmagazine.com
Swiss retailer Migros puts department stores up for sale
Migros, Switzerland’s second-biggest retailer, wants to sell off its Globus department stores and Depot and Interio home furnishings businesses to focus more on core operations and online commerce, the cooperative company said. The company is also looking for new owners for its m-way electric bicycle business, it said after concluding there were few overlaps with its food retail operations. “Our extensive analysis has shown that these businesses have better chances of success outside of the Migros Group”, Chief Executive Fabrice Zumbrunnen said in a statement. Migros said it wanted to focus on supermarkets as well as expanding its convenience stores, digital sales channels and health operations.
Source: reuters.com
South Africa: Steinhoff demands 70mln from former CEO and CFO
South African holding Steinhoff International demands at least 53mln euros from its former CEO Markus Jooste. The group believes he personally shares responsibility for the accounting scandal that nearly destroyed Steinhoff. Steinhoff has now subpoenaed its former CEO Jooste and former CFO Ben La Grange. Along with a handful of other people involved, the holding considers both to be responsible for the huge accounting scandal that erupted in May 2017 after the concern's profits and valuation had been found out to be boosted artificially for years. In total, a fraud worth 6.5bln euros was committed, according to an independent report from PwC. Since then, the group's stock market value plummeted by 97%.
Source: retaildetail.eu
