Germany's Aldi Nord to shorten opening hours to cut energy bill
German discount grocery store chain Aldi Nord will shorten opening hours at numerous branches from November in a bid to save energy costs, the company said. ALDI Nord is the first food retailer in Germany to adjust opening hours at numerous stores and thereby play an active part in saving energy, the company said on Twitter.
Source: reuters.com
SPAR Gran Canaria reopens two stores in answer to quality, service, and sustainability
SPAR Gran Canaria maintains its commitment to quality and service by developing more efficient and environmentally friendly supermarkets. The 500m² SPAR Tomas Miller Supermarket now enjoys a larger retail space that provides a more comfortable shopping experience. The store stands out for the exclusive areas dedicated to fresh across the fruit and vegetable, butchery, delicatessen, bakery, fish, and ready made meals sections. SPAR Luís Doreste Silva Supermarket has a completely modern and updated image, both inside and out, with a larger retail space. This 600m² SPAR store stands out for the exclusive areas dedicated to fresh local produce, fruit and vegetables, bakery, butchery, and delicatessen.
Source: spar-international.com
Deliveroo to leave the Netherlands for good
At the end of November, Deliveroo will definitely put a stop to its operations in the Netherlands. The delivery platform sees no opportunities to establish a strong market position in the country.
Source: retaildetail.eu
South Korea: Convenience stores expand fresh produce sections
Convenience stores are expanding their fresh food sections to attract more people living alone who want to purchase vegetables and fruits in small amounts, according to company officials. In 2021, Seven Eleven launched a private brand called "Seven Farm" to supply fresh produce to its 1,300 convenience stores in the country. This helped Seven Eleven's sales in May and June last year increase three times compared to a year ago. The company plans to increase the number of specialty stores selling Seven Farm products to 2,000 within this year. GS25 also operates its private brand of fresh produce in collaboration with GS Retail's supermarket firm. This helped the convenience store to directly purchase products from local farms and reduce their unit price. GS25's fresh food sales last month increased 41.3% year-on-year.
Source: koreatimes.co.kr
UK: Sainsbury's tops supermarket table for healthy, sustainable food efforts
Sainsbury’s has topped the supermarket table for its health and sustainability commitments, according to The Food Foundation’s inaugural report. The first ever annual report analysing the State of the Nation’s Food Industry has identified Britain’s best and worst performing supermarkets, caterers and restaurant chains in its league table of what businesses are doing to promote healthy, sustainable food. The Food Foundation is now calling on the government to introduce a mandatory scheme for all large UK food businesses to report on sales of fruit and vegetables, sales of high fat salt and sugar foods, plant and meat-based proteins, and the amount of unsold food which is thrown away.
Source: grocerygazette.co.uk
The Simple Root, a vegetable-first, plant-based brand is now available online
The Simple Root™, the innovative and exciting veggie-first plant-based food brand, is now available from the grocery delivery websites Plantbelly and igourmet.
Source: businesswire.com
World’s largest meal kit company will lay off hundreds of Bay Area workers
HelloFresh, the food delivery company made rich off the millennial fascination with meal prepping and convenience, will not renew the lease at its Richmond plant. As of December 11, the factory located at 2041 Factory Street will close and terminate 611 positions including 389 production associates. According to the San Francisco Business Times, Grocery Delivery E-Services USA Inc., which conducts business as HelloFresh, filed the closure notice on October 10.
Source: sf.eater.com
US: New survey from ProducePay reveals majority of growers and buyers agree price volatility is biggest growth hurdle
ProducePay, the marketplace transforming the global produce industry into a more connected and sustainable supply chain, released findings of a national survey that examined the day-to-day challenges of U.S. produce growers and buyers. ProducePay’s survey findings shine a light on the immediate needs around improving efficiency and profitability in the produce supply chain - particularly as the industry contends with record inflation, rising production costs, supply chain disruptions, and extreme weather events.
Source: businesswire.com
US: GrubMarket expands further on the West Coast through the acquisition of Rainfield Marketing Group
GrubMarket announced it has completed the acquisition of Vernon, California-based Rainfield Marketing Group, a well-known and highly respected fresh produce company that provides the highest quality fruits, vegetables, and Asian specialty items sourced from some of the most prominent suppliers across the U.S., Mexico, and Korea, among other global locations. Rainfield Marketing Group currently operates in California, selling to hundreds of large grocery retailers, multi-unit restaurant groups, foodservice companies, and wholesale customers across the U.S., and has a strong reputation as a leader in food safety practices.
Source: prnewswire.com
Plant-based Babybel cheese arrives in Canada as company looks to expand dairy-free offering
Bel Canada Group is bringing its plant-based Babybel cheese to Canada as it looks to achieve a 50-50 split between dairy and fruit- and plant-based products by 2030. The news follows the company’s acquisition of Mom Group, makers of GoGo squeeZ fruit pouches, the acquisition of All In Foods, and the launch of Nurishh and Boursin dairy-free products in Canada.
Source: canadiangrocer.com
US: Whole Foods Market forecasts top 10 food trends for 2023
Whole Foods Market’s Trends Council unveiled their top 10 anticipated food trends for 2023 in the retailer’s eighth-annual Trends predictions. Yaupon-infused beverages, produce packed pastas, repurposed pulp and climate-conscious callouts are among the food trends expected to rise in popularity in the next year.
Source: businesswire.com
US: Natural Grocers® announces results from second annual "Best of the Best" customer survey
Natural Grocers®, the largest family-operated organic and natural grocery retailer in the U.S., is pleased to announce the results of its second annual "Best of the Best" customer survey. Last month, customers voted in Natural Grocers' second annual "Best of the Best" customer survey, answering 6 questions to rank their favorite Natural Grocers Brand Products. The Natural Grocers Brand Product (NGBP) line was first introduced in 2016 and presently includes over 800 high-quality products, exclusively available at Natural Grocers stores. Natural Grocers also asked customers to weigh in on their favorite 100% organic fruit or vegetable.
Source: prnewswire.com
Competing for fresh-perimeter dollars
For lower-income consumers, fresh produce in particular is a priority - and an area of growth for stores in lower-income areas, according to a September report from IRI.
Source: winsightgrocerybusiness.com
Eat & Beyond subsidiary Banana Wave secures distribution agreement with Hannaford Bros.
Eat & Beyond Global Holdings Inc. (“Eat & Beyond” or the “Company”), an investment issuer focused on food technology and the global plant-based and alternative protein sector, is announcing that its wholly-owned subsidiary, Banana Wave, has secured distribution in 178 Hannaford Bros. stores, set to kick off this quarter. “Banana Wave, which we completed the acquisition of earlier this year, is a truly unique brand in the dairy alternatives space: it is the world’s first non-dairy banana milk”, said Michael Aucoin, CEO of Eat & Beyond.
Source: globenewswire.com