US: Trader Joe’s workers vote for union in California, reject union in New York
Workers at a Trader Joe’s in Oakland, California, voted in favor of unionizing late last week, becoming the fourth store to do so since last summer. A union vote at the grocer’s Essex Crossing store in New York City, however, ended in a tie and did not receive the necessary 50%-plus one of the votes to succeed.
Source: winsightgrocerybusiness.com
US: United Natural Foods launches Climate Action Partnership to encourage suppliers to set validated climate goals
United Natural Foods, Inc., (“UNFI”), the largest publicly-traded grocery wholesaler and distributor in the U.S., announced the launch of its Climate Action Partnership to encourage UNFI’s suppliers to make credible climate commitments.
Source: businesswire.com
US: Portland Co-Op to close after 50 years
The cooperative grocer Food Front is shuttering its store in Portland, Oregon, after 50 years in the community, at least temporarily. The closing was revealed in a letter from the board of directors posted on the co-op’s website.
Source: progressivegrocer.com
US: Save A Lot operator Yellow Banana wraps up Chicagoland store investment
Save A Lot owner and operator Yellow Banana LLC has closed $26.5mln in financing for five store upgrades and one store reopening in food deserts on the South and West Sides of Chicago, the grocery operator announced.
Source: winsightgrocerybusiness.com
Aldi, Lidl continue to outperform rest of UK grocery market: Kantar
The latest market share data from Kantar for the UK market shows that Aldi and Lidl continue to outperform the competition, with Lidl reporting a 25.1% increase in sales in the 12 weeks to 16 April, and Aldi seeing sales rise 25.0%.
Source: esmmagazine.com
Top 10 supermarket retail chains in Switzerland
Here's an overview of the top ten supermarket retail chains in Switzerland, according to their most recently-available full-year turnover. All data is supplied by Retail-Index (www.retail-index.com) 1. Coop turnover: €30.4bln (2021); 2. Migros turnover: €27.7bln (2021); 3. Denner turnover: €3.68bln (2022); 4. Manor turnover: €2.5bln (2021); 5. Aldi turnover: €2.1bln (2021); 6. Volg turnover: €1.5bln (2021); 7. Prodega / Growa / Transgourmet turnover: €1.4bln (2020); 8. Lidl turnover: €1.35bln (2020); 9. SPAR turnover: €613mln (2021); 10. OTTO's turnover: N/A.
Source: esmmagazine.com
UK: Planet Organic founder Elliott returns to spearhead rescue deal
Renee Elliott, the founder of Planet Organic, is returning to spearhead a rescue deal for the supermarket chain she launched in 1995. Sky News has learnt that Ms Elliott has agreed to lead a takeover of Planet Organic in a deal expected to be finalised on Tuesday.
Source: news.sky.com
UK: Lidl continues search to secure sites for new stores
Lidl GB has set out its intentions to branch out across the country as it publishes its list of priority locations for new stores. The update comes after Lidl welcomed a record number of new shoppers to its stores in 2022, as over 1.4mln switched to Lidl from other supermarkets in a bid to get the best value produce.
Source: talkingretail.com
Denmark: Coop reports full-year loss following 'large' investments
Coop Denmark reported a loss of DKK628mln (€84.2mln) across its operations in its financial year 2022, which it described as 'the worst year ever' for the group and its independent co-operative associations. However, revenue for the period amounted to DKK46.9bln (€6.3bln) excluding VAT, registering growth of 2% year-on-year.
Source: esmmagazine.com
Holland: Albert Heijn distribution centre workers go on strike
Workers at Albert Heijn distribution centres have gone on strike over pay, which may result in empty supermarket shelves. Workers at Geldermalsen, Pijnacker and at the AH headquarters in Zaandam downed tools on Sunday following the supermarket’s refusal to agree to a 14.3% raise and an extra net €100 a month. Albert Heijn is not prepared to go beyond 6% and another 2% from January.
Source: dutchnews.nl
UK: Mrs Elswood to debut fermented crunchy vegetable range
Empire Bespoke Foods, the speciality food importer, distributor and brand owner, is launching a duo of fermented crunchy vegetables under the Mrs Elswood brand. The product will be launched in multiple and independent retailers in June 2023.
Source: talkingretail.com
Mileway signs new lease agreement with Picnic as it continues to support the business in scaling its operations across Europe
Mileway, the leading pan-European last mile logistics real estate company, announced that it has signed a new lease agreement with online grocery retailer, Picnic, as the business continues to scale its operations across Europe. The approximately 21,000 sqm space in Bremen, Germany - which was developed speculatively and completed in March 2023 - will be used as Picnic’s main logistics fulfilment centre for the city, as well as to feed products to nearby distribution hubs.
Source: mileway.com
Germany: Losses cause crisis at Aldi
According to the German Handelsblatt, Aldi Nord had a negative operating margin of 1.4% last year, despite a sharp increase in sales. The discounter is reportedly struggling with a “huge cost problem”. CEO Torsten Hufnagel says he is now working on “the biggest restructuring in the company’s history”, to become more efficient. He is putting the brakes on cooperation with sister company Aldi Süd: the previously planned introduction of a joint IT system is being called off.
Source: retaildetail.eu
UK: MPK to convert 11 forecourt sites to Nisa
Nisa and MPK Garages have signed a deal which will see 11 forecourt sites join Nisa over the next three months. The 11 former Morrisons stores are located across England in areas such as Bristol, Worcestershire, Yorkshire, Staffordshire and Derbyshire.
Source: talkingretail.com
Supermarket chain Lenta sees profits slump in Q1
Supermarket chain Lenta’s core profit slumped 62% in the first quarter of 2023 on an annual basis, the retailer said, due to weak consumer demand, high inflation and economic uncertainty. The group said earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortisation (EBITDA) were 2.6bln roubles ($31.9mln) during the period, compared to 6.9bln in the first quarter of 2022.
Source: reuters.com