Italy: Maiora Despar Centro Sud to open 40 new stores in 2023
Large-scale regional retailer Maiora Despar Centro Sud is planning over 70 store openings and the renovation of existing stores over the course of 2023, reports daily Il Sole 24 Ore. The company is investing more than €20mln this year, out of the €100mln earmarked in its 2021 to 2025 business plan. The plan anticipates the opening of 40 new stores, including both directly and indirectly managed outlets, and the renovation of 32 stores.
Source: esmmagazine.com
Spanish breakfasts getting healthier, Nestlé study finds
Over the last ten years, breakfast is the meal that has seen the most changes in Spain as more people opt for fruits over biscuits and pastries, according to a study published by Nestlé. Fruit consumption with the first meal of the day has increased to 20% from 7% a decade ago.
Source: esmmagazine.com
Denmark's Salling Group completes 'Basalt' discount store trial
Denmark's Salling Group has said that it does not plan to continue to operate its Basalt discount banner, bringing to an end a trial that commenced in autumn of last year.
Source: esmmagazine.com
Spain: Bene Bono raises €7mln and takes a stand against food waste as it ventures into Barcelona
Bene Bono, the startup that saves organic fruits and vegetables rejected by major supermarkets for aesthetic reasons, is commencing its operations in Barcelona after successfully raising a substantial amount of funding. With an impressive investment of €7mln, Bene Bono is set to tackle the issue of food waste head-on. The primary objective of the company is to rescue and salvage over 7 tonnes of imperfect fruits and vegetables every week, contributing to the reduction of unnecessary food disposal.
Source: eu-startups.com
Cost of living: Food inflation slows in May - but still rises 15.4% year-on-year
Research by the British Retail Consortium (BRC) and Nielsen shows a 15.4% rise in food inflation in the year to May. The group's chief executive, Helen Dickinson, said there was reason to believe food inflation "might be peaking". She said the slowing was likely a result of lower energy and commodity costs beginning to filter through to lower prices on some staples, such as butter, milk, fruit, and fish.
Source: news.sky.com
UK's Asda to buy EG petrol stations unit in $2.9bln deal
British supermarket Asda said it would buy the bulk of petrol station operator EG Group's UK and Ireland business to speed up its move into the convenience sector, creating a company with combined revenue of nearly 30bln pounds ($38bln). Asda, Britain's third-largest grocer, and EG are both owned by brothers Zuber and Mohsin Issa and private equity group TDR Capital. The unit of around 350 petrol stations and over 1,000 food-to-go locations will be valued at 2.27bln pounds.
Source: reuters.com
The small grocer taking on New Zealand’s supermarket duopoly
While the big supermarkets still hold most of the power when it comes to New Zealanders’ grocery shopping, there are a few smaller grocers making their mark on the industry. Here’s how Huckleberry, with three stores across Auckland, is aiming to claim a slice of the grocery pie. When you walk into a Huckleberry - stocked with copious nut butters, certified organic vegetables, locally-produced cheese and competitively priced fair trade bananas - it’s something quite unlike your usual supermarket experience. There’s an emphasis on producers and where the kai has travelled from - especially in the fruit and vegetable section.
Source: thespinoff.co.nz
MAXIMA GRUPĖ concluded financing agreements for the total amount of 100mln EUR
MAXIMA GRUPĖ, UAB (hereinafter - „the Company“) informs, that it has concluded financing agreements for the total amount of 100mln EUR. The contracts have been concluded with companies AB SEB bankas and Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken AB (amount of 50mln EUR) and "Swedbank“, AB (amount of 50mln EUR). According to Agnė Voverė, CEO of MAXIMA GRUPĖ, the main direction of the company continues to be the development of retail chains managed by the group in Poland and Bulgaria.
Source: globenewswire.com
India: FoodTech startup Pluckk appoints Mamaearth’s Market Place Head - Kunwarjeet Grover as Head of Growth
Pluckk, a leading food-tech-direct to consumer company, focussed on farm to fork fresh produce, announced the appointment of Mr. Kunwarjeet Grover as Head of Growth. Speaking on the occasion, Kunwarjeet Grover said: "I am honoured and excited to join Pluckk as Head of Growth. The fresh produce industry is the fastest growing and largest penetrated category. Pluckk is an emerging leader and with the right value proposition we aim to create an industry first story in the fresh food tech category. I look forward to working closely with the talented teams at Pluckk and leveraging innovative strategies to drive remarkable outcomes and propel the company to new heights”.
Source: indianweb2.com
Australia: How to reduce food wastage by buying ugly fruit and vegetables
Joshua Ball and Josh Brooks-Duncan are two Melbourne-based friends who established Farmers Pick in 2020. It's a company that "rescues" mis-shapen produce and sells it directly to the consumer. In three years they've saved more than 1.3mln kilograms of produce. "One that stands out to me is that we have at least two tonnes of bananas delivered every week, or about 15,000 individual bananas", says Ball. "They are rejected because they are cut off from the bunch when they are picked so that supermarkets have perfect bunches to sell. But these 'singles' are dumped in the field and don't find their way to a home. They are perfect bananas, and you couldn't tell the difference between them and one presented in a bunch. How crazy!"
Source: canberratimes.com.au
India: Shilpa Shetty Kundra invests in omni-channel ‘Farm-to-Fork’ startup ‘Kisankonnect’
Shilpa Shetty-Kundra has invested an undisclosed amount in Mumbai - based Kisankonnect. Founded in 2020, Kisankonnect sources directly from its network of 5,000 members through it village level collection-centers and delivers it conveniently to consumers of Mumbai and Pune.
Source: economictimes.indiatimes.com
Deliveroo boss says Careem’s controversial AED1 refund per minute delay policy sends the wrong message
Careem’s controversial AED1 per minute of delay on food delivery is sending out the wrong message, Deliveroo’s General Manager for the Middle East said in an interview with Arabian Business.
Source: arabianbusiness.com
The new Grocery Code of Conduct should benefit both Canadians and the food industry
The code of conduct is currently being drafted by grocers, suppliers and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, a government department focused on the country’s agriculture and agri-food sector. The grocery code of conduct is still in development. The draft seems to prioritize resolving disputes, rather than making long-term structural changes to the way the supply chain operates.
Source: theconversation.com
US: Misfits Market is moving its HQ from the Philly region to Baltimore
After five years of building produce and grocery delivery company Misfits Market in the Philadelphia region, the company is slated to move its headquarters to a spot just south of Baltimore.
Source: technical.ly