North America Edition
US: Two Dollar Generals to open down the bayou in Lafourche
Lockport and Golden Meadow have Dollar Generals slated to open this year. Each store will be 10,640 square feet, and they are set to be built by Dorsey Development. Dollar General is rolling out its new building format with fresh produce in mind. As of this month, Dollar General offers fresh fruits and vegetables at 3,900 of its locations and plans to increase that to 5,000 of its stores by January 2024, according to the company's website. The plan is to offer the top 20 most purchased produce items such as lettuce, tomatoes, onions, apples, strawberries, potatoes, sweet potatoes, lemons, limes and salad mixes.
Source: eu.dailycomet.com
US: Quality Custom Distribution expands Southwest foodservice logistics business with 3 new distribution centers to support customers
Frisco, Texas-based Quality Custom Distribution (QCD), a Golden State Foods (GSF) company, has expanded operations in the Southwest U.S. market with two relocations to larger distribution centers in Albuquerque, New Mexico and Las Vegas, as well as a new facility opening this summer in San Antonio, Texas.
Source: prnewswire.com
US: Aldi cuts prices for Independence Day savings
As friends and families plan to gather to celebrate July 4th next week, Illinois-based discount grocer Aldi is offering cutting prices on cookout staples including meat, chips, strawberries, ice cream and more.
Source: storebrands.com
US: Albertsons truckers sue grocer for labor law violations in California
Albertsons is facing a lawsuit filed by a group of transportation workers accusing the Boise, Idaho-based grocer of not properly reimbursing business expenses and of a failure to pay overtime hours worked, among other allegations.
Source: supermarketnews.com
Canada: Circle K owner Couche-Tard sees earnings up in fourth quarter
Alimentation Couche-Tard, which operates the Circle K fuel retail banner, has reported earnings of $670.7mln (€612.8mln) in the fourth quarter of its financial year, up from $477.7mln (€436.5mln) in the corresponding period last year.
Source: esmmagazine.com
US: Kroger sweetens Fourth of July celebrations with dazzling desserts
The Kroger Co. shared its limited edition patriotic sweet treats and desserts to enjoy in celebration of Independence Day. What to make: Recreate Old Glory with angel food cake, whipped cream, strawberries and blueberries. Make your own red, white and blue fruit skewers featuring apples, bananas and black seedless grapes with fruit dip on the side. Build a red, white and blue ice cream trifle layered with vanilla ice cream, cherries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries and crushed graham crackers, topped with whipped cream and drizzle of hot fudge sauce.
Source: prnewswire.com
Austria: SPAR’s effective measures to reduce food waste
SPAR Austria is continuing to pioneer innovative ways to reduce food waste. Recent measures include artificial intelligence for more accurate goods ordering, the use of the Too Good To Go app in INTERSPAR restaurants and selling imperfect fruit and vegetables in a family box for only €3.99.
Source: spar-international.com
Belgium: New Spar Colruyt Group in Veurne opens on 6 July
A new Spar Colruyt Group is to open up in Veurne on Thursday 6 July. The new kitchen will prepare delicious catered meals every day. Another key focus is the freshness of the vegetables and fruit, which are purchased locally in part.
Source: press.colruytgroup.com
Spain angers ride-hailing platforms and drivers with new regulation
The Spanish government angered the ride-hailing transport industry by allowing regions to restrict their activity despite a ruling by the European Union's top court that had overturned a set of local curbs in Barcelona. "We regret the aim is again to impose limits on business activity and not the users' right to get a quality service", Bolt said in a statement.
Source: reuters.com
New Zealand: The Warehouse expands its fresh fruit and vegetable trial
The Warehouse is expanding its fresh fruit and vegetable trial to a further five stores and three new regions. Manukau, Te Rapa (Hamilton), Fraser Cove (Tauranga), Eastgate (Christchurch) and Dunedin South have been added to the list of The Warehouse stores stocking a range of fresh fruit and vegetables, joining Whangārei, Westgate (Auckland), Lyall Bay (Wellington), Riccarton, Timaru, and Invercargill, which have been piloting fresh items since February 2023.
Source: scoop.co.nz
British supermarkets deny profiteering, acting as a cartel
Britain's biggest supermarkets denied profiteering from food inflation or acting as a cartel when questioned about grocery prices by lawmakers. "The UK retail market is the most competitive market", Asda's chief commercial officer Kris Comerford said when asked if the large players acted as a cartel.
Source: reuters.com
Coop Norway cuts food waste by more than 9% in 2022
Coop Norway has reduced food waste by 9.4% year on year in 2022 by implementing price reductions, donations and goods ordering routines. In 2022, Coop Norway tested a new concept for discounting, Matredder'n, in Coop Mega. The campaign resulted in the sales of more than 100 tonnes of fruit and vegetables last year.
Source: esmmagazine.com
India: Lulu Group announces investments worth Rs3,500 crore in Telangana
The UAE-based LuLu Group has announced investments worth Rs3,500 crore in food processing, logistics and retail outlets in Telangana. A state of the art logistics hub and export processing plant for processing fruits, vegetables, millets, pulses and spices is being set up at Shamshabad airport, for which land has already been allotted by the State government.
Source: telanganatoday.com
New Zealand: Startup online supermarket Supie plans for small store, tech-heavy format
Online grocery startup Supie says it has signed up about 55,000 customers, has about 130 staff, is now planning physical stores - and has already mapped out a first location. Supie offers value for consumers every day including on fresh fruit and vegetables, founder Sarah Balle says, by keeping overheads low, getting rid of confusing on-off “sale” pricing, and not investing in competition with New Zealand's food producers with its own-brand products.
Source: interest.co.nz
Norway's Oda to end food delivery service in Germany
Oda, Norway's largest online grocery delivery provider, has announced it is 'phasing out' its food delivery service in Germany. Oda commenced operations in Berlin in mid-February this year and built up a network of 18,000 customers and a turnover of €15mln.
Source: esmmagazine.com
South Africa: Agri-startup profits skyrocket after the Shoprite Group gives them a boost
Agrikool, a small agricultural business, is showing exponential growth after securing a deal with the Shoprite Group, delivering fresh produce worth over R3mln to the retailer in just over a year.
Source: shopriteholdings.co.za
UK: Food prices impacting people’s mental and physical health, Which? finds
Increased grocery prices have worsened the mental health of one in four people (25%), according to new research by Which?. Rising food costs are also having a negative impact on the sleep, diet and overall physical health of people across the UK.
Source: which.co.uk
