Ahold Q2 operating earnings are up 4.4% on US margins, European sales
Supermarket group Ahold Delhaize reported a 4.4% rise in second-quarter underlying operating income, citing good US margins and strong European sales growth. Underlying operating income was 904mln euros ($992mln), topping the 859mln euros expected by analysts in a company-compiled poll. Ahold, which operates the Stop & Shop, Giant, Food Lion, and Hannaford chains in the United States, its biggest market, and the Albert Heijn and Delhaize chains in the Netherlands and Belgium, posted sales up 4.3% at constant exchange rates to 22.1bln euros.
Source: reuters.com
Wholly Veggie: "Rebalancing the plate by getting more than 1 in 10 people eating their daily vegetables"
Wholly Veggie is a Canadian brand working to meet consumer demand for convenient, veg-forward foods. The company aims to democratize healthy food while also benefiting the environment by encouraging the consumption of more plant-based meals.
Source: vegconomist.com
US: Associated Wholesale Grocers prepares to close distribution facilities in Tennessee, Mississippi
Associated Wholesale Grocers' facilities in Memphis will be closed as operations kick into high gear at a Hernando, Mississippi, distribution center, reports the Kansas City Business Journal. Valu Merchandisers Co., a subsidiary of Associated Wholesale Grocers, will shut down operations by October 1. A facility in Southaven, Mississippi, will also close.
Source: supermarketnews.com
US: Conscious™ Foods, a Pairwise brand, partners with food broker RSquared Fresh Solutions in the retail channel
In anticipation of the retail launch of its unique ConsciousTM Greens salad blends, Pairwise has announced a strategic partnership with national retail broker RSquared Fresh Solutions to bring the first CRISPR gene-edited products in the US to retail across the Western United States. The first product from Conscious Greens, a field-grown, baby leaf blend of colorful, flavorful purple and green leaves, launched into the food service channel in May. The RSquared Fresh Solutions partnership signals continued momentum as the products enter retail in the coming months.
Source: pairwise.com
Kroger, Albertsons CEOs tout merger in social media video
Albertsons Cos. CEO Vivek Sankaran and The Kroger Co. Chairman and CEO Rodney McMullen promoted their companies' $24.6 billion merger deal in a video at a King Soopers store.
Source: winsightgrocerybusiness.com
US: 2 Big Y Express locations open in Connecticut
Big Y Foods Inc. has opened its 15th and 16th Big Y Express fuel and convenience stores at 580 Main Street, Somers, Connecticut, and 241 Hazard Avenue, Enfield, Connecticut. These locations bring the total number in the Nutmeg State to six.
Source: progressivegrocer.com
US: Vegan meat company takes a bite out of profits
In the face of dwindling demand for plant-based meat products due to rising living costs, Beyond Meat has suffered a significant setback. The company's revised revenue forecast for 2023 stands between A$550 million and A$580 million, a significant reduction from the earlier projection of A$570 million to A$640 million.
Source: tickernews.co
Alessandro Wolf to succeed Torsten Friedrich as CEO of Lidl Switzerland
Chief executive officer of Lidl Austria, Alessandro Wolf, will succeed Torsten Friedrich as the chief executive of Lidl Switzerland in the summer of 2024. Nicholas Pennanen, the current country manager of Lidl Finland, will take over the management of Lidl Switzerland for one year on an interim basis, the company said in a statement.
Source: esmmagazine.com
Sterling eases as UK consumer spending slows
The pound fell on Tuesday but held above last week's one-month lows after a survey showed British retailers logged their slowest sales growth in 11 months in July, thanks to rainy weather and high inflation. The British Retail Consortium (BRC) said retail sales values rose by 1.5% compared with July last year, less than half the 12-month average growth rate of 3.9% and down from this year's peak of 5.2% in February.
Source: reuters.com
Malaysia: PotboyMart appointing Everyday Fresh Supermarket as operator for offline retail chain
PotboyMart appoints Everyday Fresh Cash & Carry Sdn Bhd as operator to perform and undertake the operation of its 80 Outlets across Klang Valley. Everyday Fresh Cash & Carry Sdn Bhd, which operates 6 neighborhood supermarkets in the Northern Peninsula under the branding of 'Everyday Fresh Supermarket' will enrich the product category to include fresh produces and imported fruits.
Source: malaysiakini.com
SPAR Qatar launches premium supermarket in Doha
Having built up market awareness through six INTERSPAR Hypermarkets, SPAR Qatar sees an opportunity to increase market presence through supermarkets. Tapping into the multi-format retail strategy, which has built up a significant SPAR presence in 48 countries, a SPAR Supermarket opened in Doha. In addition to a grocery offering, customers can enjoy the selection of produce in the fruit and vegetable department.
Source: spar-international.com
UK: Beloved East London greengrocers of 50 years to only open 1 day a week due to constant rising costs
A beloved East London greengrocer has been forced to cut trading to one day per week due to the constant rise in the costs of fresh produce. Herbert Greengrocers, based in Bethnal Green Globe Town Market, will now only be open on Saturdays for the first time in its 49-year existence.
Source: mylondon.news
Coupang to ramp up investment in Taiwan after four quarters of profits
Coupang, a South Korea-headquartered e-commerce company, said it would accelerate its investment in Taiwan after four straight quarters of profits. Coupang was the most downloaded app in the second quarter of this year in Taiwan, the company said in an earnings call.
Source: techcrunch.com
Veg of Lund signs Letter of Intent for distribution and sales of DUG in Italy
Veg of Lund has signed a Letter of Intent ("LOI") with Romagnoli F.lli S.p.A. The companies will cooperate with the common goal of selling, marketing, and distributing Veg of Lund's products under the DUG® brand in Italy.
Source: ir.dugdrinks.com
UK: Cost of living crisis prevents consumers from sustainable food shopping, Varda shows
Varda, the agtech startup founded by Yara, announced the results of its recent survey on consumer attitudes toward food supply chains. The research, which was based on responses from 1,000 consumers in the UK, found that 88% do consider where their food comes from, but only 29% are willing to pay more for food that is sustainably sourced.
Source: retailtimes.co.uk
