UK: Lidl crowned cheapest supermarket as competitor 'loyalty' schemes prove up to £9.50 more expensive on a weekly basket
Lidl has once again been named the cheapest supermarket in The Grocer’s ‘Super Grocer 33’, beating all major supermarkets, including Aldi. Lidl offered the cheapest price on 31 products - and exclusively the lowest price for two products across a range of categories, including Bramley Apple Sauce at £0.69 (15p cheaper than the most expensive and 5p cheaper than the next cheapest). Kiwi at £0.99 (£1.51 cheaper than the most expensive and 30p cheaper than the next cheapest).
Source: corporate.lidl.co.uk
Romania: Mega Image invests €25mln in store, warehouse upgrades
Food retailer Mega Image has invested over €25mln in renovating and modernising its stores and warehouses. The retailer collaborates with over 300 local producers, who delivered 28,600 tonnes of fruit and vegetables last year.
Source: esmmagazine.com
Italian grocery ‘soonicorn’ Everli is being sold for €1, according to leaked document
Online grocery platform Everli - once valued at more than €450mln - is being sold to an unknown buyer for €1 after facing a liquidity crisis and failing to raise funds. According to an investor update seen by Sifted, Milan-based Everli’s backers have been forced to fully write down their investment in the company.
Source: sifted.eu
New Zealand: Bumper veggie supply brings value for shoppers, but freight disruptions continue
Lower food prices due to bumper crops can be seen in data showing sharp declines in the prices of many veggies in January, but freight disruptions are continuing due to geopolitical events. Many fresh food favorites like tomatoes and avocados decreased in price, though, year-on-year - some by over 20% - which Foodstuffs’ experts put down to bumper produce supply at the right time of year. Foodstuffs NZ’s Managing Director, Chris Quin, says the co-ops’ ongoing efforts to keep prices as low as possible for shoppers have been assisted by this year’s long, warm summer.
Source: foodstuffs.co.nz
Ireland: 70% of ALDI sales to come from healthier food options by 2025
ALDI Ireland voted the most sustainable supermarket in the country according to the 2023 RepTrak Sustainability Index, is announcing a significant milestone. The release of its inaugural sustainability report includes ambitious packaging targets and a pledge that 70% of its sales will come from healthier food options by 2025.
Source: aldipresscentre.ie
Retailers demand more action from EU to resolve Red Sea crisis
European retail industry body EuroCommerce called on European Union institutions and member states to resolve the Red Sea crisis that has disrupted trade, saying in a letter to Belgium's foreign minister that it has already had 'massive impacts' on businesses.
Source: esmmagazine.com
Ireland: Lidl announces €1.6bln worth of goods and services procured from Irish suppliers in 2023Lidl Ireland has announced that more than €1.6bln worth of goods and services was procured from Irish suppliers and business partners by the retailer in 2023. Lidl continues to give Irish producers unrivaled access to local and international markets, supporting the growth and success of Irish produce worldwide.
Source: corporate.lidl.ie
Germany: Galeria claims “multiple interested parties” for complete takeover
Galeria Karstadt Kaufhof says there is quite some interest in a (near) complete takeover. The German department store group is now entering the second round with parties looking to acquire at least seventy department stores.
Source: retaildetail.eu
Newlat halts talks to buy UK food group Princes
Italy's Newlat said it had halted talks to buy British food group Princes as Japanese seller Mitsubishi Corp rejected a revised proposal for the asset. Newlat said it had submitted a new proposal for Princes to take into account lower demand and price dynamics in a challenging UK market. Princes sells tinned fruit and fish under its own name brand, and other products such as Flora sunflower oil and the Napolina range of Italian-style tomato sauces.
Source: reuters.com
UK: Aldi cuts prices across fruit and veg rangeAldi has lowered its prices on an extensive range of fruit and veg products to help Britain eat well for less. Shoppers at the UK’s cheapest supermarket (Which? annual UK supermarket price comparison, published 7th February 2024) can now enjoy even lower prices on items including berries, grapes, tomatoes, apples, and ready-to-eat salads.
Source: aldipresscentre.co.uk
Australia: Wide Open Agriculture considers selling Dirty Clean Food
Agri-food company Wide Open Agriculture has confirmed that it is considering selling its Dirty Clean Food brand to drive shareholder value. The Kewdale, Western Australia-headquartered company’s Dirty Clean Food operation, is described as a “soil-to-table” brand with a portfolio including various meat products, fruit and vegetables, bakery items, and eggs.
Source: just-food.com
Walmart wraps successful Growth Summit, bringing together buyers and suppliers in India to establish partnerships and advance $10bln export goal
Walmart concluded its inaugural India Growth Summit, an event where export-ready suppliers, innovators, and entrepreneurs representing 24 states and union territories participated in pitch meetings featuring products made, grown, or assembled in India.
Source: corporate.walmart.com
Brazil retail billionaire Abilio Diniz dies at 87
Brazilian billionaire Abilio Diniz, who built an empire in the supermarket retail sector, died on Sunday in Sao Paulo, according to his press office. Diniz played a pivotal role in the history of Brazilian retail, serving most recently as vice-chairman of Carrefour Brasil and as a board member of the French group Carrefour.
Source: reuters.com
US: Aldi opens stores in Illinois and OhioAldi has opened a new store in Belleville, Illinois, and is relocating a store in Elyria, Ohio, the company announced. The Belleville store at 1805 Carlyle Ave. is the discount grocer’s first location in that city. The Elyria store was relocated to 38275 Chestnut Ridge Rd. from another location at 426 Oberlin Rd., the company said.
Source: supermarketnews.com
US Foods reports fourth quarter and fiscal year 2023 earnings
US Foods Holding Corp., one of the largest food service distributors in the United States, announced results for the fourth quarter and full fiscal year 2023. Fourth quarter fiscal 2023 highlights: net sales increased 4.9% to $8.9bln. Gross profit increased 9.4% to $1.6bln. Fiscal year 2023 highlights: net sales increased 4.5% to $35.6bln. Gross profit increased 11.9% to $6.1bln. Subsequent to quarter-end, the company has signed a definitive agreement to acquire IWC Food Service, a broadline distributor that serves the greater Nashville area. Pending regulatory approval, the company is targeting to close the transaction in the second quarter of 2024.
Source: businesswire.com