Growing the SPAR Brand in China
Since 2008, SPAR Shandong has established a hub and bespoke supply chain network with 16 warehouses supplying fruit & vegetables, chilled products, frozen products and a full range of grocery and snacking products across six regions: Shangdong, Beijing, Hebei, Inner Mongolia, Anhui, Jiangsu. SPAR Guangdong operates a central warehouse and has production facilities in Dongguan. The team focus on working directly with farmers to source fruit & vegetables of the highest quality, delivered to the stores across Guangdong, Dongguan, Mao Ming, Meizhou, Shaoguan provinces daily.
Source: spar-international.com
UK: Warning retail job cuts 'inevitable' after Budget
High Street job losses are "inevitable", prices will rise, and shops will close because of tax rises in the Budget and other rising costs, a group of the biggest retailers in the UK is warning. Tesco, Amazon, Greggs, Next and dozens of other chains are urging the Treasury to reconsider some of the measures. The letter from the businesses belonging to the British Retail Consortium (BRC) said: "The sheer scale of new costs and the speed with which they occur create a cumulative burden that will make job losses inevitable, and higher prices a certainty."
Source: bbc.com
Portugal: MC reports strong Q3 performance despite market challenges
Portuguese retailer MC reported strong operational and financial performance in the third quarter of 2024, surpassing expectations despite intense competition. Third-quarter turnover reached €2.10bln (€5.38bln year-to-date), driven by resilient store formats and the Druni acquisition, boosting MC's position in the Iberian health, wellness, and beauty (HWB) segment. In the food retail division, Continente further consolidated its market share in a very competitive market.
Source: esmmagazine.com
Kestrel Foods lands first UK-wide supermarket listings in Asda
County Armagh based business Kestrel Foods has worked with Asda to secure listings for seven of its premium Forest Feast range into 580 of the retailer's stores across the UK. This follows a recent £2.8mln investment from the snack company, which opened a second site in 2020 to facilitate increased demand for its premium snack range. Founded in 1996, Kestrel Foods has built a reputation for producing innovative, ethically sourced snack products, including dried fruits, nuts, and chocolate-coated treats.
Source: farminglife.com
Auchan Hungary sale receives antitrust nod
The Hungarian Competition Authority (GVH) has approved the sale of Auchan Hungary to entrepreneur Dániel Jellinek. The antitrust nod marks the end of a three-year acquisition process, which saw Jellinek's Biery Investments outbid Hungarian-American-owned Indotek Group for a stake in Auchan Hungary.
Source: esmmagazine.com
Ocado Group's 600 Series Bot: the world's most advanced 3D-industrial printed product
Ocado Group reported: "Ocado's latest-generation fulfilment robot, the 600 Series Bot, introduces an innovative approach. Rather than considering 3D printing as an additional process, we adopted an "additive first" strategy. This led us to design a highly advanced, multi-part, AI-powered industrial robot where 3D printing is central to its overall design. The result is the most advanced 3D-industrial-printed product in the world".
Source: ocadogroup.com
The rise of supermarkets embracing Just Walk Out technology
International Supermarket News reported: "Just Walk Out technology is revolutionising the supermarket industry, offering a seamless shopping experience by eliminating traditional checkouts. This innovation combines artificial intelligence, advanced sensors, and cameras to allow customers to pick items and leave without waiting in line".
Source: internationalsupermarketnews.com
Plantible Foods raises $30mln Series B to scale duckweed protein, deliver on 'multi-million dollar offtake agreements'
Plantible - a startup extracting RuBisCO ('Rubi protein'), a highly-functional protein from fast-growing aquatic plant lemna (duckweed) - has closed a $30mln Series B round co-led by Piva Capital and Siddhi Capital.
Source: agfundernews.com
Japan: Seven & i founding family aims to raise $52bln for buyout this year, NHK says
The founding Ito family behind Japanese retailer Seven & i aims to raise more than 8tln yen ($52bln) to take it private by the end of this financial year, Japanese public broadcaster NHK reported.
Source: reuters.com
US: Online Asian supermarket Weee! partners with Topsort as it looks to upgrade retail media infrastructure
Topsort has announced a partnership with Weee!, America's largest online Asian supermarket. Founded in 2015, Weee! delivers fresh produce, pantry staples, snacks, and specialty items directly to customers, focusing on items that are often hard to find in mainstream supermarkets. "We're excited to collaborate with Weee! in their mission to bring culturally rich foods to more people across the US", says Regina Ye, CEO and Co-founder at Topsort.
Source: retailtechinnovationhub.com
Brazil's GPA reports net loss of 76% in third quarter
Brazilian grocery retailer GPA reported a net loss of R$311mln (€51mln) in the third quarter of 2024, reflecting a decline of 76%, compared to the same period last year. Excluding discontinued operations, the net loss amounted to R$253mln (€41mln) - a significant drop from the R$805mln (€131mln) profit recorded in the third quarter of 2023.
Source: esmmagazine.com
US: dataplor analysis highlights potential market impact of Kroger-Albertsons merger as court decisions loom
dataplor has revealed critical potential market implications as court rulings approach on the proposed $24.6bln merger between grocery chains Kroger and Albertsons. Using in-depth Point-of-Interest (POI) data, dataplor highlights how the merger could reshape the U.S. grocery landscape in terms of competition and available options for consumers.
Source: businesswire.com
"FruitSide Assistance™" launched by Welch's® Fruit Snacks will take on dreaded 'Are we there yet?' during holiday travels
As families across the country gear up for the hustle and bustle of holiday travel, Welch's® Fruit Snacks is excited to announce the launch of FruitSide™ Assistance, a delightful initiative designed to make road trips smoother, sweeter, and more enjoyable.
Source: prnewswire.com
US: Walmart's strong Q3 punctuated by revenue, e-commerce growth
Walmart is riding the wave of its growth in the second quarter of fiscal 2025 as the retailer reports a strong Q3 led by a 5.5% lift in total revenue. For the 13-week period ended October 25, Walmart also saw comp sales increase 5.3% year-over-year, with positive growth in general merchandise. On the Sam's Club side of the business, net sales rose 3.9% year over year to $22.9bln, with growth across club and digital channels, led by food and health and wellness categories.
In other news, Walmart may have to raise some prices if Trump tariffs take effect, CFO says.
Source: progressivegrocer.com
Blackstone strikes $8bln deal for sandwich chain Jersey Mike's Subs 
Blackstone has agreed to buy Jersey Mike's Subs, the sandwich chain said, in a deal that a source said valued the company at around $8bln including debt. Reuters had reported, citing a person familiar with the matter, that Blackstone was nearing a deal for Jersey Mike's.
Source: reuters.com