UK: Sainsbury’s pulls the plug on wholesale operation
Sainsbury’s has unilaterally decided to close down its wholesale business and therefore stop supplying the SimplyFresh group with Sainsbury-labelled products. SimplyFresh announced that as a result of Sainsbury’s decision it no longer has an ongoing agreement with the supermarket as a supplier. Sainsbury’s said that if SimplyFresh wished it could continue to receive a supply for the next 12 months.
Source: talkingretail.com
Holland: Jumbo on track for record sales of 10bln euros
Again, Jumbo has grown strongly over the past 6 months and is on track to achieve a turnover exceeding 10bln euros for the first time in its 100-year history. In the first half of 2021 (up to and including week 28), the revenue of the Dutch supermarket chain increased by 5.3% to 5.36bln euros. This means that the company once again performed above the market average, increasing its market share in the Netherlands to 21.8%. Jumbo expects to maintain this growth in the coming months and to further expand its market share.
Source: retaildetail.eu
UK: Bestway turnover and earnings rise in annual figures for 2019/20
The Bestway Wholesale group saw turnover increase to £2.55bln in the year to June 2020, up from from £2.51bln in 2019, the company has announced. EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation) increased more sharply, by 81%, from £20.8mln in 2019 to £37.9mln in 2020. Bestway’s managing director, Dawood Pervez, said that one of the big tasks of the year had been integrating Bestway Retail into the business, with associated benefits of scale.
Source: talkingretail.com
M&S to cut Christmas products in Northern Ireland
Marks & Spencer has warned it is already cutting Christmas products in Northern Ireland due to concerns over forthcoming post-Brexit customs checks. Chairman Archie Norman told Radio Four’s Today Programme the changes could mean higher prices and less choice for Northern Ireland customers.
Source: bbc.com
Ahold Delhaize in favour of human rights law for companies
Ahold Delhaize is in favour of European legislation that obliges companies to address human rights violations throughout the production chain. At the moment, there is no law that obliges companies to guard human rights. However, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) has formulated concrete guidelines for companies. Europe is also working on such a law.
Source: retaildetail.eu
Germany: Quick-delivery retail startup Jokr raises $170mln from investors
German e-commerce pioneer Ralf Wenzel’s quick-delivery retail platform Jokr, which has gone live in 7 countries since launching barely 4 months ago, said it had raised $170mln from investors to power growth. The Delivery Hero and Softbank veteran has styled the business as an “Amazon on steroids” and, with revenue doubling every 2 weeks, is on a high-speed mission to bring 15-minute delivery to the Americas and Europe. “We truly believe that the world needs a new Amazon”, Wenzel told Reuters. “There is an opportunity to create a faster Amazon, a more personalized Amazon, a more sustainable Amazon and a more local Amazon.”
Source: reuters.com
Holland: Jumbo is looking at options for its own flash delivery service such as Gorillas or FlinkJumbo is looking at whether it can come up with an alternative for flash delivery services such as Gorrillas and Flink. The supermarket chain “sees that consumers need it”, according to financial director Ton van Veen. Concrete plans are still lacking. Flash delivery services are currently on the rise with the promise of delivering groceries within a short period of time, usually within 10 to 15 minutes. Van Veen: “Consumers are getting used to having your products delivered with just one call or app. You can distance yourself from it or reinvent yourself in this area. We are more on that second track”.
Source: netherlandsnewslive.com
French app Yuka brings people power to the supermarket aisle
In France, “Big Ham” has taken aim at a plucky start-up called Yuka that operates a popular smartphone app, which aims to empower health-conscious consumers. Installed by 24mln users, the Yuka app allows them to scan the barcode on packaged foods to see a score out of 100 that reflects the product’s nutritional value as well as its impact on the environment from carbon emissions to packaging. Since it was founded by Julie Chapon along with brothers Benoit and Francois Martin in 2017, Yuka has expanded to 12 countries, including the UK and the US.
Source: todayuknews.com
US: Retail industry vets join board of Save A Lot’s parent company
Two new high-profile industry leaders have been appointed to the board of directors at Moran Foods, parent company of the Save A Lot chain. Fred Boehler, president and CEO of Americold Logistics, and Mike Motz, CEO for Staples U.S. retail, will serve as independent directors, effective immediately.
Source: progressivegrocer.com
US: Hy-Vee’s 3rd ‘Best of Local Brands’ summit set for September
Hy-Vee will host its third “Best of Local Brands” summit in September to expand and enhance the product offerings at its more than 280 retail stores across the Midwest. As a result of the second quarterly summit, held last May, 28 new brands were chosen to roll out to Hy-Vee locations in the coming months.
Source: progressivegrocer.com
US: Feeding America launches online grocery ordering
To help people who are uncomfortable seeking food assistance, Feeding America has launched an online grocery-ordering system, OrderAhead, for a more private and discreet experience. Over the past year, as layoffs and business closures interrupted the incomes of millions of people in America, many individuals and families faced a difficult realization – they weren’t able to afford food for themselves or their families.
Source: progressivegrocer.com
Carrefour Brasil names Argentina CEO Maquaire as new head
Reuters reported: “Carrefour Brasil SA named Stephane Maquaire as its new chief executive beginning September 1 or as soon as he gets a visa to work in Brazil, the company said in a securities filing. Maquaire, 47, will replace Noel Prioux. The new CEO has been working for Carrefour SA since 2019 as chief executive in Argentina. Carrefour Brasil said Maquaire will take the helm of the retailer as it prepares to start its integration with Grupo Big, which operates 387 stores.”
Source: nasdaq.com