US: Fresh sales initiatives drive optimism at Dollar Tree but challenges loom
Citing a variety of promising initiatives – including combination stores, new shopper marketing and delivery partnerships, expansion of price points and a move to add fresh produce and frozen meat to some stores – executives of Dollar Tree Inc. were upbeat while reviewing the discounter’s first-quarter results and future prospects. But rising costs for freight, and a disrupted global supply chain, could be near-term impediments to its financial and operational goals, they said.
Source: winsightgrocerybusiness.com
US: Instacart introduces 30-minute grocery delivery
Instacart is launching 30-minute grocery delivery in the U.S., moving up its fastest delivery time by 15 minutes. The company says the service, called “Priority Delivery”, seeks to redefine the “quick run to the store” and brings the grocery express lane online. Instacart says Priority Delivery makes it even easier for customers to discover the fastest delivery windows available in their area.
Source: canadiangrocer.com
US: Costco Wholesale Corporation reports third quarter and year-to-date operating results for fiscal 2021
Costco Wholesale Corporation (“Costco” or the “Company”) announced its operating results for the third quarter (12 weeks) and the first 36 weeks of fiscal 2021, ended May 9, 2021. Net sales for the quarter increased 21.7%, to $44.38bln, from $36.45bln last year. Net sales for the first 36 weeks increased 17.7%, to $130.61bln, from $110.94bln last year.
Source: investor.costco.com
US: Sheetz becomes first convenience store chain to accept bitcoin
Sheetz, a major Mid-Atlantic restaurant and convenience chain, announced it will be enabling digital currency payments via Flexa, the leading pure-digital payments network, to provide customers with the ability to pay for items inside the store or fill up their cars, trucks, and RVs at the pump using digital currencies like bitcoin, ether, litecoin, dogecoin, and more.
Source: prnewswire.com
Ireland: Lockdown delivers 3% sales boost to Spar owner BWG
BWG Foods, the owner in Ireland of Spar and Mace, boosted group sales by more than 3% to €874mln in the 6 months to the end of March. This was in spite of its hospitality supply business being badly affected by lockdown, which also caused a surge in neighbourhood convenience stores. Operating profits rose by 27% to €36mln at the business, which includes 1,400 owned and franchised stores and which also owns the Mace, Eurospar, Londis and XL brands, as well the Appleby Westward convenience store business in the southwest of England.
Source: irishtimes.com
Giant in Malaysia to focus on small format stores
GCH Retail, which operates grocery stores under Giant, is ready to expand its business by growing small stores. After going through a 3-year transformation, GCH Retail is ready to expand its business in line with changes in shopper behaviour. The retailer has 35 hypermarkets and 11 supermarkets under the Giant brand and 11 premium supermarkets under the Mercato, Cold Storage and TMC brands. Its total store count is 57, down from 122 in 2018. Apart from store closures, the transformation involved resizing and repositioning its stores and the revamping of its logo to better reflect current trends.
Source: retailanalysis.igd.com
UK: Tesco trials new one-hour rapid delivery service
Tesco is launching a new rapid delivery service which will allow the supermarket chain to deliver groceries to customers within an hour. The Big 4 giant is initially trialling the Whoosh delivery service at 1 store and will then assess potential opportunities to expand the model. It said the one-hour service will be available for customers in selected postcodes around its Wolverhampton Willenhall Express store.
Source: retailgazette.co.uk
SPAR China partner focuses on fresh at new supermarket in Hebei
SPAR Shandong partner Jiajiayue has expanded the SPAR Brand’s presence in Hebei by opening a new store, focused on fresh, on Fuxing Road. The 2,500m2 sales area, wide array of fresh departments, and underground parking lot make it one of the most comprehensive grocery stores in the area. The store’s wide aisles help create a convenient shopping experience. A highlight of the new SPAR store is the fresh department. Upon entering the supermarket, the first thing customers see is a dazzling array of fruits and vegetables.
Source: spar-international.com
M&S: Brexit and Irish Sea border cost retailer about £30mln
Marks & Spencer says Brexit and the Irish Sea border have added about £30mln of costs to its island of Ireland business. Products moving from GB to Northern Ireland and Ireland have faced a new range of checks and controls since January. M&S says it is working on medium and long-term measures to reduce those costs. These include local sourcing and re-routing products through European hubs.
Source: bbc.com
Indonesia: Hero Group to close all Giant supermarkets by August
Publicly listed retail group PT Hero Supermarket plans to close all of its Giant supermarket outlets by the end of July to improve its finances after the pandemic whammed Indonesia’s retail industry. The group, which operates 75 Giant outlets according to its website, saw its revenue drop 34% year-on-year (yoy) to Rp 1.7tln (US$118mln) in this year’s first quarter as mobility restrictions limit shop operating hours and shifted more consumption online.
Source: thejakartapost.com