Mexico's Femsa appoints Jose Antonio Fernandez Garza-Laguera as CEO
Mexican bottler and retailer Femsa appointed Jose Antonio Fernandez Garza-Laguera as the new chief executive officer, starting on November 1. Garza-Laguera, who will replace the interim CEO Antonio Fernandez Carbajal, is currently the CEO of Femsa Proximity & Health and has held several management roles across Femsa's business units.
Source: reuters.com
US: Amazon and Winn-Dixie team on grocery delivery
Amazon has expanded its grocery offerings in Florida by teaming with Winn-Dixie to make the Southeast regional grocery store chain's products available for delivery via Amazon.com. Customers in Jacksonville and Orlando can now shop for Winn-Dixie's broad selection of grocery items on Amazon, as well as for the e-tailer's own grocery and everyday household essentials.
In other news: Amazon now fulfilling orders for Walmart.
Source: progressivegrocer.com
US: Over a quarter of all beneficiaries of community-based free grocery assistance in 2023 were children
USDA, Economic Research Service reported: "USDA, Economic Research Service (ERS) studies the use of two types of community-based nutrition assistance programs - free groceries and free meals - through the Current Population Survey Food Security Supplement. This survey indicates that among the households that received free groceries in 2023, 28% (6.8mln) of household members were children under 18 years old. The remaining 17.6mln recipients of free groceries were adults.
Source: ers.usda.gov
US: Food Lion Feeds and customers team up to fight hunger
Food Lion reported: "Food Lion Feeds is launching its annual Gala Apple Bag campaign as part of its continued efforts to help reduce food insecurity throughout Food Lion's 10-state operating footprint. Food Lion customers can purchase specially marked Gala apple bags from September 17 through October 7 or make a cash donation to support community hunger relief organizations".
Source: globenewswire.com
US: Uber Eats will soon launch US drone delivery in partnership with Flytrex
Uber Eats will soon be making some meal deliveries with drones. Uber Technologies said that it's partnering with drone company Flytrex Inc. The companies expect to begin deliveries in test markets by the end of this year. Uber didn't say where those markets will be, but Flytrex is already operating in Texas and North Carolina.
Source: abcnews.go.com
US: Publix celebrates 6 store openings in September
Publix opened two new stores on Wednesday, bringing the regional grocer's total number of new store openings in September to six across five states. The latest locations opened in Braselton, Georgia, and Greenville, South Carolina. The Lakeland, Florida-based grocer recently reported strong second-quarter earnings, with sales rising 7.3% year over year to $15.6bln. Comparable store sales increased 6%. Net earnings reached $1.4bln, up from $972mln a year earlier.
Source: supermarketnews.com
"Amazon violated consumer law in Prime registrations"
Amazon collected payment information from Prime signups before all terms were clear; Judge John Chun said in a case over possible violations of online consumer protections brought by the United States Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
Source: retaildetail.eu
Carrefour reshuffles international portfolio: Poland for sale, Belgium at risk?
Carrefour is accelerating the clean-up in its international portfolio: its Polish operations are for sale, while explorations are ongoing for Argentina. CEO Alexandre Bompard wants to focus on three core markets: France, Spain and Brazil.
Source: retaildetail.eu
UK retail sales rise by more than expected in August, ONS says
British retail sales rose by a stronger-than-expected 0.5% in August, helped by sunny weather, but sales growth in July was revised slightly down, official figures showed. The Office for National Statistics said sales volumes in July rose by a revised 0.5%, down from a previous estimate of a 0.6% month-on-month increase.
Source: reuters.com
Dutch market regulator to probe grocery pricing in supermarkets
The Netherlands' consumer protection regulator has launched an investigation into pricing practices at Dutch supermarkets, it said, after reports that groceries in the country are more expensive than in its neighbours. Dutch consumer organisation Consumentenbond said earlier this year its research had shown German supermarkets on average were around 15% cheaper than Dutch ones. Regulator the Authority for Consumers and Markets said the investigation would examine profit margins at both suppliers and retailers as well as price differences between the Netherlands and its neighbours.
Source: reuters.com
UK: Sunny & Luna brings vegetable-powered pasta to Sainsbury's
Sunny & Luna is looking to "shake up the fresh pasta aisle" with a trio of vegetable-based gnocchi products launching into 365 Sainsbury's stores this month, marking the first major supermarket listing for the brand. Containing 50% vegetables and counting as one of the five a day, the three chilled gnocchi SKU's launching into Sainsbury's are Cauliflower Gnocchi made with fresh cauliflower, Spinach Gnocchi made with a blend of fresh spinach and cauliflower, and new Pumpkin Gnocchi made with pumpkin and cauliflower (RRP £4.25 – 350g pack).
Source: kamcity.com
Carrefour exits more GCC countries: Kuwait stores shut after Bahrain, Oman, Jordan
Carrefour has shut down all its stores in Kuwait, marking the latest chapter in the French retailer's rapid retreat from the Gulf. The surprise closure, announced through an Instagram post, comes just two days after Carrefour's exit from Bahrain - and follows earlier withdrawals from Oman in January and Jordan in November 2024. Dubai-based Majid Al Futtaim (MAF), which owns exclusive rights to operate Carrefour in the Middle East, has not explained the series of exits. Yet, the timing of the closures aligns with the rollout of its new homegrown grocery brand, HyperMax, which is being positioned as Carrefour's replacement across these markets.
Source: gulfnews.com
China: Consumption crashes, 30,000 customers rush into new Aldi
Discount Retail Chain ALDI China opened a new store in Wuxi Economic Development District, Wuxi, Jiangsu province. During its opening week, the new store featured exclusive promotions and giveaways attracting more than 30,000 customers on the first day. "China is and remains one of the most interesting markets in all areas, and the rapidly growing size of the middle class is leading to enormous potential in the food market", ALDI China CEO Roman Rasinger told the "Handelsblatt".
Source: discountretailconsulting.com
European value retailer Pepco targets technology and digital talent with new Portugal hub
Pepco, a value retailer in Europe which was established in 2015 and currently operates nearly 3,500 stores in 19 countries, has officially launched its new Tech Hub in Porto, Portugal.
Source: retailtechinnovationhub.com
Mercadona extends dominance in Spanish grocery sector
Mercadona has solidified its position as the undisputed market leader in the Spanish grocery sector, new data has revealed. Data from Worldpanel by Numerator reveals that Mercadona achieved a 27.3% market share in the first eight months of the year, marking a 0.7-percentage-point increase from the previous year. This growth is fuelled by its ability to capture larger shopping baskets and a high shopper penetration, which now stands at 91.3%.
Source: esmmagazine.com