Eataly partners with Coop Danmark
Niche food retailer Eataly is to launch in Copenhagen following a partnership with Coop Danmark. Eataly was established in 2007 by Oscar Farinetti and now has 30 stores in seven countries,‘providing quality products at reasonable prices, with the shortest possible path from producer to consumer’. (igd.com)
Aeon goes organic with European supermarket Bio c' Bon
Aeon has concluded an agreement on setting up a JV- Bio c'Bon Japon to tap into the organic supermarket business. The new JV will lead the development of organic specialty supermarket business, benefiting from the assets and know-how of both companies. According to Aeon, the organic market in Japan is the seventh biggest with the annual sales of approximately 143.1 billion yen (USD1.3 bn) and still has a room to grow, especially before the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. (igd.com)
S.Africa aims to finish inquiry into grocery market in 2017
South Africa's competition watchdog aims to complete an investigation into the grocery market by the end of May 2017, it said on Tuesday, giving a progress report on an inquiry that could loosen the grip of its four main food retailers. Large retailers Shoprite, Pick n Pay, Spar and Woolworths together make up more than 90% of the $18bn a year grocery market. They are accused of blocking rivals with exclusive shopping mall leases. (Reuters)
Lidl awarded retail chain of the year in Sweden
Lidl has finally found its place on the Swedish market – according to the expert jury at the annual Retail Awards. The grocery chain was awarded Retail chain of the Year. This year’s sustainable store / retail chain was Coop. With its good anchoring of the supplier as well as resellers Coop has been at the forefront of sustainability work while the numbers landed right. (scandinavianretail.com)
Jeff Strack succeeds Strack & Van Til's Diehl as president, CEO
Strack & Van Til has appointed Jeff Strack, grandson of the chain's founder, Ernie Strack, president and CEO, effective immediately. Strack succeeds Kenneth Diehl who has resigned. (supermarketnews.com)
Woolworths sees no spud shortage
Woolworths says there will be no potato shortage in its 960 supermarkets after the collapse of Australia's biggest potato supplier, as rival Coles says it can't be blamed because Oakville Produce isn't a material supplier. Oakville Produce, Australia's biggest supplier of potatoes and onions went into receivership last week and Deloitte has been appointed to try to sell it.
Mega Image loses trial against Romania’s Competition Council
The Bucharest Court of Appeal has rejected Belgian retailer Mega Image’s request to cancel a fine the company got from the Romanian Competition Council in early 2015, reports local Profit.ro. The Council fined the company with EUR 5.8 million due to an agreement on fixing prices between Mega Image, three other retailers and 21 suppliers between 2005 and 2009. Mega Image challenged the Competition Council’s decision.
Intermarché reports sales of €2bn in Portugal
Intermarché has said that it generated sales of about €2bn in Portugal in 2015, including fuel, broadly mirroring the figure it made in 2014. The retailer said that the flat sales sat against the backdrop of weak economic growth and a highly competitive marketplace, which is highly promotional. At the same time as revealing its sales, Intermarché confirmed its expansion strategy, focused on growing its presence in the country, from 241 at the end of 2015, by investing €200m to 2020 to add about 100 stores and 90 petrol forecourts across all its banners. The investment plan will see Intermarché open 10 stores in 2016. (igd.com)
Portugal: Covirán continues expansion programme
Underlining the continued importance of smaller store formats and growing interest in franchising, Spain-based Covirán has said that it has added further stores in Portugal, in the districts of Santarem and Faro. The stores, which are both less than 100 sq. m, focus on shoppers’ fresh needs. (igd.com)
Tesco UK’s most loved brands on social media
Despite its recent troubles, Tesco has outperformed its rivals in a ranking of UK’s most loved brands on social media. Apple is the UK and Europe’s most loved brand and dominates social conversation. Meanwhile, Tesco in fourth place was the first British and only food and beverage brand to feature and follows recent targeted social media campaigns by the retailer. (kamcity.com)
Maxima Group announces new CEO
Baltic-region retailer Maxima Group has announced Alvydas Šustikas as its new chief executive officer, replacing the outgoing Neringa Janavičiūtė. Previously heading the Azerbaijan food retailer Azeri Retail, Šustikas takes over the new post of the Maxima chain, which operates in Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Poland and Bulgaria. Maxima Group currently consolidates retail companies in Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Bulgaria and Poland, totalling 528 stores. (esmmagazine.com)
Kenya: Suppliers of Uchumi Supermarkets agree to convert debt into equity
Uchumi Supermarkets’ suppliers have agreed to an out of court settlement with the retailer. Both parties have now agreed to a proposal to convert Sh1.8 billion which is part of Sh3.6 billion owed to suppliers into equity. The deal, which was brokered by the Ministry of Trade and Industrialisation yesterday, under the guidance of Principal Secretary in the State Department of Trade Chris Kiptoo, also saw the suppliers commit themselves to be supplying Uchumi with new stock. (standardmedia.co.ke)
