Korean retail giants Shinsegae and Lotte are vying to acquire 100% stake in Ministop Korea, local unit of the Japan-based convenience store operator, according to industry sources on September 19. The parent companies of Emart24 and 7-Eleven declined to elaborate details of their bid. However, according to sources, the acquisition would be crucial for local conveniences store operators, since further expansion by opening new outlets is difficult in the saturated market. As of August, the number of 7-Eleven and Emart24 outlets reached 9,535 and 3,413, respectively.
Source: theinvestor.co.kr
Grocery store free of plastic packaging opens in UK
A grocery store that is completely free of plastic packaging recently opened in Ramsbottom, England. The shop, Fulfilled, was opened by 26-year-old entrepreneur Abbie Sellers and offers nuts, fresh fruit and vegetables, specialty snacks like wasabi peas and household cleaning products. Customers can bring containers from home to fill up or purchase containers in-store to reuse. Similar concepts have launched in areas like Spain, France and Austria.
Source: waste360.com
3 in 10 Dutch do grocery shopping online, Holland overtakes Britain
Some 29% of the Dutch are now doing grocery shopping online, up from 21% a year ago, according to new figures from the national statistics agency CBS. The increase puts the Netherlands at the top of the EU list of online supermarket shoppers, the CBS said. Britain used to lead the list but last year the number of people using online grocery services actually fell from 29% to 28%, the CBS said. The European average is 14%.
Source: dutchnews.nl
Romania: FM Logistic and Carrefour sign 2 year contract for logistics operations in Chiajna warehouse
FM Logistic has signed a new contract with Carrefour in Romania - the fresh division (fresh / chilled, fruits and vegetables) over a 2 year period for the logistics of products requiring controlled temperature - fruits, vegetables, food , within the Carrefour warehouse in Chiajna-Ilfov. The partnership starts in October. According to the partnership, FM Logistic will carry out logistics, warehousing and cross-docking operations at controlled temperature for fruit and vegetables (+ 6 / + 8 ° C) and food (+ 2 / + 4 ° C) such as product reception, handling, order preparation for delivery to Carrefour stores in Romania, and IT flow management.
Source: business-review.eu
India: Samara Capital, Amazon acquire Birla Group’s ‘More’ retail chain for Rs 4200 Cr
After months of discussion and negotiation, homegrown PE firm Samara Capital and Amazon have signed a deal to acquire food and grocery retail chain More. The board of Aditya Birla-owned company has agreed for the deal for about Rs 4200 crore enterprise valuation. While Samara Capital is acquiring 51% stake, remaining 49% would be acquired by Amazon. More is the fourth largest supermarket chain in India after Reliance Retail, DMart and Future Group.
Source: entrackr.com
Amazon Turkey has launched
Amazon has launched Amazon Turkey. The dedicated local marketplace offers products from 15 different categories to Turkish customers. Consumers in Turkey could already order at Amazon, but that happened via a translated version of the German Amazon. Now, they have their own dedicated Amazon website with Amazon Turkey. The team of Amazon Turkey (Amazon Türkiye’de) has written a statement on the homepage of Amazon.com.tr, saying how they are proud to announce that Amazon Turkey has opened. “We are very excited to offer you millions of products from 15 different categories, including books, household items and consumer electronics, with competitive prices, reliable delivery and high quality customer service.”
Source: ecommercenews.eu
JD Indonesia launches grocery delivery service
Chinese e-commerce giant JD has initiated a grocery delivery service at Commuter Line train stations in the Greater Jakarta area. The new online retail store, JDVirtual, allows customers to use QR codes to purchase groceries to be delivered to their homes. The store sells food, beverages, and other grocery products found in conventional retail outlets. The initiative serves to test a new business model while targeting the high number of Commuter Line users in Jakarta, which serves an average of 1mln people per day.
Source: insideretail.asia
Britain refers Sainsbury's-Asda merger for in-depth review
Britain’s competition regulator referred Sainsbury’s 7.3bln-pound ($9.60bln) takeover of Asda for an in-depth review on Wednesday because their stores overlapped in hundreds of local areas. The Competition and Markets Authority said shoppers could face higher prices or a worse quality of service in places where both chains had shops. It said it also needed to investigate whether a combination of Britain’s second and third biggest supermarkets would have increased buying power over suppliers.
Source: reuters.com
US: Wegmans readies for debut in Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Wegmans Food Markets is set to open its newest unit - and 98th overall - in Mannheim Township, Pennsylvania, this weekend. The long-awaited 120,000-square-foot store, near Lancaster, Pennsylvania, is Wegmans’ third new store to open this year. The Rochester, New York-based retailer previously opened in Natick, Massachusetts, in April and in Chantilly, Virginia, in June. The Lancaster store will anchor a new shopping development known as The Crossings at Conestoga Creek.
Source: winsightgrocerybusiness.com
US: Whole Foods Market 365 announces local partnerships for anticipated Decatur and Buckhead store openings
Whole Foods Market 365 stores in Buckhead and Decatur will partner with local Atlanta businesses and popular mainstays from Los Angeles through the Friends of Whole Foods Market program, when they open later this year. In the Friends of Whole Foods Market program, the company partners with outside chefs, culinary and lifestyle brands, to bring shoppers innovative in-store experiences. All Friends partners operate as their own store within the walls of Whole Foods Market 365, share Whole Foods Market’s high-quality standards, and have unique expertise in a cuisine, concept or product.
Source: atlantadailyworld.com
US: Kmart owner Sears says same-store sales improved, shares rise
Sears Holdings Corp reported a smaller decline in quarterly same-store sales, but warned again that there is doubt about the company's continued operation as it awaits approval to sell some of its businesses to its chief executive's hedge fund. "It is imperative that the Company reduce debt, adjust its debt maturity profile and eliminate the associated cash interest obligations," Chief Executive Edward Lampert said in a blog post on the company's website. Sears is working to transform its business by selling brands like tool line Craftsman and building a stronger online presence. Its market share has been hurt by discount chains including Walmart, and the surge in popularity of online shopping has added to its woes. It was the second time in two years that Sears has expressed doubt about its business continuing as its losses mount.
Source: nasdaq.com
US: Amazon expanding Northern Virginia distribution presence
Amazon.com Inc. has agreed to lease a new warehouse in Sterling’s Mercure Business Park to become part of its web of distribution centers, multiple sources tell the Washington Business Journal. The 106,000-square-foot warehouse, slated for completion later this year, is located at 44301 Mercure Circle, less than a mile south of the Dulles Greenway interchange with Route 606. The warehouse property is owned by an affiliate of Denver-based Industrial Property Trust, which acquired the site in January for $4.47mln.
Source: wtop.com
US: Strong profit growth for Sobeys as sales show steady improvement
Sobeys’ first quarter sales increased by 3.0% to $6.5bln, with same-store sales excluding fuel up 1.3%. The retailer recorded its highest volume performance for six years, reflecting the improvements which are being delivered as part of Project Sunrise. Sobeys also saw its profitability improve, with net earnings up 77.0% to $95.6mln. However, the retailer did see higher costs, including increasing freight charges, minimum wage increases and the impact of new tariffs. The retailer expects prices to rise due to the increasing costs. Michael Medline, Sobeys’ president and CEO, stated: “Our margins were a little lower than we would have liked, but moving forward, expect that we will begin to recover the cost pressures that have been incurred. We continue to be confident that we will realize benefits of our Sunrise category improvement initiatives in the second half of the year.”
Source: retailanalysis.igd.com
