US: Instacart lays off all Minneapolis drivers -
Instacart, the San Francisco-based grocery delivery service, has let go of all its drivers in the Minneapolis area just six months after entering the region. “Given the market’s size and geographic layout, we’ve found it difficult to efficiently provide enough opportunities for delivery drivers to receive orders,” Instacart wrote to the area’s drivers in an email last Friday, according to BuzzFeed News. “As our market has evolved, we’ve found that the delivery driver service is not the best fit for the Minneapolis market at this time.” This is not, however, to say that the company is giving up on the market as a whole just yet. (andnowuknow.com)
Aldi UK to change pesticide policy for fruit/veg
Aldi UK’s decision to review its pesticide policy, including the use of neonicotinoids, has been warmly welcomed by Friends of the Earth. The review is due to be completed later this year, says Friends of the Earth in a press release. In a letter to the organisation, Aldi UK says: “The aim of this review is to establish an ALDI UK position on pesticide usage, including the use of neonicotinoids, that will take our approach beyond the current status quo, particularly in relation to pollinators.” The move by Aldi UK follows campaigning by Friends of the Earth for the supermarket to set out its position after its German parent company, Aldi Sud, banned suppliers from using eight pesticides (including three bee-harming neonicotinoids) from fruits and vegetables produced for its German market earlier this year. Aldi UK is operationally independent from Aldi Sud. (foe.co.uk)
US: Amazon to deliver groceries fast from Uwajimaya, PCC
Amazon is adding deliveries from local grocers Uwajimaya and PCC Natural Markets to its Prime Now fast-delivery service in Seattle. The addition of the local grocers follows similar moves by the giant retailer in Chicago, Los Angeles, San Diego, Portland and Manhattan.(seattletimes.com)
Big grocery retailers told to stop quarterly reporting
A report released today by the Investment Association (IA) will detail plans to stop large companies, including big supermarket chains such as Morrisons, Sainsbury's and Tesco, producing quarterly reports. The report states that quarterly reporting is a "distraction" that pulls "company resources away from longer-term strategic considerations". It is these long term goals that investors are looking at during their research process. (icas.com)
Target scanning fruit using spectrometers
Target Corp. last week began scanning produce in two of its warehouses using spectrometers, a developing technology that the Minneapolis retailer may use to reimagine its food business. Please, click hero to read more at bizjournals.com.
Colombia: Jerónimo Martins targets 1000 stores by end of 2020
Jerónimo Martins has updated on expansion plans and strategy for its Colombian discount format, ara. Jerónimo Martins has divided Colombia into seven regional markets, accounting for 95.2% of the total population (the rest of the country is isolated by jungle). The retailer will enter a third region - the central region surrounding Bogotá - in 2016, opening 70-100 stores overall during the year, reaching 1000 stores in total. It will also open at least one distribution centre annually until 2020. (igd.com)
A comparison of Pakistan’s online grocery market
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Over 700 suppliers signed up to X5's code of interaction
More than 700 suppliers have signed up to Russian supermarket retailer X5’s new Code of Interaction with Business Partners, since it was introduced in November of last year. The code was designed to establish standard that X5 expects both its employees and partners to comply with when doing business, in order to ensure integrity, transparency and efficiency across its supply chain. (esmmagazine.com)