Fairway gets new CEO | Kazyon to open 100 stores in 2017
Aldi/Lidl accused of 'exploiting' lorry drivers to reduce costs
After 45 years in the industry, Bergstrom, director of produce and floral for Lakeland-based Publix Super Markets, received the SEPC’s Lifetime Membership Award. He retired from Publix, effective March 1. (produceretailer.com)
Discounters 'exploit' lorry drivers
Lorry drivers have said Aldi and Lidl force them to do the jobs of warehouse staff as part of efforts to cut prices. Their union said the practice should stop as it's not safe. But the discounters said drivers are trained and insured and some like to get back on the road quickly. Drivers told BBC Radio 4's You and Yours programme unloading deliveries is known as self-tip. Some complain they aren't being paid any more for this and the training isn't good enough. (BBC)
Kazyon to open 100 new stores in 2017 across Egypt
The supermarket chain “Kazyon” announced in a press conference held on Tuesday by Tawfeer for Food Products—the mother-company of Kazyon—that it plans to inaugurate more than 100 stores across the country in 2017, as well as a total number of 1,000 branches over the next five years, targeting a nationwide expansion during the upcoming period. (dailynewsegypt.com)
Buy British' button could let online shoppers filter out foreign groceries
Online supermarket shoppers could soon be offered a "Buy British" button to filter out foreign produce as part of post-Brexit plans, MPs have said. Under the scheme online grocery retailers would update their websites to let shoppers click to restrict the items they can see to UK-grown food only. At present it can be difficult for online shoppers to find out where their food has been grown as they are relying on small on-screen images of items. (telegraph.co.uk)
US: Fairway gets new CEO
Industry veteran Abel Porter has been named the new president and CEO of Fairway Markets, replacing Jack Murphy, SN has learned. Porter, a former CEO of Smith’s Food and Drug and president of Foodland Supermarkets, is tasked with rebuilding performance of the iconic New York supermarket chain in the aftermath of several years of financial struggle culminating in a stay under Chapter 11 bankruptcy last year. (supermarketnews.com)
Aldi near official start in Italy
German discount chain Aldi is paving the road to start conquering Italy, one of Europe’s largest economies. Construction on its distribution center in Oppeano is well underway and a first store lease has been signed. According to Italian media, Aldi intends to open twenty stores by the end of the year (retaildetail.eu)
FDI supports call for early UK-Ireland trade deal post-Brexit
Industry group Food Drink Ireland (FDI) has supported the call by 35 associations for an early UK-Ireland trade deal to diminish post-Brexit effects. On 14 March, the British Parliament approved the bill allowing Prime Minister Theresa May to start negotiations for Britain to leave the EU. Paul Kelly, director of the group, said “with 40% of total food and drink exports going to the UK, Ireland is four to six times more exposed than any other European country to Brexit. To 'minimise economic uncertainty and potential damage to the food and drink sector', Kelly suggested negotiators should focus on such things as free access to the UK market, perhaps via a bilateral trade agreement between the EU and the UK. (esmmagazine.com)
Botswana's Choppies to spend $55m on new stores
Botswana budget retailer Choppies Enterprises plans to spend 570m pula ($55m) to open more stores in Africa in the next 15 months, its CEO said on Tuesday. Choppies, a no-frills retailer which has 202 stores in towns often too small to attract larger competitors such as South Africa's Shoprite, reported a 47% drop in half-year profit for the six months to end-December. The capital expenditure in Botswana, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Kenya, Tanzania and Mozambique will be funded mostly from internal cashflows, he said. (Reuters)
Quebec food banks team up with grocery stores
Quebec food banks and some of the province’s grocery stores are teaming up to ensure that perfectly edible food will end up in the hands of those who need it most and not at local landfills. The supermarket recovery program is being dubbed the first of its kind in Canada and follows a pilot project launched a few years ago in Montreal and Quebec City which yielded promising results. (thestar.com)