Metro Canada gets boost from fresh | Roundy's beats Q2 views

US: Bankrupt A&P seeks to slash severance so it can pay creditors
A&P has asked a bankruptcy court judge to set aside two key union provisions — bumping rights and full severance pay — after reaching a negotiation impasse with labor groups, officials said in court documents, usatoday.com reports. The supermarket wants to completely eliminate bumping rights, saying the administrative burden and costs associated with allowing workers to do that are too high and undesirable to would-be buyers of its stores. The other sticking point is the amount of severance pay A&P will pay and when, the documents filed late Tuesday indicate.

US: Roundy's beats Q2 views
Shares of Roundy's Inc RNDY gained more than 4% in after-hours trading after the company reported stronger-than-expected results for the second quarter, benzinga.com writes. It reported quarterly net loss from continuing operations of $1.4mn versus net loss from continuing operations of $5.0mn in the year-ago quarter. Its net sales from continuing operations climbed 5.9% year-over-year to $998.3mn from $942.9mn. However, analysts were expecting a loss of $0.04 per share on revenue of $984.4mn. Net sales for its Wisconsin markets fell 3.5% year-over-year to $648.2mn, while sales for Illinois market gained 29.1% to $350.1mn for the second quarter. Gross profit for the second quarter climbed 5.9% to $263.7mn in the quarter.

Russian supermarket ‘Magnit’ increases revenues by 24.3% in July
Russia's largest retailer "Magnit" increased its revenues by 24.29% this July compared to the same period last year, up to €1.1bn, reports 1prime.ru. In July growth of sales slowed in comparison with June, when the retailer’s revenue increased by 24.57%. Growth in revenues from January to July amounted to 29.12%, €7.5bn. In July, the retailer opened 211 stores, making the total number of stores 10,939. According to Rosstat, food deflation in July 2015 was 0.3 % compared with a decline in prices by 0.1 % in July 2014, and since the beginning of 2015, food prices increased by 10.5% compared to 7.6% in the same period last year.

Walmart plans to launch 50 new stores in India in 2020
Walmart is restarting its wholesale expansion in India, the second-biggest consumer market in the world, thestreet.com reports. The expansion is part of a plan to more than triple Walmart’s presence in the country. The company says it's on track to open 50 Best Price Modern Wholesale stores within the next four to five years, adding up to a total of 70 locations throughout India. Walmart says it’s shifting its focus to the B2B segment. The majority of the retailer’s customers in India are owners of businesses themselves. They include the traditional mom-and-pop grocery stores that sell most of India's food. The Best Price Modern Wholesale store stocks roughly 5,000 items, including a range of fruits, vegetables, dry groceries, personal goods, home care items, and other general merchandise. (thestreet.com)

Metro Canada gets boost from fresh
Total sales at Metro increased 6.1% to $3.8bn, with same-store sales up 4.3%, igd.com reports. Net earnings increased 13.1% to $163.5m. This performance represents a continuation of the sales and profit trends recorded in the first half, with strong sales achieved in fresh foods, although food basket inflation of 3.5% was also an important contributor to growth. While inflation levels are falling, particularly in fresh, the retailer is starting to see some pick up in the centre store.

US: Metro says it’s ready to battle Walmart
Grocery chain operator Metro Inc. says it won’t cower in the shadows of U.S. retail giant Walmart, which is making a bigger push into the food business, thestar.com reports. Chief executive Eric La Fleche said he expects a “moderate” impact from the rising number of Walmart supercentres, which have been growing at a solid clip in eastern Quebec. “Overall we’re defending pretty well,” La Fleche told analysts in a conference call on Wednesday, after reporting the company’s latest financial results. Unlike older Walmart stores, supercentres stock a variety of fresh produce and meats and a broader selection of food items, which put them squarely in competition with the country’s largest grocery chains.

US: Albertsons officials pursue IPO
Albertsons Companies Inc., one of the largest grocery chains in the United States, is pursuing an initial public offering of its stock, National Real Estate Investor reports. The IPO is expected to rake in $100,000 for the Idaho-based company. Revenue made from the deal is intended to be used for paying off corporate debt and boosting in-store sales. (franchiseherald.com)

Ireland: Centra differentiation helps win shoppers
Centra saw growth of 3% for the financial year ending 27 December 2014. It consolidated its position as the number one convenience retailer in the market, igd.com reports. Centra's sales growth was underpinned by investment in an own brand range of 1,300 Irish sourced products, the introduction of an all-day fresh food range and effective promotions.

US: Target names former Safeway CEOs to board of directors
Target Corp. named former chief executive officers of Clorox Co. and Safeway Inc. to its board as the retailer pushes further into groceries and home products, Bloomberg reports.

Irish farm protests target Lidl distribution depot
Around 60 protesters gathered at Lidl Northern Ireland’s distribution centre at Nutt’s Corner, Co Antrim, on Tuesday night, managing to block delivery lorries from entering or leaving the site with tractors and 4X4s, farmersjournal.ie reports. The demonstrations have been organised locally by individual groups of farmers without involvement of the main farming organisations. The Facebook page “Fair Price Farming NI” has been used as a medium to help organise and publicise protests. “With everything that is going on in farming, Farmers For Action across the UK want to let everyone know how bad things are, not just for milk producers but across the board in all sectors,” he said.

US: Target considers adding grocery delivery service
Target is to start testing an online grocery delivery service according to reports in the Minnesota Star Tribune. Speaking at Target’s annual supplier conference, the retailer’s chief marketing officer, Jeff Jones, commented on its plans to test a grocery delivery service as part of a broader suite of digital initiatives which it is planning to roll-out over the next year, igd.com reports.

US: Southeastern Grocers shakes up operations, management personnel
Please, click here to read the article.


Japan: Sliced apples and other fruit in vending machine gets popular
Please, click here to read the article.


How Walmart could push a new market for "true cost"
Please, click here to read the article.


Aldi US wants to make organics affordable for everyone
Please, click here to read the article.


Why it’s better to live near Trader Joe’s rather than Whole Foods
Please, click here to read the article.


Could Amazon soon rival Tesco and Sainsbury in home food delivery?
Please, click here to read the article.


Supermarkets manufacturing food is ‘a real threat’
Please, click here to read the article.