US: Whole Foods announces its 2016 ‘Supplier Award’ winners -
Whole Foods Market has revealed the winners of its annual Supplier Awards at a reception last Tuesday night in Austin, Texas, at the Stephen F. Austin Hotel, naming Grimmway Farms its “Supplier of the Year” award in the Perishable category.(andnowuknow.com)
Target tells how long ‘fresh’ produce has been on shelves
Minneapolis-based Target Corp. is testing that idea and a handful of other experiments aimed at providing more transparency about the food it sells at the SuperTarget store in Edina this weekend. In the produce department, a small research team has put up handwritten signs above strawberries and raspberries, noting which arrived in the store that day and which arrived a week ago. There’s a 50-cent price difference between the two. (startribune.com)
Organics at Wegmans are Bigger than ever
At Wegmans Food Markets, families are buying more organic foods every year as sales of organic produce have increased annually by double digits. Customers often cite environmentally-friendly organic farming methods, which don’t use synthetic fertilizers, pesticides or herbicides, as a key reason for purchasing. “When we talk with customers who buy organic produce about why they choose it, they often give several reasons,” says Bill Brauchle, Wegmans organic partner farm merchant for Pa., N.J. and New England stores. “Some think organic produce tastes better, and many talk about what they see as the environmental benefits.” More growers across the country are devoting acreage to organically farmed fruits and vegetables, and as the availability has increased, the price for organic has come closer to that of conventionally grown produce, Brauchle says.
US: Apollo completes tender offer for Fresh Market
Funds associated with Apollo Global Management on Friday said it had completed its tender offer for shares of The Fresh Market, and would complete the transaction by merging it with an affiliate company into a privately held concern. (supermarketnews.com)
How Amazon will kill local grocers
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UK: Waitrose’s former boss gets £1.9m golden goodbye
Lord Price, the former boss of supermarket chain Waitrose, has received a golden goodbye worth £1.9m from the employee-owned John Lewis Partnership. (theguardian.com)
UK: M&S to sell ready-sliced avocado in pots
M&S has become the first high street chain to offer 80mg pots of fresh and ripe sliced avocado priced at £1.50 which have gone into stores this week. Normally, the avocado would not be an option for the millions who spend their lunch hour at their desk. (dailymail.co.uk)
Portugal: El Corte Inglés opens Bio & Natural store
Spanish retailer El Corte Inglés has opened its first Bio & Natural store in Portugal, located in Gaia Porto. The Bio & Natural offering is entirely dedicated to 100 per cent organic products, and 90% of them are locally and nationally-made. (esmmagazine.com)
Russian retail trade fell 6% in March
Retail trade turnover in Russia in March 2016 amounted to 2.23 trillion rubles, which is 5.8% less that the same period in the year before, reports rosbalt.ru, using data from the Federal State Statistics Service. In comparison with the previous month however, it increased 5.1%. For the first quarter of this year, retail trade turnover decreased by 5.4% to 6.47 trillion rubles. In the structure of retail trade turnover last month, the share of food products, beverages and tobacco amounted to 49.6%, non-food products - 50.4% (for the previous year it was 49.5% and 50.5%, respectively). As a whole for 2015, retail trade turnover decreased by 10% YoY to 27.57 trillion. (1 Russian Ruble=0.015 USD).
Retail trade turnover in Russia in March 2016 amounted to 2.23 trillion rubles, which is 5.8% less that the same period in the year before, reports rosbalt.ru, using data from the Federal State Statistics Service. In comparison with the previous month however, it increased 5.1%. For the first quarter of this year, retail trade turnover decreased by 5.4% to 6.47 trillion rubles. In the structure of retail trade turnover last month, the share of food products, beverages and tobacco amounted to 49.6%, non-food products - 50.4% (for the previous year it was 49.5% and 50.5%, respectively). As a whole for 2015, retail trade turnover decreased by 10% YoY to 27.57 trillion. (1 Russian Ruble=0.015 USD).
UK: Tesco making good progress