Penny names new CEOs in Czechia and Italy
Penny Czechia has appointed Draško Lazović as its new general manager, succeeding Florian Naegele, who has stepped away from REWE Group. REWE Group has announced that Arnd Riehl - currently overseeing people and culture at REWE International Services - is set to become the new country managing director of Penny Italia, effective from 1 February 2026.
Source: esmmagazine.com
India: Andhra Pradesh introduces 'Digi Rythu Bazaar' in Visakhapatnam to deliver farm-fresh produce to homes
For the first time in Andhra Pradesh, the state government's Marketing Department has launched a pilot project 'Digi Rythu Bazaar' at the Visakhapatnam MVP Rythu Bazaar to deliver fresh vegetables and fruits brought by farmers directly to homes.
Source: newindianexpress.com
ALDI will end 2025 with 496 supermarkets in Spain
Aldi Spain will end 2025 with 496 supermarkets after adding 28 new stores during the year. The retailer is also expanding its logistics. More than 7.8mln Spanish households now shop at the discounter.
Source: retaildetail.eu
UK: Lidl looking to build new town's first supermarket
Supermarket chain Lidl is consulting on plans to open the first food store in the new town of Northstowe. The company is proposing to develop land at Station Road, in the north of the Cambridgeshire town, on the former site of Pentair Hypro EU.
Source: bbc.com
Australia: Coles slashes prices to just $1 on popular items
Coles is offering loose corn, loose lemons, one-kilogram bags of brown onions, and one-kilogram bags of carrots for just $1 each until Christmas Day. The supermarket said this will save customers more than 40% if they purchased all four of the staples.
Source: nz.finance.yahoo.com
Kaufland tests smaller store concept in Czechia
Kaufland is experimenting with a smaller store format in Czechia: in Veselí nad Lužnicí, near the Austrian border, the retailer has opened a test store measuring 'just' 2,245 sqm - half the preferred size for the formula. Even in the smaller format, Kaufland offers a range of more than 13,000 items, including staffed counters with regional specialities, Lebensmittel Zeitung reports.
Source: retaildetail.eu
France: RELEX Solutions acquires Ida to strengthen unified fresh store ordering capabilities
RELEX Solutions reported: "RELEX Solutions announced it has acquired Ida, a French SaaS company specializing in AI-driven fresh replenishment and store ordering optimization for loose products such as fruit, vegetables, bakery, meat, seafood, and prepared foods. The acquisition enhances the RELEX AI-driven planning platform with additional store-level capabilities for fresh replenishment covering the full spectrum of grocery categories - from center store, fresh, and ultra-fresh. Ida, headquartered in Paris with customers across France and Western Europe, provides its AI-native fresh optimization platform to leading grocers including Auchan, Coopérative U, Naturalia, and Biocoop".
Source: relexsolutions.com
UK: Lidl slashes prices of festive veg to 5pLidl GB reported: "Lidl has further slashed its quality selection of vegetables to just 5p nationwide: British Brussel Sprouts 500g 5p; British Carrots 1kg 5p; British White Potatoes 2kg 5p; British Swede Individual 5p; British Parsnips 500g 5p; Deluxe Echalion Shallots 300g 5p".
Source: corporate.lidl.co.uk
UK: Tesco's amazing value Christmas dinner deal feeds the family for less than £10
Tesco reported: "Tesco is launching an amazing Christmas dinner deal that will feed a family of six for under a tenner - at just £9.55, or £1.59 per person. The price of festive veg, including potatoes, carrots and parsnips, is being cut to just 15p a bag for Clubcard members, with sage and onion stuffing available for just 40p and gravy granules for chicken at just 65p on Clubcard Prices".
Source: tescoplc.com
UK: Southern Co-op teams with Deliveroo to expand on demand groceries offer
Southern Co-op has launched a new partnership with Deliveroo across 139 stores, bringing its products direct to doors across the South of England. Customers within a 2km radius of the participating stores, including Guildford, Wimbledon, and Winchester, will be able to choose from up to 6,500 product lines, from everyday essentials, through to specially selected locally sourced brands which are unique to each location.
Source: retailtechinnovationhub.com
US: Stew Leonard's IDs future leaders
The leadership of Stew Leonard's will be in safe hands well into the future: Current CEO Stew Leonard Jr. has revealed that his daughter Blake Leonard and nephew Jake Tavello will take the reins of the Northeast independent grocer when the elder Leonard turns 75 in four years. Stew Leonard Jr., who has spent 35 years at the helm of the company, told CT Insider of his plans.
Source: progressivegrocer.com
US: Trader Joe's unwraps 8 new stores this December
Trader Joe's wrapped up the 2025 calendar year by breaking ground on seven new locations in communities from coast to coast this December, with an eighth opening still in the pipeline. The busy pace of these December debuts reflected a broader expansion trend at Trader Joe's this year as it steadily expands its 600-store footprint.
Source: progressivegrocer.com
Carrots for the reindeer: Walmart helps power the holiday tradition families love
Walmart reported: "The carrots families leave out for Santa's reindeer often begin their journey on a 4th-generation Colorado farm, bringing fresh, U.S.-grown goodness to a holiday tradition each year. Walmart's long-standing work with Hungenberg Produce reflects its commitment to supporting U.S. agriculture and ensuring fresh, locally grown carrots are available as families embrace key holiday moments".
Source: corporate.walmart.com
US: Demystifying demographics for produce merchandising success
An evolving consumer landscape is adding complexity to produce merchandising. Retailers are facing the challenge of meeting product expectations from a wider range of shopper segments while maintaining efficiencies and controlling costs, said Iris Yim, principal and chief strategist of Sparkle Insights Inc., a Chapel Hill, North Carolina-based research and strategies firm. "The fastest-growing demographic force is the rise of multicultural households with strong ties to produce-centric cooking and a demand for items like chili peppers, yuca, bok choy, daikon and tropical fruit", she said.
Source: supermarketnews.com
