Matcha Made’s Post

⬇ Not had time to catch up on recent retail news? We've got you covered with a summary of this week's top stories: 🍱Moy Park has launched a Fakeaway range into Asda stores across Britain and Northern Ireland. The company said it developed the Fakeaway range in response to emerging food trends and a growing demand for big flavour, variety and convenience in the frozen coated chicken category. 🌶️PepsiCo has added an Extra Flamin’ Hot variant to each of its Doritos, Walkers Max and Wotsits Crunchy ranges. The innovations responded to consumer demand for more varied spicy snacks, said PepsiCo. 🍫Chocomel has launched a £5m, six month marketing campaign and TV ad, carrying the tagline ‘When Life Gives you Chocomel’. The FrieslandCampina-owned dairy drinks brand’s advert is set to reach 86% of UK adults via TV, cinema, video on demand and other digital platforms, and will aim to increase penetration among UK shoppers. 📺Poundland & Dealz is launching a new TV ad campaign to highlight its latest ranges, including clothing and home lines now sourced at group level through its parent Pepco. The ads will also highlight grocery ranges, showcasing how Poundland has “completely revamped and extended into whole new categories”, according to the retailer. 🍞 Gut health bread brand Modern Baker has signed a three-year exclusive brand licensing agreement with Hovis. The startup began working with Hovis Ltd in April 2023, focusing on the product development, manufacture and distribution of its Superloaf and Super Bakery franchise across the UK and Ireland. #latestnews #newstoday #podtalent #supplychain #recruitment #london #manchester #international 

Alimentation Couche-Tard, a Canadian convenience store giant, has a strong track record of strategic acquisitions, having completed 33 deals in the 2010s alone. Their focus is on enhancing operations rather than turning around struggling businesses. They are after their biggest prize, Seven & i Holdings, which would mark a Japanese organization's most significant foreign acquisition. Couche-Tard is supported by Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (CDPQ), the Quebec Pension Fund, which holds a significant position in the company. Capital is not an issue. If successful Couche-Tard's retail footprint will expand to approximately 100,000 stores and 85,000 outlets from Seven & i Holdings across 19 countries, notably in the United States and Japan. Why I like this deal: Many Canadian retailers have struggled beyond their borders, not Couche Tard. Convenience used to be the place to go to buy tobacco, newspapers, lottery tickets, snacks, or an emergency top-up. In the past twenty years, it has increasingly become the place to be, offering a wide assortment of merchandise, a focus on ready-to-eat meals and beverages, and, in many cases, fresh fruit and healthier options. AI will enable Couche-Tard to personalize its merchandise offering to each neighbourhood or roadside oases while driving massive efficiencies in operations, logistics, and inventory costs. Couche-Tard will have the unprecedented buying power to ask for more from CPG companies that depend on single-serve and grab-and-go, and again, with AI, it will be able to fine-tune its private label offering. Couche-Tard can use its stores as a stage for major brands to launch and sample its products, creating a media opportunity similar to what Cineplex did with its theatres. Couche-Tard, with its lobbying power, could enter new categories. I can see it selling cannabis in certain regions, offering sports gambling, having a dedicated and exclusive lottery, and even offering a company like Amazon some of their 100,000 stores as a depot centre. And Private Label and Celebrity Mash-Ups. I can see Wolfgang Puck's Wings to Go, Snoop Dog's Pre-Rolls and Martha Stewart's Key Lime Pies. We should celebrate this type of news: Canadian ingenuity, Canadian Capital, and an appetite for more. Go Couche-Tard Go. #711 #CoucheTard #chatterthatmatters #retail #convenience Anne Kothawala Carmina Jimenez-Weatherill Convenience Store News Convenience Industry Council of Canada Diane J. Brisebois Craig Patterson Adam Woodward Retail Council of Canada Caroline Paxton Jennifer Howard (Reed) SK Uddin CanadianSME Small Business Magazine Leah Carroll Don Ludlow Gary Newbury, Supply Chain Performance Improvement Robert Carter Brian Hannasch Louis Tetu Kevin Lewis Alex Miller, P.Eng, M.B.A. Marc Guay Hans-Olav Høidahl Stephane Trudel Michael Andlauer Jeff Harrop Cyril Leeder Jennifer Horn Alan Depencier Stephanie S. Lear, CMP Leah Napier Supreet Warna Kevin Kwan Julie Christian, PMP Paul daSilva

After a challenging few years, national grocers are announcing plans to expand their footprints, signaling a resurgence in the market. From Whole Foods launching smaller, urban-focused formats to retailers like Lidl and Sprouts growing in rural and city areas, the grocery sector is bouncing back. With food prices stabilizing and a shift toward "right-fit" stores, this could signal a new era for supermarkets. Explore how retailers are adapting to changing consumer demands- https://lnkd.in/ewXJau5c #grocers #supermarkets #foodretail #retail #foodnews

After a challenging few years, national grocers are announcing plans to expand their footprints, signaling a resurgence in the market. From Whole Foods launching smaller, urban-focused formats to retailers like Lidl and Sprouts growing in rural and city areas, the grocery sector is bouncing back. With food prices stabilizing and a shift toward "right-fit" stores, this could signal a new era for supermarkets. Explore how retailers are adapting to changing consumer demands- https://lnkd.in/ewXJau5c #grocers #supermarkets #foodretail #retail #foodnews

GROCERY RETAILING IN AUSTRALIA Whenever I visit another country, I also try to visit local grocers. Being in Australia, I went to Woolworths and Coles. The Australian market is essentially a duopoly. Woolworths and Coles together have c. 75% of the market. Duopolies tend to overpice and underdeliver. But the inroads of Aldi have shaken up things a little, and put the big two on edge. I noticed a few things. 1. Self-service checkout (the combi 'self' and service' seems an oxymoron) is big here. Woolworths has two service checkouts and 30 self-service! Coles offered both options. 2. Coles was much more organized, roomier, cleaner, and had a much better store atmosphere. 3. Australians don't care a lot about pasta. The assortment of pasta sauces was minuscule. 4. But they love Vegemite, a yeast paste that you only find in parts of the former British Empire. There is nearly as much shelf space for this as for pasta sauce. 5. Unthinkable in the US, but neither Coles nor Woolworths carried Pampers! A boycott? 6. Many brands were readily recognizable, from Gilette and Pantene to Omo and Nescafe. The power of global brands on full display. 7. Both push their own store brands, but their own brands are much less prominent than you would see in Tesco, Carrefour, or even Kroger. Is here a growth opportunity? PL share in Australia is only 18%. All in all, especially Coles made a very sophisticated impression on me. But my own observation, as well as conversations with Australians suggest that the prices of both Coles and WW are quite high compared to, say, the US. If you enjoyed this, share it with others and follow me Jan-Benedict Steenkamp for more writing. #business #leadership #grit #history #executivedevelopment

Coming from the Netherlands myself, I share Jan-Benedict Steenkamp's views. However, I'm not too happy about the proliferation of self-check out counters the last few years, as I loved the convenience of having your groceries packed for you by supermarket staff. There is no such packing service in the Netherlands! I know packing is still available at Coles and Woolworths, but there is a clear push for people to use self check-out and I often face staff shortage issues for the full-service counters, adding unnecessary inconvenience to the check-out experience. I wonder what this means for the market share of Aldi, given that, apart from assortment size, a main point of difference from Coles and Woolworths is now moot (i.e., Aldi never packed, and Coles and Woolworths make it harder to get your groceries packed, meaning individuals might just go for low-price Aldi instead?). What do you think? Make sure to check out the video of Jan-Benedict Steenkamp!

🚀 BREAKING NEWS in FMCG! 🚀 Don't Miss Out! 🕒 Digest these top 5 updates in under a minute! With Stanislas Dallest from POS Potential 🔥 #5 Walmart’s Game-Changer: Expanding drone delivery to 31 hubs across 6 states, Walmart is revolutionizing how we receive our e-commerce orders. Get ready for faster, tech-driven convenience at your doorstep! 🥣 #4 Sidemen & Mornflake Mighty Oats's Delicious Partnership: The British YouTube collective, The Sidemen, teams up with Mornflake to introduce Best Cereal to the breakfast tables. It’s not just a cereal; it’s a statement! 🏪 #3 ALDI USA’s Bold Expansion: With a whopping $9 billion investment, Aldi plans to open 800 new stores in the US over the next five years. Aldi’s commitment to accessibility and affordability continues to grow! 🍹 #2 Spiked Jones - A New Twist: Jones Soda Co., in collaboration with Locust Cider Rainmaker, introduces Spiked Jones, merging the iconic soda flavors with an alcoholic twist. Get ready to sip on nostalgia with an edge! David Knight ♻️ #1 Too Good To Go Hits Melbourne: Combatting food waste with technology, Too Good To Go launches its app in Melbourne. Grab surplus food at lower prices and join the movement towards sustainability! 🌟 Stay Ahead of the Curve: Like and follow us for the latest and greatest in FMCG news. 👋 See You Next Week for More Eye-Opening Insights! #FMCG #Updates #Innovation #Sustainability #Tech #Retail

Rapleys was featured in foodstore sector magazine, The Grocer, commenting on The Co-op's strategic resurgence in the grocery market, marked by a genuine acquisition and expansion initiative fuelled by a shrewd strategy. By divesting its forecourt convenience portfolio, The Co-op has freed itself from debt and aligned with sustainability goals, redirecting resources into new store ventures. The Co-op's ambitious plans to acquire new stores, double franchise locations, and expand its share in the quick commerce market signal a dynamic shift in the industry. This proactive approach not only drives competition but also spurs development, setting a positive tone for the future of the foodstore sector. As other brands reflect on their strategies, The Co-op sets a compelling example of adaptability and growth potential amidst market uncertainties. Read the article in The Grocer: https://lnkd.in/epxkws3h. To find out more, contact Richard Curry at richard.curry@rapleys.com. #Conveniencestores #independents #retail #property #ukproperty #assetmanagement #commercial #transactions #groceries #shopping #growth #experts #proactive #connected #creative

Americana Restaurants reported a net income of USD 51.9 million in the second quarter of 2024, reflecting a 40.1% decline and falling short of the consensus estimate of USD 58.3 million. The group generated revenue of USD 559 million, a 14.2% decrease from the previous year. This downturn compared to 2Q23 was largely due to the ongoing boycott, which overshadowed the gains from new store openings. Despite the revenue decline, the gross margin improved by 98 bps to 54%, aided by favorable commodity prices. However, increased depreciation charges from new store openings negatively impacted the overall net profit.   The company opened a net total of 21 stores, bringing the total to 2,477 restaurants, up from 2,277 in 2Q23, with 36 new restaurants currently under construction. Management plans to add between 175 and 185 net new stores by the end of FY24.   Sequentially, sales rose by 13.3%, driven by recovery in key markets, fewer Ramadan days, and the occurrence of both Eid events in the second quarter, which contributed to a 230 bps improvement in gross margin. Net income increased by 85.3%, with the margin expanding by 360 bps to 9.3%.   Additionally, the company has received approval from ADX for a share buyback of 25 million shares from the open market, which will be allocated to eligible employees as part of their long-term investment plan. #Americana #FinancialResult

This may be the start of new #foreign owned #grocerystores coming into #Canada. Maybe ALDI USA Tesco Sainsbury's Lidl GB Wegmans Food Markets Kroger Carrefour and others the door is open as per the Canadian government desire to break the monopoly of current chains controlling most of the banners Canadian consumers shop on a daily basis. #competitiveadvantage #competition #monopoly #groceryretail #groceryindustry #grocerystores #groceryshopping #retailbrands #retailnews #retailindustry https://lnkd.in/ge86d4zT