Retail Insight
Loblaws reports third quarter sales reports
Mon, 18/11/19
By Warren Beaumont
Canada’s leading food and health and beauty retailer Loblaw Companies Limited (Loblaw) announced its unaudited financial results for the third quarter ended October 5, 2019, with Loblaw same-store retail sales flat at 0.1 percent growth compared to 3Q 2018 and front
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The most admired US food retailers
Wed, 23/01/19 - 08:30
By O.W.N News Network
U.S. companies in food retailing that ranked highly in Fortune magazine's World's Most Admired Companies for 2019 included Whole Foods Market parent company Amazon, which ranked No. 2 after Apple (No. 1); Costco Wholesale (No. 12 overall); while grocer Publix Super Market
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Organic food market grows more mainstream
Fri, 14/12/18 - 09:00
By O.W.N News Network
With the North American organic products market worth over USD53 billion in 2017 (USA OTA and Canada OTA sales figures), growth in the global organic products market has continued as North America consolidates its pole position with organic food going "mainstream".
"Cons
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Whole Foods slows for Amazon
Fri, 09/11/18 - 09:15
By Warren Beaumont
Despite Amazon reporting its second straight quarter of record profitability late October, its robust revenue growth is cooling due to more competition for Amazon Web Services, while its slower-growing Whole Foods Market business faces stiffer competition from the likes o
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Amazon 2Q profit jumps to a record US$2.5 billion
Fri, 03/08/18
Amazon's second quarter 2018 profit jumped to a record US$2.5 billion as its online shopping, cloud computing and advertising businesses kept growing, while revenue grew 39 percent to $US52.89 million for the quarter ended June 30, 2018. Amazon benefited from favorable ex
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Bigger Whole Foods to boost Amazon
Thu, 19/04/18 - 09:04
By Warren Beaumont
Amazon.com is looking to expand its Whole Foods Market (WFM) brick-and-mortar retail network with bigger stores to bolster the online shopping business just seven months after it acquired Whole Foods in late August 2017 for US$13.7 billion. And WFM regional marketing staf
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Casino, Auchan in global buying deal
Fri, 06/04/18 - 13:00
By O.W.N News Network
Auchan Retail and Casino Group have announced they have entered into exclusive talks to build a strategic partnership enabling them to jointly negotiate their purchases in France and abroad with their main multi-national food and non-food suppliers and manufacturers, in c
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Loblaw cuts 500 jobs as big grocers go digital
Wed, 18/10/17 - 10:00
By Warren Beaumont
Loblaw's MarketCanada's largest grocery chain Loblaw Companies Ltd is cutting about 500 jobs across the company, and plans to reinvest the savings into digital and e-commerce services, the company said on October 16 as Loblaw, competitor Metro and US chain Ahold step up t
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Organic retail boom in France
Fri, 01/09/17 - 19:30
By Warren Beaumont
Organic consumption in France has shown robust growth over the last decade with sales by specialist bio stores, hypermarkets and supermarkets, and the food service showing exceptional double-digit growth since 2014. The French market is outperforming Europe's number one o
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A look at Germany’s top organic retailers
Wed, 30/08/17 - 09:00
By Annemarie Kruse
According to data by EHI Retail Institute, the organic food market in Germany was worth 9,48 billion Euro in 2016. Over half of this turnover - 5,45 billion Euro - was generated by sales of organic products in the conventional supermarket channel.
No other European count
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Whole Foods shuts 9 stores, sales slide continues
Thu, 09/02/17 - 08:00
Whole Foods Market, Inc. has reported worse than expected results for the 16-week first quarter ended January 15, 2017 with total sales up 1.9 per cent to a record US$4.9 billion. Comparable store sales decreased 2.4 percent, falling short of analyst's expectations, WFM's
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Beyorg: Selling organic beauty in Hong Kong
Thu, 14/07/16 - 08:04
By Annemarie Kruse
In Asia organic beauty is a luxury sector – and nowhere more so than in Hong Kong, one of Asia’s most popular retail destinations. And although retail sales in Hong Kong have slumped in recent months, a development, which can be traced back to the slowing ec
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Coronilla shines in gluten-free pasta
Mon, 01/02/16 - 19:20
By Adriana Michael
Bolivia’s Coronilla provides an original line of quinoa-based pasta and other gluten-free, organic products to world markets. When German-Bolivian industrialist Guillermo Wille arrived in Cochabamba, Bolivia, the city’s best-known monument was “Las Her
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Fruit d’Or: From Bog to Table
Fri, 29/01/16 - 09:01
By Marni Andrews
Fruit d’Or, the world’s largest producer and processor of organic cranberries, has been successfully introducing their new retail dried fruit snack line called Patience Fruit & Co. since last Spring. “The name was inspired by the extra time required
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Alnatura Expands Distribution
Fri, 29/01/16 - 01:50
By Warren Beaumont
Alnatura is to open its 100th store in Berlin in March 2016, following the opening of the new 675sqm Göttingen Alnatura Super Natur Markt in the first week of December. In the last fiscal year, ten new Alnatura markets were opened.
Despite changing conditions Alna
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Whole Foods Market’s ‘365’ set for 2016
Sat, 01/08/15 - 12:00
By O.W.N News Network
US wholefoods and organics chain Whole Foods Market, Inc. is going on the offensive to combat the larger chains as organics becomes more mainstream and has announced the name of its new streamlined, value-focused brand as ‘365 by Whole Foods Market’, smaller
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Midsona buys Danish organic co Urtekram
Fri, 26/06/15
By Warren Beaumont
Dietary supplements and health foods company Midsona AB of Malmo, Sweden has agreed to acquire Danish organic food company Urtekram International A/S (Urtekram), Scandinavia’s largest organic wholesaler.
The move in early June came six months after Midsona bought N
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Sprouts Farmers Market hits 200 stores
Thu, 25/06/15 - 23:16
By O.W.N News Network
Sprouts Farmers Market, one of the fastest-growing retailers in the United States, has announced plans to add eight additional locations to its growing roster of fresh, natural and organic grocery stores to jump over the 200 store barrier.
“Each of these stores wil
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First organic plantain chips on the move
Thu, 25/06/15 - 19:06
By Adriana Michael
Thousands of business visitors attending the Summer Fancy Food Show at the Javits Centre in New York June 28-30 will have an opportunity to see and try the first organic, fair trade and kosher certified plantain chip, which is already exciting palates in California, Canad
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Organic food in China set for huge growth
Sun, 24/05/15 - 18:12
By Warren Beaumont
China is the world’s largest grocery market with the value of the organic food market estimated at US$7.8 billion to more than US$13 billion, while grocery market growth is expected to rise by 9% in 2014 to over 14% in 2020, according to IGD research.
A market stud
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Three Pillars Needed to Strengthen The Cranberry Industry
Sun, 05/04/15 - 13:32
Based on text provided by Christian G. Krueger Co-Founder and CEO, Complete phytochemical Solutions, LLC
Concerning problems with adulteration and overall product quality plague the cranberry supplement industry. Some unscrupulous manufacturers are blending other polyphe
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Customers drive Alnatura sales record
Sun, 01/02/15 - 11:38
By Warren Beaumont
Germany’s leading organic retailer Alnatura celebrated ‘30 years in Bio’ in 2014, posted record sales growth, is ramping up its retail store expansion with 10 more Alnatura Super Natural Markets planned for 2015, and opened its fourth Alnatura organic su
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2014, The Year of Retail Contradictions
Fri, 07/02/14 - 00:25
By O.W.N News Network
Global retail branding and sourcing expert Daymon Worldwide has released its eight ‘Global Retail Trends Predictions for 2014 and Beyond’ to help retailers successfully address the contradictory, challenging realities facing the industry in 2014, dubbed by US-
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Brighton UK welcomes new ethical supermarket
Tue, 28/01/14 - 20:10
By O.W.N News Network
A new ethical supermarket opened in Brighton, UK on the 7th December and marks a new era in food shopping as the first ethical supermarket aimed squarely at regular supermarket
shoppers. The new store is located at 20-21 York Place, London Road, Brighton. Co-founders are
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Alnatura opens 83rd outlet
Tue, 28/01/14 - 13:21
By Warren Beaumont
Germany’s organic product focused supermarket Alnatura opened a new Alnatura Super Natural Market in Munich in December at “forum on deer garden” the seventh branch in Munich, and its 83rd Alnatura market.
The six other branches are located in the city
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Kroger plans natural & organic expansion
Thu, 12/12/13 - 11:04
By O.W.N News Network
Natural and organic foods are only the sixth or seventh largest category at the largest U.S. supermarket operator Kroger, but are the fastest growing category on a percentage basis, and sometimes dollar basis, said Rodney McMullen, president and CEO in December.
Looking
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Sainsbury reclaims No. 2 grocery spot in UK
Thu, 12/12/13 - 10:42
J Sainsbury appears to have reclaimed its position as the second-biggest grocery retailer in Britain for the first time in a decade from rival Asda, owned by Walmart. Sainsbury’s has already overtaken Asda in Nielsen’s market share data.
For the 28 weeks ende
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At tegut… organics continue to flourish
Fri, 15/11/13 - 15:09
By Warren Beaumont
Fulda-based regional German grocer tegut… is undergoing renewal and expansion under the ownership of Swiss retailer Migros Zurich. Warren Beaumont spoke with head of corporate communications Stella Kircher.
Thirty years ago, tegut… was one of the first re
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Loblaw pilots new Nutshell health & wellness store
Tue, 10/09/13 - 02:20
Canada’s Loblaw plans to launch health-oriented store called Nutshell Live Life Well and position itself in price below Whole Foods Market. The concept will include a broad assortment of prepared, fresh and packaged food, a prescription pharmacy, natural health and
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Kroger acquires Harris Teeter
Mon, 09/09/13 - 02:55
By O.W.N News Network
The Kroger Co, the second-largest retailer in the U.S., is under a merger agreement to buy Harris Teeter Supermarkets Inc, an upscale grocer known for fresh foods and produce, in a deal valued at $2.5 billion.
Harris Teeter brings to Kroger an exceptional brand and compl
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Waitrose expands delivery options
Sat, 07/09/13 - 02:43
Upmarket UK grocer Waitrose plans to step up its multichannel credentials with the launch of temperature-controlled delivery lockers for click-and-collect customers in-store and at remote locations. Shoppers on waitrose.com would be able to collect their shopping using a
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Casino gains full control of Monoprix stores
Fri, 06/09/13 - 03:06
Groupe Casino has gained final clearance from the French Competition Authority to assume full control of its joint venture partner Monoprix Group. However, the retailer is required to dispose of 10% of its stores. Casino had agreed to sell 55 stores in Paris, out of aroun
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Rewe growth strategy: Temma ‘bio’ concept
Wed, 04/09/13 - 07:48
By O.W.N News Network
Germany’s Rewe Group is developing an expansion strategy in Eastern Europe for its Billa supermarket chain. Billa supermarket has revealed details about its expansion in the Czech Republic, including developing both through organic growth and via acquisitions. Billa
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Retailers recognized for increasing awareness about GMOs
Sun, 01/09/13 - 03:11
It’s estimated that 75% or more of non-organic processed foods in the U.S. are contaminated with genetically modified organisms (GMOs). The Organic Consumers Association (OCA), a Minnesota, USA-based non- profit consumer advocacy group, recently asked consumers to n
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Natural Grocers expands across Montana
Fri, 31/05/13 - 10:03
By O.W.N News Network
Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage opened its newest location in Kalispell, Montana on April 23rd. The Kalispell store at 2395 US Highway 93 N will be the company’s fourth in Montana following locations opening last year in Billings, Missoula and Helena. The organi
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Finally, a range of Ice Cream Alternatives
Sat, 27/04/13 - 04:40
By Kat Schuett
On a summer day there is nothing like a cool, creamy treat to beat the heat. But for vegans or those who were cursed with lactose intolerance (such as myself), ice cream has been but a dream. Even for those who can have dairy, the cold reality is that if you w
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Mary’s Gone Crackers now part of Kameda Seika
Sun, 07/04/13 - 09:16
By O.W.N News Network
Gourmet and organic snack company, Mary`s Gone Crackers, makers of award-winning organic, vegan and gluten free foods, announced in late March that Kameda USA, Inc., a 100% subsidiary of Kameda Seika Co. Ltd, Japan`s largest manufacturer of rice crackers, has acquired 77.
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Pacran builds evidence of cranberry benefits
Tue, 05/02/13 - 01:51
By Christopher Doscher
PACran, the whole-cranberry powder used in a number of branded and private-label supplements that are aimed at promoting urinary tract health, is seeking to grow the body of literature that supports its effectiveness at preventing urinary-tract infections and prostate hea
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Updates from the world's top retailers
Sun, 13/01/13 - 23:41
By Warren Beaumont
EUROPE
Switzerland’s Migros Zurich takes over German supermarket Tegut
Starting in January, Migros Zurich, one of the Swiss market leader's co-operatives, will acquire the supermarket business of German group tegut. This chain introduced organic food almost 30 yea
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Whole Foods Market continues strong growth
Tue, 18/09/12 - 01:59
By Clara Paz
With 329 stores operating at the end of July and with estimated store openings rising from 25 in 2012 to 33-38 in 2014, natural and organic grocer Whole Foods Market is setting ambitious store expansion targets and said that over the long term, 1,000 stores is a reasonabl
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Gold for ALB-GOLD
Fri, 17/02/12 - 11:00
By O.W.N News Network
Pasta is the signature of Italian cuisine and ALB- GOLD the symbol of flavour and taste that comes from sustainable quality. ALB –GOLD has been recognized as “Best Organic Brand in 2012” in a competition among top brands conducted by LEBENSMITTEL PRAXIS
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Maqui Berry the queen of the South
Mon, 06/02/12 - 09:30
By Chelsea Kerrington
Hailed as the ultimate “superfruit,” the maqui berry (Aristotelia Chilensis) is quickly gaining popularity among the specialty food and organic sectors. Native to Chile and southern Argentina, this antioxidant-rich berry is relatively new to the scene, althoug
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Nature’s Agave now in Williams-Sonoma
Fri, 20/01/12 - 17:57
By O.W.N News Network
Nature’s Agave Premium Raw agave nectar variety is now available at all 260 Williams-Sonoma stores nationwide. Williams -Sonoma is a specialty US retailer of high-quality home products including gourmet cookware and premium food. The agave nectar is made from 100 pe
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BLK, the dark side of water, is “in”
Mon, 09/01/12 - 07:20
By Adriana Michael
Canadian sisters Louise and Jacqueline Wilkie of Eclipse Concepts have been busy selling their unique “black water.” Presented in a sleek clear glass bottle with the white bold letters BLK at the front, the deep black liquid is intriguing. Is it an alcoholic d
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Market for Omega 3’s is still on the rise
Sat, 10/12/11 - 04:14
By Warren Beaumont
Consumers now associate food with health and wellness and new studies and reports covered by the media have contributed to an increase in the purchase of functional food and natural supplements. Omega-3 fatty acids, vital nutrients to human health, are one of the most wid
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SunOpta 3Q sales up 14.6 percent
Sat, 10/12/11 - 03:45
By O.W.N News Network
Canada based SunOpta Inc., leading global company for natural, organic and specialty foods and natural health products, announced sales rose 25.3 percent for the quarter ended October 1, 2011. The firm reported quarterly revenues of $272.4 million versus $217.5 million fo
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Sprouts Farmers Market retail chain expands
Mon, 10/10/11 - 16:00
By O.W.N News Network
The San Franciso Bay and Silicon Valley areas of northern California has seen several new organic, natural and mainstream supermarket openings this year with specialty grocers reported to be doing good trade in August and appearing to be immune from the United States econ
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UHTCO enters food retail with Peruvian Harvest®
Sun, 12/06/11 - 10:56
By Adriana Michael
First was Italian, followed by Greek and Mexican; then was Indian, Japanese and Thai. The trend for ethnic foods is growing and shifting as migration, travelling, the internet and celebrity chefs connect people to indulge in the tastes and flavours from around the world.
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Veganz: Heading forward
Sat, 30/12/99
By Annemarie Kruse
The Veganz brand offers highquality vegan products in attractive packaging Europe's leading vegan supermarket retailer Veganz is stepping up its European expansion this year. The company has signed distribution agreements with the Austrian Spar chain and the Swiss superma
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