Burnley steps down early as interim Asda CEO
After only few months into a period in which he was supposed to hold down the role of chief executive officer for a year, Roger Burnley has stepped down from Asda. The supermarket chain has yet to find a replacement, but Burnley’s exit was agreed on by both sides, according to the company’s owners Mohsin […]
Divine trinity: Fresh, with a Bite and a Zing
Food is a central theme during meetings between individuals who work in the fresh produce industry. In Croatia, I recently had a discussion with a French colleague, who told me about the love that the famous French chef Paul Bocuse had for cream, butter, and wine. Bocuse reputedly once said: “I like butter, cream and […]
Covid app ‘pingdemic’ blamed for empty supermarket shelves
A rise in the numbers of British food supply workers being forced to self-isolate is being blamed for empty supermarket shelves, as shoppers become alarmed to find shelves and fridges empty. A surge in workers being alerted by the National Health Service (NHS) Covid app on their phones has hit industries hard because workers have to stay at […]
Sainsbury’s asks customers to keep masks on as UK government lifts mandate
As the UK government lifts mandatory masks in public settings on Monday, one supermarket chain says it will strongly encourage customers to keep them on. Officials at Sainsbury’s say they will ask its shoppers to continue to put on face coverings as they shop at stores, providing an extra layer of protection for themselves, other […]
M&S targets food waste in latest scheme: 25p bananas
Trying to cut down on food waste across England, Marks & Spencer is selling a bunches of bananas in its stores for just 25p. The bananas, which M&S says come in a minimum of packs of three, are packaged in clever cardboard bags that are part of a “Go Bananas” campaign to reduce fruit that […]
Retail roundup: Commercial crop of vertically grown strawberries hits Tesco stores
Tesco is receiving the first commercial volumes of strawberries grown from a vertical farm via a production system that lessens both water usage and features a 90 per cent reduction in carbon footprint per kilo of fruit. The fruit is being delivered by Direct Produce Supplies Ltd (DPS), a Tesco supplier for 40 years that […]
UK retail food and grocery market growth to slow sharply
In its annual retail food and grocery market forecast, IGD predicts that the growth in 2020 will slow this year and the next, as shoppers economize and the foodservice industry reclaims sales. The unprecedented 8.5% growth last year is predicted to drop to 1.7% in 2021 and then to 0.9% in 2022. This sharp decline […]
Morrisons agrees to £6.3B takeover by Fortress-led group
Morrisons, the U.K.’s fourth-largest supermarket group, has agreed to a takeover led by SoftBank-owned Fortress Investment Group that values Britain’s fourth-largest supermarket chain at £6.3 billion and tops a rival offer from a U.S. private equity firm. The offer from Fortress, along with Canada Pension Plan Investment Board and Koch Real Estate Investments, exceeds a […]
