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☆ Amazon is shutting some Fresh and Go stores as the company cuts costs
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-02 | by ( Annie Palmer | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Amazon will also temporarily halt expansion of its line of Fresh grocery stores until it can find a format that differentiates the company's offering from others in the industry. Amazon currently operates several dozen Fresh grocery stores and 28 Amazon Go convenience stores, according to its website. The Information reported in December that a handful of built-out U.S. Amazon Fresh stores sat vacant, signaling a pullback in the company's grocery strategy. Amazon has been determined to crack the grocery segment since the launch of its Fresh grocery delivery service in 2007. Last March, Amazon announced it would slim down its physical stores portfolio by shutting all its Amazon Books, 4-star and Pop Up shops.

☆ UK grocery price inflation rises to record 16.7% -Kantar
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-31 | by ( James Davey | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, Jan 31 (Reuters) - British grocery inflation hit a record 16.7% in the four weeks to Jan. 22, dealing another blow to consumers battling an escalating cost-of-living crisis, industry data showed on Tuesday. Market researcher Kantar said grocery inflation was at its highest since it started tracking the figure in 2008, with prices rising fastest in markets such as milk, eggs and dog food. Kantar said sales of supermarkets' own-label lines grew 9.3% in January, while sales of branded products, which are generally more expensive, were up by just 1.0%. It said that over the 12 weeks to Jan. 22, UK grocery sales rose 7.6% year-on-year, masking a drop in volumes when accounting for inflation. UK grocers' market share and sales growth (%)Source: Kantar($1 = 0.8093 pounds)Reporting by James Davey Editing by Mark PotterOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Stripe's valuation was just slashed 20% by another big mutual fund
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-26 | by ( Samantha Stokes | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Principal's Large Cap Growth Fund slashed its valuation of Stripe by 20% in December. Mutual funds are continuing to prune the valuations of startups they invest in, and Stripe is once again feeling the heat. Principal's large-cap growth fund, which is sub-advised by T. Rowe Price and Brown Advisory, just slashed the valuation of the fintech startup by nearly 20% at the end of 2020. Given Principal's fund holds 114,126 shares, that means Stripe's per-share valuation dropped from $23 to $18.50 in a month. Fidelity's Contrafund, another mutual fund that has a stake in the payment processor, valued Stripe's stock at $40.12 at the end of November 2021.

☆ The bizarre reason Ronzoni is no longer making its beloved tiny pastina pasta
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-14 | by ( Bethany Biron | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Ronzoni is discontinuing its popular tiny-star-shaped pastina pasta this month. "Unfortunately, our long-term supplier informed us that they would no longer be making Ronzoni Pastina as of January 2023." "Your passion for Ronzoni fuels our passion to deliver for you," Ronzoni wrote. "We haven't given up, but as of today we can no longer offer Ronzoni Pastina to our customers. Thank you for your understanding and trust in Ronzoni pasta."

☆ Here are 5 brands—including Trader Joe's—whose dark chocolate tested high for lead, cadmium
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-10 | by ( Renée Onque | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Thousands of customers flock to Trader Joe's, largely because of its wide range of grocery options, affordable prices — and the nearly endless selection of snacks. And while you may think grabbing a dark chocolate bar off of the shelf is the healthier option, a recent Consumer Reports (CR) study shows that those chocolate bars may actually expose you to harmful chemicals like lead and cadmium. For the study, CR tested 28 dark chocolate bars, which are commonly suggested for their heart health benefits, to measure the levels of heavy metals. To determine which chocolates posed the most risk, CR used California's maximum allowable dose level (MADL) for lead and cadmium as a base. Some Trader Joe's favorites were on the list of products that the study found to have high levels of those chemicals.

☆ Ronzoni is no longer making its beloved tiny pastina pasta and fans are really not OK: 'What am I supposed to do without the lil stars'
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-08 | by ( Bethany Biron | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

"Unfortunately, our long-term supplier informed us that they would no longer be making Ronzoni Pastina as of January 2023." What am I supposed to do without the lil stars," one Twitter user wrote. "Your passion for Ronzoni fuels our passion to deliver for you," Ronzoni wrote. "We haven't given up, but as of today we can no longer offer Ronzoni Pastina to our customers. Thank you for your understanding and trust in Ronzoni pasta."

☆ Publix grocery heiress was willing to give up to $3 million to the pro-Trump Jan. 6 rally, transcript reveals
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-22 | by ( Mary Meisenzahl | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Publix supermarket heiress Julie Fancelli was willing to contribute up to $3 million for the Jan. 6 pro-Trump rally, a transcript shows. The transcript released by the House select committee shows Fancelli gave money to Charlie Kirk, Alex Jones, and Roger Stone, the Washington Post reported. Documents indicate that Fancelli also paid for Trump advisor Roger Stone to fly into Washington DC for the rally, the Post reported. Trump used the rally to promote baseless claims of election fraud before a group of supporters stormed the Capitol with plans to stop President Joe Biden's election certification. When the House panel asked Fancelli if she intended for the rally to become violent, she said "no."

☆ Airlines can price climate change into your plane ticket. There are reasons to not buy it
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-17 | by ( Trevor Laurence Jockims | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +11 min

United Airlines , for example, has committed to net zero carbon by 2050 without any contribution from traditional carbon offsets. Southwest Airlines ' "Wanna offset carbon?" Consumer psychology and the environmentIt's not just about the dollar amount of the carbon offset purchase in the consumer psychology. If airline travelers want to stay environmentally conscious without paying carbon offset fees, Keyes recommends choosing cheaper airlines when traveling. "It's true that we all have a part to play in reducing carbon emissions.

☆ Kroger and Albertsons would likely shutter stores as part of a planned merger. See if your local store is at risk.
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-14 | by ( Alex Bitter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Kroger and Albertsons could sell or close stores if their $20 billion merger is approved. A map showing Kroger and Albertsons stores KrogerIn some ways, the companies' store networks complement each other. As part of the deal, Kroger and Albertsons have agreed to sell up to 650 stores. Eliminating stores in those locations is one way that Kroger and Albertsons could cut costs as a combined company, he added. In order to get federal approval for their merger, Albertsons and Safeway had to sell just under 150 to another grocery chain.

☆ I compared Whole Foods and Wegmans, and the smaller chain is the clear winner due to thoughtful design and private label grocery staples
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-13 | by ( Mary Meisenzahl | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: 1 min

I don't tend to do my regular grocery shopping at Wegmans, but I visited to remember why the chain has such a loyal following — taking the No. 1 slot in a recent national survey of grocery customers. Mary Meisenzahl/InsiderNewsweek and Statista's 2022 "America's Best Retailers" survey of more than 10,000 shoppers named Wegmans as the No. 1 grocery chain.

☆ Norway's Reitan Retail buys 114 Danish stores from Germany's Aldi
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

OSLO, Dec 9 (Reuters) - Norway's Reitan Retail said on Friday it had agreed to buy 114 Danish grocery stores and three distribution centres from German rival Aldi for an undisclosed amount, boosting the Norwegian group's chain of Rema 1000 discount stores. "This will significantly lift our Danish revenue and should make Rema 1000 the largest chain of grocery stores in Denmark," Reitan Retail Chief Executive Ole Robert Reitan told Reuters. Before the transaction, Rema 1000 had around 330 grocery stores in Denmark. German discounter Aldi said in a statement the sale was part of a full exit from the Danish market, where it has a total of 188 stores. Reitan Retail, which has some 42,000 employees across seven countries, earlier this year reported an operating profit (EBIT) of 3.8 billion Norwegian crowns ($381 million) for 2021, down from 4.4 billion in 2020.

☆ Getting a Covid booster? You may be eligible for discounts, or even a $75 gift card
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-09 | by ( Renée Onque | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Financial incentives are a great way to get more people on board with pretty much anything, even vaccination efforts. The Bay State is offering $75 gift cards to residents who receive their omicron-specific boosters by December 31 at select vaccine clinics, for as long as supplies last. For children or teens under 18 years old, an accompanying adult must be present to receive the gift card(s)," the site states. WashingtonSimilarly, but on an even larger scale, the governor of Washington, Jay Inslee, wants to offer $1,000 to state workers who get the updated Covid-19 booster. These 4 stores are offering discounts for getting boosted against Covid-19If you're not a resident of Massachusetts or Washington state, there are some financial incentives you may be eligible to receive.

☆ Kroger's stock is a solid bet, with or without the Albertsons' deal, Bernstein says
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-07 | by ( Christina Cheddar Berk | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Analyst Dean Rosenblum said he's bullish on Kroger without the deal, seeing 25% potential upside for the stock from Tuesday's close. Although the grocery market is highly fragmented, Kroger and Albertsons are two of its biggest players. Says 90% chance the deal will close Rosenblum said he has "pretty high-conviction" that the deal will close, based on his research. Once the deal closes, Albertsons shares should be worth about $27, based on the deal price, net a special dividend the company plans to pay as part of the transaction. The bigger picture Beyond the strategic reasons for the Kroger-Albertsons deal, Rosenblum also sees reasons to be optimistic about both grocery and home improvement sectors.

☆ People are turning to fish heads, protein shakes, and unsold food apps to save money on groceries
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-03 | by ( Pete Syme | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

An app that offers unsold food saw a 100% month-on-month rise in the first half of the year. Jenny Holden, who runs a PR firm in Staffordshire, told Insider that she's started having a pea protein shake for dinner once a week. More Brits are buying unsold food through appsToo Good To Go lets users buy unsold food for one-third of the price. One user of such unsold food apps is Penny Moyses, the founder of the Clean and Tidy Home Show, which offers household budgeting tips. The energy price cap has been extended by one year, but will increase by £500 ($613) from April 2023.

☆ I visited Wegmans and it's clear why the supermarket chain was recently rated America's top grocery store
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-03 | by ( Mary Meisenzahl | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: 1 min

☆ Black leaders on Buffalo’s East Side are building markets to address food insecurity
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-01 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Claretta-Bellamy-Byline-Jm.Jpg | Claretta Bellamy | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +8 min

The only supermarket on the East Side is Tops, where a white gunman killed 10 Black residents in May. AHRIE / African Heritage Food Co-op“It’s about gainful employment,” Wright, 43, said in October of his future grocery store. African Heritage Food Co-Op“That’s why I don’t call this a food desert,” Wright said. One organization, the Buffalo Black Billion, is led by a local pastor, Michael Chapman of St. John and Gethsemane Missionary Baptist churches. African Heritage Food Co-OpBy providing healthy food, Chapman said he also wants to increase the lifespan of Black residents in the community, for whom health disparities are all too familiar.

WASHINGTON, Nov 29 (Reuters) - Top executives at Kroger Co (KR.N) and Albertsons Companies Inc (ACI.N) on Tuesday defended their planned $25 billion merger before skeptical lawmakers who fear the deal would push up food prices at a time of high inflation. "A combined Kroger and Albertsons will remain at number four as we will continue to compete with these companies to sell groceries. Those same three competitors have nearly three times the share of grocery sales of Kroger and Albertsons combined," he said, according to written remarks. In that case, the companies were forced to sell 168 stores to ensure that competition would remain fierce and prices would not rise. The companies have also been criticized for a plan to give Albertsons' shareholders a $4 billion dividend payment.

☆ A new player in the grocery software space just raised $10 million to compete in the nearly $150 billion online grocery segment. Check out the 13-page pitch deck that helped Vori secure the deal.
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-25 | by ( Alex Bitter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Vori raised a $10 million Series A for its grocery-inventory software aimed at indepedent grocers. Vori, an inventory-management startup, pitches itself as a solution for those smaller grocers — a position that just helped it raise $10 million. Vori's inventory software provides inventory services to grocers that might only have a few stores, Hill said. "Our customers have been our most active and enthusiastic investors," Hill said. Check out the 13-slide pitch deck that Vori used to raise its $10 million Series A round:

☆ Disabled Shoppers Struggle With Inaccessible Self-Checkouts
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-21 | by ( Katie Deighton | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +8 min

Stores’ self-checkout machines can annoy shoppers with error messages about unexpected items in the bagging area and other hiccups. PREVIEWThe problem is spreading as companies continue to install self-service transaction machines around the world, some disabled people and disability-rights activists say. The Baltimore-based organization last year worked with McDonald’s Corp. to upgrade its self-service kiosks so that they could be used independently by blind people. Walmart said its self-checkout system was accessible because staff had been trained to help disabled customers use it. Steps toward potential regulationsThe U.S. is looking into the possibility of creating regulations for the accessibility of self-service checkouts and ordering systems.

☆ As consumer spending rises, Costco remains the discount retailer to own
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-17 | by ( Paulina Likos | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

But discretionary spending did pick up in other areas, with U.S. shoppers spending more on cars, furniture and restaurant meals. At the same time, quarterly earnings at giant U.S. discount retailers Walmart (WMT) and Target (TGT) painted a mixed picture. Walmart is a "well-positioned" food retailer because it has "relatively low discretionary exposure," according to analysts at Bank of America. But Target, which is more exposed to discretionary spending, faces "rapidly softening demand," CEO Brian Cornell said Wednesday. Bottom line Consumer spending on staples like food remains strong, while discretionary spending has been mixed, as inflation and other macroeconomic pressures persist.

As food prices have risen, a U.S Census survey showed the share of households reporting food scarcity rising from 7.8% in August 2021 to 11.4% as of early October. As with other goods and services, there is a broad set of forces behind the Thanksgiving food spike. Thanksgiving-related travel this year may at least be cheaper than it was, with airline and fuel prices having declined recently. Discounted turkey prices often lure consumers to grocery stores and supermarkets, and bargains intensify as the holiday approaches. The Farm Bureau noted that frozen turkey prices had fallen to 95 cents a pound as of this week.

☆ Some relief for consumers: Prices on a few grocery items are actually coming down
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-10 | by ( Parija Kavilanz | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

For most consumers, price breaks on their groceries come as welcome relief given that store food prices overall have surged 12.4% through October versus a year ago. In fresh produce, the average unit price for prepared mixed vegetables from July to September (the latest data available) dropped 68% versus the same period last year. In fruits, the average unit price is down 1.8% for tangerines and has declined 7% for dates in the same three-month period. A lot of fresh seafood options are cheaper as well: the average unit price for striped bass fell 41.8% (July through September) over the prior year. “You’re are seeing a little bit of an increase in turkey [prices] but you are also seeing a little bit of reduction in chicken.

The barrage helped Oz climb back into a race that Fetterman had led all summer — by double digits, according to at least two polls. Fetterman, whose speech and auditory processing were affected by his stroke, agreed to only one debate, on Oct. 25. His struggles were apparent, stoking alarm the next day among Democrats who worried the performance would scare away voters. Mehmet Oz takes part in a forum for Pennsylvania Republican Senate candidates in Camp Hill, Pa. on Apr. “My wife wants some vegetables for crudité,” Oz said, picking out broccoli, asparagus, carrots, guacamole and salsa for the platter of raw vegetables and dips.

☆ Here’s why 75% of likely voters think we are in a recession — even though we’re probably not
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-03 | by ( Allison Morrow | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

New York CNN Business —A new CNN poll shows that three-quarters of likely voters feel like the US economy is in a recession. The technical definition of a recession is two consecutive quarters of economic contraction, which the US economy recorded in the first half of the year. Still, the economy feels bad to the majority of Americans ahead of next week’s midterms. But that’s still the highest since the early 1980s, and it’s the first time many younger people have ever experienced inflation. But that dip may not be enough to buy Democrats any goodwill among voters, given the elevated costs of every other necessity.

☆ Go ahead. Go crazy with avocados. There's a massive glut and prices are cooling off
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-02 | by ( Parija Kavilanz | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

New York CNNBusiness —There’s at least one item in the grocery store that is getting less expensive: avocados. A significant supply glut of the buttery fruit has triggered a drop in wholesale prices, sending store prices lower as well. A glut of global avocado supply has triggered a significant drop in prices. “In the first half of 2022, avocado shipments from Mexico were 25% lower compared to the record-high shipments we saw in 2021,” said Magana. Those regulations were quickly lifted, but not before causing a further run-up in store prices.

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