Discount Retail Chain Penny Czech Republic (owned by the German REWE Group) has expanded to market leadership, opening 400 stores in the Czech Republic within the past 25 years. Why do the Czechs like to go shopping at Penny? Jens Krieger, Managing Director at Penny Czech Republic: The answer is partly in the question asked. With more than 400 stores we have the widest network on the Czech market. That is significantly more than any of our competitors. We are practically everywhere. Our customers: inside have short distances to us to buy cheap and quickly. As part of the expansion activities, we not only focus on big cities, especially on small cities with 3,000 to 5,000 inhabitants. After 25 years we are proud to be able to say that we are the biggest discounter in the Czech Republic and make it known. This means that with us the customer: the goods with good quality can be found at low prices and the format of the branches is so that you can quickly buy everything you need every day. In the currently economically demanding time, this strategy proves to be correct because the customer: Inside, more than ever pay attention to the price. In retrospect: How has shopping in the Czech Republic over the years? Jens Krieger: Shopping at Penny has changed in many aspects. In the 90s, the classic discounter dominated in the Czech Republic. It was enough to exhibit on pallets, without any shopping experience. However, the market has changed, the behavior of the customer: inside and also its preferences. We have adjusted our offer to these changes. Especially in the past six years, we have modernized the stores and switched to the market hall concept. This is expressed in a higher-quality shopping evenings, a new customer: internal tour and lighter markets. We focus on more fresh food and show a broader range of fresh fruit, vegetables and pastries in our branches. In addition, we offer organic articles, lactose and gluten-free products and vegetable meat alternatives. We also complement our range with so-called themed weeks, in which we offer product compound to Italy, America and Asia as well as XXL packaging formats or at Easter and Christmas an exclusive "Selection" selection. Nevertheless, we will not change with the criteria of efficiency, productivity and economy. We are a discounter and that means that we always want to offer our customers a better price-quality ratio compared to the competition. This is our DNA and we stay. How does a purchase in the Czech Republic differ from other European countries? Jens Krieger: Together with Slovakia, the Czech Republic has the highest proportion of promotion actions in Europe, even in the world. On average, it is about 55 percent, with the proportion of promotion action moving by around 20 percent in neighboring countries. There were many competitors in the Czech Republic in the 1990s. During the economic transformation, practically all retailers came here and the phenomenon of relatively high sales prices and very low campaign prices were created. To date, the Czech is announced: in the inside and act accordingly every day. We are a discounter and that means that we always want to offer our customers a better price-quality ratio compared to the competition. This is our DNA and we stay. Just in time for the 25th anniversary, Penny Czech Republic will complete the modernization of the store network and open 15 new markets. What is a Penny market in the Czech Republic today? Jens Krieger: Penny is number 1 on the market with a view of the number of stores and we want to continue to consolidate this position. That is why we open an average of 10 to 15 new stores every year. We want to keep this pace in the next few years. So that we can expand the store network with this number of stroke, we are planning to build two new logistics centers by 2028. We not only focus on expansion, modernization or installation of economical technologies. We also optimize our range step by step. We increase the proportion of our own brands. Customers: In the inside, self -made brands are in terms of quality and significantly cheaper than branded products. Our goal is to increase the proportion of own brands in the total range to 50 percent by 2025. Sustainability plays an important role in Penny, with intelligent refrigeration technology, long-resistant materials and modern LED lighting. In addition, in the Czech Republic in a market, they also showed how empty the shelves are when there are no more bees. What is the importance of sustainability in the Czech Republic in general and for Penny in particular? Jens Krieger: Sustainability and social responsibility play an increasingly important role in our decisions. That is why they have become an inseparable part of our trade strategy. Wherever we work, we want to be a good neighbor. This means that we not only want the customer to buy: inside us and feel comfortable with us, we also want us to make a contribution to people and nature in the area, i.e. in the places where we are active. That is why we install environmentally friendly technologies in our stores. We regularly participate in nationwide cleaning activities, we plant trees, support the sporting activities of the children in the regions and also take care of seniors. In all logistics centers we have our own beehives and a few weeks ago we drew attention to the importance of bees for food production at a large event. I am pleased that this event with the support of the Czech Minister of Agriculture, Zdeněk Nekula, who is a beekeeper himself, was very successful and has received great attention and a positive evaluation in the Czech media and the general public. We not only focus on expansion, modernization or installation of economical technologies. We also optimize our range step by step. They went from Plus Czech Republic to Penny Hungary and back to the Czech Republic in the course of their career. What surprised you the most after her return? Jens Krieger: I particularly like Prague and the Czech Republic in general, so the return was very pleasant for me. With great commitment to all college: It was easy to continue the good work that started here. In all stores we carried out rebranding to the new, friendly "Penny-Punkt logo". At the same time, this year we are concluding the modernization of the entire store network on the market hall concept and are pleased that Penny Czech Republic in the customer: internal perception is constantly increasing and developing positively. With a wide range of Czech foods, we are near our customers: inside a reliable and good neighbor. Penny Czech Republic Data Penny operates over 400 stores and five logistics centers in the Czech Republic. More than 6,000 employees: inside are employed there. In 2020, sales of 1.75 billion euros were achieved. One of the most important milestones in 2008 was the takeover of the plus retail chain with its 146 stores. In 2017, Penny began modernizing his network, which is to be completed this year. The company also opens up new stores every year. In 2020 and 2021 there were a total of 16 new stores, another 15 are planned for this year. The number of Penny markets exceeded the 400 mark at the beginning of this year. See here for more: https://www.rewe-group.com/de/presse-und-medien/newsroom/stories/25-jahre-penny-tschechien-wir-sind-nah-an-unseren-kundinnen/?utm_campaign=li-posting&utm_source=linkedink&utm_medium=social

As inflation causes food prices to rise across the country and forces shoppers to cut back on staples such as meat and dairy, a supermarket chain is cutting costs for its customers. Some savings are as high as US$1 per item, which may not sound like a lot, but definitely adds up at checkout. The chain is slashing prices on everything from frozen pizza to tea to lobster cake, which means you’ll save big no matter what you’re in the market for. Lidl, an Arlington, VA-based supermarket chain with more than 170 stores in nine states, including Virginia, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Washington DC, plans to reduce . Prices on over 100 daily items starting September 28. The price cuts, which reflect a similar program launched in June, will last through the fall and discounted items will circulate throughout the season. The store hopes that in doing so, it will attract more buyers and help offset rising prices. A sample of the discounted items range in cost from US$1.29 to US$6.75, and have shown savings of between 20 cents and US$1.04, respectively. supermarket news, Price cuts ranged from 10% to 23%, with an average of 11%. Stephen Schwarz, chief product officer and executive vice president of procurement at Lidl US, said, “We recognize that inflation and rising food prices are affecting many families, and we look to provide more relief through this declining price-cutting campaign. Let’s hope.” To provide all of our customers with the best value in our stores every day, and we continue to invest in additional ways for customers to save money when we know it matters most.” Lidl is known to provide the buyers with everything they need at a lower cost than its competitors. Whether you’re looking for luxury items, or stocking your pantry with staples, you can save big at Lidl. Following the recent price reduction, wheat biscuits will top out at US$1.29—a 20 cents savings, which for some shoppers can be the difference between getting something and going without it. The Stone Oven Pizza Margherita now sells for US$4.45, saving US$1.04 in total. Other discounted items include lobster cake, dessert bar, coffee, shrimp risotto, cold-pressed juice, bread, and more. Lidl’s savings campaign comes after the Consumer Price Index revealed that grocery store prices were up 13.5% year-over-year. Lidl isn’t the only chain trying to get customers to save cash right now. In fact, the grocery chain dropped to sixth place in a ranking of the top grocery retailers with the best prices, run by Dunhamby, a consumer data company. According to the findings, Market Basket, Aldi, Vinco Foods, Grocery Outlets and Save a Lot were also displayed right in front of Lidl. See here for more: https://starkbites.com/lidl-is-cutting-prices-of-over-100-items/

Discount Retail Chain Aldi UK & Ireland (German family owned) has fallen short of an estate growth target thanks to unforeseen challenges, the retailer’s UK & Ireland CEO Giles Hurley has acknowledged. The discounter was aiming to have 1,000 UK stores by 2022 but currently has only about 970, with another 16 to be opened this year. Hurley said the 1,000-store milestone would not be reached until 2023, thanks to challenges including availability of sites. “There are of course lots of things beyond our control when it comes to the store opening programme,” Hurley told The Grocer. “Clearly there’s planning, which I have to say has been more challenging than ever during the course of the last two to three years, which I guess is perhaps to be expected because of all the pandemic-related challenges. “There is of course a little bit around availability of sites. There are definitely more challenges around construction and materials. I think you would hear the same things from most businesses right now, which is that the economic landscape is just making it a bit more difficult than we would have foreseen. Having said that, it’s slowed us down, it’s not going to stop us. We’re going to open 1,000 stores. It’s going to happen at some point next year. We’re at the moment trying identify exactly which store it will be.” Aldi is not the only supermarket to have store openings disrupted by planning permission complications. In February, Iceland MD Richard Walker said nearly every store the business opened was subject to lengthy planning delays thanks to under-resourced local councils and overcomplicated rules. Aldi has the added challenge of its ambitious estate growth targets, which have required opening about 50 new stores a year. Property experts have forecast it will be 12 to 24 months late in hitting a longer-term target of 1,200 stores by 2025 as it competes with Lidl over a diminishing pool of suitable locations. Speaking as Aldi announced its 2021 financial results this morning, Hurley said it continued to work towards the 2025 target, and was aiming for about 50 new openings and relocations next year. However, to get to 1,200 by the start of 2025, Aldi now needs to open more than 100 stores a year, double its pre-pandemic growth rate. A further challenge comes in recruiting enough staff for the stores, in an increasingly competitive labour market. Both Lidl, which has its own ambitious estate growth target and Aldi have twice raised entry-level hourly pay rates this year. Lidl’s latest rise, announced last week, puts its national rate for shopworkers above Aldi’s, at £10.90 (US$11.66) an hour versus £10.50 (US$11.23). Hurley said Aldi would review pay again before the end of the year. The trading update revealed Aldi suffered a near 80% drop in operating profits in 2021 in the UK as sales flatlined ahead of a strong rebound in growth in 2022. Sales edged up 0.9% to £13.65bn (US$ 14.7bn), accompanied by a 79% drop in operating profits back to £60.2m (US$ 64.4m) from £287.7m (US$ 307.8m), blamed on investment in prices, people and pandemic-related expenses. However, Aldi had attracted 1.5 million extra customers to its stores over the past 12 weeks, the update said. The discounter overtook Morrisons to become the UK’s fourth-biggest supermarket in Kantar’s latest 12-week data to 4 September, with a market share of 9.3%, up from 8.1% a year earlier. Hurley said that despite the market shift, Aldi would never see itself as one of a new big four. “I think there is still very much a big four,” he said. “Big shop floors, big brands and big prices, frankly. That’s a club we will never, ever be part of and that’s why shoppers are switching shopping habits in their droves and coming to Aldi.” He said that as well as opening and relocating stores, Aldi was expanding existing ones. “Our relocation programme is extensive. The results have been particularly positive and we’ve seen that recently, whether it’s our relocated store in Bangor or our relocated store in Haddington up in Scotland. He said the latest ‘project fresh’ format benefited from “a larger shop floor, wider aisles, better lighting and self-scanning tills all developments which are seeing those stores perform at a significantly higher level than the stores they replaced”. See here for more: https://www.thegrocer.co.uk/aldi/aldi-boss-admits-store-opening-programme-more-challenging-than-expected-as-it-misses-target/671776.article

Retail Chain Kroger (NYSE listed) delivered a strong performance during the quarter, fueled by their strategy Leading with Fresh and Accelerating with Digital. The consistent results underscore the resiliency and flexibility of the retailer’s business model, along with their associates’ passion for delivering a customer experience with zero compromises on quality, selection, and affordability. During the period ended August 13, same-store sales without fuel increased 5.8%. Total company sales were US$34.6 billion in the second quarter, compared to US$31.7 billion for the same period the prior year. Excluding fuel, sales increased 5.2% compared to the same period last year. Operating profit increased 13.7% to US$954 million. Adjusted earnings came in at 90¢ per share, up 12.5% from the same period last year. Looking ahead to fiscal 2023, which ends next February, Kroger said it sees full year earnings in the range of US$3.95 to $4.05 per share, a 10¢ improvement from its prior guidance in June. Rodney McMullen discussed the successful quarter for Retail Brands (private label brand) and the initiatives that new VP Juan De Paoli is rolling out. “Turning to Our Private Label Brands. We saw incredible engagement in Our Private Label Brands during the quarter with identical sales growth of 10.2% compared to last year. This increase was led by our Kroger and Home Chef brands. Convenience remains a priority and Home Chef is meeting that need by providing high-quality family meals as a budget-friendly alternative to eating out at restaurants. For other customers who are enjoying cooking from scratch, Our Private Label Brands are delivering innovative products at a great value. So, Our Private Label Brands’ product strategy is rooted in quality, providing customers with memorable meal experiences they crave. And these products continue to earn world-class recognition. Most recently, Murray’s Cheese varieties won five awards at the highly regarded 2022 American Cheese Society Competition. We were also recognized by Store Brands Magazine with 12 Editors’ Picks awards for best new products, the most of any retailer. This recognition focused specifically on food that met customer needs for healthier products. As we continue to look for ways to help our customers stretch their budgets, this quarter, we launched a new portfolio strategy for our opening price point brands. We consolidated 17 legacy brands into two: Heritage Farm for our fresh and dairy product lines; and our newest brand, Smart Way for our nonperishable items. These brands are competitively priced and meet the needs of customers on a budget. We launched with 150 SKUs and expect to roll out additional products by the end of the year.” https://velocityinstitute.org/2022/09/11/kroger-private-brand-sales-up-by-10-2-over-last-year/?ct=t(RSS_EMAIL_CAMPAIGN)&mc_cid=a8cd19f8c9

Sales of fresh and frozen foods grew faster than any other Dollar General department during the first half of 2022, the discounter revealed late last week. And the Goodlettsville, Tennessee-based retailer is investing plenty of capital to keep growing its perishables program. Chesapeake, Virgina-based Dollar Tree, meanwhile, is testing multiple price points for frozen foods to entice shoppers, while its struggling Family Dollar banner is further lowering prices and seeing a significant second-quarter jump in sales of food and beverages. These moves come amid record food-at-home inflation, as even discount retailers are seeing interest from higher-income shoppers, while lower-income consumers are increasingly trading down. Those forces are bringing more people into dollar stores, looking for low prices on their weekly groceries. “Renewed consumables momentum is a good indicator for our continued long-term health of the Dollar Tree banner,” CEO Michael Witynski told analysts Thursday, noting that the last time sales of food and drink were so strong was during the early days of the pandemic in 2020. “Tests of multi-price frozen foods are driving exceptional sales productivity as the new offering is delivery tremendous value and meeting family portion needs such as frozen meals, pizza and ice cream.” And Family Dollar, which Dollar Tree has worked to strengthen since acquiring it in 2015, is in the midst of lowering prices to become more competitive with value-seeking shoppers. Family Dollar’s margins fell 140 basis points during the period, to 24.7%, compared to 26.1% a year ago, but executives said it’s worth it. “We believe this is a necessary action to provide the right value proposition and a foundational step to improve Family Dollar long term and that it will pay off handsomely,” Dollar Tree Executive Chairman Richard Dreiling told analysts. As Walmart executives noted earlier this month, inflation is changing consumer habits, causing many to trade down or seek out store brands. That means some people may be seeking out dollar store groceries for the first time. “In this inflationary environment, we think it’s a perfect time to really change the customer’s perception and what they’re seeing in our stores because we’re getting new customers and new eyes in our stores,” Witnyski said. “And our existing customers, they’re feeling pressured like they never have before … Our customers are relying on our stores to meet their budget goals.” Dollar General is pushing forward with the DG Fresh initiative it rolled out chainwide last year. The retailer is now self-distributing refrigerated and frozen goods to nearly 19,000 stores from 12 warehouses. The retailer is turning its attention to fresh produce, which is currently sold at more than 2,700 stores, with plans to offer it at more than 3,000 locations by the end of the year. Eventually, 10,000 Dollar Generals could sell fresh fruits and vegetables, executives said. During the second quarter, Dollar General added more than 17,000 cooler doors across its stores and is on track to install more than 65,000 cooler doors this year. “Despite the meaningful improvements we have made to date as a result of DG Fresh, we believe we still have significant opportunity to drive additional returns with the initiative in the years ahead,” Dollar General COO Jeffery Owen told analysts. Dollar General said it is seeing increased interest in its private label items as shoppers hunt for bargains during inflationary times, with the US$1 price point becoming the quarter’s fastest-growing sub-category. “We’re seeing that it is so much more important for her today than ever before to be able to feed her family toward the end of the month,” CEO Todd Vasos said of his chain’s typical shopper. “I’ve never felt better about our positioning as we are here to help that customer through probably the toughest time she’s seen in quite a while.” See here for more: https://www.winsightgrocerybusiness.com/inflation/why-grocers-still-need-be-paying-attention-dollar-stores

Discount Retail Chain Aldi Nord Germany (German family owned) store in Wandlitz, Brandenburg, is surprised: Suddenly everything looked different for loyal Aldi customers. The fruit and veg department had moved far forward, right by the entrance, and was much more spacious than before. Previously this was in the back of the store. The market was converted for two days. Opposite fruit and vegetables, there are now larger refrigerators for sensitive fresh produce and convenience items such as snacks and drinks. But the store in Brandenburg is no exception. Because in the future, all Aldi Nord branches will implement the new concept. The first tests have been running since November 2021 in newly built or modernized Aldi Nord stores, for example in the Werl, Radevormwald, Hannoversch Münden, Nortorf and Sievershausen regions at the beginning of the year. The discounter is now rolling out the concept across the board. "We have decided to implement the 'Store Layout 2.0 DE' in all German ALDI Nord stores," Aldi Nord spokeswoman Serra Schlesinger confirmed to Business Insider for the first time. In the future, the fruit and vegetable department will be at the entrance to every store in the Aldi North area. "All markets should be converted in the course of 2023," said the spokeswoman. Aldi is thus breaking with a long-standing tradition: the shelves in Aldi stores used to be arranged according to the daily routine. Breakfast utensils such as baked goods, tea, coffee and Co. first, then the campaign food, which was previously in a mesh basket near the entrance and so on. Now the newspapers and magazines are moving closer to the cash register, as are the food special offers. The drugstore products as well as wine and sparkling wine find their place opposite the non-food promotional goods, and the aisles look wider here too. The fresh food department is becoming more prominent and spacious in general. The retail chain justified the decision with a change in purchasing behavior. “We notice that our customers are paying more and more attention to freshness and private labels when it comes to groceries and are now planning their purchases based on fresh items,” says Schlesinger. So that this department receives more attention, it is placed prominently at the entrance. "We want to be the number 1 fresh food discounter," says the Aldi spokeswoman. Aldi Nord is remodeling for the third time In view of the weakening sales figures, Aldi Nord has rebuilt and modernized the stores several times in recent years, and changed the concepts again and again. Since 2018, the discounter's regional companies alone have invested around 800 million euros (US$795 million) in the "Aniko" project, the Aldi Nord in-store concept. The new concept is no longer called Aniko, but internally bears the name "Store Layout 2.0 DE" and is already the third attempt to redesign the stores. Because before the Corona year 2020, in which Aldi Nord was in the black again for the first time with net sales of around 11.7 billion euros (US$11.6 billion), the discounter experienced two years of losses. The discounter extensively evaluated the pilot phase of the first converted branches in order to find out how the innovations were received by customers. To do this, the company analyzed key figures such as sales, the number of receipts and the average receipt for the modernized branches. As always, Aldi does not comment on how the conversion will affect Aldi's business and whether it will generate higher sales. The company also says nothing about the amount of investment, only this much: "We wouldn't invest if it wasn't worth it." "No harmonization with Aldi Süd" Aldi is following suit, because many other retailers such as Rewe or discounters such as Lidl and its sister company Aldi Süd have long since switched the fresh food department to the entrance. According to Schlesinger, however, the conversion should not be about moving closer to the sister company Aldi Süd. "The conversion is not an adjustment to Aldi Süd, but an adaptation to changing customer needs." The remodeled stores are also expected to be more spacious in general. A "strict arrangement of shelves" and a wider main passage should also improve the processes for the employees. Walking distances are minimized, for example, by placing the action area close to the warehouse gate. The new branch concept should also “optimally use the available space” and “reduce costs”. No frills and uniform, standardized processes to save costs - the well-known Aldi principle. See here for more: https://www.businessinsider.de/wirtschaft/handel/aldi-nord-bricht-mit-jahrelanger-tradition-so-werden-jetzt-alle-maerkte-in-deutschland-bis-2023-umgebaut-d/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=aldi-nord-bricht-mit-jahrelanger-tradition-so-werden-jetzt-alle-maerkte-in-deutschland-bis-2023-umgebaut-c&xing_share=news

Poundland (owned by Pepco Group) has introduced fresh meat and fish into its stores for the first time as it aims to help shoppers “keep a lid on household food costs”. The value discount retailer, which has been moving towards a full grocery offer, has partnered with food supplier DTS to launch the 11 item Cookit range into hundreds of stores over the next three weeks which will provide an alternative to supermarkets. The Cookit launch follows Poundland’s recent expansion into chilled and frozen foods, which will be sold in around 350 stores by the autumn, and fresh fruit and vegetables with the full range now in over 60 stores. The initial Cookit range includes ribs, steaks, bacon, sausages, mince, salmon and cod fillets. Poundland commercial director Tim Bettley said: “Whether clothing, frozen food or homewares, over the past few years we’ve been significantly extending up what we offer our customers so they can find much more of their weekly shop in their local Poundland. “At the heart of that transformation is great products and we know customers are going to love our new Cookit range, it gives them quality meat and fish at the amazing value we’re famous for.” See here for more: https://www.retailgazette.co.uk/blog/2022/08/poundland-fresh-meat-fish/

Discount Retail Chain Lidl France (owned by the German Schwarz Group) opened, in Nanterre, its largest store in France, with a space of 2,300 square meters. With this very successful store concept, the discount brand proves that the quality of execution gap between the EDLP stores concepts (here only 10% of the assortment are own private labels) and discounters becomes obvious and provides enough space to own brands and certain local historical connected FMCG brands to shine. And if this minimalist mix, combining an offer of "justified" prices and a voluntarily reduced assortment (now at 2,500 item references), finally corresponded to what consumers want, in this post-Covid period in the grip of inflation, where the French put back in question their consumption mode? Do we need thirty toothpastes on the shelves to buy the best or, in any case, the one we need? According to Lidl, reported by LSA, the answer is no, even in a store of more than 2,000 square meters, the discounter "did not try to widen the offer in loser [his] DNA”. A quality fruit and vegetable department, acclaimed by the French. In addition to the price, proximity and quality, Lidl also shows exemplarity in freshness: according to the last Kantar/Promothée barometer, Lidl finds himself at the top of the "stores where there are good fruits and vegetables" with a 51% positive customer opinion, far ahead of Super U (43%) and Auchan (42%). Without forgetting its non-food areas, supported by its famous bi-monthly “promo shots” on its vacuum cleaners, fans and other drills, which create a quality price and quality products for the brand... In short, enough to make the purchase managers think, more and more wedged between "power" and "want" purchasing in relation to re-purchases. See here for more: https://altaviawatch.com/et-si-le-futur-du-commerce-minimaliste-et-de-proximite-en-france-etait-finalement-incarne-par-lidl/

Colombian Retail Chain Olympic will enter the Hard Discount business model, better known as hard discount stores. Announced in a statement of the Barranquillera company in alliance with Plan B Investments S.A.S., it will be setting-up a new concept of discount stores. As indicated, this model will have resources of US $ 60 million to guarantee the proper process of growth and consolidation of the new chain. In addition, they hope to get support, initially from former employees, suppliers and owners of real estate linked to the Justo & Bueno store chain. “Since last Thursday, August 4, the date on which the definitive liquidation of Mercadía S.A.S (Justo & Bueno) was declared, different plans and actions are managed with a view to ensuring the start of commercial activities in satisfactory conditions, and especially with an attractive value proposal that will make the experience of buying customers pleasant,”s aid Olympic, through its official statement. Likewise, Olympic said that depending on the number of stores with which the operation of this new discount store model begins, it is estimated that at least 3,000 jobs will be recovered and that about 10,000 jobs are also generated. "To the extent that these processes advance, complying with the rules of liquidation, we will inform the consolidation of these initiatives that seek to protect the company and employment," said the Barranquilla origin company. Under this line, the firm also announced that it has established an emergency fund for $ 1 billion with the purpose of attending the pressing cases of former collaborators immediately and during the next month. History It should be remembered that the Olympic supermarket company has more than 60 years of being operating in the national market and with extensive experience has managed to consolidate 400 stores distributed in 118 municipality in 21 departments, which has led them to position themselves as one of the largest companies in Colombia. At present, this chain is part of the Olympic Business Group, a conglomerate that has different approaches, which highlights the Serfinanza Bank, Olympic Drugstores, Barranquilla's Junior, the Stereo Olympic radial chain, Sonovista Advertising, among other businesses . According to the list of the 1,001 supersociedad companies, the Olympic Superthiendas and Drugstores chain reported operations in 2021 for more than $ 6.6 billion, occupying the number 18 position of the list. Business panorama Undoubtedly one of the businesses that has been growing in the country in recent years is that of discount stores, and after the departure of the Justo & Bueno chain, the two actors who compete for that market are the ARA stores, of The Portuguese Jerónimo Martins, and the Colombian D1. The latter has had a significant advance in the last year, since it has managed to position itself among companies with higher income in the country, according to the annual report of supersociedades. This is how during 2021, the D1 chain, which already completed its 2,000 store in the country, reported operational income for $ 9.95 billion, while in 2020 the company achieved $ 7.3 billion. The above highlights a significant growth of 35%. See here for more: https://www.portafolio.co/negocios/empresas/olimpica-entrara-al-negocio-hard-discount-569584?utm_content=Contenido_Portafolio&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook&fbclid=IwAR3aL81X2lHwy3Y_GIy3I5EXzlYlGb7k8BwANS0J85sDqBPWqggu0IrDdac#Echobox=1660665107

Germany leading supermarket chain EDEKA's own private label branded products for discount prices have received a modernized logo for the first time since twenty years ago. Although the changes are rather timid, the new appearance is successful and comes at the right time. The vast majority of the product in the supermarket most customers did not want to miss during the Corona crisis and thus gave the retail chains a considerable lead over the discounters for a long time. Because everyone has to save because of increasing prices, the balance of power is turning again. And the supermarkets try to keep against this change. Edeka is particularly committed to being perceived as a place where it can also be buy cheaply. At the moment, the retailer advertises, among other things, "less and still the full diversity" and promises "over 7,000 products at the discount price". Around 2,600 of them can be struck under the 'Gut&Gunstig' discount brand and exactly this is currently range is undergoing a rebranding. After the packaging has already become much more colorful in recent years, the logo has been exchanged for the first time after two decades. The new red round corner The changes are rather timid: the white font has remained on bright red background. However, a much more rounder, more bulky logo variant has been moved in the place of the triangle with the base wave and the sharp edges. The "Gut&Gunstig", which has so far been more brutal in three lines, looks much more modern and soft in the newly chosen written form. In addition, the "&" has moved one level higher. All in all, the new appearance looks quite successful. The basic designs of the packaging, often already renewed, unlike in the past, no more cross-sorting design, otherwise seem to remain largely the same. In some places, product variants with an old and new logo are on the shelf at the same time. The change is recognizable across all product categories. With fresh fruit and vegetables, the round corner is already gluing on bananas, apples, peaches, tomatoes, grapes and lemons. See here for: https://www.supermarktblog.com/2022/09/02/edeka-verpasst-seiner-discount-eigenmarke-gut-guenstig-ein-neues-logo/

Discount Retail Chain Aldi US (German family owned) has a certain cache among shoppers who eagerly anticipate the retailer’s seasonal offerings and who embark on discoveries for products as much as good deals. While striving to deliver on customer interests and expectations, the Batavia, Ill.-based company is also laser-focused on operations, whether making inroads on sustainability goals by pledging to eliminate plastic bags at its stores, continuing to expand its footprint across the U.S. or running the state-of-the-art Aldi Insights Center at its headquarters. (Fun fact: The Aldi Insights Center will be the venue for an upcoming wedding, courtesy of a “Happily Ever Aldi” promotion this summer.) Progressive Grocer recently interviewed Joan Kavanaugh, VP of national buying at Aldi U.S. on how the shopping experience at Aldi is resonating with today’s shoppers. Progressive Grocer: How is Aldi particularly well positioned to deliver on customer needs and interests in this operating environment? How do you hold the "sweet spot" with pricing and a satisfying shopping experience? Joan Kavanaugh: Times are tough, and we know customers are counting on us to deliver amazing products at even better prices. We have always cut out unnecessary costs across our entire business, which creates tangible savings that we can pass along to our customers. The things that make us different are the things that save our shoppers money, and that’s what allows us to withstand market fluctuations better than our competitors. Examples of our money-saving business model include a thoughtful small-format store that allows us to utilize fewer staff and resources, and a self-return cart system that saves our employees time, so they can focus on our customers and the store instead of chasing carts in the parking lot. We also offer a curated range of the most popular products and Aldi-exclusive brands to take the guesswork out of product selection, and 90% of the products in our stores are private label. Customers are looking to Aldi brands to save money without sacrificing quality. And there is efficiency in every aspect of our store operations, from how we stock our shelves to how we run our checkout process. PG: We've noted that Aldi is a banner that resonates well with younger shoppers, including younger Millennials and Gen Z consumers. Have you also noted this in any of your shopper insights, and to what do you attribute this store interest and loyalty? JK:One of the best things about Aldi is that our shoppers span all ages, locations and income brackets – we serve anyone who likes to save money. While we have a passionate fan following, we haven’t won over shoppers’ hearts on just price alone. Customers check out Aldi for the first time after hearing about our prices, but they keep coming back because they like what they’ve found, which is award-winning, shopper-endorsed groceries and a rotating selection of amazingly fun items, our Aldi Finds. PG: By taking eco-conscious steps like eliminating plastic bags, curbing food waste and installing solar panels, how do you balance the needs of the business during a challenging economic time with the need to do the right thing from an environmental standpoint? JK: We’re proud of the work we have done in making sustainability affordable. We know these are extremely challenging times. However, we also know our customers care about sustainability just as much as we do. We’ve worked hard to ensure we aren’t compromising in any areas of our business. Balancing sustainability and the needs of business can be hard, but we have designed our business to save our shoppers money and that won’t change as we move towards being a more sustainable retailer. As customers are faced with the rising costs of life, we want to ensure they don’t have to choose between sustainability and saving money. PG: Can you share any sneak peeks for the holidays, return of fan favorites, advent calendar, etc.? JK: We just recently conducted our annual Fan Favorites survey, and the winners for 2022 are in. While we can’t share any sneak peeks into our holiday lineup, we can share that we have exciting Holiday Countdown Calendar news coming soon. See here for more: https://progressivegrocer.com/why-aldi-sweet-spot-food-retailing

Discount Retail Chain Lidl Sweden (owned by the German Schwarz Group) is further advancing its positions by continuing to take market shares. It shows the fresh financial statements that Dagens Industri, DI, has taken part in. "Fast increasing food prices benefit a challenger and low-cost players such as Lidl," says Sweden's Lidl manager Johan Augustsson to the newspaper. In the Swedish market, the low-price operator Lidl increased by seven percent during the broken financial year March-February. This reports DI, who took part in the financial statements, which will only be published at the end of August. The Swedish grocery market grew by just under one percent during the same period, according to the Swedish grocery store. The high food price inflation, which so far this year is over 13 percent according to Statistics Sweden, is highlighted as a possible explanation of the low-price chain Sweden manager Johan Augustsson. - We are in an industry that is governed by habits. But when something happens, like now with inflation, you are more inclined to change their buying patterns. Since we are a challenger with a price in focus, today's situation benefits us. We also see this clearly in the figures for this year, he tells Di. The fact that Lidl's customer base grew by as much as eight percent compared to the same quarter in 2021 according to figures from GFK, reported the discounter yesterday. The strong growth this year and last year is almost entirely driven by Lidl managed to attract more customers to the existing stores. However, the previously rapid store expansion has turned off on the beat. - We want to open six to eight stores a year so the pace right now is too low. But it is very much about coincidence such as finding good situations. Today we have 203 stores but in the long run see a potential to come up with 300 stores, says Johan Augustsson. The company has growth as a strategy in the Swedish grocery market, so that the loss of operations landed at SEK 132 million (US$ 12 million) last year was completely according to plan, says Johan Augustsson. See here for more: https://www.dagligvarunytt.se/ekonomi/forsaljning/lidl-vaxer-och-tar-marknadsandelar-okande-matpriser-gynnar-oss/