Discount Retail Chain Netto Germany (owned by the Danish Salling Group), recorded a sales increase of 10% to 1.25 billion euros (US$1.5 billion) in the 2020 financial year (2019: 1.15 billion euros, US$1.4 billion). The store network is to be expanded over the next few years. Netto ended 2020 with a very positive business development, says Netto CEO Ingo Panknin. “Fortunately, we achieved significant and sustained growth by converting our stores to the new store concept. Effects created by home office and closed catering also contributed to this. " Around half of the 342 Netto stores have already been converted to the new concept. The restructuring of the missing stores should proceed quickly. The discounter announces that the focus for the coming years will be on expanding the store network. In order to further improve the service for its customers, Netto agreed on a cooperation with Amazon last year and will gradually build up the so-called Amazon Locker in selected markets. See here for more: https://lebensmittelpraxis.de/handel-aktuell/30548-netto-stavenhagen-wachstum-im-norden.html

Sales in the discount channel in Poland will increase by as much as 7.9% in 2021, while in hypermarkets it will decrease by 4.8% this follows from the forecasts of Euromonitor International published by "Rzeczpospolita". The current year is to be positive for all formats of food stores, except for the aforementioned hypermarkets. The forecast for convenience stores is an increase in turnover by 4.1%. In turn, sales in supermarkets are expected to improve by 2.8%, that's exactly what the growth is expected to be for the entire market. According to Euromonitor International, the turnover of general grocery stores this year will amount to PLN 263.1 billion (US$70 billion). This means a return to the path of growth after a difficult last year. While in 2019 the turnover of general grocery stores amounted to PLN 258.4 billion (US$68 billion), in the pandemic year 2020 it fell to PLN 256 billion (US$67 billion), according to Rzeczpospolita. The research company forecasts that sales in the clothing and footwear sector will increase by 11.7% this year, and electronics stores will increase revenues by 14.4%. Drugstores and other cosmetics stores will also have something to enjoy, turnover there is to improve by about 9%. In total, sales in all stationary stores in Poland (offering any type of assortment) are expected to amount to PLN 438 billion (US$115 billion), according to Euromonitor. This would mean an increase of 4.6%, after last year there was a decrease by 6.7%. See here for more: https://www.wiadomoscihandlowe.pl/artykul/to-bedzie-rok-dyskontow-urosnie-sprzedaz-we-wszystkich-formatach-poza-hipermarketami

Discount Retail Chain Aldi U.S. (family owned) has added more than 200 stores in the last 2 years, with another 100 on the way this year, and has set a goal to hit 2,500 stores by the end of next year. Then, we can talk about its remarkable online activities. Consider the fact that two years ago, the Batavia, Ill.-based discount retailer did not have curbside pickup and had just begun a delivery service with Instacart. It now has curbside pickup running at around half of its locations and delivery is available at nearly all of its stores. It was also the first retailer to accept EBT SNAP as a payment option through Instacart. Obviously, the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated Aldi’s e-commerce expansion as it did across retail, but this digital embrace also is a key factor in what can be considered the next evolution of Aldi. “To add some context, in response to changing customer needs during the pandemic, we added roughly 1,000 curbside grocery pickup locations in a little more than a year,” said Brent Laubaugh, co-president of Aldi U.S., in an exclusive interview with Store Brands. “We’ve learned that now, more than ever, people want options for how they shop and we’re proud to be able to offer those choices. The demand for e-commerce continues to be strong, so it’s a critical part of our business that we’ll continue to invest in.” He added, “The last several years have been very transformative for Aldi. We’ve invested more than US$5 billion in a multi-year, nationwide growth initiative and have opened more than 500 stores in the last five years.” Grocery industry analyst Phil Lempert, better known as The Supermarket Guru, went one step further when asked about Aldi. He said executives told him that e-commerce and curbside pickup is enabling Aldi to attract shoppers that have never been to an Aldi. “They’re smart. They’re constantly evolving and trying to get new products there and new shoppers into the store,” he said. The Rise of Aldi Laubaugh credited the loyalty of its shoppers for the retailer’s rapid growth. “It’s their commitment and enthusiasm that continues to propel us forward,” he said, pointing out the “grass-roots enthusiasm” found on social media. It’s true, a search on Instagram brings up more than 50 influencers dedicated to the retailer with handles like All I Need is Aldi, Aldi for President, Aldi Nerd, Aldi All the Time and many more. The accounts share regional perspectives, such as The Aldi Nerd, based in Florida, who just posted about Aldi’s rain boots and Pineapple Mimosa product. All I Need is Aldi focused on recipes, cooking and product reviews from her area stores. Laubaugh said the influencers take to social media to highlight Aldi Finds, the weekly drops from the retailer, and personally noted the Facebook fan group Aldi Red Bag Chicken, which has nearly 20,000 followers solely dedicated to sharing recipes and photos of how home cooks innovate with the retailer’s Kirkwood Breaded Chicken Fillets. Aldi has even placed shelf tags near the product in stores proclaiming: “Red Bag Chicken. So Good It Has Its Own Fan Group.” Screenshot from Facebook “The sales for those already popular filets increased exponentially after we shared our own fast-food chicken sandwich dupe made from Aldi ingredients amid the chicken sandwich craze,” Laubaugh noted. “Their passion and buzz have helped make us one of the fastest-growing retailers in the country.” How Aldi built such a rabid fan base started years ago as consumer perceptions changed and shopper demographics changed, Lempert said. Traditionally, 20 years ago, an Aldi shopper was considered someone only interested in saving money. “They weren’t upscale consumers,” he said. “The stigma that was attached to using coupons, or going to Aldi, or going to a dollar store was gone with Generation X, with millennials, where people didn’t feel that way anymore.” Diane Wehrle, marketing and insights director at Springboard, a global intelligence company, said Aldi filled a gap. “Aldi’s proposition of low-cost grocery retailing combined with stores that are smaller than traditional large grocery formats have delivered convenience to shoppers that was previously unavailable,” she said, adding that shoppers who are “time-poor” find the small format beneficial and that millennials seemingly have less desire for leading brands, paving a way for Aldi’s own brands. "The last several years have been very transformative for Aldi. Aldi earned its new shoppers by curating to what they need, Lempert said. For example, the retailer will stock four olive oils, as opposed to dozens at some conventional grocers, he added. There will be an everyday olive oil, an extra virgin olive oil, an organic olive oil and one imported from a small town in Italy. This is the model that newer shoppers prefer, Lempert said, noting that it is in-step with the similar rise of Trader Joe’s. While Lempert said the two retailers don’t communicate with one another, “the two of them have changed the way conventional retailers look at store brands. They woke them up and said, ‘Hey, if we do a good job on our store brands, shoppers will buy them.’” Aldi’s Exclusive Private Label Brands More than 90% of Aldi’s assortment is made up of its exclusive private label Aldi brands, of which there are dozens. Some of the standouts, according to Laubaugh include: Specially Selected: A range of gourmet and specialty items such as German coffee, premium pastas and seasonal sweet treats like the Specially Selected Belgian Cocoa Dusted Truffles; Earth Grown: Launched in 2018, the exclusive vegetarian and vegan line was an instant success and has quickly grown to become one of Aldi’s most popular brands. Earth Grown was the quickest to market in just under eight months; Simply Nature: Customers are increasingly aware of what they are putting into their bodies and Simply Nature products are organic, non-GMO and free of added artificial ingredients and preservatives; and Little Journey: Baby and toddler essentials. Looking at the year ahead, Laubaugh said the company is aiming to take advantage in the renewed interest in cooking, baking and grilling at home. “We’re about a year into being at home full-time and people still love to bake,” he said. Items coming soon include giant marshmallows for s’mores season and the return of a popular funnel cake kit. The retailer has seen success specifically through its specialty organic sugar cane, almond flour and premium chocolate chips, too. “While the pandemic necessitated cooking at home, consumers have rediscovered the joy of it, and we’ve seen that reflected in how and what they’re buying,” he said. “Some customers are also taking home more premium items to recreate the restaurant experience at home.” Aldi is looking to add to that this summer with the launch of a grill master collection kit that includes burgers, steaks, pork chops and chicken. The discounter also has on deck a new Zarita Lime Margarita drink, more for the grill like L’oven Fresh Keto Friendly Buns, pizzas, snack foods and Park Street Deli Spicy Black Bean Hummus to name a few. The company’s Mama Cozzi’s Take & Bake Pizza won its 2020 Aldi-exclusive products Fan Favorites survey. Laubaugh said the product-development process is handled closely with its suppliers. Aldi works with thousands of suppliers and he said they’re looking for more with an aim on building strong, collaborative partnerships. The discounter and supplier relationship involves developing products quickly based on consumer trends, enabling them to adjust any current products to bring in new ones based on market movement and customer feedback. “Our supplier network is a crucial component of the company and directly impacts our ability to serve customers,” he said. “They are our partners in developing innovative products, cutting costs from the supply chain and maintaining the highest quality standards. When identifying new potential partners, we’re looking for organizations that can do this and keep pushing us to be better.” Aldi has a dedicated page on its website on steps to become a supplier. Sourcing Sustainably As Aldi looks to bring new shoppers into the fold through its digital capabilities, another area of focus is through sustainability and food transparency. The discount retailer recently published its sustainability charter that reiterated a pledge to make all store brand packaging, including plastics to be recyclable, reusable or compostable by 2025, as well as reduce packaging materials by 15% during that same span. Additionally, all Styrofoam will be removed from produce packaging, and the retailer will be redesigning packaging to reduce excess plastic from products such as teas, fruits and bread, labeling products to promote recycling at home, using cardboard sleeves for more than 90% of apparel items. “The global impact of plastics can’t be ignored,” said Jason Hart, CEO of Aldi U.S. “We can’t get rid of plastic everywhere overnight, but we continue to work to eliminate plastics anywhere we can. Where we do need plastic, we are committed to choosing materials that contribute to a circular plastic economy.” Sustainable sourcing initiatives include more than 40 coffee products that are currently certified, and Simply Nature and Barissimo coffees will be sustainably sourced by the end of next year. Aldi is the second-largest private brand purchaser of Fair Trade USA coffee. The retailer’s own brand chocolate bars and candies are certified as sustainably sourced by Fairtrade, Fair Trade USA or Rainforest Alliance. Aldi also joined the Ocean Disclosure Project that makes its wild-caught seafood transparent. Lastly, by 2025, Aldi said it plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 26%, transitioning to solar and wind energy sourcing and building a renewable infrastructure to rely less on grey power grids. Earlier this year, Aldi installed its first company wind turbine at a warehouse in Dwight, Ill. The discounter has solar panels at 111 stores and 12 distribution centers nationwide and will add solar warehouses in Alabama and Kansas as well as 60 stores by the end of 2022. The sustainability initiatives are another example of how far Aldi has come and where it’s going in its next phase. During its growth pattern last year, it entered its 37th U.S. state in Arizona and plans to enter its 38th in Louisiana. This year Aldi broke ground on a new regional headquarters and distribution center in Loxley, Ala., that is set to open next year, said Laubaugh. The facility will enable them to grow farther into the Gulf Coast and expand in Alabama, Southern Georgia, Mississippi, the Florida panhandle and Louisiana. “We see each new store as a chance to serve new communities and I’m looking forward to expanding our presence across the country to do just that,” Laubaugh said. “We know access to affordable groceries is vital and are always looking for more ways to save our shoppers money.” See here for more: https://storebrands.com/profile-aldis-next-phase

Discount Retail Chains ALDI Nord Group and ALDI SÜD Group (both family owned) become the latest partners of the Global Tuna Alliance (GTA). The GTA is an independent group of forward-thinking retailers and supply-chain companies, working collaboratively to ensure that tuna fisheries meet the highest possible standards of environmental performance and social responsibility. The addition of ALDI Nord and ALDI SÜD is a huge breakthrough for the Global Tuna Alliance: together operating over 11,500 stores in 19 countries across four continents, the retailers hold significant influence over the supply chain and can provide powerful advocacy. With tuna representing a significant share of ALDI’s seafood sales, ALDI are committed to improving the sustainability of their tuna supply and have placed tuna at the centre of their strategy to provide socially and environmentally responsible seafood to their customers. Sarah Bollermann, Director of Corporate Responsibility International, ALDI SOUTH Group, said: “Tuna stocks around the world are under increasing strain from poor management. We are committed to the principles of responsibility and sustainability in the sourcing of our own label fish. We have set ourselves the goal of increasing the share of responsibly sourced products in our fish and seafood range. Working with the GTA will help us reach this goal.” By collaborating in the multi-stakeholder, sector-wide initiative, partners of the Global Tuna Alliance are working together to build shared solutions to environmental and social challenges within tuna fisheries. The GTA is committed to realising harvest strategies for tuna fisheries, avoidance of Illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing (IUU) products, improved traceability as well as environmental sustainability, and progressing work on human rights in tuna fisheries. To support this, the GTA, the World Economic Forum and Friends of Ocean Action are convening responsible businesses, governments and civil society organizations around a voluntary commitment known as the 2025 Pledge towards Sustainable Tuna (25PST). Erik Hollmann, Director CR/QA International, ALDI Nord Group, said: "Sustainability in the fish supply chain and here in particular with regards to tuna, is a key concern for us as part of our sustainability strategy. We can only achieve our goal of sustainable sourcing both in environmental and social terms with strong partners. Therefore, we are looking forward to the cooperation with GTA.” As part of the GTA, ALDI aims to strengthen advocacy for effective fisheries management across Regional Fisheries Management Organisations (RFMOs), and assist in finding industry-wide solutions to both social and environmental challenges within global tuna fisheries. Dr Tom Pickerell, Executive Director at the Global Tuna Alliance, said: “We are delighted to welcome the ALDI Nord Group and ALDI SOUTH Group to the Partnership. ALDI have exciting plans for tuna sustainability and we can support each other to see these realised”. See here for more: https://www.globaltunaalliance.com/general/aldi-nord-group-and-aldi-south-group-form-ground-breaking-partnership-with-the-global-tuna-alliance/

Discount Retail Chain Aldi Spain (privately owned) offers 100% of its meat assortment of national origin, which is a sign of its commitment to local produce, guaranteeing that all its meat products come from animals raised in Spain. In addition, all organic beef and 75% of Aldi's total meat offerings are Welfair certified for animal welfare, which guarantees that good sustainable and respectful practices are followed. The objective of the discount chain is to be able to extend the certification to its entire assortment by the end of next year. In the same way, the discounter offers in its assortment meat preparations, such as hamburgers and minced meat, with one of the highest percentages of meat on the market, close to 90% and in some cases higher, depending on the product. All organic beef and 75% of Aldi's total meat offerings have the Welfair certification of animal welfare, which guarantees that they comply with good sustainable and respectful practices On the other hand, within the framework of its commitment to the environment, the company has also modified the packaging of its products. It is the so-called Flat Skin, an easily removable film that is placed on top of the meat to cover the product and that is normally held in a cardboard tray. This new packaging, which is already used in about ten references, in premiums and in all Iberian pork articles and a large part of the organic ones, allows the use of plastic in packaging to be reduced by 75% (compared to packaging with PET and modified atmosphere). The company is already working to implement this new packaging in all products in which its format allows it, the goal for next year is to double the number of articles. In the coming weeks the discounter will also launch a new sustainable cardboard packaging for hamburgers that reduces plastic by 85%. See here for more: https://www.revistainforetail.com/noticiadet/la-carne-de-aldi-100-nacional/a4f41fc27b5815e6f16f49e156c75f15

Over 60 laundry detergents were analysed and Omo and ALDI came out on top. ALDI and Omo came out on top in the CHOICE testing. (CHOICE)"This year our testing has revealed that Omo Laundry Detergent Triple Capsules are the most effective laundry detergent for front loaders, with an overall score of 85%," said CHOICE expert Ashley Iredale. "When it comes to top loaders, Aldi's private label brand Trimat Advanced Concentrate Laundry Powder came in first, scoring 66%." While those two were winners, the CHOICE testing found there is a difference in how top loader and front loader machines work. "We test all laundry detergents in both top and front loader machines, as the two machines perform quite differently. Front loading machines generally wash clothes better, which is why we see higher scores for the detergents in the front loaders," said Iredale. Best and worst performing detergent for front load washing machines The best: Omo Laundry Detergent Triple Capsules CHOICE Expert Rating: 85% Price per wash: AU$0.73 The worst: Woolworths Essentials Laundry Powder CHOICE Expert Rating: 53% Price per wash: AU$0.07 Best and worst performing detergent for top load washing machines The best: Aldi Trimat Advanced Concentrate Laundry Powder CHOICE Expert Rating: 66% Price per wash: AU$0.16 The worst: Tru Earth Eco-Strips Laundry Detergent Fresh Linen CHOICE Expert Rating: 43% Price per wash: AU$0.62 See here for more: https://amp-nine-com-au.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/amp.nine.com.au/article/afe32bb2-a18d-4024-b075-6fc2b0939e45 Further once again ALDI has taken a top spot with its private label brand Tandil Ultra Power Soak n' Clean Concentrate Dishwashing Liquid, alongside Morning Fresh Ultra Concentrate Ultimate Lemon, which both scored an impressive 90% in CHOICE's lab testing. "We soak the stained plates in a solution of test detergent for 10 minutes. The plates are placed into a scrubbing device, and scrubbed a set number of times with a wet sponge. We use a special device called a spectrophotometer to measure how clean the plate is before and after testing." As for the two winners, there's a big price difference in the products. Both rated well in the testing, but when it comes to price, ALDI is the clear winner on value at just AU$35 cents per 100ml compared to Morning Fresh, which is AU$93 cents per 100ml. The ALDI Tandil dishwashing liquid features biodegradable surfactants and is safe for greywater and septic tanks, unlike Morning Fresh. There are four dishwashing liquids that perform no better than water. At the other end of the scale, CHOICE's testing found four dishwashing liquids that performed no better than water, receiving a score of just 45%. The dishwashing liquids that scored poorly are: - Fairy Platinum Dishwashing Liquid - Palmolive Original - Uniquely Natural Dishwashing Liquid - Woolworths Essential Dishwashing Liquid Another thing to be wary of is that while one brand may deliver great results, similar products in the range may not be as effective. "Our tests uncovered some wild variation, so never assume that if one product cleans well, similar ones will deliver the same results," Iredale warned. "It's worth keeping in mind when you're shopping, otherwise you could grab an inferior product accidentally." See here for more: https://9now.nine.com.au/the-block/best-dishwashing-liquids-choice-aldi-morning-fresh-worst-performers/c5ae1d35-bd6a-44ba-b0e3-1d9633bb20f1

Discount variety retail chain Action (owned by 3i group) arrives in Italy where, on Thursday 22 April, it opened the first two stores in Turin in via Fratelli Garrone, 85 and in Vanzaghello (Mi) where a total of 40 people will work. In the next three months, another three stores are expected to open in Northern Italy (details at the bottom). Action is present in Europe with 1,700 stores where it offers a wide range of everyday products as well as, the company explains in a note, "ideas and solutions that make life easier, colorful and fun". “Italy is a very interesting country for us and Turin is the perfect starting point. The store is located in a retail area that is convenient to reach. We are particularly pleased with the end result of an extensive refurbishment which not only provides an optimal shopping experience for our customers, but also contributes to improving the surrounding area” said Monique Groeneveld, General Manager Start-Up Countries, responsible for operations in Italy. The formula that distinguishes Action Surprise 'and' low prices' distinguish Action. Groeneveld continues: “We are sure that Italian customers will also be fascinated by our formula: in Action stores you will always find something useful and interesting. Not only many quality products at incredibly low prices, but also the surprise factor, because our assortment changes constantly: every week over 150 new products are introduced in our stores ”. The new Action store in Turin The new Action store in Turin will occupy an area of ​​over 900 square meters and will offer a wide assortment of 6,000 different products divided into 14 categories: linen and household items, sports items, stationery and decoration, clothing, toys, cleaning products for the home and personal care, gardening and DIY items, multimedia products, food and drink and items for pets. The shop will be open every day from Monday to Saturday from 8.30am to 9pm and Sunday from 8.30am to 8pm. Upcoming openings in Piedmont and staff search The Turin store is one of the first five stores (together with that of Vanzaghello) that will open in the North-West by the end of June with a total of about 100 employees. The next openings are scheduled in Piedmont in Carmagnola, Asti and Vercelli. See here for more: https://amp-torinotoday-it.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/amp.torinotoday.it/economia/offerte-di-lavoro/discount-Action-Torino-Carmagnola.html

Discount Retail Chain Aldi UK (privately owned) is hoping for significantly less plastic waste from a new project. We are currently testing how the concept is received by customers. The discount giant Aldi is currently working on an experiment that could soon make purchases by customers in Germany a little more sustainable: In Great Britain there is now a market that has refill stations for dry goods Offers groceries. According to the Aldi UK company website, four products are being offered. With this first step, the company wants to test how the refill station is received by consumers. Aldi experiment: dry food to be refilled soon? Basmati rice, brown rice, penne and fusilli noodles are available, but unlike in normal unpackaged shops, the food cannot be filled into weighed containers that you have brought with you. Instead, the discounter offers paper bags, which, according to the company, are completely recyclable - the goods are then paid for by weight, similar to numerous unpackaged vegetables. The aim is to use the feedback from local customers to find out about “possible future plans for all aspects of refillable products,” said the head of plastic and packaging at Aldi UK, Richard Gorman, in the company's press release on the test run. The filling columns are not yet available in German stores, only for bread and rolls it has been possible for some time to use reusable cloth bags instead of paper bags with plastic windows. In the case of the loose foods, we will first wait to see whether the reactions from Aldi UK are positive. What was previously more likely to be found in organic supermarkets, village shops or clearly labeled unpackaged shops in Germany could ultimately also find its way between the rows of shelves in the discounter. See here for more: https://www.tz.de/welt/aldi-einkauf-aenderung-testlauf-discounter-kunden-unverpackt-deutschland-grossbritannien-plastik-90478350.html

In the annual ranking of the 200 richest businessmen in Russia, 13 new names have appeared, three of which belong to the owners of grocery chains. We are talking about the owners of the largest Russian discount retail chains Fix Price and Svetofor. The third and fourth lines in the list of newcomers of the rating were taken by the members of the Board of Directors of Fix Price Sergey Lomakin and Artem Khachatryan. After the retailer's IPO on the London Stock Exchange in March 2021, Lomakin and Khachatryan became billionaires, their fortune is estimated at US$ 3.1 billion each (48th and 49th in the overall rating). Valentina Schneider was included in the rating for the first time, her family owns the Krasnoyarsk Svetofor chain of stores (including discounters MERE and Torgservis), recognized by INFOline analysts as the fastest growing grocery chain in 2020 (revenue growth by 39%). Schneider's fortune was estimated at US$ 650 million. In addition, an H&E retailer managed to get into the rating for the first time. We are talking about Alexei Abramov (US$ 700 million), Vladislav Mangutov (US$ 650 million) and Oleg Karchev (US$ 600 million), co-owners of Merlion, which operates an online store of electronics and household appliances "Citylink". See here for more: https://www.retail.ru/news/vladeltsy-diskaunterov-fix-price-i-svetofor-vpervye-popali-v-reyting-bogateyshikh-24-aprelya-2021-204111/?from=daily&utm_source=sendpulse&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=retailru-familia-opublikovala-

E-commerce only grocery retail chain Picnic Netherlands will open another distribution center earlier than planned. This time in Zaandam. The building is directly opposite the logistics center of supermarket competitor Albert Heijn. From the building of 20,000 square meters, Picnic wants to supply urban Noord-Holland, including Amsterdam-Noord and Zaanstad. The groceries are transported from the distribution center to local hubs where they are delivered to customers by electric carts. Previously, this was done from the distribution center in Diemen. “We see that Diemen is no longer sufficient for Amsterdam and the surrounding area,” co-founder Michiel Muller told Het Parool. “From Zaandam we will serve a part of Amsterdam, but also Haarlem. We can also add many more customers in Zaanstad, Alkmaar and Purmerend, where we are already active. " Old Aldi Nord Distribution Center The new building is twice the size of the location in Diemen. Picnic alternates here with grocer Aldi, who left and sold the building on the Westerspoor business park at the end of last year. A great find, says Muller. "It was built for supermarket distribution. Before, we had to completely rebuild the DC in Diemen before it was fitting our requirements. Now for example it already contains chilled storage rooms." Picnic expects the location to generate 500 jobs. The app-only supermarket wants to be operational there by the end of June. The opening was actually planned for the fall of 2021, but has been pushed forward by the high demand for online groceries. The same happened before at the warehouses in Apeldoorn and Berkel en Rodenrijs. Since the corona outbreak, the number of orders at Picnic has increased considerably. By accelerating the opening of distribution centers, the online supermarket hopes to meet growing demand and take pressure off other logistics centers. See here for more: https://www.logistiekprofs.nl/nieuws/picnic-opent-in-zaandam-nog-een-dc-eerder-dan-gepland?utm_source=nieuwsbrief_April%202021%20editie%203&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=edm_LogistiekProfs&utm_id=5055406

Discount Retail Chain Aldi Spain (privately owned) announces its installation near the large Mercadona center for the supply of its products in the Mediterranean arc. The logistics center of Sagunt continues to grow with the forthcoming introduction of Aldi, the supermarket chain of German origin, which will build a distribution center of 30,000 square meters in the Valencian town. The objective of the company specializing in discounts is "to support the growth of the chain's supermarkets in the Mediterranean area and face the expansion planned for the next few years in the region with the best guarantees," as the firm announced in a statement. Aldi has 59 stores in the Valencian Community, the third autonomous region with the most discount stores in the chain, after Andalusia and Catalonia. In this context, the entity has decided to strengthen its presence with this projected warehouse, probably in the industrial estate of the state entity Sepes del Puerto de Sagunto, according to sources in the sector. Nearby is Parc Sagunt I managed by the Generalitat, where Mercadona is completing one of its largest logistics centers by acquiring a first plot of 358,000 square meters for € 24 million (US$29 million). The German discounter, which plans to open about 40 new stores in Spain by 2021, has already opened three new stores in Valencia (in the towns of San Fulgencio, Orihuela and Alboraia, specifically), the area that concentrates the majority of the new openings so far this year. The chain "plans to continue betting on the Valencian region in the coming years," they say in a statement. During the past year, Aldi hired more than 1,000 new jobs throughout Spain, 13% of them in the Valencian Community, and during this first half of 2021, it has already announced that it plans to incorporate a total of 120 jobs in the region. Currently, the firm has more than 800 workers in the Valencian area. At the national level, the supermarket chain now exceeds 330 stores and has more than 5,500 workers. Aldi has its own private label brands and local, state and international suppliers, and a worldwide workforce of 77,000 employees. With its location in Sagunto, the chain reinforces the logistics hub that the Valencian city is becoming after the traumatic dismantling of the steel industry, whose last smelting furnace stopped working in 1984. In Parc Sagunt, which occupies an area of ​​three million of gross square meters, Tempe, a supplier of footwear and accessories to Zara and 50% owned by Inditex, will also open a store after acquiring a 280,000 square meter plot of land for € 30.7 million (US$37million). In addition, Crown, a can manufacturer, is here located, among other companies, such as Importaco, Mercadona's supplier of nuts. See here for more: https://elpais-com.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/elpais.com/espana/comunidad-valenciana/2021-04-20/aldi-refuerza-el-gran-polo-logistico-de-sagunt-con-un-almacen-de-30000-metros-cuadrados.html?outputType=amp

Discount Retail Chain Aldi Suisse (privately owned) also senses that organic is right on trend. Last year, the demand for organic products at Swiss retailer literally exploded: sales shot up by almost 55% compared to the previous year. Aldi Suisse intends to continue expanding its private label 'BIO' range in the future and is pursuing the goal of making BIO products affordable for everyone. In times of pandemics, in particular, a healthy diet seems to gain in importance for many people. ALDI SUISSE also felt the effects of this development. In 2020, the Swiss retailer recorded an increase in sales of almost 55% for its organic products compared to the previous year. And the trend continues to point steeply upwards. “We have noticed for some time that more and more consumers want to eat consciously and want healthy and organically produced food. But we did not expect such enormous growth either”, says Jérôme Meyer, country manager of ALDI SUISSE. See here for more: https://www.fruchtportal.de/artikel/bei-aldi-suisse-gehen-die-bio-umstze-durch-die-decke/048933?i=631a25db