The Top 50 Global Retailers is a fresh look at the 50 most impactful international retailers based on their operations at the start of 2020. The rankings are not based simply on sales; rather, the methodology uses a system in which points are given to retailers based on their international revenues, their participation in franchising and alliances outside of their local region, and their ability to sell via online marketplaces. To qualify for the rankings, retailers need to have a direct investment in at least three countries, at least one of which is not adjacent to their domestic market. Explore the complete list below, or take a closer look at the rundown. Ranking Retailer Revenues (billions US$) 1 Walmart $120.13 2 Amazon.com $74.72 3 Schwarz Group $84.96 4 Aldi $84.89 5 Alibaba $23.24 6 Costco $43.73 7 Ahold Delhaize $60.70 8 Carrefour $42.94 9 Ikea $44.00 10 JD.com $8.70 11 Walgreens Boots Alliance $10.00 12 Auchan $31.53 13 Seven & I Holdings $25.05 14 Spar International $33.48 15 The Home Depot $8.89 16 Rewe Group $20.49 17 Tesco $14.83 18 Inditex $27.21 19 Intermarché $15.75 20 Aeon $7.08 21 Metro AG $23.43 22 Casino $18.66 23 H&M $23.65 24 Lowe's $4.79 25 A.S. Watson $18.18 26 Jerónimo Martins $16.93 27 TJX $9.70 28 Adeo Group $15.38 29 Naspers $13.06 30 Leclerc * $2.88 31 Yum Brands + Yum China $12.00 32 Ceconomy $11.77 33 McDonald's $12.65 34 Best Buy $3.52 35 Couche-Tard $12.36 36 FamilyMart UNY $6.53 37 Rakuten $0.58 38 eBay $6.46 39 Decathlon $10.38 40 Starbucks $6.64 41 Kingfisher $9.60 42 Fast Retailing $8.22 43 Dairy Farm $8.08 44 Cencosud $6.91 45 Gap $2.99 46 ICA Group $3.61 47 Lotte Shopping $1.89 48 Z Holdings (Yahoo Jp) $0.48 49 Euronics International * $2.11 50 Lawson $0.52 * FY2019 numbers Methodology To qualify for this year’s rankings, companies had to meet several criteria. Both publicly and privately owned companies were considered, and the businesses reviewed between October and December 2020. First, the company needed to be a retailer, defined as either a goods-for-consumer resale operation or a restaurant business open to the public. Second, the company must have direct selling operations in at least three countries, one of which must not be an adjacent territory to the retailer’s home country. Offshore tax havens, territories and protectorates are disqualified from consideration as a country. Third, when reviewing franchise operations, the company must hold the global license to franchise the store name in the majority of countries where the franchise operates. The review process looked at three elements of business models, with international direct selling capabilities qualifying as the first point of review. Where reported, teams took the size of the company’s international retail sales for the most recent 52-week filing period, in the currency provided, and converted the figure to U.S. dollars. Currencies were converted using the International Monetary Fund rates database. Generally speaking, reviewed annual filings were published between March and September 2020. The second point of review was company franchise sales, where other retailers had been granted the right to run the franchise. Where the franchise sales value was reported, often called total systemwide sales, we took this figure and applied the same currency exchange rate methodology as in the first review. When the systemwide sales were not reported, we took the values from the reports provided by area franchisees. The third point of review was marketplace sales and sourcing alliances. Marketplace sales are those where the retailer provides the digital platform (website, mobile app or voice-ordering system) and assists shoppers with delivery options but will allow a large number of sellers to list products on the platform. Many companies that operate marketplaces report gross merchandise volume (GMV); where this was reported we took the number. In instances where it was not reported, we estimated the value based on daily website traffic and other metrics. When reviewing sourcing alliances, where two or more retailers purchase goods from a wholesaler together or create private label products together, we looked at the size of the partner retailers in the alliance. After looking at all three elements, we created a points system giving the most points to retailers with international direct selling, a lower number of points to retailers with international area franchise agreements and a limited number of points to retailers using marketplaces or buying alliances to generate international scale. Sources for this year’s report included annual reports, public filings and press statements as well as consumer research on shopping patterns. Much of this data is collected by a global team of Kantar analysts who work throughout the year on the estimates. https://nrf.com/resources/top-retailers/top-50-global-retailers/top-50-global-retailers-2021

Fast-moving consumer goods or FMCG (also known as Consumer Packaged Goods or CPG) are, typically, low-value products with a regular high turnover of product. Fast-moving consumer goods generally carry shorter shelf lives, are bought for everyday consumption and encourage customer loyalty. Thus, companies in this sector trade at high volumes which means vast distribution networks, low-contribution techniques and high stock turnovers are fundamental to their success. Below we look at the 50 top FMCG companies in the world (based on their market capitalization value in US$). We have listed them in alphabetical order. 1. Altria Group – Market Cap $106.4bn A US-based tobacco and cigarette company that includes Philip Morris USA and the Smokeless Tobacco Company. Altria Group also owns John Middleton, Nat Sherman and Nu-Mark, which makes e-vapour products. 2. Anheuser-Busch InBev SA – $164.3bn A Belgium-based multinational beer-brewing company with over 500 brands across the world. 3. Archer-Daniel-Midland – $24.2bn With customers in over 170 countries, Archer-Daniel-Midland is one of the world’s biggest food- and ingredient-processing companies. 4. British American Tobacco (BAT) – $93.6bn A global cigarette and tobacco-producing company based in London, and the largest publicly traded tobacco company in the world. BAT is a market leader in over 50 countries and is present in around 180 countries. 5. Brown-Forman Corporation – $24.2bn A drinks company based in the US. Brown-Forman owns more than 25 brands of wines and spirits. 6. Christian Dior – $83.9bn Producer of iconic French luxury goods, this is the world's largest luxury group with a strong presence all over the world. The label designs predominantly for women, but also has a Dior Homme division for men and a Dior Baby label. 7. Church & Dwight – $16.6bn While it manufactures many household items, it is best known for Arm & Hammer, a brand of baking soda-inspired products. 8. Coca-Cola Company – $193.7bn A manufacturer and retailer of soft drinks, concentrates and syrups. It's best known for its flagship product Coca-Cola, which was invented in 1886 in Atlanta, Georgia. This brand is so iconic that it also sells merchandise with company branding. 9. Colgate-Palmolive – $57.9bn A worldwide consumer products manufacturer of household, health care and personal care products. 10. Conagra Brands – $11.2bn A US-based packaged foods company that produces many major brands. 11. Constellation Brands – $32.4bn A major alcoholic beverages company specialising in the production and distribution of beers, wines and spirits. 12. Diageo – $98.2bn A UK-based alcoholic beverages company that owns more than 200 brands in 180 countries. 13. Estée Lauder Companies – $58.8bn A US-based global manufacturer of premium skin care, makeup, fragrances and hair care products. It has a massive store and digital presence globally, including a large number of owned brands. 14. Fomento Economico Mexicano – $30.0bn A beverage and retail company based in Mexico. It runs the largest chain of department stores in Mexico, as well as being the world's biggest independent bottling company for Coca-Cola. It is also a major shareholder in Heineken. 15. Foshan Haitian – $30.5bn A food and flavourings company with headquarters in China. One of the largest manufacturers of soy sauce in the world. 16. General Mills – $28.4bn An American food company that manufactures and markets many known brands. Some of the most recognisable brands are Yoplait and Haagen-Dazs. 17. Henkel AG & Company KGaA – $42.2bn A German company specialising in personal and home care, as well as adhesives. Some of its brands include the popular Schwarzkopf and Persil. 18. Hermès International – $69.9bn Another massive French fashion house, manufacturing luxury products since 1837. Its main divisions are leather goods, accessories, perfumes and apparel. 19. Hindustan Unilever – $52.5bn Hindustan Unilever is a leading manufacturer of Dutch and British ownership based in India. It produces a wide range of consumer goods, from food to personal care and cleaning, as well as water purifiers. 20. ITC Limited – $51.0bn This global enterprise, based in India, owns lucrative brands in consumer goods, paper and packaging manufacturing, agribusiness, hotels and IT. 21. Japan Tobacco (JT) – $45.1bn A tobacco and cigarette producing company with headquarters in Tokyo, Japan. 22. The J.M. Smucker Company – $12.0bn American manufacturer of various oils, condiments and drinks, especially fruit-based products. In business for over 100 years. 23. Johnson & Johnson – $366.4bn A US-based company manufacturing consumer goods, medical devices and equipment, plus pharmaceutical products. Has a substantial presence in more than 60 countries. 24. Kao Corporation – $37.8bn Kao manufactures consumer products related to cosmetics and chemicals. It produces and markets its products globally, with headquarters in Japan. 25. The Kellogg’s Company – $18.7bn A giant of the cereal world for over 100 years, Kellogg's is an American food manufacturing company with global appeal. 26. Kering – $71.5bn Founded in 1963, Kering is an international luxury group based in Paris, France. It owns multiple luxury goods brands such as Gucci, Yves Saint Laurent, Balenciaga and Alexander McQueen, to name a few. 27. Kerry Group – $18.2bn Kerry Group is a large food-manufacturing company based in Ireland. It exports over 15,000 foods and ingredients to more than 140 countries worldwide. 28. Kimberly-Clark Corporation – $41.4bn A US-based global personal care producer of mostly paper-based consumer products. 29. The Kraft Heinz Company – $39.1bn Afood and non-alcoholic beverage manufacturer with instantly recognisable branded food products. 30. Kweichow Moutai – $146.5bn A partially publicly traded and partially state-owned business based in China. It specialises in the production and sales of Maotai liquor and various food and beverages. In addition, the company is known for the development of anti-counterfeiting technology and IT products. 31. L’Oréal – $150.8bn The world's largest cosmetics company, specialising in various products from hair colour to skincare and perfume. It is celebrity endorsed and uses the recognisable catchphrase, ‘Because you're worth it’. Its brands are found in over 150 countries. 32. LG H&H – $20.2bn Manufacturer of cosmetics, household goods and beverages, with headquarters in South Korea. 33. Lindt & Sprungli – $17.7bn Often known simply as Lindt, this is a Swiss chocolatier founded in 1845. It is famous around the world for the quality of its chocolate truffles and treats. 34. LVMH – $160.3bn The LVMH group owns 70 brands that manufacture designer luxury products including alcohol, fragrances, makeup, clothing and jewellery. 35. McCormick & Company – $18.5bn An American food company that manufactures all sorts of spices, seasoning mixes and other products for catering and domestic use. 36. Mengniu Dairy – $12.7bn A dairy products manufacturing company with headquarters in Hong Kong. 37. Mondelēz International – $69.0bn An American multinational manufacturer of confectionery, food and beverages. It is based in Illinois, with operations all around the world. 38. Monster Beverage Corporation – $32.7bn A US-based manufacturing company producing non-alcoholic beverages. It is owned by Coca-Cola and produces popular energy drinks. 39. Nestle – $286.2bn Based in Switzerland, this is the world’s largest food and soft drinks company. It owns more than 2,000 brands ranging from global icons to local favourites, and is present in 191 countries. 40. PepsiCo – $162.5bn An American corporation headquartered in Harrison, New York. It specialises in the manufacturing, marketing and distribution of a variety of snack foods, drinks and various other products. A long-term rival of Coca-Cola, it has managed to thrive alongside it. 41. Pernod Ricard – $48.3bn Famous worldwide for its Pernod Anise and Ricard Pastis drinks, it is one of the most recognisable French brands in the world. 42. Philip Morris International – $141.2bn A cigarette and tobacco manufacturing company headquartered in the US. It operates and owns 46 production facilities and provides six of the world's top international brands in more than 180 markets. One of these is the world's biggest cigarette company, Marlboro. 43. Procter & Gamble – $256.3bn Globally recognised as the top company specialising in home and fabric care, as well as personal care for the whole family. It owns a large number of household names like Gillette, Ariel and Pampers. 44. Reckitt Benckiser Group – $59.7bn This British multinational produces health and home-based brands as well as hygiene and personal care products. It has 60 different locations in six continents. 45. Shiseido – $27.8bn The Japanese multinational, Shiseido Company, specialises in personal care, producing everything from fragrances and cosmetics to skin care and hair care products. 46. Tyson Foods – $19.3bn A food company that processes and markets chicken, mutton and beef. Company headquarters are in Arkansas, USA. 47. Unilever – $154.7bn One of the largest and most-recognised FMCG companies. On an average day, 2.5 billion people use Unilever products for both personal and home care. 48. WH Group – $14.9bn China-based meat- and food-processing company with headquarters in Hong Kong. 49. Wilmar International – $15.5bn Operating since 1991, this is Asia’s leading agricultural business group. It is highly placed in the Singapore Exchange, specialising in the processing of various oils and sugar. 50. Yili – $24.2bn A dairy company producing a variety of milk products with headquarters in Hohhot, China. See here for more: https://www.wikijob.co.uk/content/industry/retail/list-fmcg-fast-moving-consumer-goods-companies

Variety Discount Retail Chain Dollar General (NYSE: DG) is in a league of its own. The reason is simple, Dollar General operates 17,177 stores in 46 states (as of January 29, 2021) which puts it at about three times that of Walmart. Once more, given that three-quarters of their stores are in small communities, with populations less than 20,000, it places 75 percent of the U.S. population within five miles of a Dollar General. And while they do not have pharmacists on hand, they have half again as many doors as Walgreens or CVS. And whether that effort materializes, it speaks to the power of Dollar General to continue to penetrate a market segment that is growing inversely to the shrinking American middle class. As Forbes journalist Steven Dennis put it “The Covid-19 crisis has exacerbated the underlying drivers of polarization, creating greater distance between the haves and have-nots. The pandemic brought these differences into stark relief.” Fortunately, Dollar General is stepping up to the plate in broadening both its consumables and non-consumable items. They have expanded cooler equipment to deal with perishable items, as well as offering “better for you” products at affordable prices. They are also maximizing efficiency and “contactless checkout” with DG Pickup and DG GO mobile checkout. Today’s Investor Call During today’s investors call Dollar General revealed profit estimates for the 2021 year to be below expectations, however with several caveats. First, they were non-committal as to the effects of the $1,400 stimulus checks, as well as the July and September child tax credits, both of which could boost projections. They estimate full-year 2021 same store sales to fall 4 to 6 percent compared with street estimates of a 1.2% decline. The pandemic year comps will be tough to beat. As far as fiscal 2020, fourth quarter net sales increased 17.6% and fiscal year net sales increased 21.6%. Fourth quarter operating profit increased 21% to US$872.2M while fiscal year operating profit increased 54.4% to $3.6 billion. Q4 same-store sales increased 12.7% and for the fiscal year same-store sales increased 16.3%. The successful DG Fresh initiative is likely to put pressure on margins as growth continues in consumables as a percentage of overall sales. However, the growth in lower margin consumables will be offset by increased efficiency in supply chain, sourcing, and increasing sales in private label products. Dollar General also noted that with the pandemic sales boom the retailer was able to repurchase $2.5 billion in outstanding shares. Pandemic Market Penetration There was strong confidence expressed that increased customer and market penetration coinciding with the pandemic sales will stick. Credit goes to their new concepts including, DG Fresh, Dollar General Traditional Plus (DGP) and Pop-Shelf. The DG Fresh initiative which launched in 2019 is now in 16,000+ stores. Its introduction brought frozen goods, milk, cheese, and deli meats into the stores. Additionally, they have plans to introduce produce into 1,800 stores in 2021. Over the course of 2020, they added 62,000 cooler doors to stores. Their other new initiative, Popshelf shows great promise. The stores feature seasonal and home décor, home cleaning supplies, health and beauty aids, party, and entertaining goods. They boast a five-dollar or less price for 95% of the goods. Additionally, they are drawing a higher income customer in the $50,000 to $125,000 range, far north of DG’s average US$35,000 to US$40,000 income level consumer. The 9,000 square foot stores are classified as a “Fun, affordable treasure hunt.” And while they were slated for 30 buildouts in 2021, that has been accelerated to 50 stores by year-end. Additionally, Popshelf’s products have become store-in-store features in many of their core stores. More Growth on the Horizon Even with its 17,000+ stores, the retailer still sees a long runway. This year’s initiatives include plans to execute 2,900 real estate projects, inclusive of 1.050 new stores, 1,750 remodels, and 100 relocations. Additionally, long term they believe the market can absorb another 13,000 additional small box Dollar General stores, along with 3,000 Popshelf units. And while many other retailers are shrinking footprints, DG said that its two newest retail prototypes will grow to between 8,500 and 9,500 square feet respectively. These are both larger than the 7,300 square foot existing store average. As Far as DG e-commerce initiatives go, their efforts to create contactless sales during the pandemic led to DG pick-up in 10,000 stores and 1600 stores with self-checkout. Its e-commerce digital app has four million active users. See here for more: https://www.forbes.com/sites/sanfordstein/2021/03/18/dollar-general-has-the-capacity-to-become-a-30000-unit-retailer/?sh=5ac667d13fe2

Discount Retail Chain Netto Marken Discount (owned by Edeka and Tengelmann) will be 100% owned by Edeka. The market leading German retail company will take over the remaining ten percent stake of the Tengelmann Group in the discount chain on January 1, 2021. Tengelmann has had a stake in Netto since 2009. At that time, the family company had sold its own discount chain Plus with more than 2,300 branches to Edeka. Part of the purchase price was a share in the Edeka discount subsidiary, which came a little closer to the big rivals Aldi and Lidl as a result of the Plus takeover. Edeka and Tengelmann made no statements regarding the purchase price. With the sale of the net stake, Tengelmann is cutting its last remaining connection to the stationary food retail trade, focussing it business mainly on discount non-food and DIY retail. Click on image for more:

Discount Retail Chain Netto Marken Discount (owned by EDEKA and largest number of stores, 4200+, discounter in Germany) promotes itself as the discount store where customers get everything within one purchase visit. This includes the largest selection of organic food or the largest range of beverages in more environmentally friendly reusable packaging. The up to 5,000 SKUs and a good price-performance ratio is the focus of the Netto campaign “One for all. Everything for cheap." Reducing contacts to a minimum has been part of everyday life for many people for months. This also includes being able to get as many everyday items as possible with just one purchase. With up to 5,000 SKUs at discount prices, consisting of branded and private label own brand SKUs (see here for more on Private Label Brand development), Netto Marken-Discount enables its 21 million customers a week to do just that. "With our annual campaign we show that Netto is the place where our customers get everything: freshness, variety, quality, sustainability and regionality and that at top prices," says Christina Stylianou, Head of Corporate Communications at Netto Marken-Discount . The “one-stop discount” claim is communicated by the Netto campaign on all channels, including TV, digital, out-of-home and at the POS. After the campaign has started, the focus is on individual product areas from the range on a monthly basis. In short TV spots, online or in the flyer, Netto demonstrates its high product range every month. All the facts about the “one-stop discount” concept and a 35-second TV spot to mark the start of the Netto annual campaign can be viewed online at www.netto-online.de/fotos.

Discount Retail Chain Lidl Austria (owned by the German Schwarz Gruppe) has reported a 7% year-on-year growth in sales to €1.47 billion (US$1.75Bn) in its financial year 2020. In this period, the retailer invested approximately €100 million (US$119Mn) in modernisations, new buildings and expansions. It also implemented measures to add value for local suppliers by expanding its product range and has listed around 400 new products. The new range, focusing on locally grown organic products, includes the brand ‘Ein gutes Stück Heimat’ (A good piece of home) – the retailer’s first completely climate-neutral discount brand. Alessandro Wolf chairman of the Lidl Austria management board, commented, “Last year was really challenging. Thanks to our great team, we not only mastered the special situation but also launched many projects that will give us the necessary momentum over the next few years.” Local Products More than half of all food sold in the Lidl stores across Austria comes from local suppliers, amounting to almost 400 million items per year and around €800 million (US$ 954Mn) in added value for domestic food suppliers. Austrian food suppliers have generated more than €360 million (US$ 430Mn) with Lidl through exports to other Lidl national companies alone. In this way, almost 4,000 tonnes of cheese and around 8 million bottles of wine found their way into Lidl shops throughout Europe last year. Store Revamp Lidl Austria is working on a renovation project for stores and has so far remodelled more than 80 stores. The company aims to revamp around 100 stores this year and convert all its stores to the new format by 2023. See here for more: https://www-esmmagazine-com.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/www.esmmagazine.com/amp/retail/lidl-austria-posts-sales-growth-7-fy-2020-125275

Discount Variety Retail Chain Dealz (owned by Steinhoff Group, listed SNH:Xetra) chain opened two more stores in Poland in Płock and Elbląg. In total, the operator already has 79 stores and plans to open 30-40 stores this year. If Dealz implements its development plans in Poland, even to a minimal extent, it will exceed 100 retail stores in Poland. The management of Pepco Europe, which develops the Dealz brand in Poland, is satisfied with the development of the chain so far. Customers in Poland received very well this new format of a store combining an industrial offer with FMCG products. Especially that branded products at very attractive prices dominate there. There was no discount concept on the Polish market that combines food and industrial products, offering well-known food brands at such low prices. I think this is the secret of Dealz's success, says Marcin Stańko, Pepco Europe's COO. Marcin Stańko announces that Dealz plans to open 30-40 stores a year. Of course, I would like this development to be even faster, but this is a different format than Pepco. This type of facility is more difficult to locate in smaller towns, he explains. 'We see great interest in the Dealz concept on the part of shopping centers and parks. We select these objects in terms of the possibilities for the FMCG-based format. We will constantly evaluate the best locations to ensure the greatest possible flow of customers,' summarizes the Chief Operating Officer of Pepco Europe. Dealz is a concept of stores offering approx. 3,000 SKUs of famous brands. In Dealz stores you can buy, among others industrial, drugstore and food products, as well as home and decorative accessories. The Poundland / Dealz Group has been operating since 1990, has over 900 stores in Great Britain, Ireland, France, Spain and Poland. It employs over 18,000 employees. When entering Poland (December 20, 2017), Dealz representatives declared that within three years the chain could open up to 200 discount stores in Poland. See here for more: https://www.wiadomoscihandlowe.pl/artykul/siec-dealz-coraz-szybciej-odlicza-w-polsce-do-100-sklepow

Discount Retail Chain Lidl (owned by the German Schwarz Gruppe) has reached a 8.7% share of the total volume of wine distributed in large stores , with more than 110 million euros sold in the last year, consolidating its third position in the market, according to the supermarket chain in a statement. Of the three large distributors that dominate the national ranking, Lidl assures that it is the only one that does not lose market share . In terms of penetration, it is a step above when it is in second place, a position that it also reaches thanks to being the second chain that grows the most in this sense. In addition, the wine from the supermarket chain also becomes an important claim from buyers, since it is the second distribution chain that receives more acts of buying wine, points out the chain. Likewise, Lidl has become a great promoter of the sale of Spanish wine abroad, since it currently exports 45 million liters to 20 European countries. PURCHASES FROM MORE THAN 800 NATIONAL SUPPLIERS FOR US$5.5 BILLION There are more than 60 national suppliers from 25 different Denominations of Origin that complete the Lidl wine cellar. This portfolio highlights the chain's commitment to the product of Spanish origin, one of the company's keys. Currently Lidl buys products worth more than 4,600 million euros from more than 800 national suppliers, of which it exports 55% to the 30 countries where the company operates in the international market. In fact, Lidl is the first buyer of the Spanish garden with a business volume of more than 2,000 million euros, corresponding to more than 2 million tons of Spanish vegetables and fruit. Every year it exports more than 85% of this volume to the rest of the countries where Lidl has establishments. "The most expensive wine we have in our stores is Finca La Cruz at 8.99 euros (US$10.7), a Ribera del Duero reserve that has 92 points in the Peñin Guide, a good example of this search policy," he added in this regard. Miguel Paradela, general director of Purchasing at Lidl Spain. See here for more: https://www.foodretail.es/retailers/supermercados-Lidl-venden-milllones-vino_0_1527747236.html

Discount Retail Chain Tiendas Ara (owned by Jerónimo Martins, listed Euronext: JMT) was one of those that had a positive balance in Colombia. At the end of 2020 it had revenues of Colombian Peso $ 3.94 trillion (US$1.1Bn) with a growth of 24.4% compared to 2019 The balance in our country was very satisfactory if one takes into account that the general and partial quarantines that took place from April to At the end of August, where they hit the economy hard, which could only be normalized at the end, which led to growth of 22.8% in the last quarter. During the year, its strategy to face the difficult environment was marked by a value proposition to have very competitive prices, reinforcing its own brands. In total, the company opened 56 new stores and closed nine to end the year with 663 points of sale, totaling 223,818 m2 of GLA for a monthly sale per m2 of Colombian Peso $ 1,467,500 (US$410/m2). At the same time, earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) reached 1,423 million euros (US$1.7 billion). The operation in Colombia continues to show a deficit, closing at 20 million euros (US$24 million), 28% less than in 2019. Jerónimo Martins SGPS, SA is a leading Portuguese company in the food retail sector and the manufacture of perishable food goods. The firm owns the Pingo Doce supermarket and hypermarket chains in Portugal, the Cash & Carry Recheio format chain of stores, the Polish supermarket chain Biedronka, the Hebe pharmacy chain and the Ara chain of stores in Colombia. This company is ranked 50 among the 250 largest stores in the world within the Global Powers Of Retailing Top 250, whose revenue in 2020 reached 19.3 billion euros (US$23 billion) with a growth of 3.5% compared to 2019. In its fourth quarter earnings report, its chairman Pedro Soares dos Santos affirms that, after a "year marked by unprecedented demands", the group "recorded a solid operating performance and strengthened its balance sheet." "We enter 2021 with renewed confidence in the ability of each brand to anticipate the impacts of the pandemic crisis continues and will continue to set the operational context, with greater intensity in the first half of the year," he added Within its portfolio of brands, Polish chain Biedronka participates with 69.8% of the global operation, followed by Portuguese Pingo Doce with 20.1%, Cash & Carry Recheio format chain, also from Portugal with 4.4% and Tiendas Ara of Colombia with 4.4% See here for more: https://igomeze.blogspot.com/2021/03/las-ventas-de-tiendas-ara-crecieron-en.html

As we consider the most significant trends impacting purchasing today, consumer demand for private brands continues to remain a focus, as well as the need for convenient and digitally enhanced shopping solutions. Among the ongoing effects of the pandemic, COVID has forever shifted customer behavior with respect to how consumers shop and what they purchase. Consumers are turning to online channels for their shopping needs, with more than eight in 10 consumers planning to make the same amount or more online purchases of food and nonfood products in the future. In addition to the shift across channels, out-of-stocks and income constraints at the height of the pandemic initiated brand switching, with with more than 70% of shoppers purchasing a new or different brand, leading to a significant increase of private brand trial. This trial is expected to continue, with nearly 30% of consumers reporting a positive experience from brand switching and expressing plans to permanently commit to new purchasing behaviors. While the pandemic has accelerated these trends, this shift in purchasing was present before COVID, with consumers placing importance on convenience as well as their affinity towards private brands. Pre-pandemic, more than half of consumers said they picked a store specifically for its private brand offerings, with 86% of consumers viewing private label brand quality as equal to or better than national brands. One retailer that's setting the stage for both online grocery and private brand development is Amazon.com. With the introduction of its brick-and-mortar banner in September 2020, Amazon Fresh, the company has solidified the importance of omnichannel private brand-focused retailing by using technology to create a convenient and seamless shopping experience. Amazon Fresh encourages an omnichannel approach, from the introduction of new integrated Dash Cart technology to allow shoppers to use their Amazon account to skip the checkout line, to dedicated “Ask Alexa” stations to locate items in-store, to digital shelf tags to prove real-time reviews on products. In addition, Amazon Fresh has a portfolio of 12 private label brands, two of which were launched along with the store’s opening, establishing a strong private brand presence in nearly every department of its digital and retail touchpoints. In order to successfully compete across the retail landscape, all retailers must examine their role in the evolving omnichannel environment, in which private brands have the opportunity to occupy a greater share of sales. Our custom research among private brand shoppers confirms this, with seven in 10 signifying they will continue to shop online. Forming an omnichannel approach, as Amazon has, will address the evolving and COVID-accelerated purchasing behavior with respect to how consumers shop and what they purchase. To solidify this strategy, it's imperative that retailers first amplify their digital presence to provide venues for consumers to conveniently receive information and purchase their products. Digital enhancements to the in-store experience by way of QR codes or other scannable options remain viable solutions to shift purchasing across channels as well as provide product (e.g., ingredient) information. With these solutions, retailers must also promote their brands across platforms, especially within digital, where private brands have historically been unrepresented. Retailers with best-in-class private brands are leveraging their digital real estate to promote their brands, including having a dedicated private brand web page that best positions the scope and benefits of each line, leading in product-level search on retailers' websites, and featuring private brands on social platforms while incorporating online recipes, digital coupons and other digital assets. By putting their omnichannel foot forward, as well as leading with private brand solutions, retailers will position themselves for success in 2021 and beyond, ready to support consumers with whatever comes their way. See here for more on DRC private label development https://privatelabel.me/ Source: Katherine Burkhardt is senior manager, brand and marketing strategy at Daymon See here for more: https://www.mytotalretail.com/article/omnichannel-private-brands-key-retailers-future-success/

Discount Retail Chain Aldi Nord Germany increased its operating result by around EUR 300 million in 2020 (US$ 360mio). Foreign business also generated more. The Aldi Nord group can take a deep breath. Both in the home market and in the most important foreign companies, sales and profits are increasing. In the Corona year 2020, Aldi Nord was able to increase sales in Germany by 2.6% to gross EUR 13.53 billion (US$16.1 Bn). The group of companies achieved an increase of 5.2% to gross 26.63 billion euros (US$32Bn). The growth in the home market was well below the discounters' average of almost 9 percent. But Aldi earned money again in the German branch business. After two years with losses in the operational business, the turnaround has succeeded. The discounter improved its operating result by around EUR 300 million in 2020. The dealer is likely to have achieved an operating profit of around EUR 200 million (US$240 mio). The pandemic-related additional sales have at least made it easier for Aldi to return to profitability, it is said in the environment. "In our turnaround 2020, the corona effect does not play a major role," it says from the official side. The better result is due to an optimized range, improved processes and stricter cost management. Aldi Nord has had difficult years. In 2018, the discounter reported red figures for Germany for the first time in the company's history. The loss after taxes in the branch business was around 45 million euros. This was followed by a minus of over 120 million euros (US$ 143mio) after taxes in 2019. For Aldi Nord this meant red alert, because the home market accounts for half of sales. Only through income from real estate, coffee roasters and profitable international business was the group of companies able to write black numbers in 2018 and 2019. The trend reversal was achieved in Germany in 2020. The losses in the branch business also had to do with enormous investments. All branches were converted to the new Aniko concept. In 2018 and 2019, Aldi invested over 650 million euros (US$775 mio) in the German regional companies that control the branch business. In Germany, the phase of branch streamlining has now been completed. Of what was once more than 2,500 German Aldi Nord stores, around 2200 stores are currently still in operation. The discounter wants to close some blank spots on the map this year and open additional stores again. The growth of the group of companies should come more from abroad in the future. Double-digit growth in Spain and Belgium and good organic growth in France strengthened the result. "The results abroad have improved significantly," says Aldi. In contrast to previous years, the discounter is now expanding more rapidly there. Above all, the takeover of Leaderprice in France raises high hopes. In recent years, the extensive restructuring of the company has cost Aldi a lot of money. These investments should pay off in the coming years. The discounter has invested in IT, expansion and logistics. As a result, additional staff were hired for almost all business areas. Purchasing was reorganized and category management was set up. Around 2000 employees work in Essen. The management is also becoming more international. IT experts, data analysts and Kashif Ansari, his own chief strategy officer, cavort there. In April, Oktawian Torchala, the previous head of Poland, will move to the head office as Vice-COO. A new addition comes from competitor Lidl in June. Timo Dietz will be responsible for quality assurance and corporate responsibility in the future. See here for more: https://www.lebensmittelzeitung.net/handel/Discount-Aldi-Nord-schafft-die-Wende-151390

German discount retail chains are expanding their presence in Eastern Europe. Value for money, trust in the retailer brand and an efficient shopping process are gaining in importance for customers. #Lidl achieves pre-tax earnings of almost one billion euros in the region and invests the most. German low-price providers are increasing the rate of expansion in Central Eastern Europe. In response to an #LZ request, Aldi Nord in Poland stated that it intends to open 45 new locations by the end of the year. That would be the biggest expansion in the history of Aldi Poland. The branch network expanded by 24 new stores in 2020, compared to only half a dozen new properties in each of the previous years. Lidl Polska also wants to grow faster. After 40 new locations in 2019/20 (February 29th) there are currently over 45. According to the Polish newspaper “#Rzeczpospolita”, the retailer is even planning to increase its investments again in 2021, by half compared to previous years. Lidl allegedly wants to invest the equivalent of a good 330 million euros on the Vistula. The Corona crisis is helping the cheap formats there. Customers are looking more closely at the price again. According to #Euromonitor, discounters in Poland grew by 7.7 percent in 2020, far ahead of other formats. Hypermarkets, for example, lost 14.3 percent in sales compared to the previous year due to the temporary closure of shopping centers. Nielsen data show that discounters increased their share of the shopping basket for groceries by an impressive 2.8 percentage points to 38.5 percent in 2020. Quality at a low price is gaining in importance. The Polish trade association #POHiD reports that sales with own brands - the domain of discounters - are growing by double digits. At the same time, the market researcher #HiperCom confirms that the number of advertising campaigns in weekly brochures across the country fell by 17.2 percent in the Corona year. Only the discount - contrary to the trend - was the only sales channel to advertise 12 percent more products. The pandemic is not only giving discounters tailwind in Poland. They also set the tone for growth in other countries in Central and Eastern Europe. According to the financial newspaper "#Ziarul Financiar", the #Penny Market in Romania has exceeded the sales growth of 2019, which at that time was already 15 percent compared to the previous year, and achieved almost 1 billion euros in net sales in the Corona year. The #Rewe subsidiary also wants to expand more. After opening 20 new stores last year, Penny plans to open more stores in the current period. Arch-rival Lidl is also picking up the pace. After 25 stores in 2019, the discounter opened almost 30 new stores in 2020/21. Lidl is the clear leader in the expansion of space in Central Eastern Europe. After more than 110 new stores in 2019/20, almost 120 new Lidl stores have opened in the region as of today. Lidl also has the financial strength to do so. According to LZ research in national balance sheet data, the discounter earned around 1 billion euros before taxes in nine countries in the region in 2019. This corresponds to an average pre-tax return of 6.9 percent. Competitor Penny achieved a pre-tax profit of 58 million euros (1.8 percent pre-tax return) in three countries and the two Aldis achieved a pre-tax profit of 7 million euros (around 0.4 percent) in three countries. According to Marc Houppermans, Executive Partner at #DRC Discount Retail Consulting GmbH, Lidl's active expansion is also due to the higher pressure to succeed that the discounter is exposed to. Lidl must constantly deliver growth and results in order to obtain the most favorable financing conditions on the international capital markets with the current negative interest rate. Aldi, on the other hand, is fully privately financed by the Albrecht family's foundations. See here for more: