For the first time a national market player opened a store in the Federal District of Far East in Russia. On March 23, two discount-like neighborhood stores of Pyaterochka were opened in the capital of the oblast of Primorye, Vladivostok. The sales area of the Pyaterochka stores is between 270 and 450 square meters. The assortment range is between 3 to 5 thousand items. Primorsky Krai became the 68th region of presence for X5 Group. In total, by the end of the year, 60 stores will begin to work in the Primorsky Territory - not only in the capital, but also in other cities of the region. Until 2025, X5 plans to create more than 2500 jobs. "In total, we plan to open 150 stores in the Far East by the end of the year. We plan to take a market share of 25% within 6 years, "said the General Director of the Pyaterochka retail chain. Key values of Pyaterochka: low prices, fresh and high-quality products, convenience and a convenient atmosphere. The most products are coming from local producers. In some categories its share reaches 70%. There is a large selection of fresh products: the category "fresh" in the assortment occupies about 30% and meets customers at the entrance to the trading floor. More than 100 items of finished products (food-to-go and ready-to-eat) are available to customers. The stores are equipped with their own bakery, located directly in the sales area, offering customers more than 30 different types of fresh bakery products, which are baked several times a day. Next to the fresh bread department, there is a coffee machine. At the moment, 70 - 75% of the goods are imported from the western part of Russia. Most of the products are transported by road, but some goods, for example, tomatoes, are currently delivered by plane. We are interested in working with local producers to produce primarily fruits and vegetables, "said the Executive Director of the Far East territory of the Pyaterochka retail chain. We are the first of the federal grocery retail on this land, and we hope that Vladivostok residents, like millions of People in Russia, will love our stores – for low prices, for a large selection of fresh products, for the convenient location of stores near their homes, for supporting many social projects and a special atmosphere of care. We will also please and surprise our guests with new products that are very popular among buyers throughout the country," said X5's spokesman. The Pyaterochka retail chain, as well as in other regions, implements a set of social projects: discounts and promotions. In addition, more than 5,600 Pyaterochka stores throughout Russia participate in the Basket of Kindness program jointly with the Rus Food Bank Foundation, providing food assistance to those in need. Source: Подробнее на Retail.ru: https://www.retail.ru/news/pyatyerochka-otkryla-pervye-magaziny-vo-vladivostoke-23-marta-2023-227005/

Discount Retail Chain Aldi Spain opens its 400th store in Spain. Located in the city of Valencia. The discounter has more than 1,200 m2of the sales room and a staff of 14 people. It is also Aldi's sixth opening so far this year, and the first in the Valencian Community this 2023. Specifically, with this inauguration the company also reaches the milestone of 65 supermarkets in the Valencian region. Spain is a strategic country for Aldi's growth. To the opening of about 100 new stores in the national territory in the last three years, we must add the forecast of opening about 50 new stores throughout the country during 2023. "We are very pleased to continue strengthening our presence throughout the territory. This achievement, reaching the 400th store, is the result of Aldi's strong commitment to continue investing and growing in Spain, where in the last year we have grown by 11% in commercial space. With this, we continue with our goal of being closer to Spanish homes, with a high quality purchase option and at a very good price, "says David Carim, Real Estate and Expansion Managing Director of Aldi Spain. In addition to the Valencian Community, Aldi's expansion plan this year will also focus on other strategic areas for the company such as the Community of Madrid, Catalonia and Andalusia. Together with the Valencian region, these territories will concentrate almost half of the growth expected in 2023. In addition, the arrival of Aldi to the autonomous city of Melilla in the second half of the year and the inauguration of new stores in Galicia, the Balearic Islands, the Canary Islands and Asturias stand out. "In accordance with the current growth rate, the boost of our logistics capacity and the forecast of openings that we want to maintain, we can assure that our investment in Spain will increase in the coming years and will continue to generate new opportunities for stable and quality employment," adds Carim. UPCOMING OPENINGS Specifically, this March the supermarket chain will add three new spaces. Aldi opened its fourth store in the city of Córdoba on March 8, its 400th store with the new opening in Valencia on March 22 and plans to open the doors of another on the island of Mallorca on the 29th, in the hamlet of Can Picafort (Santa Margalida). With the latter, the supermarket chain will reach 94 stores in Andalusia, the region with the most Aldi in the country, and 11 in the Balearic archipelago. In April, Aldi will maintain the steady pace of openings with three new locations. In Galicia, the supermarket company will open the doors of its first store in Pontevedra on April 5. This inauguration is an important step towards a greater presence in the northern region, where it has another establishment in Santiago de Compostela. On the other hand, one more inauguration is planned in Villareal (Castellón) and another in the municipality of Alzira (Valencia) at the end of the month. In total, in the Valencian region they will have celebrated three new Aldi openings in just over a month. See here for more: Aldi alcanza las 400 tiendas en España con una nueva apertura en Valencia - Noticias y Actualidad Retail (justretail.news) #smartdiscount #spain #aldi #expansion #growth #marketshare #drc #discount #retail #consulting #discountretail #discountretailconsulting #strategy

Discount Retail Chain Lidl freezes the price of over a hundred commodities to curb inflation. "These measures will cost money, but we are prepared to take the cost," says Jakob Josefsson, Head of Sweden at Lidl. As of Monday, March 27, Lidl is lowering and locking the price of over a hundred goods. The discount chain states this in a press release. The move came a day after Finance Minister Elisabeth Svantesson held meetings with the CEOs of the three players that are larger than the German challenger in the Swedish grocery market, without leading to any concrete measures. The measures from Lidl are intended to have a mitigating effect on families' personal finances and will be in force for at least two months. "Since we came to Sweden 20 years ago, we have been tasked with offering the highest quality at the industry's best price. With our business model where we always push down prices, we as a player in the grocery industry have a great responsibility. We will continue to offer strong campaigns, but we have now, in close cooperation with our suppliers, agreed to set new lower prices for over a hundred goods in all our stores in Sweden, says Lidl's Head of Sweden Jakob Josefsson in a comment. Goods such as coffee, flour and meat items from about 50 suppliers will receive new lower prices, according to the chain. "We have selected a large number of popular products that we will give a new lower standard price. These measures will cost money, but we are prepared to take the cost and do what it takes to support Swedish households in an economically challenging time. We openly report which products are covered by the price freeze and will make it visible in the stores. `These measures will cost money, but we are prepared to take the cost and do what it takes to support Swedish households in an economically challenging time.`Jakob Josefsson Finance Minister Elisabeth Svantesson welcomes Lidl's initiative and writes on Twitter: "Very good that Lidl is leading the way in lowering and freezing its prices of over a hundred goods. I hope that the big food giants follow their example and thus make everyday life easier for all those households that are struggling with high prices". In Norway, the second largest food chain, the low-price discount chain Kiwi, chose not to raise prices at the last negotiating window, despite higher prices from suppliers. Something that forced other chains to do the same. That pushed Norwegian food price inflation down in February to 8.7 percent. Compared to 21.6 percent in Sweden. See here for more: Lidls utspel: Sänker och fryser priser (fri-kopenskap.se) #smartdiscount #sweden #lidl #expansion #growth #stores #prices #inflation #drc #discount #retail #consulting #discountretail #discountretailconsulting

Discount Retail Chain Lidl (owned by the German Schwarz Group) unveiled its Lidl Plus app back in 2020, but if you’re not already a convert, what does it get you? Is it all about discounts, or can you earn points along the way? Here, we’ll have a look at what Lidl Plus offers, plus how to get the app on your phone now. How to get the Lidl Plus app You can download Lidl Plus as an app for your iPhone or Android phone. For Apple users, head to the App Store to download. If you use Android, get the app on Google Play here. How does the Lidl Plus app work? Lidl Plus works by offering customers weekly coupons for their grocery shop. It also allows you to earn reward coupons with Coupon Plus when you hit a certain amount spent in store, too. So, if you’re already spending a decent amount on your weekly and monthly food shopping at Lidl, then you may be able to get a discount or a free item or two when you hit specific thresholds. You can access the deals, and count your spending towards Coupon Plus, by scanning the digital Lidl Plus card on the app at the till when you shop. In addition, Lidl Plus offers a few discounts from partner retailers, a digital scratch card to scratch off in hope of winning a prize, as well as access to a weekly leaflet. See here for more: Lidl Plus: How does the app work and what do you get with it? | Metro News #smartdiscount #lidl #lidlplus #app #usage #features #loyalty #marketing #drc #discountretail #discount #retail #consulting #discountretailconsulting #scratchcard

Dairy products are among the best-selling items in food retailing in Germany. But this is exactly where you can currently see best how prices are rising. Shoppers are not indifferent. Their reaction: more buying of private labels. Milk in coffee, cream in tea and yoghurt on muesli: hardly anyone wants to do without that. But what if, as the German Federal Statistical Office announced a few days ago, real wages fall significantly? If you do not want to live without one or the other delicacy such as vacation, new mobile phone or the like, the only thing left is to tighten your belt when shopping for groceries. "Many consumers have to look at the money and opt for the cheapest option at the expense of branded and organic products," confirms Monika Wohlfarth from the Central Milk Market reporting to the trade journal "topagrar". "It's about maintaining your standard, you want to get through the winter, be prepared for any additional energy payments, the goal here is no longer higher, faster, further," emphasizes Susanne Rusch, Head of Market Research at Deutsche Milchkontor (DMK), Germany's largest dairy. Quite the opposite. Good is also cheap, many consumers currently think. And so the entry-level range of private labels is booming. Depending on the retailer these are called REWE´s "yes", EDEKA´s "gut und günstig" (good and cheap), LIDL`s "Milbano", ALDI`s "Milsani" or KAUFLAND`s "K Classic". Less sales, higher prices Higher, faster, further, on the other hand, it goes with the Mopro prices. As the evaluation of the Society for Consumer Research (GfK) shows, the white line from 2022 goes out with a sales increase of 8.7 percent compared to 2021. According to the market experts, this development was driven exclusively by higher prices (plus 13.7 percent), as sales had developed negatively. Almost reflexively, one thinks to know who is "to blame" for this development. Once again, the brand manufacturers want to fill their pockets, it haunts the canteens at some lunches. Certainly often right. In this case, however, it is not true. This is because the price increases can primarily be observed in private labels, according to the experts at GfK. Last year, prices rose by 20.5 percent in the white line, while those of branded products rose by only 7.1 percent, below the level of general consumer prices. Good marks for quality The fact that no-name products are often used is certainly not only due to the price, but also to the good image of the products. Just recently, Stiftung Warentest checked the quality of a total of 1,414 products in a meta-evaluation of the last four years. Branded goods versus private labels. Across all products, branded goods received an average score of 2.8. With 2.7, retailers' own private label brands were even a bit further ahead. With brand classics you often experience a top taste, but private labels score more in the declaration. When it comes to pollutants, there are hardly any differences, when it comes to microbiological quality, brands are slightly ahead of private labels. No wonder it's often just about nuances. Brands and private labels often come from the same company. Almost all large dairies serve both rails. This can be easily found out by the identity marks. Traders are obliged to print this on the packaging of dairy products. The oval sign is primarily intended for the supervisory authorities. Not only. Consumers can also use it to see where the dairy product comes from. And there you will find names like Müller, Arla, DMK, Zott, Bauer, Danone and many more. So it's hardly surprising that, with such good arguments in favour of private labels, more and more people are resorting to no-name in the current situation. "The discounters currently have the better offer not only for their regular clientele, but also for numerous exchange shoppers," says Dr. Robert Kecskes from GfK. See here for more: Handelsmarken - Vom Preis kalt erwischt - Lebensmittelpraxis.de #smartdiscount #germany #privatelabel #ownbrand #expansion #growth #dairy #brands #drc #discountretail #retail #discount #consulting #discountretailconsulting #gfk #lidl #aldi #kaufland #rewe #edeka #inflation #marketshare

Discount Frozen Food Retail Chain Iceland has teamed up with Just Eat to offer shoppers a rapid grocery delivery service from over 200 stores. By the end of April, there will more than 5,000 of Iceland’s products listed on rapid delivery service’s app, including both fresh and frozen produce. It will initially launch with more than 200 of the frozen food retailer’s sites, including in London, Manchester, Belfast and Leeds, with plans to roll out to more cities across 2023. Through the new tie-up, consumers will be able to order items from Iceland for delivery in as little as under 30 minutes, via Just Eat. Iceland Foods international and wholesale director Justin Addison said: “At Iceland our customers are our priority, and we consistently hear that they want more convenient access to our products, both on high streets across the UK and from the comfort of their homes,” “We are excited to be partnering with Just Eat, enabling us to expand our offering with instant delivery at the click of a button. “We strive to support our customers in any way we can, which includes providing great value, with convenient groceries, even on those days when they don’t visit us in store.” Just Eat director of strategic accounts Amy Heather added: “Our partnership with Iceland is another big step in our grocery delivery journey in the UK, bringing even more convenient grocery options to our customers. “Iceland is a brand that champions local communities with stores on high streets across the whole UK and we’re excited to partner with them to deliver groceries to meet the demands of even more households looking for fast, convenient grocery options.” Iceland is the latest big retailer to sign up with Just Eat. It inked a deal with Sainsbury’s in January to roll out speedy delivery to 175 stores and pressed the button on a nationwide rollout with The Co-op in December. See here for more: Iceland partners with Just Eat for rapid grocery delivery - Latest Retail Technology News From Across The Globe - Charged (chargedretail.co.uk) #smartdiscount #iceland #frozen #uk #expansion #delivery #growth #drc #value #discount #retail #consulting #discountretail #discountretailconsulting #justeat # convenience

Discount Retail Chain Lidl (owned by the German Schwarz Group) puts an end to the name Delicieux and from now on sells its luxury private label products under the name Deluxe. 'With the name change, I don't expect the success to slump', marketer Jorieke de Vries-Goosen responds. The private label name Delicieux originated fifteen years ago and has since been a complete higher priced private label product line. "It turned out to be a huge success. More and more Lidl countries followed the international harmonization of the brand, but the ruling was a problem. Delicieux is therefore changing to Deluxe," the discount chain itself reports. Lidl: Only name Delicieux changes 'The whole of the Netherlands can still enjoy more than 350 luxury products, available today in all Lidl stores. From luxury stol, Beter Leven gourmet meat, new vegetarian alternatives and the most sustainable eggs in the world, to a 100 percent Fairtrade chocolate range. Just like Delicieux, the Deluxe brand stands for "Luxury for everyone": affordable luxury that is exclusively available at Lidl," says Lidl. Brochure with Deluxe products For further introduction, the retailer is simultaneously bringing its own edition in stores containing all Deluxe products. In addition, the campaign has been translated into various print advertisements in magazines and newspapers, radio and online communications. In a new commercial, which can already be seen in the window below, the concept of 'new spring, new look' is explained. This film will go live next Sunday. Lidl's best-known brand 'We have been building the Delicieux brand for years, which has paid off. It is Lidl's best-known brand and the most famous holiday house brand of all supermarkets', explains Jorieke de Vries-Goosen, head of marketing Lidl. 'With an average awareness of 80 percent among Dutch consumers and an average purchase intention of 60 percent, we score extremely high. And people appreciate it, more than 75 percent associate it with affordable luxury, convenience and quality. That's the result of years of consistent campaigning, we've built a really strong brand. With the name change, I therefore do not expect the success to collapse. The brand is now powerful enough on its own. And moreover, in these expensive times, affordable luxury is more welcome than ever.' See here for more: Lidl ceases private label Delicieux and prolongs Deluxe | MarketingTribune Food and Retail #smartdiscount #deluxe #delicieux #lidl #netherlands #privatelabel #harmonizing #packaging #branding #international #ownbrand #luxury #drc #discount #retail #consulting #discountretail #discountretailconsulting

From time to time Promarca convenes an event where it denounces the scarce access that Spanish consumers have to the "manufacturer brands" on the shelves of leading chains such as Mercadona or Lidl; without much success, according to the constant growth of the distribution brand (MDD) or private labels (PL), even among the most loyal and aware retailers. High inflation and the loss of purchasing power of the shopper play against it. Promarca has organized a conference under the title "Present and future challenges of mass consumption", where experts in the food chain have spoken of the "challenges facing the sector", although, in reality, it could well have been titled "Manufacturer brands, before the tsunami of the PL". And it is that the increase in inflation (and the loss of purchasing power) has caused distribution, in a generalized way, has facilitated its customers access to low-price products focused on the most basic needs. Thus, the own brand has gained a new and strong momentum, turning Spain into the European paradise of private labels. The event aimed to raise awareness among different stakeholders of the negative effects that large retailers have on society, basing their commercial offer on a short assortment where lower-cost own brands predominate. "Competition almost exclusively based on prices creates a vicious circle: low cost wages, low cost taxes and general impoverishment," warns Ignacio Larracoechea. "The current situation is an attack on choice." "40% miss brands," he continues. The truth is that in the last ten years the presence of brands has been reduced by 24%, creating an extremely complex board for them where it becomes increasingly difficult to reference innovation. "Manufacturer brands generate ten times more added value than distribution brands," argues Larracoechea. BRANDED ASSORTMENT SHRINKS IN MOST CHAINS César Valencoso, Consumer Insights Director of Kantar Worldpanel, has spoken of "consumer freedom of choice" starting with a premise: wider assortments better meet the needs of different consumers. Since unlimited assortment is not viable, there is a balance between two forces: brands, which compete for value, and retailers, who compete for price, mainly in commodities. PL already exceeds 53% of market share in Spain according to Kantar. Following his explanation, markets where there is a balance between the two forces add value to the consumer and grow in the long term, but this does not happen in his opinion in Spain: "The growing power of operators that prioritize price is unbalancing the consumer market, with growing assortments of PL and less brands and innovation, which decisively conditions the choice of the consumer and therefore the KPIs of the market". THE ASSORTMENT DETERMINES THE BASKET According to data from Kantar Worldpanel, the sum of six main chains, PL has gone from 2018 to 2022% share in the period 46-53. It maintains constant growth, especially important in periods of crisis, pushing down prices. The evolution of the value in packaged products for the period 2001-2019 was 59.8% (the volume increased by 23.6% and the net value by 36.2%). If we take into account inflation at this time, of 47.6%, it is concluded that there has been a loss of value of -11.4%. "Large consumption does not grow at the pace of inflation and has eroded in value," says Valencoso. With regard to the number of innovations, these have fallen by 38% in the period 2011-2021. The consumer's basket is absolutely conditioned by the assortment, says Valencoso. In fact, taking 2021 data as a reference, Mercadona customers, who buy 67.8% in PL products, when they go to Carrefour only spend 22.7% on own-brand items; 75.2 per cent in Lidl; and 18.3%, for example, in Eroski. On the other hand, if the weight of the PL in Lidl is 77.9%, its customers spend 71.1% on their own brand when they buy in Mercadona; 24.5% in Carrefour; and 23.7% in Eroski. THE AUTHORITIES' GROWING INTEREST IN RETAIL ALLIANCES In a later block, Javier Berasategi, expert lawyer in Competition and Regulation of the Food Chain, has placed the focus on retail alliances in the conference organized by Promarca, highlighting the growing interest in this point of the competition authorities. They are very dynamic structures, which overlap and with constant entries and departures of partners. They are alliances that are created and closed, accumulating in this process great confidential information. Its objectives are varied, such as the joint purchase of PL and A-brands, and the provision of services. On this last point, Berasategi believes that many of these services are not such or are charged at exorbitant prices, sometimes even for the mere fact of meeting... In short, these are the international alliances that provide services: Coopernic (2006), which brings together Coop, Ahold Delhaize, Leclerc and Rewe Agecore (2015), with Colruyt, Edeka, Intermarché, Conad, Coop and Eroski Eurelec (2016), with Leclerc and Rewe Horizon Int. Services (HIS) (2019), with Auchan, Casino, Metro and Dia This Competition expert has highlighted the creation in 2022 by the French Parliament of an investigative commission on distributor alliances, which verified the access toll that the agreement with the alliance entails, without which there is no negotiation or national agreement; the absence of tangible services (“fictitious services”) or charged at disproportionate prices; the impossibility of contracting these services; the dereferencing or cessation of massive purchases by partners to force an agreement with the alliance; and the leak of confidential information between alliances. Likewise, the possible avoidance of the French regulatory and tax framework was questioned. In relation to the regulations for the Defense of Competition, he has cited the case of four alliances: Centrale Italiana (ITA, 2014), which accounted for 23% of purchases and more than 40% in local sales markets, which was dissolved after an agreement with the authority. Dia / Eroski (ES, 2016), where the complaint was filed by the CNMC, although the appeal is pending. Casino / Intermarché (EU, 2019), whose inspection was annulled by the CJEU Carrefour / Povera (BE, 2021), with 20-25% of the market. The file was archived by agreement: legally separate purchasing function, limited exchange of information, negotiation of financial discounts with no impact on the commercial strategy of distributors. Regarding the regulation of the food chain, Javier Berasategi has referred to the Dia / Eroski affair, in his opinion a very solid precedent to stop the abuses of distributor alliances and which ended with sanctions worth 6.8 million euros, having a sentence of the Central Court of "acquittal" to Eroski in 2019; and, on the other hand, a sentence of the National Court of "condemnation" of Dia in 2020 and another of the Supreme Court in the same sense in 2021. Regarding the future, he has spoken about the revision of directive (EU) 2019/633, which will be evaluated before 2025 and could be the Achilles heel of alliances. He will have to see the interpretation that is made of the prohibition of "commercial retaliation" and "payments not related to the sale of the products" in the Member States. He remains to see if linking services to purchase agreements will be prohibited. ROUND TABLE ON THE IMPORTANCE OF VALUE CREATION The Promarca conference closed with a round table on the importance of creating value, with the participation of Javier Alejandre, a UPA technician; Álvaro Areta, COAG technician; Gabriel Trenzado, general director of Cooperativas Agroalimentarias; and Mauricio García de Quevedo, general director of FIAB. For Álvaro Areta, a COAG technician, the chain must provide sufficient value for its own sustainability: "The challenge is to obtain a decent income for the links, because, despite the fact that agriculture is going very well and that 2022 has been a record year, the people who are part of this sector are not doing so well.” Given that the first link is already very transparent with its sales prices, Areta sees it essential that the observatories function and publish studies on those of the rest of the links, so that Spanish law is an example for the rest of the EU Member States. "That Juan Roig recognizes that they are capable of destroying a sector if prices do not rise is important for it to be known," he adds. Very accurate in his analysis, Gabriel Trenzado, general director of Cooperativas Agroalimentarias, in making clear that in the food chain there is a value that nobody pays: "We have seen how sensitive the consumer and the public authorities themselves are to the rise in prices... That It doesn't happen in other sectors. Javier Alejandre, a UPA technician, notes that, in 2022, farmers and ranchers lost 5.5% of gross income. However, for him, the law of the food chain is a useful tool: "It is probably an excessively regulated sector, but this law is basic." Gabriel Trenzado, general director of Cooperativas Agroalimentarias, points out a factor that cannot be ignored: drought and other factors are affecting production. "Not everyone has lost: those who have had product have done well," he says. For Trenzado, transparency is key, that dynamic market studies can be done for the knowledge of the links: "That is not only looked at at the production level but also at the PVP level". The law of the food chain, rather than generating value, creates the conditions for greater legal certainty, but "it will not balance the forces, because that is achieved with other instruments and structuring the sector is not done via decree," he concludes. For Mauricio García de Quevedo, CEO of Fiab, the current hyperregulation has high associated costs: "With more taxes and more regulatory costs, such as the plastic tax, the profitability of the company is eroded, because all those costs cannot be imputed in consumer prices." According to their data, the situation is complex in the industry: if the average profitability is 8.32%, last year it fell to 7%. In summary, the fall in profitability has three causes for the Fiab representative: Shortage in the supply of inputs and raw materials. Increasing the impact of energy costs. From 8% on average to an impact of 25-30% Over-regulation, which erodes margins and produces inflation. Asked about the law of the food chain, García de Quevedo emphasizes that it generates a great value to the balance in commercial relations: "It regulates abuses and black practices; Likewise, including selling at a loss is a great advance, as well as regulating promotional activities and that associations can appear to report abuses. " See here for more: Manufacturer brands, in the face of the MDD tsunami (foodretail.es) #smartdiscount #retail #privatelabel #ownlabel #research #spain #aldi #lidl #dia #assortment #brands #growth #drc #discount #consulting #discountretail #discountretailconsulting #promarca

Americans love frozen food and that appetite is on the rise. In fact, sales of frozen foods increased over 8% since 2018 to a whopping $72.2 billion last year, according to the American Frozen Foods Institute. That is a lot of frozen chicken nuggets, pizzas, and veggies! It is no wonder that Americans are so enamored by the freezer aisle. Both in times of prosperity and economic hardship, frozen foods have one big advantage over their fresh counterparts: a long shelf life. These days, with a potential recession looming, shoppers are examining their grocery shopping habits and reassessing what products could be wiser investments. The good news is that your local grocery store should be stocked with all kinds of frozen food options, from breakfast, lunch, and dinner to beverages, snacks, and desserts. But if you were wondering what sets apart the good from the great, there are a few grocery chains with top-tier frozen food selections, going above and beyond their competition. Grocery Chains With the Best Seafood Departments: 1. Trader Joe´s You can find dissertation-level assessments and breakdowns of the frozen food aisle at Trader Joe's. Simply put, when it comes to frozen foods, no grocery chain has captured the nation quite like TJ's. Sure, you can find all of the usual suspects in its aisles like your everyday bag of frozen peas and carrots, but what really sends shoppers into a frenzy are the prepared meals and desserts. One specific category of items that shoppers seem to be obsessed with is the macaroni and cheese found in the frozen foods aisle at Trader Joe's. One Redditor noted that the regular variety (found in the red box) is "better than a lot of restaurants," and another shared that they thought the Reduced Guilt variety (found in the light blue box) "always slaps." Seasonally, fans look forward to the return of limited-time items like the Butternut Squash Macaroni and Cheese in the fall. 2. Costco Costco members experience an embarrassment of riches when it comes to the warehouse's frozen food aisles. While most grocery stores max out at a couple of aisles, Costco packs in several rows of frozen offerings, covering the gamut from fruits and vegetables to prepared entrees and desserts. Best of all, like everything else sold at Costco, the frozen foods are sold in bulk, meaning you get more bang for your buck and more time in between grocery runs. Costco always seems to have new must-haves in its frozen food aisles, including both savory and sweet items. It does not take much to impress Costco members either; the Kirkland Signature Super Premium Vanilla Ice Cream was a top-rated frozen product from 2022. One Redditor even noted that they are "gonna need a bigger freezer" when they shop for the ice cream. For a low-carb meal idea, members also have plenty of good things to say about the frozen cauliflower pizza crust. One Redditor mentions how it is "the only cauliflower crust that I can't tell the difference" from regular pizza crust. 3. Whole Foods Like many departments at Whole Foods, the frozen foods section is stocked with healthy and organic options. It's the supermarket of choice for many shoppers looking to stock up on frozen produce in particular. One Redditor specifically mentions the frozen gourmet mushrooms, which are "much cheaper than buying fresh, and I can't find frozen mushrooms at any other grocery store." Other commenters agreed that you can actually find a good deal on frozen fruits and veggies at Whole Foods, which is not always the case with other items at the notoriously high-end supermarket. One Redditor claimed that Whole Foods' frozen fruits are "hands-down absolutely the cheapest I've ever seen." 4. Aldi Like Trader Joe's and Costco, most of the groceries found at Aldi are private-label products, meaning that you likely will not find as many recognizable national brands as you travel up and down the aisles. That gives shoppers the chance to try a ton of new and interesting items that you cannot find anywhere else, including Aldi's Simply Nature, Breakfast Best, and Belmont products. When it comes to top recommendations from Aldi, shoppers point out that many of the items are available on a rotating basis. Several shoppers love the selection of frozen shrimp, with one Redditor recommending, "When you see the shrimp skewers get a lot of them but save some for me!!" Other Aldi fans were in agreement about the store's frozen pizzas, with special mention given on Reddit to the rising crust varieties. We also spotted several mentions of Aldi's frozen shepherd's pie, with one Redditor noting that "If you can find these…you'll be really happy. They're excellent." 5. Kroger Kroger is one of the largest chains of grocery stores in the country, with over 1,300 locations, according to ScrapeHero. Its extensive freezer section includes several private-label store brands that promise great value compared to big-name brands. One of the more popular frozen foods from Kroger is its self-rising crust pizza, priced at $4.29 online. One Redditor wrote, "These always turn out pretty good and they're super cheap in my store." Shoppers also have a special affinity for Kroger's Private Selection-brand ice creams. One Redditor wrote, "I legitimately think PS ice cream beats all brands." Another recommended the churro and moose tracks flavors in particular. 6. Publix Southern grocery chain Publix offers much more than just its fan-favorite Pub Subs. The supermarket is home to a number of other popular items, including some intriguing finds from its frozen food aisles. One Redditor pointed to the Publix-brand Pork-Cauliflower Sausage & Cranberry, Stone-Baked Crust frozen pizza: "Best thing at Publix and affordable." Southern Living notes that the freezer section often includes beloved local and regional products, including Sister Schuberts' Parker House-Style Rolls and Callie's Hot Little Buttermilk Biscuits. The magazine also highlights the store's premium brand of ice cream, which it calls an "unexpected crowd pleaser." 7. Walmart Walmart's low prices are hard to beat when it comes to most departments, and that holds true for frozen foods. The retail giant sells many major brands, but you can also find items sold under Walmart's Great Value brand, too, like the dietician-endorsed Wild-Caught Pink Salmon Skin-On Fillets. Shoppers on Reddit, meanwhile, recommend the Great Value ice creams, sausage patties, and frozen lasagna, among other items. Best of all, shoppers stand to save a ton of money on their groceries when shopping at Walmart, so your dollar can be stretched even further when you consider the longer shelf life of frozen groceries. 8. Target Like many big-box retailers, Target stocks both national brands and its own extensive private label products in the freezer section. These include the Target-exclusive Good & Gather and Favorite Day labels. Customer highlights include the Favorite Day lava cakes, which one Redditor praises, saying that "they're pretty cheap and are so good." Another Redditor highlighted the steam-in-bag Southwest burrito bowl, which is a "pretty good value," especially when it's on sale. The love for Target's frozen foods goes back many years, back to the days when Archer Farms was one of the more prominent private labels. Though the brand has been on the way out, Redditors had plenty of praise to give its frozen pizzas. See here for more: 8 Grocery Chains With the Best Frozen Foods (eatthis.com) #smartdiscount #frozen #assortment #aldi #tj #traderjoes #drc #discount #retail #consulting #discountretail #discountretailconsulting #research

Discount Variety Retail Chain Dollar General (listed NYSE: DG) gets more customers that are shopping for cheap groceries, but it's not necessarily a good thing. The discount chain reported its fourth-quarter earnings early Thursday. Same-store sales were up 5.7% during the quarter, largely thanks to growth in its consumables category, the company said. Revenue for consumables, which includes food items, health and beauty products, and snacks, among other things, increased by 22.7% during Q4, while sales of non-consumable products such as homeware and seasonable items were up by a more muted 3.1% and 5.7%. Apparel sales declined by 7.3%. While more consumers are focused on essentials like food as inflation pressures budgets, experts say that Dollar General may also be struggling to persuade shoppers who come in for food to buy other things. Food inflation has reached historic highs over the last year, with prices for certain grocery basics, such as eggs, creating challenges for discount-focused retailers. Earlier this week, fellow dollar store chain Dollar Tree announced it was pausing stocking eggs due to high prices. Dollar General has been gradually ramping up its grocery business, bringing fresh and frozen food to more stores and building out a self-distribution model for these products as part of its DG Fresh initiative. The company said it would have fresh produce in 5,000 of its stores by the end of 2023 and plans to bring these items to 10,000 of its more than 19,000 locations over the next few years. Dollar stores, in general, have been gaining market share in the grocery sector as inflation bites and shoppers look for cheaper alternatives. According to a recent report from Coresight Research, Dollar Tree and Dollar General ranked in the top five retailers from which consumers bought food in 2022. Grocery is a low-margin business, but the idea is that having a grocery assortment drives more customers to stores and leads to repeat visits. When these customers come to the store, the hope is that they'll be tempted to buy more. But the flip side to this is that by offering groceries in its stores, it could actually end up cannibalizing sales elsewhere. "Fresh is great, but it can be very disruptive," Simon Johnstone, senior director of Retail Insights at Kantar, said in a recent call with Insider. Discount shoppers, who come into the store and have a limited amount to spend, might end up using their allotted amount to buy groceries rather than shopping for other items, such as homeware, which generates higher margins for Dollar General. Dollar General shoppers are still employed but are "relying more on savings, credit cards, and, quite frankly, borrowing money from friends," Dollar General CEO Jeff Owen said on Thursday during the company's fourth-quarter earnings call. That financial pressure is leading the average customer to buy fewer items and focus on essentials like food, he said. "We're seeing her shift her purchases more to consumables," Owen said. But Neil Saunders, managing director of GlobalData Retail, said a focus on essentials like food isn't the only reason why shoppers might be turned out from buying other items in its stores. Its "shabby and cluttered" stores may also be to blame, he said. "While Dollar General has been steadily improving the offer ... there is still more work to do to improve the proposition," he said Thursday. "The aim here should be to entice consumers with some interesting displays and offers that wow them ... This will encourage higher-income shoppers to buy more and will serve the company well once lower-income shoppers are less affected by inflation," he added. See here for more: Dollar General's Customers Buying Groceries Skipping Everything Else (businessinsider.com) #smartdiscount #dg #dollargeneral #food #nonessential #pricepoints #growth #expansion #performance #sales #profit #drc #discount #retail #consulting #discountretail #discountretailconsulting

Discount Textile Retail Chain Wibra and Impackt are expanding their pilot to more branches. The two companies have been conducting a trial for some time in which customers can return empty plastic packaging and thus save for a discount. The trial has been running since September last year. The number of branches now participating in the recycling program has doubled to fifty. Wibra has teamed up with Impackt, which has developed an app that allows consumers to keep track of how much plastic packaging they have returned. Through the app, customers can scan the barcode of the packaging and a QR code on the return bin. Then they see what the CO2 impact of their contribution is and how many points they have earned. With those points, they can then save for coupons on products. According to both companies, the demand for such initiatives is increasing, and it is therefore time to scale up. 'With the expansion of the collection of plastic bottles, we are working with Wibra to ensure that the short recycling route is further scaled up', says Bouwe van Neerbos, founder of Impackt. See here for more: Wibra breidt recyclingprogramma uit naar meer winkels | Twinkle (twinklemagazine.nl) #smartdiscount #wibra #textile #recycling #netherlands #drc #discount #retail #consulting #discountretail #discountretailconsulting #impackt

Discount Retail Chain BİM (listed BİST: BIMAS) increased its net profit to 8.157 billion TL last year (€ 406 mio). BİM announced its financial results for 2022. Accordingly, last year, the company's net sales increased by 109 percent compared to the previous year and reached 147.716 billion TL (€7.8 Bn). In 2022, BİM's net profit was 8.157 billion TL, an increase of 178 percent compared to 2021. As of the end of the year, the number of domestic stores of BİM increased to 10 thousand 370 and the average number of daily customer visits increased from 5 million to 5.8 million. The number of stores in Morocco was announced as 627 and 311 in Egypt as of the end of the year. BİM also published a statement on KAP regarding the targets for 2023. Accordingly, the company announced that it targets a sales increase of approximately 80% this year and an EBITDA Margin of around 7%. See here for more: (+9) BİM announced its financial results for 2022 (ortakalan.org) #smartdiscount #bim #stocklisted #growth #profitability #revenues #expansion #turkey #marocco #egypt #drc #discount #retail #consulting #discountretail #discountretailconsulting