UNFI’s Post

⏱️ 60 second read - Highlights of JS Performance ⏱️ Simon Roberts has plenty to smile about this week as Sainsbury's posted a H1 investor update... In summary: Sainsbury's reported a +3.7% increase in #retail underlying profit to £503 million on the back of a 5% rise in #grocery sales. The company claimed some significant gains in share versus the rest of #ukgrocery, driven by customers opting for larger baskets and choosing to trade up to the premium Taste the Difference range, (delivering +18% sales increase YoY). Chief Executive, Simon Roberts highlighted the strong performance and continued volume growth in their food business, attributing success to the combination of value, quality, and service, bolstered by a £1 billion investment in recent years. Looking forward, Sainsbury's plans to open about 20 new #supermarkets and 20 to 25 #convenience stores in the next 18 months. They recently acquired eleven Homebase and two Co-op stores to expand their presence. Looking forward, Roberts expressed confidence in maintaining strong profit growth, expecting retail underlying #profit to reach £1.01 billion to £1.06 billion, a growth of 5% to 10%. The company is also preparing for another robust performance during the #festive season. #striqenews #bfg

England's Big Game Sparks Early Store Closures! 🏆⚽ Retail giants Tesco and Sainsbury's have announced that they will be closing their convenience stores early ahead of England's highly anticipated Euro 2024 final clash against Spain. This unprecedented move is designed to give their employees the opportunity to join in the excitement and cheer on the national team. Both chains will shut their convenience stores at 7:30 pm, just in time for the 8 pm kick-off. Clodagh Moriarty, Sainsbury's Chief Retail and Technology Officer, expressed her enthusiasm, stating, "We want to give our colleagues the chance to tune in live and cheer on England with friends and family." The atmosphere following England's semi-final win has been described as electric, with everyone in high spirits and preparing for the final showdown. While Tesco and Sainsbury's are leading this initiative, not all retailers are following suit. Morrisons, for instance, has no plans to alter its regular hours of operation. Regardless, the early closures are expected to drive an increase in demand for party food and drink as millions gear up to watch the historic game from the comfort of their homes. 🏡🍕🍻 #Euro2024 #RetailNews #ComeOnEngland

𝐆𝐂𝐂 𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐥 𝐬𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐬 expected 𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐢𝐭 $300 𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐛𝐲 2028. From the opening of global-first stores to a surge in new restaurant investments, the region is poised for a retail revolution, fueled by economic diversification and a rising employed population. Is the GCC the future of global retail? Read More: https://lnkd.in/gt6nRauc #GCCRetail #RetailGrowth #MiddleEastMarket #RetailTrends #EconomicDiversification #GCCEconomy #RetailInnovation #ConsumerSpending #FashionRetail #FoodIndustry #RetailInvestments #Retail2028 #GCCExpansion #RetailBoom

More retail than restaurants in this article but the truth of the matter is that retail and restaurants are facing hurricane-force headwinds with regard to over-expansion (first), online shopping, inflation, labor challenges, and the sheer fact that real authenticity (and quality in the restaurant chain business) has mostly disappeared. What’s next? More consolidation and contraction… #restaurantindustry #restaurantsRISE #retailindustry #contraction #onlineshopping

A week of sunshine hit the UK and shoppers took advantage of it ☀   The early summer spell drove sales in the supermarkets, with an uplift of +4.0% in units vs the same week last year. Summer categories benefited from the warmer weather with Frozen and BWS seeing the highest growth vs last year.   🌧 With Britain potentially facing one of the wettest summers on record, we could see an impact on sales, particularly for summer categories if consumers choose to stay in more. See what Mike Watkins has to say about what we could expect this summer on the last slide!   #NIQThoughtLeadershipUK #NIQ #FMCG #ConsumerInsights

French supermarket chain Carrefour is reportedly in talks to sell its #Taiwan business. The potential sale is part of Carrefour's ongoing efforts to streamline its operations and focus on its core markets. Carrefour Taiwan has been struggling in recent years, and the company is reportedly hoping to sell it for around $2 billion. #Carrefour has been present in Taiwan for over 30 years and has over 300 stores on the island. However, the company has faced stiff competition from local rivals, and its market share has been declining. In recent years, Carrefour has been selling off its assets in several countries, including #China, #Indonesia, and #Vietnam. The sale of Carrefour Taiwan would be a significant move for the company, and it would mark the end of an era for the French retailer in the country. However, it is also a sign that Carrefour is serious about its restructuring efforts and is willing to make tough decisions to improve its profitability. It is still unclear who the potential buyers of Carrefour Taiwan are. However, several private equity firms are reportedly interested in acquiring the business. A sale could be announced in the coming weeks. In addition to the potential sale of its Taiwan business, Carrefour also announced yesterday that it has appointed a new CEO for its French operations. Alexandre Bompard, who has been the CEO of Carrefour since 2017, will be replaced by Pierre-Jean Sivignon. Sivignon is currently the CEO of Carrefour's Spanish operations. The appointment of Sivignon is a sign that Carrefour is looking to revitalize its French operations. The company has been struggling in its home market in recent years, and it is hoping that Sivignon will be able to turn things around. Carrefour Italia Carrefour España #Europe

~ NRF 🇺🇸 – National Retail Federation ~ Yesterday I attended the quarterly online presentation of the NRF. Some take-outs: 📈 Retail sales is expected to increase in ’24 between 2,5% and 3,5% 📱 On-line sales are expected to grow between 7% and 9% in ‘24 🛒Walmart sources 2/3 of its products locally and have the ambition to increase this 🌎 Import: still important for products that are unique 🚢 Logistics: as usual there are many challenges (Suez, Panama Canal). The American way- a lot of ‘thanks’ and ‘appreciations’ between the lines- my tip; please ignore this. 😉 #retailtrends #nrf #USAtrends You can listen to the presentation here:

🚀 The Retailer Preference Index (RPI) is coming to Canada, and we’re unveiling early insights at #GroceryConnex next week!   Join us as Erich Kahner, and Chris Thomson share exclusive findings from the Canada Grocery Retailer Preference Index (RPI). This is a unique opportunity to get a first look at the trends shaping the future of the grocery retail landscape. If you’re attending, don’t miss out! #GroceryConnex #RetailerPreferenceIndex #GroceryRetail #Insights #CanadaRetail #CompetitiveStrategy