Consolidations and job cuts in our top 10
1. Meet Canadian Grocer's Star Women of 2015
For the fourth year, Canadian Grocer celebrated women in the grocery industry who have made a strong impact in their companies and helped motivate and teach their teams.
Read the full story here.
2. Guess what Whole Foods is calling its new chain?
Whole Foods announced it will name its new chain of smaller stores with lower prices after its “365 Everyday Value” house brand. Co-CEO Walter Robb said that the chain will be named “365 by Whole Foods Market,” a nod to the brand already sold by the grocery chain.
Read the full story here.
3. Multi-Grain Cheerios tackles diet culture
The brand’s new campaign skewers magazines and websites for their incessant coverage of the latest fads in dieting, coining the word “Dietainment” to describe articles the company believes contain “unhealthy dieting messages disguised as harmless entertainment.”
Read the full story here.
4. Sobeys cutting 1,300 jobs, adding warehouses
Sobeys expects to eliminate 1,300 jobs over the next year or two as it moves to open new distribution centres in Ontario and Alberta and continues to integrate Safeway Canada’s operations
Read the full story here.
5. How big data will change grocery and kill the flyer
There's a vast amount of data that grocers can collect about what shoppers buy, and why. But what can you really learn from it?
Read the full story here.
6. Loblaw union prepares to strike
A union local representing some workers at some Loblaws stores in Ontario says it is “ramping up strike preparations” after its members rejected a tentative contract. The union has set this Sunday as the strike deadline to back their demands for a better contract.
Read the full story here.
7. Colemans strikes deal with Gander Co-op
Gander Consumers Co-op struck a deal with The Coleman Group that will see Colemans supply all products, including fresh categories, to the Gander supermarket.
Read the full story here.
8. Eataly talks Toronto plans
As Whole Foods faces intensifying competition from traditional supermarkets and big box retailers muscling into organic and natural products, Walter Robb, co-CEO of Whole Foods, said a new store concept geared at millennials will feature a “modern, streamlined design, innovative technology and a curated selection.”
Read the full story here.
9. 7 surprising facts about your South Asian and Chinese customers' grocery habits
Dissecting research from Pearl Strategy, a Toronto-based marketing consultant group, we uncovered seven insights into how your South Asian and Chinese customers make decisions about, prepare and shop for their food.
Read the full story here.
10. Thrifty Foods gets a new general manager
Jim Dores, chief executive of Thrifty Foods, will retire July 10, a company spokesperson has told Canadian Grocer. Lorne MacLean, a 35-year Sobeys veteran, will step into the role the next day.
Read the full story here.