Business sustainability requires new retail pricing model

In my previous column, I discussed the subject of natural sustainability in the industry. This time, I will be moving to another area of sustainability, and that is the overall sustainability of current produce retail pricing. The current retail pricing model is inherently unsustainable. The practice of raising retails arbitrarily to generate profits and inflate […]

John Lewis looks toward digital future in £100m deal with Google Cloud

The John Lewis Partnership, which oversees retailer Waitrose and is the largest employee-owned company in the UK, announced it has entered into a £100m agreement with Google Cloud. The company says it hopes to give consumers “more tailored and personalised experiences” by expanding its digital offerings. John Lewis says it will leverage data analytics from […]

Worldwide container shipping rates rise after more than a year of declines

Antwerp port access blocked as ship runs aground

Spot rates for shipping containers jumped by the most in more than two years, a sign that a 16-month slump in ocean-freight costs that helped ease the sting of goods inflation is over, the American Journal of Transportation reports. The Drewry World Container Index composite increased 11.8% to $1,761 for a 40-foot container, the fourth straight advance […]

Hunts Point Market, the core of New York’s produce distribution, shifts to serve

As the crises of the past few years reduce from boil to simmer, labor, transportation, weather and rising costs continue to weigh on operations at New York City’s Hunts Point Produce Market, part of the city-owned Hunts Point Food Distribution Center. But the market is seeing a consistency of business. Retail traffic is always a […]

Tesco gives 300,000 store colleagues ‘flexible working rights’ a year early

More than 300,000 employees at Tesco will be allowed flexible working rights a year ahead of schedule under new rules being implemented by the supermarket chain. Tesco officials cite giving colleagues better work-life balance now as the reason for moving up the scheme. “We think giving people the right to start a conversation about flexible […]

Select UK potato, carrot growers get 100% backing on costs from Morrisons

By the end of the year, some of the potatoes and carrots that appear in Morrisons supermarkets will be from farms being supported financially by … Morrisons. The generous initiative, in which the retailer is underwriting 100% of costs for growing those vegetables, is part of a trial that will stretch into 2024. Growers have […]

A wholesaler’s communication, coordination are key to building trust with retailers

Produce wholesalers are a vital link in the supply chain for independent supermarkets, natural food stores and co-ops. We provide access to a wide variety of conventional and organic commodity and value-added products, while giving retailers an opportunity to tap into our inventory for freshness, turns and consistent supply. A good wholesaler serves as the […]

Why supermarkets are rationing food … and 3 potential solutions to prevent shortages

Calls for the government to provide better support to UK food producers have intensified recently, as supermarkets have been forced to ration sales of some fresh produce. Weather-related disruption has caused supply shortages of vegetables from places that include Spain and North Africa. Food price hikes and produce shortages have been an ongoing problem for […]