Tesco makes further inroads on emissions with electric-powered trucks in London
British retailer Tesco has begun removing carbon emissions on some of its deliveries in London, becoming the first in the industry to distribute food via an electric-powered lorry. Tesco’s new gas-free vehicle made by Renault Trucks is the first of many on the way that will be delivering food to city centres, including 400 supermarkets […]
Waitrose launches trial with Deliveroo’s Hop for quicker home delivery
Waitrose will be introducing fast delivery service Deliveroo Hop in some of its stores during a trial beginning later this month. The retailer already has a shared partnership with Deliveroo that began in September and does feature on-demand grocery service but could halve the time to get items to customers, arriving in as little as […]
Waitrose partners with recipe box service on fresh meal delivery
Waitrose has launched what is believed to be the first UK supermarket partnership with a recipe box service in the UK, agreeing to a 12-week trial of the highly popular brand Mindful Chef. The health-driven, consumer-focused initiative, borne out of demand for those looking for better meal options to cook from home, began on Wednesday […]
UK retail food and grocery market growth to slow sharply
In its annual retail food and grocery market forecast, IGD predicts that the growth in 2020 will slow this year and the next, as shoppers economize and the foodservice industry reclaims sales. The unprecedented 8.5% growth last year is predicted to drop to 1.7% in 2021 and then to 0.9% in 2022. This sharp decline […]
Deeper issues at heart of driver shortage as crisis sets to intensify
The disruption highlights longstanding recruitment difficulties plus food pricing concerns, and may worsen as consumer demand rises this summer. Real solutions are needed to resolve the current shortage of delivery drivers in the UK. That is the consensus of representatives from the fresh produce supply chain, who point out that this crisis has long been […]
Technology From Ocado, Others Drives Direct-to-Home Retail Deliveries, But Toronto’s Terminal Market Helps Independents Stay Competitive
Originally printed in the April 2021 issue of Produce Business. The Toronto marketplace is changing but what remains the same is the importance of fresh food and produce in particular at a time when health and wellbeing are of greater concern than ever. Under the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, retailers of all dimensions, including the […]
Seven tough questions in preparing for the post-pandemic future
Originally printed in the March 2021 issue of Produce Business. As we move into the second year of our pandemic-created reality, it’s become clear that whenever the virus ceases to be a major factor in our industry, things will never be the same as they were prior to March 2020. Innovative and resourceful produce retailers are […]
Startup Grocemania passes funding target, is expanding same-day service
Officials at London-based Grocemania, a same-day grocery delivery startup that serves Budgens, Nisa, Londis and Costcutter and a number of independent retailers, said it has raised more than £170,000 on the crowdfunding platform Seedrs. Looking to roll out its services nationwide, Grocemania said it surpassed its funding target of £100,000 at a valuation of £2.4 million. More […]
