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Walmart opens first owned-and-operated case-ready beef facility
Walmart opens first owned-and-operated case-ready beef facility

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timea day ago

  • Business
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Walmart opens first owned-and-operated case-ready beef facility

This story was originally published on Grocery Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily Grocery Dive newsletter. Walmart on Friday opened its inaugural owned-and-operated case-ready beef facility. Plans for the Olathe, Kansas, facility were first announced back in 2023, with the state's governor saying at the time that Walmart would invest $257 million in the plant. This latest move by Walmart furthers its effort to grow a resilient end-to-end supply chain and underscores how it's investing more in U.S.-made and sourced goods. The newly debuted case-ready beef facility spans more than 300,000 square feet and is a significant step in Walmart's ongoing work to create an Angus beef supply chain — a goal Walmart announced in 2019. The facility will process and package fresh beef into case-ready cuts that are 'ready for retail' and then shipped directly to Walmart distribution centers to serve stores across the Midwest, according to the announcement. The beef will be sourced directly from Sustainable Beef LLC, based in North Platte, Nebraska, which Walmart made an equity investment in in 2022 as part of its work establishing an Angus beef supply chain. Walmart's new facility creates more than 600 jobs for the surrounding communities. 'This is the first case-ready facility fully owned and operated by Walmart, and that milestone ensures we're able to bring more consistency, more transparency and more value to our customers,' John Laney, executive vice president of food at Walmart U.S., said in the announcement. Walmart undertook a similar effort in March 2024 when it announced plans to open its third owned-and-operated milk-processing facility in 2026. Like the beef facility, this center aims to improve transparency and supply chain resiliency, according to Walmart. Across the board, Walmart is continuing to beef up its supply chain and distribution network. In April, the retailer opened a 1 million-square-foot Sam's Club distribution center in Florida and, a month later, purchased a 1 million-square-foot distribution center in Utah. The opening of the beef facility also continues Walmart's commitment to U.S. manufacturing and its pledge to invest $350 billion in U.S.-made products by 2031, according to the press release. Recommended Reading Walmart beefs up automated grocery distribution network

Ahold Delhaize USA says cyberattack exposed personal data of 2M people
Ahold Delhaize USA says cyberattack exposed personal data of 2M people

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timea day ago

  • Business
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Ahold Delhaize USA says cyberattack exposed personal data of 2M people

This story was originally published on Grocery Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily Grocery Dive newsletter. The cyberattack that struck Ahold Delhaize USA in late 2024 potentially exposed sensitive information belonging to more than 2 million people, the grocery company disclosed last week. Data that might have been compromised includes birthdays, Social Security numbers, bank account details, health records and workers' compensation information, Ahold Delhaize USA said in an update posted on Thursday. The breach affected people including current and former employees as well as their dependents and beneficiaries, according to the company. Ahold Delhaize USA said in an FAQ about the breach that it does not believe that the attack impacted customer payment or pharmacy systems. According to a form Ahold Delhaize USA filed with the attorney general of Maine, where the company operates supermarkets under its Hannaford banner, the cyberattack impacted about 2.2 million people, including nearly 100,000 who reside in that state. Ahold Delhaize USA notified people whose information may have been exposed about the breach in a letter dated last Thursday, noting that intruders gained access to one of its databases on Nov. 5 and 6. The company did not propose a remedy to people who might have been affected by the attack beyond offering two years of credit monitoring and identity protection services. 'We take this issue extremely seriously and will continue to take actions to further protect our systems,' Ahold Delhaize USA said in the letter. Ahold Delhaize USA's parent company revealed on Nov. 8 that its systems had been compromised and said in April that the attackers had gained access to sensitive information connected with people in the Netherlands, where it is based. The attack also forced the grocer to temporarily take some of its systems offline, temporarily halting Hannaford's e-commerce services and causing outages on websites operated by the company's other U.S. banners, which include The Giant Company, Giant Food, Food Lion and Stop & Shop. A threat group known as Inc Ransom claimed responsibility for the cyberattack. Ahold Delhaize USA's disclosure that the attack resulted in the exposure of people's personal information follows a cyberattack earlier this month that forced grocer distributor United Natural Foods, Inc. to take down some of its online systems and disrupted its ability to make deliveries to retailers. UNFI said last week that it had contained the attack and restarted its electronic ordering and invoicing operations. Recommended Reading Ahold Delhaize USA names new CIO Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data

Wegmans tests smart carts
Wegmans tests smart carts

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timea day ago

  • Business
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Wegmans tests smart carts

This story was originally published on Grocery Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily Grocery Dive newsletter. Wegmans is testing smart carts from two providers at four stores in Upstate New York, the grocer told Grocery Dive in an email. The test at Wegmans Dewitt store in Syracuse is of Instacart's smart carts, marking the grocer's first deployment of Caper Carts, the grocery technology company said in a Tuesday announcement. Wegmans also confirmed that it is upgrading its self-checkout technology as part of a 'company-wide refresh cycle aimed at maintaining the most convenient checkout experience.' Wegmans began piloting smart carts years ago and is continuing to test this type of shopping and checkout solution as it evolves its in-store experience. Instacart said in the Tuesday announcement that its Caper Carts let customers track their spending in real time, log into their grocer's loyalty program account, bag as they shop and pay directly from the cart. The Wegmans Dewitt store in Syracuse is the only location offering Caper Carts, Instacart confirmed in an email. The carts use a combination of cameras, sensors and a digital scale to recognize items and are part of Instacart Connected Stores, a suite of technologies linking online and in-store experiences. Instacart noted that it first partnered with Wegmans in 2017 on same-day delivery and has since expanded the collaboration to include solutions like pickup, EBT SNAP acceptance and loyalty integration. Instacart said it does not have additional updates to share about whether it will add Caper Carts to more Wegmans stores. The grocer has over 100 stores across eight states and Washington, D.C. Wegmans is also testing smart carts at two stores in the Rochester, New York, area and one store in the greater Buffalo, New York, area, the grocer said in the email. 'We are limiting the program to these stores as we gather customer feedback to drive improvements,' Wegmans said in an emailed statement. 'Our goal is to determine if Smart Cart Technology is a fit for the unique shopping assortment offered in our stores and if it meets the shopping needs of our customers.' Self-checkout is another area where the grocer is looking to streamline its checkout experience. 'Many of our stores already have the new self-checkouts and others will be gradually upgraded,' the grocer said in the email. The new machines do not accept cash, have an upgraded processing power and feature a new light pole to signal availability to consumers, according to the Democrat and Chronicle, a newspaper serving the Rochester market. Wegmans has adjusted and tested checkout technology over the last several years. Last fall, the grocer piloted smart carts at three stores, including Perinton and Pittsford in New York, where the grocer confirmed it is currently testing smart carts, the Democrat & Chronicle reported. In 2023, Wegmans started testing smart cart technology from Shopic at two stores. The year prior, the grocer ended its popular scan-and-go option due to unspecified 'losses.' Meanwhile, Instacart has continually added features to its smart carts as it looks to make the shopping and checkout solution available at more of its retail partners. Recently, Instacart has launched shoppable displays and started testing online delivery offers for customers checking out on the smart carts. The company said in October that it had equipped the carts with technology from NVIDIA's Jetson platform to better recognize items in real-time with lower latency. Instacart told shareholders in February that it plans to test store-shelf scanning from the carts in the 'future.' Last year, Instacart added gamified quests, location-based coupons and aisle-aware advertising formats to the smart carts. Instacart continues to grow the roster of retailers using Caper Carts, with recent sign-ons including Heritage Grocers Group, Weis Markets, Geisslers, Kroger, Schnuck Markets and Wakefern Food. Recommended Reading Wegmans rolls out smart cart pilot Sign in to access your portfolio

Walmart CFO talks private brand, delivery growth
Walmart CFO talks private brand, delivery growth

Yahoo

time24-06-2025

  • Business
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Walmart CFO talks private brand, delivery growth

This story was originally published on Grocery Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily Grocery Dive newsletter. As Walmart looks to broaden its grocery assortment, private brands are playing a major role, the company's CFO said at a recent conference. In particular, the company is seeing success with its Bettergoods grocery line, which launched last year and focuses on trendy and affordable items. 'Bettergoods has been a big success story for us,' John David Rainey, executive vice president and CFO of Walmart, said at the Oppenheimer Consumer Growth & E-Commerce Conference early this month, according to a Seeking Alpha transcript. The brand features approximately 400 items and has racked up almost $500 million in sales, Rainey said, noting that roughly 70% of that brand's items are priced below $5. 'What's exciting to me about this is 40% of the customers that buy a Bettergood[s] item are coming back as repeat customers. … I think it really speaks to the quality of the overall assortment,' Rainey said. Along with improving its stance on fresh foods, Walmart is also focused on convenience for its customers, he added. Pharmacy delivery, which is available at the majority of the retailer's stores, is promoting 'sticky behavior' among customers, Rainey said. Last fall, Walmart launched same-day pharmacy delivery nationwide. '[With] pharmacy delivery, we can easily provide the opportunity for customers to add in additional food items or add in general merchandise or maybe there's other items within the pharmacy that they want to have delivered … and there's no company that can do all three of those: [general merchandise], food and pharmacy,' he said. E-commerce, especially delivery, is another key growth driver for the company. Reliable and fast delivery is the 'single most compelling part of the value proposition' for its Walmart+ membership program, Rainey said. Walmart is encouraged by consumers' willingness to pay for speedier delivery. Walmart has almost doubled the number of deliveries done in under three hours from the first quarter of last year, Rainey said. In recent weeks, express delivery has accounted for as much as 40% of delivery orders, he said, noting that this quick delivery option accounted for one-third of delivery orders in the company's most recent quarter. 'We continue to see that customers are willing to actually pay for that expedited delivery,' he said. Recommended Reading Walmart adds new grocery line to private brands portfolio Sign in to access your portfolio

Number Sense: C&S's planned acquisition of SpartanNash could mean smooth scaling for the distributors
Number Sense: C&S's planned acquisition of SpartanNash could mean smooth scaling for the distributors

Yahoo

time24-06-2025

  • Business
  • Yahoo

Number Sense: C&S's planned acquisition of SpartanNash could mean smooth scaling for the distributors

This story was originally published on Grocery Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily Grocery Dive newsletter. Number Sense is a regular column that uses data to help understand the grocery landscape. When C&S Wholesale Grocers agreed to buy hundreds of grocery stores, multiple distribution centers and several private label brands from Kroger and Albertsons as part of those grocers' efforts to merge, the company became caught up in a complex antitrust review that ultimately led to the deal's demise at the end of last year — and left C&S empty-handed. Now, C&S is trying again to gain scale as a grocery distributor and retailer through a deal announced yesterday to combine with SpartanNash for more than $1.7 billion. This time around, C&S is firmly in the driver's seat, and the company appears to have taken pains to avoid attracting a level of regulatory scrutiny that could delay or imperil its effort to push the deal to conclusion. While C&S and SpartanNash are both grocery wholesalers and retailers, they mostly operate in different states — unlike Kroger and Albertsons, whose overlapping operations in many markets served as a lightning rod for critics. C&S and SpartanNash overlap in Texas and Florida, where they both have distribution centers, and Wisconsin, where they operate grocery stores. In addition, neither company has the kind of dominant presence in the grocery industry that is likely to cause the kind of uproar that ultimately squashed the Kroger-Albertsons bid. In announcing their merger, C&S and SpartanNash said their merger would create a bigger food distribution network that would be better able to compete with what they described as 'various extremely large global grocers in the U.S. food-at-home space.' Interestingly, however, both companies have concentrated recently on expanding their retail operations. C&S even disclosed in May that it would close a Florida distribution center, without saying why it elected to do so. SpartanNash's sales mix has gradually shifted toward its retail operations, although the company is still mostly dependent on its wholesale business. The company's wholesale segment accounted for just over 67% of its revenue during its latest quarter, down from more than 71% a year ago. In addition, the company's overall sales barely budged year over year, held back by a decline in its wholesale business. SpartanNash began to see its retail operations gain momentum during the third quarter of 2024, when that part of its business posted a sales increase even as its wholesale business slid slightly. The trend became more pronounced during the first quarter of this year. Assuming the merger goes through, SpartanNash would cease to be a publicly traded company because C&S is privately held — and shareholders have enthusiastically signaled that they like the idea of cashing out at the price C&S has agreed to pay. SpartanNash shares soared more than 50% after the deal was announced on Monday morning to $26.57 — a level not seen since early 2023. In fact, Monday's rally pushed up SpartanNash shares at almost twice the rate they increased on Oct. 9, 2020, when the company's share price moved ahead by more than 26%, to $17.95, following the news that SpartanNash gave Amazon the right to buy about 15% of SpartanNash's stock. Closing stock prices for SpartanNash from June 23, 2022-June 23, 2025 Still, a look back at SpartanNash's share price history suggests that C&S is getting a relative bargain with its deal to buy the company for $26.90 per share. In April 2022, for example, as SpartanNash faced pressure from activist investors unsatisfied with its direction to change its board structure, the company's shares were trading at around $30 per share. SpartanNash ultimately convinced shareholders to not to accept the proposal by the investors to replace three members of its board. It's noteworthy that the amount C&S has agreed to pay for SpartanNash includes the assumption of more than $750 million in long-term debt. That amounts to more than 40% of the purchase price. SpartanNash and C&S said in announcing their plan to combine that they expected to consummate the transaction in late 2025, but have given themselves until June 22, 2026, to shepherd the deal through the regulatory review process. The merger agreement also allows the companies an additional three months to tie things together if the only obstacle to completing the merger that remains is for them to meet conditions relating to approvals under antitrust law. If the companies are unable to obtain regulatory approval for the merger, C&S will be obligated to pay SpartanNash a $55 million termination fee. In addition, should SpartanNash opt to accept an offer from another suitor, it will need to pay a breakup fee of $35.4 million. Of course, collecting compensation from a merger partner if a deal doesn't go through can be a challenge, as C&S knows from recent firsthand experience. In May, the company sued Kroger in an effort to collect a $125 million termination fee it says it is due because of the supermarket operator's unsuccessful effort to combine with Albertsons. Recommended Reading C&S to acquire SpartanNash in $1.77B deal Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data

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