Latest news with #AholdDelhaize
Miami Herald
27-05-2025
- Business
- Miami Herald
FreshDirect ventures into physical retail
FreshDirect has opened a temporary brick-and-mortar store in Southampton, New York, marking the e-grocer's first venture into the world of physical retail. The pop-up location in the resort town near the tip of Long Island opened its doors on Friday and will remain in operation until the end of December. Known as FreshDirect on Main, the store carries an assortment of local foods, including farm-fresh produce, small-batch cheeses, olive oil and seasonal items. It also features a coffee counter that offers croissants and prepared foods, according to FreshDirect. FreshDirect also plans to host activities such as ice cream socials and wine tastings in the store. In addition, the grocer said it intends to hold events including pizza-making classes next month in a house in nearby East Hampton, which, like Southampton, is part of the Hamptons, a group of seaside villages about 90 miles from New York City. FreshDirect, which currently provides next-day grocery delivery service to communities in the Hamptons, said it is looking into offering same-day service to the area by using the pop-up store to fulfill orders. Launched in 2002, FreshDirect is owned by Turkish rapid-delivery company Getir, which acquired the grocery delivery company from Ahold Delhaize in late 2023. Ahold Delhaize opted to sell FreshDirect just three years after buying a majority stake in it. FreshDirect's business is centered on its delivery service in the New York City region. The company, based in the New York borough of the Bronx, said earlier this month that it would resume service in parts of Pennsylvania and Delaware, reversing a decision from mid-2022 to reduce its service areas. Copyright 2025 Industry Dive. All rights reserved.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Number Sense: Will retail define SpartanNash's future?
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. A fascinating trend is unfolding at SpartanNash: Even though the grocery solutions company continues to derive the lion's share of its revenue from its wholesale operations, it is becoming increasingly dependent on its retail segment to deliver sales momentum. For four straight quarters, SpartanNash's retail banners have delivered improved sales, with that part of the company's business pushing out of negative growth territory during the third quarter of fiscal 2024 for the first time since mid-2023, when inflation was still filling the grocery industry's sails. Sales for SpartanNash's retail segment were even better during the fourth quarter of fiscal 2024, soaring nearly 8%. That performance was so good, in fact, that it enabled SpartanNash to squeak to a small overall sales gain even though the company's wholesale business contracted. During those same four quarters, SpartanNash's wholesale operations — which accounted for 70% of its approximately $9.5 billion in overall sales in 2024 — have remained underwater. Sales for the company's wholesale division sagged 2.1% during the fourth quarter of 2024, compared with a 1.6% decline during Q3 and almost 5% in Q2. Sales growth for the grocery retailer and wholesaler, by quarter So what explains this storyline? As Wall Street analysts who follow the supermarket industry have pointed out to me, there's a natural synergy between retail and wholesale in the grocery sector. Food retailers benefit when they have more control over their supply chain, which can help them save money on transportation and logistics, maintain product freshness and generally improve efficiency. And by the same token, it can be helpful for wholesalers to own retail chains that they service, because they don't have to worry about losing those customers to competitors. Bringing distribution in-house is a logical step for grocers as they grow larger. Ahold Delhaize, for example, has moved to a self-distribution model over the past few years for its five grocery banners in the U.S. Sprouts Farmers Market, meanwhile, told investors recently that it is getting ready to self-distribute fresh meat and seafood, while Dollar General in recent years has developed an internal distribution program called DG Fresh to give it greater control of frozen and refrigerated items. On the other hand, companies with deep roots as grocery wholesalers, like SpartanNash, C&S Wholesale Grocers and United Natural Foods, Inc., have sought to strengthen their operations by deepening their presence in the retail space. C&S tried to augment its retail operations through an agreement to buy almost 600 grocery stores that Kroger and Albertsons planned to divest through their ultimately unsuccessful effort to merge. After that arrangement fell through, C&S joined other investors to buy 170 Winn-Dixie and Harveys Supermarket stores and Winn-Dixie's liquor store business from Aldi. UNFI initially moved to sell off or close the supermarkets it acquired when it bought grocery store operator Supervalu in 2018, but decided to hold onto the retail locations it still had when the COVID-19 pandemic brought a surge of business to grocery store operators. Of course, despite the obvious connections between controlling the flow of groceries to retail locations and operating grocery stores, having expertise in one of those areas doesn't guarantee success in the other. 'Wholesalers sometimes just don't understand retail. It's a whole different skill set. It's about merchandising. It's about end caps. It's about customer service,' Scott Mushkin, a veteran grocery industry analyst who is CEO of R5 Capital, told me. 'Everyone thinks running a grocery store has got to be pretty easy … [but] there are very few people that do a really great job' of doing so. Indeed, SpartanNash has been taking steps to bolster its ability to operate grocery stores while it expands its presence as a retailer. In 2024, the Michigan-based company acquired regional grocery chains Metcalfe's Market and Fresh Encounter as well as Markham Enterprises, a convenience store and fuel station operator. This year, however, SpartanNash said it would close four supermarkets, underscoring the challenges that come with being a food retailer. SpartanNash now runs almost 200 grocery stores as well as several dozen pharmacies with convenience stores and gas stations in addition to distributing groceries to over 2,300 independent retailers across the U.S. Late last year, the company brought on a new chief retail officer with experience at Kroger and Target. Last month, SpartanNash hired Jay Mahabir, who previously worked for grocery and superstore operator Meijer, to serve as vice president of retail operations. And, this week, SpartanNash announced it has brought on Matt Plumb, a former category head at Kraft Heinz, to lead the grocery company's efforts to distinguish its retail banners as its first vice president of marketing for retail banners. SpartanNash's effort to boost sales by delving deeper into retail reflects the stark reality that grocery wholesalers depend heavily on other companies' success, Muskin pointed out. 'They're not necessarily buying retailers that they don't service. The number one motivation is not losing a wholesale customer, because [if] the retail asset is sold, that distribution goes someplace else.' Beyond helping wholesalers diversify their revenue streams, adding retail stores could help wholesalers like SpartanNash hedge their bets should more retailers opt to handle part or all of their distribution activities on their own, Arun Sundaram, senior vice president of equity research for CFRA Research, told me. 'They're middlemen, and for a lot of companies, if you cut out the middleman, you tend to save money,' Sundaram said. Recommended Reading SpartanNash's store acquisitions pay off 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
CNN
16-05-2025
- Business
- CNN
Cybercriminal group targets multiple US retailers after wreaking havoc in UK
Hackers linked to a notorious cybercriminal group have conducted cyberattacks on multiple US retail companies in the last 10 days, prompting the FBI to step up cyber-intelligence briefings for major companies in the sector, three sources familiar with the matter told CNN. The criminal group – known for aggressively extorting major US corporations in recent years – is suspected of being involved in ransomware attacks on between three and five US retailers in recent days, the sources said. The flurry of activity in the US tied to the cybercriminal group – a loose collection of hackers that the cyber industry calls Scattered Spider – has led the FBI and major technology companies like Google to urge US retailers to raise their digital defenses. The group is considered dangerous and unpredictable, in part because it is comprised of youths in the US and the UK known for aggressively extorting their victims. Ahold Delhaize USA was targeted, which has the same parent company as the Giant and Food Lion grocery chains. The hackers managed to log into an account at one its US retail locations, but the incident was isolated and contained, according to an internal Ahold Delhaize report reviewed by CNN. The FBI has been in touch with some of the major US retail brands to warn them of the threat from Scattered Spider, the sources said. CNN has requested comment from Ahold Delhaize. 'We can confirm [a cybercriminal group] successfully targeted multiple retail organizations in the US,' said John Hultquist, chief analyst at Google Threat Intelligence Group, though he declined to name them. Scattered Spider is suspected of being involved in a spate of ransomware attacks in the last month on major UK retail giants Harrods and Marks & Spencer. The latter company appeared hardest hit. The hackers stole customer data from Marks & Spencer and disrupted online orders. Scattered Spider shot to infamy in September 2023 when they were linked to a pair of damaging hacks on famous Las Vegas casinos and hotels MGM Resorts and Caesars Entertainment. The hacking group has 'a history of focusing their efforts on a single sector at a time, and we anticipate they will continue to target the sector in the near term,' Hulquist said. 'US retailers should take note.' 'US-based retailers are aware of the threats posted by cybercriminal groups that have recently attacked several major retailers in the United Kingdom, and many companies have taken steps to harden themselves against these criminal groups' tactics over the past two years,' Christian Beckner, a vice president at the National Retail Federation, said in a statement.
CNN
16-05-2025
- Business
- CNN
Cybercriminal group targets multiple US retailers after wreaking havoc in UK
Hackers linked to a notorious cybercriminal group have conducted cyberattacks on multiple US retail companies in the last 10 days, prompting the FBI to step up cyber-intelligence briefings for major companies in the sector, three sources familiar with the matter told CNN. The criminal group – known for aggressively extorting major US corporations in recent years – is suspected of being involved in ransomware attacks on between three and five US retailers in recent days, the sources said. The flurry of activity in the US tied to the cybercriminal group – a loose collection of hackers that the cyber industry calls Scattered Spider – has led the FBI and major technology companies like Google to urge US retailers to raise their digital defenses. The group is considered dangerous and unpredictable, in part because it is comprised of youths in the US and the UK known for aggressively extorting their victims. Ahold Delhaize USA was targeted, which has the same parent company as the Giant and Food Lion grocery chains. The hackers managed to log into an account at one its US retail locations, but the incident was isolated and contained, according to an internal Ahold Delhaize report reviewed by CNN. The FBI has been in touch with some of the major US retail brands to warn them of the threat from Scattered Spider, the sources said. CNN has requested comment from Ahold Delhaize. 'We can confirm [a cybercriminal group] successfully targeted multiple retail organizations in the US,' said John Hultquist, chief analyst at Google Threat Intelligence Group, though he declined to name them. Scattered Spider is suspected of being involved in a spate of ransomware attacks in the last month on major UK retail giants Harrods and Marks & Spencer. The latter company appeared hardest hit. The hackers stole customer data from Marks & Spencer and disrupted online orders. Scattered Spider shot to infamy in September 2023 when they were linked to a pair of damaging hacks on famous Las Vegas casinos and hotels MGM Resorts and Caesars Entertainment. The hacking group has 'a history of focusing their efforts on a single sector at a time, and we anticipate they will continue to target the sector in the near term,' Hulquist said. 'US retailers should take note.' 'US-based retailers are aware of the threats posted by cybercriminal groups that have recently attacked several major retailers in the United Kingdom, and many companies have taken steps to harden themselves against these criminal groups' tactics over the past two years,' Christian Beckner, a vice president at the National Retail Federation, said in a statement.
CNN
16-05-2025
- Business
- CNN
Cybercriminal group targets multiple US retailers after wreaking havoc in UK
Hackers linked to a notorious cybercriminal group have conducted cyberattacks on multiple US retail companies in the last 10 days, prompting the FBI to step up cyber-intelligence briefings for major companies in the sector, three sources familiar with the matter told CNN. The criminal group – known for aggressively extorting major US corporations in recent years – is suspected of being involved in ransomware attacks on between three and five US retailers in recent days, the sources said. The flurry of activity in the US tied to the cybercriminal group – a loose collection of hackers that the cyber industry calls Scattered Spider – has led the FBI and major technology companies like Google to urge US retailers to raise their digital defenses. The group is considered dangerous and unpredictable, in part because it is comprised of youths in the US and the UK known for aggressively extorting their victims. Ahold Delhaize USA was targeted, which has the same parent company as the Giant and Food Lion grocery chains. The hackers managed to log into an account at one its US retail locations, but the incident was isolated and contained, according to an internal Ahold Delhaize report reviewed by CNN. The FBI has been in touch with some of the major US retail brands to warn them of the threat from Scattered Spider, the sources said. CNN has requested comment from Ahold Delhaize. 'We can confirm [a cybercriminal group] successfully targeted multiple retail organizations in the US,' said John Hultquist, chief analyst at Google Threat Intelligence Group, though he declined to name them. Scattered Spider is suspected of being involved in a spate of ransomware attacks in the last month on major UK retail giants Harrods and Marks & Spencer. The latter company appeared hardest hit. The hackers stole customer data from Marks & Spencer and disrupted online orders. Scattered Spider shot to infamy in September 2023 when they were linked to a pair of damaging hacks on famous Las Vegas casinos and hotels MGM Resorts and Caesars Entertainment. The hacking group has 'a history of focusing their efforts on a single sector at a time, and we anticipate they will continue to target the sector in the near term,' Hulquist said. 'US retailers should take note.' 'US-based retailers are aware of the threats posted by cybercriminal groups that have recently attacked several major retailers in the United Kingdom, and many companies have taken steps to harden themselves against these criminal groups' tactics over the past two years,' Christian Beckner, a vice president at the National Retail Federation, said in a statement.
