Retail News CRM

Tag: Australia

  • Coles revamps cereals aisle, moving healthy options mainstream

    Coles revamps cereals aisle, moving healthy options mainstream

    Coles is making its healthy breakfast options more accessible, transforming the chain’s cereals aisle by adding a larger range of healthy products.

    More than 50 new healthy cereals, muesli, and breakfasts on the go have been added, to meet surging demand for healthy and nutritious products among Aussie consumers.

    The new range includes Coles’ first breakfast in beverage form, Breakfast on the Move, Wellness Road toasted muesli range with high fibre grain Barleymax, and an exclusive range of 11 ‘Goodness Bowl’ cereals and low sugar mueslis from Uncle Toby’s.

    According to the company, the new aisle is tailored to help customers easily find dietary options in one destination, including a new ‘Gluten Free Cereal’ section which was previously only found in the health food aisle.

    “Customers will love the simplicity of finding their favorite breakfast products in the main aisle and making healthy choices part of their everyday lives,” said Leanne White, GM for grocery at Coles.

    “The changes we’ve made will help make it easier, enjoyable, and affordable for millions of customers, particularly those with special dietary requirements, to shop for suitable healthy breakfast options.”

    Lees ook:

  • 7-Eleven will invest $15m+ in Far North Queensland

    7-Eleven will invest $15m+ in Far North Queensland

    7-Eleven is investing in Far North Queensland for the first time, with about 15 stores expected to open in the region over the next two years.

    General manager – channel, Braeden Lord, said exact locations have not yet been chosen.

    “We are continuing to work with landlords and developers to identify opportunities to secure the right sites to meet the needs of the community.

    “We’re starting in Townsville and Cairns and will be continuing to explore the region which we feel has a huge potential for growth.”

    The convenience store chain is committed to opening stores in Townsville and Cairns before June 2022 and Lord is expecting swift expansion across the region by 2023.

    He said the company’s $15 million+ investment will help drive economic growth in Far North Queensland.

    “Recent investments in our supply chain have made it possible for us to bring our offer to Townsville and Cairns and we are incredibly excited about the chance to serve the local communities in Far North Queensland.

    “7-Eleven is committed to providing regional Australians with access to the same level of choice and convenience that is available to people who live in metropolitan areas,” he said.

    The significant investment in the region brings fresh employment opportunities, with more than 200 full-time jobs expected during the building phase and a further 150 local jobs created for ongoing store operations.

    “There will be a number of leadership positions available, and we hope to have Townsville and Cairns locals join us as leaders,” said Lord.

    Each convenience store will need up to 15 team members in a mix of full-time, part-time and casual roles.

    “We provide extensive training to ensure people are set up for success on opening day so previous experience  , petrol and retail isn’t a requirement.”

    7-Eleven generally operates new stores as corporate retail outlets for at least a year before opening them up to franchising.

    Within the last 12 months 7-Eleven has continued to roll out stores including additional outlets in New South Wales and Victoria.

    Lees ook:

  • Boscastle pies to be sold through Woolworths stores in Victoria

    Boscastle pies to be sold through Woolworths stores in Victoria

    Artisan pie brand Boscastle – founded in a gourmet store in Brunswick Melbourne back in 1988 – is now stocked at Woolworths Premium supermarkets across Victoria.

    Pattie’s Foods bought Boscastle’s bakery in 2018, adding it to its portfolio of brands which includes Four’N Twenty and Herbert Adams. Since then, distribution has expanded to 55 retail outlets and cafes across the state.

    “With significant disruptions to in-person dining since the beginning of Covid, we’ve seen a rise in consumers looking for premium food products to enjoy at home,” said Anand Surujpal, Patties Foods group GM of marketing and innovation.

    Research undertaken for Pattie’s Foods shows that since the pandemic arrived, 58 percent of consumers are eating at home more than eating at restaurants, even when government rules allow dining in.

    The Boscastle pies frozen range sold through Woolworths will include Angus Beef and Chicken & Mushroom pies, Gourmet Beef Party Rolls, and Butter Chicken Party pies, sold in single-serve and multi-packs. New packaging allows single-serve Boscastle pies to be heated prior to unwrapping.

  • Cheer cheese formerly known as Coon hits shelves

    Cheer cheese formerly known as Coon hits shelves

    Cheer, the cheese brand is formerly known as Coon, has rolled out its range under the new name and packaging across Australian supermarkets.

    The company said it aims to launch more products nationally over coming weeks. The new range comes with 10 items, ranging from Tasty Slices, Mozzarella Slices, Colby Block and Tasty Shred.

    Earlier this year, parent Saputo announced the change of its Coon cheese brand to Cheer due to suggestions of a racial slur associated with the name. While the old name was often inappropriately used to describe ethnic groups, the cheese was named after Edward William Coon, who patented a unique ripening process that was used to manufacture the original Coon cheese.

    “Cheer is the same great cheese that millions of Australians have grown up with and enjoyed for generations,” said Cam Bruce, commercial director at Saputo Dairy Australia. “We look forward to bringing that little bit of happiness to everyone’s day, whether it’s a sliced snack, part of the family dinner or a melty, midnight toastie.”

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • E-commerce platform Leflair set for Q3 comeback

    E-commerce platform Leflair set for Q3 comeback

    E-commerce platform for branded goods Leflair is expected to resume operations under a new owner in Q3.

    The U.S.-based Society Pass Incorporated announced Wednesday it had bought Leflair and other intellectual properties, including the domain name, from a company in Hong Kong.

    The revived Leflair will expand operations to other Southeast Asian markets next year, Society Pass Inc. said.

    Society Pass is an e-commerce startup that specializes in connecting consumers with suppliers in Southeast Asia and South Asia. In Vietnam, Society Pass currently runs Sopa, an e-commerce platform for foods and drinks and gastronomy, and #Hottab, a supplier of solutions and marketing connections for users’ data management.

    Leflair was established in 2015 by two French young entrepreneurs, Loic Gautier and Pierre-Antoine Brun. It acted as an e-commerce platform for branded goods and flash sales. It did not operate as an online marketplace, but worked directly with brands and official distributors in Vietnam and overseas.

    In four years ending in 2019, it secured over 120,000 clients and made net revenues of tens of millions of dollars a year. It ceased operations early 2020. Co-founder and COO of Leflair, Brun, had told suppliers then that the firm had not settled debts totaling $2 million.

    Society Pass said it has nothing to do with Leflair’s old legal entity in Vietnam as also the two individuals who’d co-founded it earlier.

    Lees ook:

  • HelloFresh to open giant new ‘Tuckerbox’ complex in Victoria

    HelloFresh to open giant new ‘Tuckerbox’ complex in Victoria

    Meal-kit maker HelloFresh is to open a new 25,500sqm production facility at Ravenhall in Victoria next month.

    Described as the largest such facility of its kind in the nation – and nicknamed Tuckerbox – the new production and distribution center will speed deliveries to Victorian destinations and nearby states, as well as reduce delivery distances for the company’s suppliers.

    “The launch of our third and largest Australian chilled production facility marks an impressive milestone for the business and will allow us to better serve our growing customer base,” said HelloFresh Australia CEO, Tom Rutledge.

    “Ultimately our focus is to continuously improve the product offering to our customers and how we can increase the value, convenience, and accessibility of our service. The Tuckerbox, with its size, situation, and sophistication provides a tremendous platform for us to realize these objectives over the years to come.”

    The complex will employ about 350 staff including pick packers, forklift drivers, quality control personnel and management.

    HelloFresh has also worked to reduce carbon emissions through the new facility, by shortening delivery routes and using environmental features including skylights to maximize natural light, a rainwater harvesting system, 600kW solar panels for both electricity and heating water, and the use of motion and daylight sensors to reduce overall energy consumption.

    “As the world’s largest meal-kit provider, we also have a responsibility to set a clear precedent and strive towards more sustainable ways of working in our production facilities, said Rutledge.”

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • Three times more scammed via bank transactions than Bitcoin payments in Australia

    Three times more scammed via bank transactions than Bitcoin payments in Australia

    Bitcoin remains the most popular cryptocurrency playing a role as an investment vehicle and also a payment medium. However, scammers are exploring the payment aspect to defraud victims resulting in losses of millions of dollars.

    According to data compiled by cryptocurrency trading simulator Crypto Parrot, Australians lost an equivalent of AUD 26.65 million in scams where Bitcoin was the payment method in 2020. Despite Bitcoin being a new payment method, the fraud linked to the cryptocurrency ranked second behind banks.

    Scams involving bank transactions amounted to AUD 97.65 million, which is at least 3.7 times more than the amount lost in bitcoin payments scams. Other unspecified payment methods ranked third at AUD 24.17 million while cash ranked fourth at AUD 8.57 million. Credit cards emerged fifth at AUD 8.1 million.

    Elsewhere in terms of reported scams in 2020, payments methods not provided ranked top at 190,959 cases, followed by banks at 8,215. Credit cards rank third at 6,267 cases, followed by PayPal at 2,761. Other payment methods ranked fifth at 2,680 cases. Bitcoin cases emerged sixth at  1,985.

    The coronavirus health crisis partly played a role in Bitcoin being used as a payment method for scams in Australia.

    According to the research report: “Amid the pandemic, most people spend more time online on social media platforms, which became perfect grounds for targeting potential victims. Notably, victims deployed social media to share their referral codes with friends and contacts, bringing more people into the group involving the fake investment scheme. Overall, social media is an excellent tool for scammers who understand most people face the fear of missing out.”

    Furthermore, Bitcoin’s underlying nature of being decentralized and anonymous contributed to the crypto being utilized as a payment method in scams. Notably, this status means that the beneficiaries cannot be traced easily.

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • Patties relaunches its Ruffie Rustic Foods range entirely meat free

    Patties relaunches its Ruffie Rustic Foods range entirely meat free

    As Australians choose to incorporate more vegetables and meat alternatives into their diets, Ruffie Rustic Foods is relaunching its frozen-ready meal range as an entirely plant-based option to help satisfy this demand.

    Launched in 2019, Ruffie Rustic Foods is an Australian-owned brand of frozen ready-made meals produced by Patties Foods Ltd.

    The new range includes plant-based chicken-less schnitzel with al dente penne Pomodoro, butter chicken-less in rich coconut milk sauce, spaghetti and meat-less balls in Napoli sauce, Thai green chicken-less curry, and portobello mushroom risotto with white beans & broccoli.

    According to the food company, the entire range of products are made with locally sourced ingredients and is high in protein, meat-free, plant-based, and vegan-friendly.

    “With this new plant-based range, we want to treat our customers to the classic flavors they love, in a modern and convenient way,” said Anand Surujpal, GM of Marketing & Innovation, Patties Foods Ltd.

    Ruffie Rustic Food’s frozen range is available in Woolworths and select Independent Grocers and Petrol & Convenience stores nationwide for RRP $7.00

  • Woolworths unveils final step in NSW DC restructure

    Woolworths unveils final step in NSW DC restructure

    Woolworths is restructuring its NSW distribution centre operations, announcing two new facilities, closing one and repurposing another.

    The company’s supply chain division Primary Connect will invest $400 million in building a 76,000sqm fresh-food DC in Western Sydney’s Wetherill Park, pictured above, which will serve more than 280 Woolworths stores across the state from 2023. It will have capacity to distribute more than 3700 fresh produce and chilled lines.

    The new multistorey complex will replace the temperature-controlled facility at the Minchinbury Distribution Centre, which will close by 2024, with 330 staff being offered roles in other parts of the business.

    A second new DC will be built at Kemps Creek, a 35,000sqm facility managing liquor stocks  in partnership with Endeavour Group to service more than 400 Dan Murphy’s and BWS outlets across the state from next year.

    The existing Erskine Park Liquor DC will be converted into an ambient grocery facility once the Kemps Creek facility is operational.

    Construction of both new DCs is contingent on NSW Department of Planning approval.

    Woolworths Group CEO Brad Banducci said the facilities announced today mark the final step in what has been a major transformation of Primary Connect’s NSW supply chain network, following the Moorebank supply chain hub announced last year of which construction commenced last month.

    “The development of the Wetherill Park facility will help us deliver high-quality fruit, vegetables and chilled goods to our customers fresher, faster, and more efficiently than ever before.

    “Wetherill Park is strategically located in close proximity to a large number of our stores, suppliers and transport providers, making it an ideal base for our fresh food distribution in NSW,” said Banducci.

    “The co-location of fresh and chilled operations across a multi-storey site will also help remove more than 11,000 truck movements off Sydney roads each year – delivering environmental, traffic and road safety benefits to the community.”

    Primary Connect says the existing fresh network in NSW is nearing capacity, with products currently supplied from three sites, including two third-party facilities. Without the new DCs announced today, the company has limited capacity to handle range expansion or volume growth over the medium to long term.

    Lees ook:

  • Brownes Dairy appoints new CEO

    Brownes Dairy appoints new CEO

    Australian dairy company Brownes Dairy has appointed Natalie Sarich-Dayton as its new CEO.

    Sarich-Dayton succeeds Tony Girgis who served as CEO of Brownes Dairy for seven years.

    “I have greatly enjoyed working alongside Natalie, and believe she is an inspired choice as the company’s new CEO who will continue to bring success to WA’s favorite dairy,” said Girgis.

    Prior to the appointment, she worked at the company as director of sales and marketing.

    According to the company, Sarich-Dayton was a driving force behind Brownes Dairy’s return of ‘Milkos’ home delivery service, which became a lifeline to the WA community during the Covid-19 lockdowns.

    Sarich-Dayton has more than 20 years of experience in working in the FMCG sector at major businesses in Australia and overseas, including Coca-Cola Amatil, HJ Heinz, Danone, and Unilever.

    She is Brownes Dairy’s first female CEO in its 135-year history.

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • Australia to take China to WTO over wine tariffs

    Australia to take China to WTO over wine tariffs

    Australia’s complaint to the World Trade Organisation over China’s anti-dumping duties on wine exports should enable bilateral negotiations, Foreign Minister Marise Payne said on Sunday.

    The government filed a complaint on Saturday over duties that were applied last year and nearly wiped out exports of Australian wine to the Chinese market.

    “What lodging the dispute enables us to do is begin dispute consultation settlements, which actually is a bilateral discussion with China about the issues,” Payne said in an interview on the Australian Broadcasting Corp’s (ABC) ‘Insiders’ program.

    “We’ve seen duties of over 200 percent applied to Australian wine. We don’t believe that that is consistent with China’s obligations under the WTO. So that part of the process enables us to have that direct conversation.”

    The Australian government has complained frequently that China has ignored calls to ease trade tensions.

    It is the second time in six months Australia has appealed to the WTO. In December, Canberra launched a formal appeal seeking a review of China’s decision to impose hefty tariffs on imports of Australian barley.

    Relations with China, already rocky after Australia banned Huawei from its nascent 5G broadband networking in 2018, have worsened since Canberra called for an international inquiry into the origins of the coronavirus, first reported in central China last year.

    China, Australia’s largest trading partner, responded by imposing tariffs on Australian commodities, including wine and barley and limited imports of Australian beef, coal and grapes, moves described by the United States as “economic coercion”.

    Asked about the fresh international push to find answers to the origin of the virus that causes Covid-19, Payne said it was important to maintain the momentum.

    “We are very determined to work with our partners to ensure that (…) investigation is able to access the material that it needs, including within China,” Payne said.

    Lees ook:

  • Ferrero trials recyclable retail displays across Australia

    Ferrero trials recyclable retail displays across Australia

    Beginning August, confectionary giant Ferrero will trial 3000 recyclable Kinder Bueno displays across retail stores nationwide. The initiative is part of the company’s sustainability strategy to reduce its carbon footprint by 2030.

    The retail displays are made from 100-per-cent recyclable dump bins using biodegradable varnish, with each dump bin set to save 3.75 sqm of plastic.

    According to the confectionery company, in-store shoppers won’t notice any difference between the recyclable displays and the ones made with polypropylene plastic discarded at landfills after use.

    The recyclable displays were developed in partnership with point-of-sale supplier Think Display, a company with its own sustainability initiatives such as carbon-neutral shipping and using soy-based inks when printing on display materials.

    The trial is just one of Ferrero’s initiatives as it seeks to make all of its displays 100-per-cent recyclable by 2030. Other projects like recycled bamboo moulded clips are currently being tested to replace plastic Corr-a-clips used in Nutella towers.

    Lees ook:

  • Coles spending $2.5bn on digital over the next two years

    Coles spending $2.5bn on digital over the next two years

    Supermarket Coles will spend $2.5 billion over the next two years on improving its digital offer, the business announced today.

    The business will seek to improve its online shopping, as well as its self-service checkouts, data and automation across its warehouses, in an effort to streamline the experiences and make it even simpler for Australians to buy their groceries.

    Coles’ chief executive Steven Cain said following its demerger from Wesfarmers, and the subsequent Covid-19 pandemic, the business is increasing its pace of change.

    “There’s a myriad opportunity facing us. The market in Australia is very good for food and liquor. It’s growing, there’s plenty of opportunities, and we think we’ve got the assets to exploit some of them,” Cain said.

    “It’s making sure you’re confident that you’ve got the right returns before you press the accelerator. And I think what we’re saying today is we’re pressing the accelerator.”

    According to Cain, when Coles was demerged from former parent company Wesfarmers it wasn’t as advanced as it could have been – there hadn’t been enough investment in its online capabilities at the time, something he is hoping to rectify now.

    These changes have been coming for a while. Last year Coles appointed former Walmart SVP Ben Hassing to the position of Coles’ chief executive e-commerce, who said in February the supermarket’s online transformation will focus on creating a seamless and unified customer experience.

    “To activate this, we are connecting e-commerce and content. And then we’ll begin merging online and offline into a unified experience,” he said.

    This became more important as the changes to shopping behavior throughout Covid-19 opened up new pathways to the ‘omnichannel shopper’: customers who shop both online and offline.

    “These digitally-engaged customers are very, very important to Coles. We find them more loyal, they shop with Coles more frequently and they have a higher participation rate in Flybuys,” Hassing said.

    “This is a fast-growing customer segment for us. The year-over-year growth in total spend with Coles is much higher, as well.”

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • Campos picked up by Dutch coffee giant for undisclosed sum

    Campos picked up by Dutch coffee giant for undisclosed sum

    Australian coffee chain Campos will be acquired by international pureplay JDE Peet for an undisclosed sum, with the transaction expected to be completed next month.

    Campos serves customers through direct-to-consumer, retail, and its own flagship cafes, as well as being available in over 600 cafes nationwide – channels that complement JDE Peet’s Australian retail operations.

    “We’re incredibly proud of what we have achieved from our humble beginnings on the streets of Newtown in Sydney,” said Campos founder Will Young.

    “We are confident that Campos can and will continue to grow under JDE Peet’s stewardship by continuing to focus on what made us Australia’s number one specialty coffee brand – high-quality coffee and great service.”

    JDE Peet’s general manager in Australia and New Zealand Albert Moncau said the Campos business is the “perfect fit” for the pureplay giant.

    “We look forward to welcoming the Campos team to our world of coffee and tea, learning from each other’s expertise and building on their award-winning coffee experience,” Moncau said.

    JDE Peet also owns and operates the L’OR, Moccona, Harris, Piazza Doro, Espresso di Manfredi, Two Seasons and Pickwick coffee and tea brands in Australia

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • Vitamin subscription service Vitable raises $5.5m venture funding

    Vitamin subscription service Vitable raises $5.5m venture funding

    Australian vitamin retailing disruptor Vitable has secured $5.5 million in a series A funding round, drawing interest from a raft of recognized investors including Germany’s Rocket Internet, parent of Global Fashion Group and Hello Fresh, among others.

    Founded by Larah Loutati and Ilyas Anane (pictured above) just two years ago, Vitable operates a subscription-based service in Australia, New Zealand and Singapore, creating personalized vitamin and health supplement recommendations for customers who complete an online questionnaire. The monthly orders can be adjusted as the customer’s health needs change and the mobile app provides notification reminders to help build a daily routine and track progress.

    The company says the fresh funds will allow expansion into the wider Asia-Pacific region as it aims to take a share of a global dietary supplement market projected by Grand View Research to be worth US$230 billion by 2027.

    “Ultimately Vitable will grow beyond its core vitamin offer towards a broader vision of a personalized and holistic health and wellness experience, an industry McKinsey recently valued at US$1.5 trillion,” said Loutati, announcing the closing of the funding round.

    Led by Brenteca Investments, other investors include former MD of LinkedIn ANZ and serial tech investor, Clifford Rosenberg, and venture capital firm Artesian.

    Besides boosting geographic expansion, the money will be allocated to product and app development and the recruitment of key personnel.

    “Personalisation and honest guidance through selection and purchase are the future of vitamins and mineral supplements,” said Loutati.

    “This mix of personalization and convenience increases engagement, education, and ultimate user wellbeing.”

    Dave Fenlon, Group CEO BWX Brands and Oliver Samwer, CEO, Rocket Internet, are both members of Vitable’s board of advisors.

    “Vitable is growing rapidly and disrupting a traditional business model that is inefficient and expensive,” said Alexandra Clunies-Ross of Artesian. “The world is increasingly digital, and consumers no longer want to buy supplements from traditional suppliers. Instead, they are looking for more personalized services that can tailor high-quality products to their individual lifestyle and have them delivered to their home for convenience.”

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook: