UNFI Launches Innovative E-commerce Solution to Expand Distribution Options for Emerging Suppliers

United Natural Foods announced the launch of Community Marketplace by UNFI, a business-to-business digital e-commerce solution for emerging brands looking to expand distribution with UNFI customers. Community Marketplace modernizes the way brands interact with grocery wholesalers by allowing thousands of emerging products not currently available at UNFI distribution centers to be ordered on UNFI’s Easy Options website and shipped directly to retail customers across the United States.

Through this virtual marketplace, suppliers gain immediate access to UNFI’s digital infrastructure to promote and sell their products to UNFI’s broad customer base. Approved suppliers keep complete control of their inventory, order management, pricing, and shipping charges while attaining trial for...

GrubMarket Raised $90 million in 2020 to Accelerate Nationwide Expansion

GrubMarket announced it completed $90 million of financing in an oversubscribed Series D round in 2020, from funds and accounts managed by BlackRock, ACE & Company, Celtic House Venture Partners, Sixty Degree Capital, The Strand Partners, Reimagined Ventures, Trinity Capital Investment, Madison Bay Capital Partners, Marubeni Ventures, GGV and others.

"I want to thank all of our supporters. Series D round was many times oversubscribed as we originally intended to raise no more than $30 million. We have made quite some efforts to keep this round under $100 million. Such oversubscription continues to happen in...

Impossible Foods Cuts Suggested Grocery Store Prices 20%

Thanks to tremendous growth and economies of scale over the past year, Impossible Foods is cutting suggested retail prices by 20% for grocery stores throughout the United States.

The price cuts bring the company’s suggested retail prices for Impossible Burger to $5.49 for patties and $6.99 for a 12-oz. package. (On-shelf prices may vary depending on location and retailer.)

Impossible Foods is strongly encouraging the roughly 17,000 grocery stores, supermarkets and retailers that sell Impossible Burger to pass the savings to...

NCBA Delivers House Introduction of Bipartisan DIRECT Act

The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) hailed the introduction of bipartisan legislation to create new opportunities for cattle producers and processors to market beef products.

Introduced by U.S. Representatives Dusty Johnson (R - At-Large, S.D.) and Henry Cuellar (D - 28th Dist., TX), the Direct Interstate Retail Exemption for Certain Transactions (DIRECT) Act of 2021 would allow retail quantities of meat processed under state-inspection to be sold across state lines through e-commerce, providing beef producers and local processors alike with more options to...

Impossible Foods Teams Up with Goldbelly to Launch the Impossible Foods Store 

Impossible Foods announced that it is launching The Impossible Foods Store on Goldbelly, a leading platform for food e-commerce, featuring some of America's top culinary trendsetters.

The brand-new store on Goldbelly features four Impossible™ meal kit offerings, curated exclusively for the site and now available for nationwide shipping, including...

Post Holdings Announces Partnership with Hungry Planet 

Post Holdings, Inc., a consumer packaged goods holding company, announced a partnership with Hungry Planet Inc., a plant-based meat company. In this new partnership, Post’s Foodservice and Refrigerated Retail units will work closely with Hungry Planet to expand the distribution of Hungry Planet’s industry-leading range of plant-based meats to address the rapidly growing demand for alternative protein solutions across all meal occasions.

Hungry Planet produces a full range of chef-crafted plant-based meats that match the taste and texture of conventional meat. Based in St. Louis, Hungry Planet meats are distributed throughout the United States via...

Mercato Hires Jean-Michel Boujon as Chief Marketing Officer

Mercato, the online grocery eCommerce platform for independently owned grocery and specialty food stores, announced that it has hired Jean-Michel Boujon to be its Chief Marketing Officer. Boujon will direct all efforts associated with Mercato's brand, user acquisition, and lifecycle marketing. In addition, he will seek to advance the trend of consumers choosing to source their groceries from independent, locally-owned retailers.

"I am thrilled to announce that Jean-Michel has joined Mercato and to have him apply his talents to our company at such an important moment of our growth phase," said Bobby Brannigan, founder and CEO of Mercato. "He has a proven ability to...

COVID-19 Fuels a 50% Increase in Omnichannel Shopping Across the U.S. 

The COVID-19 pandemic has democratized e-commerce for all types of consumers, and over 18 million CPG buyers (and counting) in the U.S. have flooded the online space since March. Online shoppers have been mirroring their purchasing within the channel to their constantly shifting, pandemic-related needs and are becoming further entrenched in their shopping behaviors.

But not all online engagement leads to an online purchase. For many, online channels are a key means to compare prices, research new products and find physical stores, giving way to...

China’s Shifting Retail Landscape Signals the Permanence of Change Post-COVID-19

China’s rebound from COVID-19 has been unique. It came faster and with more demonstrable economic tailwinds for the economy than other markets. But it has also been a bellwether that has helped point to consumer behaviors elsewhere that have inevitably followed China’s lead. An example is the rebalancing of retail playing out around the world.

Pandemic-led shifts to further online adoption and an increased focus on neighborhood and small-format stores have become an ongoing normal. Though different to other markets, China helps us understand...

Mercato Hires Emily Keeton as Chief Financial Officer

Mercato, the eCommerce platform for independently owned grocery and specialty food stores, announced that it has hired Emily Keeton to be its Chief Financial Officer. In this role, Keeton will oversee all financial and administrative functions at Mercato.

Bobby Brannigan, founder and CEO of Mercato, said: "Emily is a terrific addition to our leadership team and we are excited to leverage her expertise and deep skillset as our company continues on its path of...

Kroger and Ocado Announce New Fulfillment Center and Expand to Include In-Store Capabilities

The Kroger Family of Companies, America's largest grocery retailer, and Ocado, a world leader in technology for grocery e-commerce, today announced the continued expansion of their partnership with plans to construct an additional Customer Fulfillment Center (CFC) in the South region, while also collaborating with Ocado on in-store fulfilment (ISF) capabilities with a planned rollout across Kroger stores, beginning in 2021.

"Kroger continues to accelerate the expansion of our national network to redefine the customer experience," said Gabriel Arreaga, Kroger's chief supply chain officer." Our partnership with Ocado is and will continue to...

Kroger and Ocado Announce Three Additional Regions for Customer Fulfillment Centers

Kroger and Ocado announced the continued expansion of their partnership with plans to construct three new Customer Fulfillment Centers (CFC) in the Great Lakes, Pacific Northwest and West regions.

"Kroger is incredibly excited to construct three additional industry-leading Customer Fulfillment Centers across the country in relationship with Ocado to bring fresh food to our customers more conveniently than ever before," said Robert Clark, Kroger's senior vice president of supply chain, manufacturing and sourcing. "Through our strategic partnership, we are...

Impossible Foods Launches Direct-to-Consumer Sales and Accelerates Retail Expansion

Impossible Foods is launching an all-new e-commerce site today, allowing people in the lower 48 states to buy the award-winning, plant-based Impossible Burger and cook it at home.

The startup’s direct-to-consumer channel offers family-size quantities of the award-winning, plant-based Impossible Burger starting at $49.99 (plus tax). The orders come with compostable and recyclable packaging, free shipping and two-day home delivery.

Impossible Foods has increased its retail footprint nearly 20-fold since the start of 2020, and its flagship product is now available in over...

Amazon Air Expands Aircraft Fleet

Amazon continues to adapt to meet the changing needs of customers by investing in ways to provide fast, free delivery. Today, the company announced the lease of 12 Boeing 767-300 converted cargo aircraft from Air Transport Services Group (ATSG). These aircraft will join Amazon’s existing fleet of 70 aircraft to bring its total network to over 80 aircraft. One of the new aircraft joined Amazon’s air cargo operations in May 2020, with the remaining 11 to be delivered in 2021.

Amazon Air’s fleet expansion comes at a time when people in communities across the country continue to adjust to this unprecedented time, with many relying on having the items they need delivered directly to their doorstep. Amazon Air has played a central role during the COVID-19 pandemic by transporting essential PPE supplies for Amazon associates, frontline health workers and...

Food E-commerce Market Projected to Reach $498 Million by 2026

Consumer behavior in the food industry is transforming owing to rising e-commerce and technological trends. The food and beverage industry is gradually moving towards e-commerce, that's certain, but its full potential is yet to be exploited.

Infinium global research has recently published a global report on "Food E-commerce Market," the reported study estimated the market for food e-commerce to be USD 138 million in 2019 and is projected to reach up to USD 498 million in 2026, with a Compound Annual Growth Rate of 20.3%, over the forecast period of...

Walmart Releases Q1 FY21 Earnings

Walmart's net sales and operating results were significantly affected by the outbreak of COVID-19.

Unprecedented demand for products across multiple categories led to strong top-line results. Certain incremental costs negatively affected operating income, including costs associated with enhanced wages and benefits as well as safety and sanitation.

Total revenue was $134.6 billion, an increase of $10.7 billion, or 8.6%. Excluding currency, total revenue would have increased 9.7% to reach $135.9 billion.

Walmart U.S. comp sales increased 10.0%, led by strength in food, consumables, health & wellness and...