Established in 1995, Netto Poland is one of the largest retailers on the Polish market. Its headquarters is based in Kobylanka, Poland. The company is a subsidiary of Denmark’s largest retailer, Salling Group. 

Presently, the firm operates around 650 stores across the country. 

In the financial year 2020, Netto Poland achieved a turnover of € 969 million and currently employs approximately 10,000 people. 

Furthermore, the firm offers a wide assortment of products in the following categories: 

• Savoury grocery: biscuits, canned goods, pasta, etc. 
• Sweet grocery: chocolates, jams, coffee, etc. 
• Chilled & fresh: meat, fruits, vegetables, etc. 
• Frozen: meat, seafood, ice creams, etc. 
• Dairy: milk, cheese, yoghurt, etc. 
• Drinks: juice, syrups, water, etc. 
• Wine & spirits: beers, wines, champagnes, etc. 
• Personal care: shampoo, body lotions, toothpaste, etc. 
• Household: detergents, toilet papers, disinfectants, etc. 

Additionally, brands such as Milka, Davidoff, Dr Oetker, Shine, Lays, Monopoly, Rafaello, Lurpak, Pepsi and many more are endorsed by the firm. It is noteworthy that Netto Poland also offers vegetarian, gluten-free, lactose-free, sugar-free and bio products for consumers with specific food needs. Moreover, the company offers its private label products as well. 

In addition, the retailer maintains the highest quality standards as its bio products are bio certified. 

Pertaining to its logistics solutions, the business operates 5 distribution centres which are temperature controlled. Moreover, following the acquisition of the Tesco distribution centres, Netto Poland’s warehouse space increased from 72,000 square metres to 176,000 square metres which is more than twice in 2021. 

With regards to sustainability, the retailer partnered with Expedit to recycle its plastic waste in 2021. Moreover, the company installed a cloud icon on its shelves to indicate which products are least harmful in regards to CO2 emissions. 

It is noteworthy that Netto Poland acquired 300 Tesco stores and 2 distribution centres in March 2021. The Tesco stores have been rebranded and is being operated under the discount banner Netto. 

Moreover, in June 2021, Netto Poland signed an agreement with Freor to equip its stores with natural refrigerant equipment. The equipment will be installed to remove the heat of condensation. 

In February 2022, the company partnered with VMLY&R Poland to handle its digital services by running social media campaigns. 

Norma is a grocery store of German origin under the management of Norma Gmbh. Norma Austria provides a portfolio of brands and product ranges, matching quality standards and competitive prices to the delight of customers.

The categories that can be found in the stores are chilled and fresh, frozen food, household, personal care etc.

Norma also extends its product ranges by providing the following food items:

• GMO free - including condiments, juices, cheeses etc
• Gluten free - comprised of chocolate spread, instant pudding, tofu, coffee etc
• Lactose free - which includes butter, salads, yoghurt etc
• V-label - vegan assortment

On the Austrian market for over 10 years, the retailer has also developed its own brands which covers categories like savory grocery, drinks, dairy products, chilled and fresh, sweet grocery and personal care products. These own brands are thoroughly tested to ensure their quality and are detailed as follows:

• Bio sonne - organic products
• Caffeciao - coffee
• Fjordkrone - seafood products from sustainable fishing

The firm was awarded a gold medal by the DLG organisation for the good quality of its products.

Always innovating, Norma puts forward special offers on the non-food unit on a weekly basis, whereby the prices are considerably lowered.

Norma Czech Republic is a discount retailer chain which was established in 1992. Its headquarters is based in Prague, Czech Republic. The company is a subsidiary of the Germany-based food discount store, Norma. 

Moreover, the business operates more than 50 stores across the country.  

Furthermore, Norma Czech Republic offers a variety of products in the following categories: 

• Sweet grocery: chocolates, sugar, cereal bars, etc.
• Savoury grocery: canned food, pastas, rice, etc.
• Frozen: fruits, vegetables, desserts, etc. 
• Chilled & fresh: ready meals, fruits, meat, etc. 
• Dairy: yoghurt, cheese, butter, etc. 
• Drinks: fizzy drinks, juices, energy drinks, etc. 
• Wine & spirits: wine, spirits, beer, etc.
• Household: air fresheners, detergents, disinfectants, etc
• Personal care: body lotions, toothpastes, shaving cream, etc. 

Brands such as Sensodyne, Samson, Konrad, L’Oreal, Kinder, Red Bull, Vittel, Steinex and many others are endorsed by the firm. Norma Czech Republic also offers organic products in its portfolio. 

Moreover, Norma Czech Republic also offers its private label products under the following names: 

• Fjord: This brand includes chilled and fresh, frozen and grocery products such as  breaded fish, fillet, salmon, prawns, canned fish, tuna salad, etc. 
• Bio Sonne:  This brand includes organic products consisting of food items such as eggs, vegetables, cookies, honey, coconut oil, seeds, dried fruits, lemon juice, wine etc. 
• Excelsior Magie De chocolat: This brand is dedicated to a line of chocolates. 

In addition, the business maintains the highest quality standards as it is certified by MSC, VEBU eV, UTZ and many more, 

Pertaining to its logistics solutions, the firm operates its own distribution centre and a transportation network is available to ensure deliveries. 

With regards to sustainability, Norma Czech Republic reduces its carbon footprint by using the latest LED technology in its warehouse. 

Established in 1973, ParkNshop is one of the largest supermarket chains in Hong Kong. Its headquarters is based in Macau, Hong Kong. The company is a subsidiary of the world’s largest international health and beauty retailer, As Watson. 

Presently, the business operates more than 300 stores across Hong Kong, Macau and China. ParkNshop manages an e-commerce platform as well. 

Additionally, ParkNshop achieves an annual turnover of € 15.2 million and currently employs more than 9,000 people. 

It is noteworthy that the firm gained recognition through DayDaycook Excellent Food Award 2020 for Most Liked Supermarket. 

Furthermore, the enterprise offers a wide assortment of products in the following categories: 

• Chilled & fresh food: meat, seafood, ready meals, etc. 
• Frozen: sausages, waffles, bacon, etc. 
• Sweet grocery: chocolates, sugar, cereal bars, etc. 
• Savoury grocery: rice, pasta, pulses, etc. 
• Dairy: milk, cheese, yoghurts, etc. 
• Drinks: fizzy drinks, juices, energy drinks, etc. 
• Wine & spirits: wines, beers, whiskeys, etc.  
• Personal care: soaps, lip balms, deodorants, etc. 
• Household: toilet papers, detergents, plastic bin bags, etc. 

Brands such as Phillips, Duracell, Coca Cola, Haagen dazs, Nestle, Pampers, Amoy, Fresh Market, Benecol, Johnson’s Baby, Cesar and many others are endorsed by the firm. Besides, the retailer caters for consumers with specific food needs by offering organic, vegan, vegetarian, lactose-free, gluten-free, sugar-free and alcohol-free products. 

Moreover, the enterprise developed its own brands under the following names: 

• Select: This brand includes products such as snacks, eggs, tissue, etc. 
• Imperial Banquet: This brand consists of products such as tea, cakes, rice, etc. 
• Best Buy: This brand is composed of products such as bin bags, cold cuts, disinfectants, etc. 

In addition, ParkNshop maintains the highest quality standards as it is certified by Farm Check, FSC, ISO, HOKLAS, etc. 

Pertaining to its logistics solutions, the firm operates its own distribution centres and has a fleet of temperature controlled trucks to manage its deliveries. 

Concerning sustainability, ParkNshop is reducing its carbon footprints by reducing food waste and overall energy usage in its business operations. 

Furthermore, in 2021, the supermarket chain entered into an agreement with Deliveroo to expand its customer base. Moreover, in the same year, ParkNshop announced further plastic reduction commitments.

The company’s online shop can be accessed on: https://www.parknshop.com/ 

A German discount supermarket chain founded by Leibbrand Grupe, Penny Market operates 388 stores in Czech Republic, offering a variety of food and non-food items. The business is owned by Rewe Group since 1989.

Penny Market Czech Republic achieved a turnover of around € 1.2 billion in 2017.

The company offers a wide range of products in the following categories:

• Savory Grocery: pet food, pasta, sauces, etc.

• Sweet Grocery: jams, biscuits, pastries, etc.

• Drinks: wine, spirits, juices, smoothies, soft drinks, etc.

• Frozen Food: ready-meals, desserts, pastries, meat, etc.

• Chilled & Fresh Food: ready-meals, charcuterie, snacks, etc.

• Dairy: a wide range of cheese

• Personal Care: hair care, face care, makeup, body care, etc.

• Household: a wide range of cleaning products and supplies

Penny Market Czech Republic developed its private labels which are:

• Penny Ready: a range of ready-meals, snacks, cakes, smoothies, etc.

• Naturgut: a variety of organic and natural products such as jam, uices, biscuits, etc.

• San Fabio: a brand of Italian foods ranging from desserts, pastries to charcuterie, sauces, cheese, etc. 

• Butchers: a variety of sausages, burgers, meat, etc.

• Spurty: a brand of pet food for cats and dogs

• Today: a range of personal care products including hair care, face care, skincare, etc.

The company ensures that all products are of good quality. In fact, before offering a product, the following are taken into consideration: small, taste, appearance and consistency. 

Penny Market also relies on independent laboratories and institutions to carry out tests on products.

Penny is the brand name of the Rewe Group's discount stores chain. Rewe operates about 2200 Penny in its home country, and almost 3500 in Europe. 

The innovative discounter PENNY also operates very successfully abroad and has made a name for itself at REWE Group with its international expansion. There are 290 PENNY branch stores in Austria alone, which have achieved annual increases in turnover. With about 180 branch stores, PENNY is the Number Two on the Hungarian market while it is even the market leader in the Czech Republic (about 320 branch stores) and in Romania. With its discount concept PENNY XXL featuring larger sales floor areas (up to 2,400 square  metres), PENNY Market is present on the Romanian market with six locations; in the standard discounter segment, PENNY operates more than 80 branch stores.
 

Penny market is a supermarket chain, founded in 1994 following a joint venture between Reve Group (Germany) and ESSELUNGA chain (Italy). Presently, Penny provides more than 1700 SKUs which are directly taken from suppliers.

The products assortment include the following ranges:

• Grocery
• Chilled and fresh
• Dairy
• Drinks
• Personal care
• Household

The company also markets its products through own brands such as:

• Bontanova - yoghurt line
• Heart of Earth - premium products
• Fior di Pasta - Pasta line
• Free - free-from line
• Funny Drink - soft drink line
• The Cheerful Flavors - quick cooking meals
• The Allegra Company - pet food
• The pasta shop - pasta shop
• The Good Pastry - bakery
• The chain on the table - Bovine - meat
• The Freschette - delicatessen
• Maximal G - energy drink
• Nature is - fresh vegetables
• Netty - domestic products
• Ortomio - condiments and packages vegetables
• Penny bread - bread and bakery products
• Rios - ice cream line
• Sapor di cascina - meat, saussages and frozen snacks
• Selection
• Valbontà - dairy products

Reitangruppen operates in Denmark in the food and non-food market, under the retail brands Rema 1000, Uno-X, YX Energi and 7-Eleven, established inside the petrol stations owned by Reitan. 

Established in 2004 by Adriaan Van Well, Spar Croatia is a chain of food retail stores dispersed across various regions in the country. Its headquarters is based in Zagreb, Croatia. The company is a subsidiary of the worldwide Spar organisation based in the Netherlands. 

Presently, the business operates 102 spar and 23 Interspar outlets across the country. In 2016, SPAR bought 62 Billa stores.

In the financial year 2021, Spar Croatia achieved a turnover of € 792 million and currently employs 4,667 people. Additionally, exportation of Croatian products to the foreign markets is done via the Spar sales network. As a result, the retailer has reported an increase by 3% in the first six months of 2021, to € 49 million as compared to the previous year.  

It is noteworthy that the Croatian trade journal “Ja TRGOVAC” ranked Spar Croatia top in a survey of 45 companies, making it Retailer of the Year in 2019. 

Furthermore, the company provides a variety of products in the following categories:

• Savoury Grocery: canned food, pastas, rice, etc.
• Sweet Grocery: tea, cereals, chocolate, etc.
• Wine & spirits: wine, spirits, beer, etc.
• Drinks: juices, water, soft drinks, etc. 
• Dairy: cheese, milk, yoghurt, etc.
• Chilled & Fresh Food: fruits, meat, fish, etc.
• Frozen Food: meat, fish, ice-cream, etc.
• Household: air fresheners, detergents, disinfectants, etc.
• Personal care: body lotions, lipstick,shaving cream, etc. 

Brands such as Colgate, Milka, Nestle, President, Toffifee, Violeta, Jar and many others are endorsed by the firm. Spar Croatia also caters for consumers with specific food needs by providing vegan, vegetarian, organic, lactose-free, sugar-free, gluten-free and many other dietary products. 

Moreover, the retailer developed its own brands under the following names (non-exhaustive list):

• Despar: A brand of Italian products such as pasta, coffee, cheese, etc. 
• Spar Premium: A brand of premium products such as juice, spreads, pasta, etc. 
• Spar free from: A brand of products such as vegan chocolate, butter, milk spread, etc. 
• Spar Vital: A brand of mineral and vitamins products. 
• The Garden of Croatia: A cooperation between 40 local producers to promote the Croatian agriculture

In addition, Spar Croatia maintains the highest quality standards as its vegetarian product line has a European Vegetarian Union Certificate. 

Pertaining to its logistics solutions, the company partnered with Ralu Logistics to handle its distribution, warehousing and manipulation of its products. It's newly official that a new distribution center will be built as from October 2022, with a storage capacity of 100,000 pallets.

It is noteworthy that the firm sold 1 million bioplastic bags in Croatia in 2019 hence fighting against plastic and protecting the environment. 

In May 2022, the company expanded its store network by opening 2 new stores and a donation of € 2,650 was made to the voluntary fire brigade in Donja Stubica. 

Concerning sustainability, Spar Croatia reduces its impact on the environment by offering high-quality paper bags, biodegradable bags and mesh bags in its stores. Moreover, the business supports local producers as 77% of the Spar Croatia’s food range is locally sourced. Some of its local suppliers include Martinjak for fresh red meat, Safran winery, Euro-milk for dairy products, ZMH Horvat for frozen meat, etc. 

Savers United Kingdom is a discount chain specializing in health and beauty products which was established in 1988. The company is a subsidiary of AS Watson. Savers United Kingdom opened its first store in Durham which quickly expanded when it acquired the Supersave chain of drugstores from GHEA and then it was sold to AS Watson in 2000. The firm is headquartered in Dunstable, UK.

Moreover, the enterprise was reported to operate over 500 stores across England, North Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

Savers United Kingdom employs more than 5000 people.

Savers United Kingdom was highest placed retailer in the Sunday Times and was also awarded the “The Best Retailers in UK” in 2018

Savers United Kingdom offers products in the following categories:

• Personal Care
• Household
• Sweet Grocery

Savers United Kingdom owns a fleet of trucks in order to transport goods hence improving efficiency, productivity and reducing the costs of overall transportation.

Taking into consideration the environmental concerns, Savers United Kingdom banned all personal care products containing microplastics.

Sodexo is a French food service and facility management company which runs a subsidiary in the UK since 2009. The business is specialised in the following sectors:

• Food Service and Catering
• Facilities Management
• Property and Technical Services
• Benefits and Rewards
• Personal and Home Service

Sodexo UK has around 2100 clients and 49% of its activities is in the food service and catering sector. 

In the Food Service and Catering Industry, Sodexo UK is present in the following segments:

• Business and Industry: Sodexo UK offers a range of retail brands and also manages canteens for various workplaces, adapting to what the client and employees wish to consume. 
• Patient Dining and Retail: Sodexo UK caters for both private healthcare institutions and NHS institutions, providing patients with meals based on specific needs. Furthermore, the company also features food service banners like Starbucks, Costa Coffee and Crussh.
• Schools: Sodexo UK works with different schools, managing school canteens that provide a diverse and healthy menu for students. 
• Universities: The company offers affordable meals and dining options for university students, taking into account the current trends such as an increase towards plant-based diets. 
• Energy & Resources: in this sector, Sodexo UK offers a range of services that include food service and catering as well as facilities management services. All services must meet strict global standards. 

Sodexo UK employs over 36000 people and in 2016, its turnover rose by 9.6%, reaching a figure of € 2 billion. At present, 29% of the firm’s turnover is from Corporate Services, Healthcare and Government. Healthcare accounts for 16%, Defense for 15% and Justice for 14%. The remaining include schools, universities, sports & leisure, energy & resources and other. 

Moreover, during the financial year 2016/2017 Sodexo made 2 acquisitions : the first one is 5 public catering contracts in London (Peyton and Byrne) as well as PSL a procurement provider.

Increasingly, Sodexo stresses on the fact that its clients are on the lookout for a considerable impact  regarding the delivery of integrated facilities management services.

The business works with over 4300 suppliers. Sodexo UK sources local, seasonal and sustainable food items. The company works with brands like Dingley Dell Pork, White Lake Cheese, Chalk Stream Foods, etc.

The products are MSC, Eco-friendly and AFS certified.

Food safety is of great importance at Sodexo UK and the firm maintains high food safety standards. Furthermore, employees are regularly offered food safety training to ensure that all norms are respected.  

Sodexo UK has decided to stop using single use plastic bags and polystyrene foam packaging by 2020. 

UPDATES ON SODEXO UK ON 23/06/2020

Sodexo UK acquired The Good Care Group in 2019, expanding its presence in the home care sector in the UK.

Spar, a chain of retail stores, launched in Austria in 1954. The company, ASPIAG, holds the license to operate Spar stores in Austria, Slovenia, Hungary, Croatia and Northern Italy.

Currently Spar Austria operates a total of 1578 stores, EUROSPAR, and INTERSPAR stores, of which 696 are run by independent SPAR retailers and in 2021, Spar Austria reached a turnover of €8.63bn. 

The company also offers an online platform. 

Spar won the EY Family Business Award of Excellence 2019-20, an honor that recognizes excellence in family businesses for the year 2019-2020. 

It offers a variety of products under different categories:

• Savory grocery: Bread, macaroni, rice, etc.
• Sweet grocery: Chocolate, candy, waffles, etc. 
• Fresh and chilled: Fruits, pasta sauce, pesto sauce, etc.
• Frozen: Meat, vegetables, ready-made pizzas, etc.
• Dairy: Milk, butter, yogurt, etc.
• Drinks: Soft drinks, juice, water, etc.
• Household: Detergents, kitchen towels, toilet paper, etc.
• Personal care: Sanitary napkins, shampoo, face wash, etc.
• Wine and spirits: Vodka, Beer, Wine, etc.

Spar Austria offers products from Spar’s private labels which include (but not limited to):  

• SPAR Premium: Seafood chocolate, king prawns, norwegian smoked salmon, etc.
• SPAR Enjoy: food that are both fresh, quick and ready to eat products: waffles, smoothies, chicken curry sandwiches, etc. 
• SPAR Vital: nutritious food for health-conscious people: kiwi berries, raspberries, nut mix, etc. 
• SPAR Veggie: Meatless products: bag snack, vegan crispbread, vegan mayonnaise, et
• SPAR Nature Pure: organic products: Herbal tea, organic kitchen herbs, organic mushrooms, etc. 
• SPAR already offers almost 3,300 organic products in Austria. 

After INTERSPAR and SPAR Gourmet fish counters, all INTERSPAR restaurants had already been MSC-certified by 2016.

Concerning its logistics, in 2021, SPAR opened a ‘fully digitalised’ wine warehouse in Loosdorf, Austria. 

When it comes to sustainability, SPAR brand care products are 100% free of solid microplastics and before the 2020 ban, SPAR has always been loyal to its commitment of reusable alternatives for plastic bags.

Link to Spar’s online shop: https://www.spar.at/online-shops 

Established in 1992, the first SPAR Supermarket opened in Hungary following the acquisition by ASPIAG (Austria SPAR International AG) of a majority stake in General Kereskedelmi Rt. 

The company operates 614 stores across the country.     

For the financial year 2021, its turnover amounted to  €2.14 million.   

 It offers a variety of products under different categories such as: 

• Sweet grocery: biscuits, waffles, chocolate, etc.
• Savory grocery: rice, pasta, bread, etc.
• Fresh and chilled: vegetables, fruits, fish, etc.
• Frozen: seafood, peas, meat, etc.
• Dairy: cheese, milk, butter, etc.
• Drinks: fizzy drinks,  water, juice, etc. 
• Household: kitchen napkins, toilet paper, detergents, etc.
• Personal care: shampoo, conditioner, face masks, etc. 
• Wine and spirits: beer, wine, liqueur, etc. 

Its private brand products consists of:  

• SPAR Enjoy: sushi box, tuna cream, french salad, etc. 
• SPAR Natur pur Bio: organic cane sugar, organic almonds, orange juice, etc.
• SPAR Premium:  spicy thick sausage, hazelnut cream, peach jam, etc. 

In 2022, SPAR Hungary has modernised two INTERSPAR Hypermarkets and two SPAR Supermarkets and opened a new supermarket in Budapest. 

Link to its online shop: https://www.spar.hu/onlineshop/

The licence  for ITALY to trade under the name SPAR was obtained in 1959 and the first italian SPAR was opened in 1960. It was during that same year that the general retail chains partnered with wholesalers and retailers, all working towards a common aim that of the expansion of Despar.

Spar Italy operates 1246 stores and in 2018, the company achieved a turnover of €3.5 billion.

The formats of Despar are as follows : 

Despar neighbourhood supermarkets

Eurospar supermarkets

Interspar supermarkets

As a matter of fact the company run only the large format SPAR while the rest are independently owned. The avarage store size is 603 square meter and the avarage retail sales area is 689,724 square meter revealing the subsequent investment pertaining to the store sizes.

 Established in 1991, SPAR is a retail chain headquartered in Ljubljana, Slovenia.

By the end of 2021, it operated 132 stores of which 98 company-owned SPAR Supermarkets and 13 INTERSPAR Hypermarkets, as well as 21 SPAR stores operated by independent SPAR retailers.

It operates its own bakery Ljubljana as well as an online store.

It has a dedicated team of over 4,950 employees and its turnover for the financial year 2021 amounted to €965.6 million.

It offers a variety of products under different categories such as:     

• Sweet grocery: biscuits, chocolate, cookies, etc.
• Savory grocery: rice, pasta, bread, etc. 
• Fresh and chilled: vegetables, salmon, fruits, etc.      
• Frozen: meat, seafood, pizza, etc.
• Dairy: Milk, butter, yogurt, etc. 
• Drinks: juice, water, iced tea, etc.  
• Household: kitchen towels, toilet paper, detergents, etc.   
• Personal care: dental care, shampoo, shower gel, etc.     
• Wine and spirits: beer, wine, whiskey, etc.

The firm offers a range of products under its own brands known as:

• SPAR premium: sausage, pasta sauce, iced tea, etc.
• SPAR high protein: yogurt, milk, crispy muesli, etc.
• Veganz(vegan, bio, gluten free): nuggets, chocolate, cheese, etc.

In 2020, Spar Slovenia signed an agreement of 10 years for the provision of logistic services, storage and distribution services with BTC( one of the leading markets in FMCG logistics).

The company’s online store can be accessed on: https://www.spar.si/online/welcome/

Operating 4 types of formats, SPAR was established in 1963 in South Africa. 

Spar South Africa achieved a turnover of €4.9 billion in 2018.

SPAR in South Africa is represented by :

• Superspar - largest food retailer in South Africa
• Spar neighbourhood (supermarket)
• Kwikspar (convenience)
• Spar Express (in fuel stations) 

SPAR in South Africa was the first non-european country to get the SPAR licence. In its expansion the supermarket chain now operates 1000 exclusive Spar brands. Now there are 887 SPAR stores in South Africa. 

Spar South Africa has also been promoting sustainable agriculture and collaborates with local producers. The company also takes measures to educate customers about proper nutrition.

Spar is a retailer which has been established in the year 1956 by a group of independent wholesalers. The headquarters is based in Harrow, London, United Kingdom. The firm is a subsidiary of Spar International based in Netherlands. Spar operates 2600 stores across the country with a total sales area of 384,094 square meters.

Spar UK experienced a rise of 2.1% in its turnover for 2019, reaching € 3.3 billion.

A diversified assortment of products can be found on the shelves of the stores under the following categories:

• Sweet Grocery
• Savory Grocery
• Frozen Food
• Chilled & Fresh Food
• Dairy
• Drinks
• Personal Care
• Household

Spar offers a wide range of products under its own brand:

• Spar - This brand covers all the product categories.

The firm started expanding its own brand range of medicines in the year 2017 because it was in high demand in the medicine market.

The retailer launched the Zapper (mobile payment, loyalty, vouchering app) successfully in October 2017. Spar is the first convenience retailer in the south west, giving its customers the opportunity to conduct payments through Zapper.

Pertaining to the supply chain solutions, the Appleby Westward Group operates as Spar’s retail distribution centre. As of 2017, the firm introduced eight new volvo trucks in its fleet of vehicles.

UPDATES ON SPAR UK ON 01/03/2021

By 2019, Spar UK operated 2613 stores in the UK. 

The business launched a new brand, Spar Natural consisting of healthy, organic, vegan, vegetarian, lactose-free, allergen-free, etc. products. The items under this brand include crackers, chocolate,soy milk, etc. 

Since 2020, Spar UK partnered with Too Good To Go, an NGO fighting food waste. Each day, Spar retailers will prepare bags of surplus fresh food which would be sold at a reduced price. Through this concept, 17400 bags of food were sold.

Superdrug United Kingdom is a company that offers personal care products and was founded in 1964. The company has been a subsidiary of  A.S Watson Group since 2002 and it is the 2nd biggest personal care retailer after Boots UK. 

Over 500 stores, an online shop and a mobile application are managed by Superdrug United Kingdom.

In 2018, Superdrug Mobile was established by Superdrug United Kingdom, as well as Little Vegan, which is a pop-up store that features various vegan beauty products. 

The firm also partnered with Pro Skin Clinics and opened several clinics in the UK where various skincare treatments are available. 

Among the services provided by Superdrug United Kingdom, the business offers beauty treatments to pamper its customers as well as consultations, corporate and optical services in its pharmacies.

In the financial year 2021, Superdrug United Kingdom achieved a turnover of €1.3 billion and it employs more than 14,000 people. 

Products in the personal care category such as skin care, makeup and face care are offered by Superdrug United Kingdom. 

Furthermore, Superdrug United Kingdom provides products which are recognised as being cruelty-free and many of its products are vegan. 

Brands such as Versace, Radox, Lifebuoy and many others, are available.

In 2013, Superdrug United Kingdom also launched ‘B’, its own brand of premium skincare and makeup products.

All of the items provided by Superdrug United Kingdom are imported from France, Switzerland, Canada and many others.

Superdrug United Kingdom owns several warehouses where its products are stored and distributed accordingly. The firm also uses recycled packaging to be eco-friendly.

Established in 1952 by Jeronimo Arango, Walmart Mexico also known as Walmex is the biggest retailer in Latin America. Its headquarters is based in Mexico City, Mexico. The company is a subsidiary of the American multinational retail corporation, Walmart Stores, Inc. 

Presently, the business operates 2,764 stores across the country and an e-commerce platform as well. 

In the financial year 2021, Walmart Mexico achieved a turnover of € 36 billion and currently employs more than 200,000 people. Moreover, the company has a 68% market share in Mexico. 

It is noteworthy that the firm was awarded the “Best Place to Work” certificate by the Human Rights Campaign in 2021. 

Furthermore, the enterprise offers a wide assortment of products in the following categories:

• Sweet grocery: chocolates, sugar, cereal bars, etc.
• Savoury grocery: canned food, pastas, rice, etc.
• Frozen: fruits, vegetables, desserts, etc. 
• Chilled & fresh: ready meals, fruits, meat, etc. 
• Dairy: yoghurt, cheese, butter, etc. 
• Drinks: fizzy drinks, juices, energy drinks, etc. 
• Wine & spirits: wine, spirits, beer, etc.
• Household: air fresheners, detergents, disinfectants, etc
• Personal care: body lotions, lipstick, shaving cream, etc. 

Brands such as Nescafe, Oreo, Santa Clara, Yoplait, Gloria, Coca-Cola, Coronita, Modelo, Elite, Axion, Gillette, Colgate, Garnier and many others are endorsed by the firm. Besides, Walmart Mexico also offers a line of organic, vegan, vegetarian, lactose-free, gluten-free products, etc. 

Moreover, the firm developed its own brands under the following names (non-exhaustive list):

• Parent’s Choice: A line of baby products. 
• Great Value: A line of products such as oat flakes, lasagna, pork, etc. 
• Ol’Roy: A line of pet products. 
• Equate: A line of personal care products. 

In addition, the business maintains the highest quality standards as it is certified by Fairtrade. UTZ, Rainforest Alliance, etc. 

Pertaining to its logistics solutions, Walmart Mexico operates 31 distribution centres and a fleet of 47 electric vehicles is readily available to ensure deliveries. 

In 2019, Walmart Mexico announced same day delivery service within 3 hours for certain home and tech products ordered online. 

Additionally, in 2020, the business launched MVNO, a mobile service to help connect shoppers living in rural areas of Mexico. 

Walmart Mexico partnered with Uniview in 2021 to install CCTV solutions in order to secure the processes of service data and management of orders from stores. In the same year, the retailer announced that it will be opening gasoline service stations outside some of its stores in Mexico in collaboration with Gazpro. 

Furthermore, in 2022, the company announced that its E-commerce net sales in 2021 increased by 24% in the 4th quarter and made up 1.2% of total sales growth. The online sales now represent almost 5% of sales in Mexico. 

It is noteworthy that Walmart Mexico reported sales of 8 billion euros, indicating a rise by 10% in the first quarter of 2022 despite the impact of inflation. Moreover, in the same year, the retailer announced its plans of doubling its 2 million mobile phone users. 

Concerning sustainability, the retailer makes use of 100% recyclable, reusable or compostable materials in its business operations in order to reduce its carbon footprint. 

The company’s online shop can be accessed on: https://www.walmart.com.mx/ 

Whole Foods United States opened its first grocery store in 1980, engaged in retail of organic and natural foods. Wholefoods has now expanded to more than 490 stores in United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. In 2005, Whole Foods opened its 80,000 sq ft (7,400 m2) flagship store in downtown Austin.

In the financial year 2017, the company achieved a total turnover of €13.6 billion. With the cooperation and dedication of its 89,000 employees, the firm is able to run its business smoothly.  

The company is looking for products for the different categories:

• Dairy: Yoghurt, Cheese, Butter, Milk, Eggs
• Frozen Food: Frozen fruits, meat, seafood,ice cream
• Drinks: Wine, Spirits, Beer, Juice, Coconut Water
• Sweet Grocery: Maple Syrup, Almond Butter
• Savory Grocery: Breads, Snacks, Salsa, Dips, oil

Also considered as America’s healthiest grocery store, Whole Foods is the first certified organic grocery in United States that offers a variety of exclusive foods without:

• Artificial preservatives
• Colors
• Flavors
• Sweeteners
• Hydrogenated fats

The company also has its own brand known as 365 Everyday Value where it offers a range of organic and natural products such as organic milk, frozen vegetables and whole grain flour at reasonable prices. 

Whole Foods Market Brand

Whole Foods Market develops the most unique and exquisite products from small batch, artisan recipes to exotic flavors.

Whole Trade

Whole Trade offers high quality and 3rd-Party certified seasonal products.

The company also offers the facility to shop online. 

Whole Foods Market exposes only quality standards products and USDA-certified organic foods that aim to be environmentally friendly and ecologically responsible.

Recently one of the largest group in United States, Amazon, has bought Wholefoods in June 2017, but the stores will still continue to operate under the same name and its founder Mr John Mackey will still stay on the lead as CEO of Whole Foods. 

In order to collaborate with Whole foods market as a supplier, one should have the following characteristics:

• Transparency
• Clear Communication
• Trend and data driven
• Innovative product offerings
• Willingness to offer exclusivity

United Natural Foods Inc (UNFI), a wholesaler purchases all the private label products of from the suppliers and then sells its back to Whole foods market. UNFI uses 15 warehouses in order to supply to all the points of sale.

In the year 2015, the firm partnered with Infor to redesign the cloud based retail management solution, thus allowing the grocer to run its business faster and providing a better customer experience.

In fact, the objective of the retailer is to promote expansion by opening 1200 stores .

Woolworths Supermarkets  is a supermarket/grocery store chain in Australia owned by Woolworths Limited. Along with Coles, Woolworths form a near duopoly of Australian supermarkets, together accounting for about 80% of the Australian market.

Woolworths mostly specialises in selling groceries (vegetables, fruit, meat, packaged foods, etc.), but they also sell magazines, DVDs and stationery items. Woolworths currently operates 980 stores across Australia, as well as a further 16 convenience stores carrying the same logo, without the Woolworths name. Some Woolworths supermarkets trade as 'Safeway' stores in Victoria, including three stores in Melbourne's suburbs and surrounding areas, and four in rural Victoria, as well as one in southern New South Wales.

Woolthworth entered Germany in 1926 and its first store was opened in 1927 in Bremen. The company was part of F.W Woolworth Company. The German subsidiary became an independent business after it separated from F.W Woolworth in 1998. Woolworth Germany is now owned by Tengelmann Group. The firm owns an online shop as well.

Woolworth Germany operates 400 stores in the country and is aiming to open 400 more in the upcoming years.

Woolworth Germany also runs the Woolworth Photo Service which provides quality biometric passport photos.

Woolworth Germany achieved a turnover of € 442 million in 2019 and employed a total of 500 people.

The business won the Price Champion title and the Best Training Company title in 2019. 

The departmental chain offers products in the following categories:

• Sweet Grocery: sweets and many more
• Fresh & Chilled Food: ready-made meals, charcuterie, poultry, etc
• Dairy: milk, eggs, and many more
• Drinks: wine, juice and other beverages
• Household: scented candles and many more
• Personal Care: skincare, makeup, fragrances, etc

Woolworth Germany works with brands such as Smeg, Dyson, Brabantia, Riedel and many others.

 Woolworth Germany also launched a bikini line named Infinity Collection.

Woolworth Germany carries out product testing regularly to ensure that all the products meet the minimum requirements. 

A new logistics centre is being built in Kamen.

Woolworth Germany provides reusable cotton, PET bags and climate-neutral paper bags to be environmentally friendly. Woolworth Germany has been supporting the “help and care” foundation to help children in need as well as the European Climate Corridors which works in favour of biodiversity. 

Woolworth Germany’s online store can be accessed on www.woolworths.co.za

Mercator is a food retailer of Slovenian origins. Since 2014, it belongs to Agrokor a Crotian company. The retailer provides its own brands such as:

• Minute (ready to cook meals)
• Mercator (daily food items)
• Bio zone (organic products)
• Olea (personal care items)
• Lumbi (baby products)
• Dax (cleaning items)
• Man max (men shaving accessories)
• Special moments (premium food)
• Zaz (non food)
• Buddy & kitty (pet food)
• Mila (competitive priced products)

Indeed, Mercator encompasses the following ranges hence providing a vast choice to its clients:

• Dairy
• Grocery
• Personal care
• Bazar
• Household
• Organic
• Chilled and fresh

Mercator is available online and also entails specialised components such as their butcher shops, mercator fisheries and catering services.

La Sirena, the Spanish specialist in frozen food was founded in 1983 in Terrassa, Spain by Ramona Solé and Josep Mª Cernuda.  It was taken over by Opcapita in 2015. The retailer operates 271 stores throughout Spain as well as an online shop. 

In 2020, the company achieved a turnover of € 163,3 million.  Currently, La Sirena employs over 1200 people. 

La Serena offers products in the following categories:

• Frozen Food: ready-meals, fish, ice-cream, seafood, etc.
• Chilled & Fresh Food: fish, sushi, vegetables, etc.
• Savory Grocery: canned foods, sauces, chips, snacks, etc.
• Drinks: wines, soft drinks, mineral water, non-alcoholic wines, etc. 

La Sirena also provides organic, sugar-free, lactose-free and gluten-free products. 

Some of the brands available include Nestle, Magnum, Mas Tarrone, Natureo, etc. 

La Sirena also has a range of products under its own label:

La Sirena: a range of ready-meals, fish, snacking and other products

La Sirena’s online shop can be found on www.lasirena.es

Heron foods is a retailer and was established in 1979 in the UK by the Grindell family. The retail chain was acquired by B&M Retail in 2017.  Heron Foods operates 296 stores in the UK .

In 2019 Heron Foods achieved a turnover of € 411.8 million, indicating a rise of 15.8%. There are over 3500 persons who are employed by the company. 

Heron Foods offers products in the following categories:

• Frozen Food: ice-cream, ready-meal, snacks, etc.
• Chilled and Fresh Food: a variety of chilled and fresh foods
• Drinks: items such as juice and energy drinks.
• Savoury Grocery: chips, crisps and other savory products
• Sweet Grocery: chocolate, breakfast cereals, biscuits, etc.

Heron Foods also offers dairy-free products.

Some of the brands provided include Carte D’Or, Alpro, Magnum, Pringles, Wagon Wheels, etc. 

Moreover, there are also products sold under its private label, Heron Foods. 

Heron Foods has a supplier requirement checklist which is used to select which suppliers to work with. Suppliers must meet various conditions which include (but not limited to):

• Products must be retail ready

• Delivery must be made on pallets

• The supplier must be able to supply 250 shops

• The supplier must hold the HACCP, SALSA and BRC certificates

Moreover, the enterprise has joined forces with Verilocation Tracking Solutions for its delivery fleet. Through Verilocation’s CCTV camera systems, Heron Foods gets access to the live feed of the traffic office. It is also able to monitor the temperature of every refrigerated vehicle hence ensuring the temperature points are maintained. The company operates a warehouse of 270000 sq.ft.  

Heron Foods supports various charities like Teenage Cancer Trust, Daisy Appeal, Macmillan Cancer Support  and has raised money for them through different fundraising campaigns and events. 

Rema 1000 is a supermarket chain which was established in 1979 by Odd Reitan. Headquartered in Norway, 

Rema 1000 has 868 supermarkets offering over 2500 references. 

The company is owned by Reitangruppen and is a leading grocery chain. It is also the only business in Norway’s grocery sector to operate a pure franchising model.  Rema 1000 is also present in Denmark. 

Furthermore, the firm also offers its goods through its app, Æ. 

In order to increase productivity in its business, the firm entered into partnership with Symphony Gold which is a provider of software and services for retailers, wholesalers and manufacturers. Furthermore, in collaboration with Sopra Steria, it uses the Now Platform to facilitate administrative tasks. 

Currently, Rema 1000 has a workforce of around 20,250 people and achieved a turnover of € 7.5 billion in 2020. 

In 2020, the business won the prestigious Good Chicken Award from the organisation Compassion in World Farming. In 2018, Rema 1000 was ranked among the best in the world in climate management by CDP. 

The retailer offers products under the following categories:

• Sweet Grocery: cookies, chocolates, candies, etc
• Savory Grocery: biscuits, pasta, sauce, etc
• Frozen Food: salmon, chicken, meat, etc
• Chilled & Fresh Food: fruits, vegetables, and many more 
• Dairy: yoghurt, eggs, milkshakes, etc
• Drinks: soft drinks, juice, and others 
• Personal Care: soap, cream, lotion, etc

The company also offers its private label range which include (but is not limited to): 

• Rema 1000: provides a vast assortment of different products. This is also the core brand sold at Rema 1000 stores. 
• Solvinge: offers a range of poultry products
• Kolonihagen: offers a wide range of organic products. Moreover, under this brand, Rema 1000 launched Norway's first animal protection labeled eggs. 
• Middag under 100 Lappen: offers ready-made dishes as well as vegetables, accessories and sauces.

A line of vegan and organic products is also offered. These include brands such as Plantego's, Naturli, The Vegan Bear, etc. Rema 1000 also launched Norway's first series of frozen vegan ready meals in collaboration with the brand Grönt . 

Additionally,  all products available at REMA 1000 are free of microplastic and of palm oil.

The suppliers of Rema 1000 are obliged to follow several regulations that are demanded by the company. These include a number of guidelines such as pertaining to the use of additives and genetically modified products, STAND, HSE and IK-mat, return and recycling of packaging waste, etc. 

Pertaining to logistics, the company operates a railway facility to conduct its deliveries. The retailer tries its best to reduce CO2 emissions and therefore the use of trains has augmented. The business has 6 distribution centres and 12 regional offices.  

Rema 1000 moves towards a sustainable business by introducing stores with LED lighting, solar cells and recyclable rockwool in the wall panels hence developing a better work environment. Furthermore, it also indulges in sustainable measures such as using packaging made of Green Plastic.

With regards to the community, the company supports and contributes to projects aimed at developing local communities in Kenya.

Billa is a supermarket chain found in Austria and was acquired by REWE group in 1996. The first store was opened in 1953 in the format of a discount perfumery chain and by 1960, 45 branches were already established. The founder Karl Wlaschek decided to expand its activities in the food sector and the banner Billa was created. 

The company operates more than 1,100 supermarkets across the country and an online shop as well. 

In the financial year 2020, Billa Austria achieved a turnover of € 6.37 billion. Moreover, the company’s online sales in the food & personal care category is ranked 6th with € 9 million. Currently, the firm employs more than 20,000 people.   

Furthermore, Billa Austria received the Excellence in Brand strategy and creation Brand Innovation and New Business Models award by the German Brand Award in 2021. 

The retailer offers around 9,000 references with a wide range of both international and own brand products, focusing mainly on regional and natural products from Austria. Presently Billa provides over 1100 organic products. The product categories include:

• Savoury Grocery: sauces, rice noodles, pasta, etc.
• Sweet Grocery: biscuits, chocolate, cookies, tea, etc.
• Chilled & Fresh Food: charcuterie, sandwich, ready-meal, etc.
• Frozen Food: ice-cream, ready-meal, dessert, etc.
• Dairy: cheese, butter, yoghurt, etc.
• Drinks: water, soft drinks, juices, etc. 
• Wine & spirits: beers, wines, champagnes, etc. 
• Personal Care: hair care, skincare, oral care, etc. 
• Household: cleaner, cleaning supplies, laundry care, etc.

Furthermore, in order to cater for consumers with specific food needs, the retailer provides a range of bio and organic products. Some of the brands available are Mills, Cif, Dr. Oetker, Milka, Barilla, etc.

Billa Austria developed its own brands under the following names (non-exhaustive list):

• Billa: This brand offers over 600 SKUs encompassing almost all product categories.
• Simply Good: It includes products such as pasta, salads, vegetables, etc.
• Chef Menu: Italian products such as lasagnas, pancakes, soups, etc… are sold under this brand.
• Clever: This brand covers products such as drinks, detergents, shampoos, etc.
• Hofstadter: The assortment ranges from pork, beef, chicken, etc.
• Vega Vita: The line includes products such as yoghurts and ice cream.

Furthermore, the business maintains the highest quality standards as it possesses certifications such as UTZ, FairTrade, MSC, ASC, V Label, etc. 

Pertaining to its logistics solutions, the retailer operates its own fulfilment centre and has partnered with Muller Frisch company to deliver fresh fruits and vegetables daily to its branches. Besides, Billa Austria joined forces with the B2C parcel logistics specialist, DHL, for customers to pick up or send their parcels in one of the 700 new parcel shops.   

In 2020, the company naturalised exotic products in its shops as it wanted to promote agricultural products that do not originally come from Austria. 

Concerning sustainability, the firm is continuously working towards reducing its food and plastic waste. 

Billa Austria’s online shop can be accessed on: www.billa.at

Compass France is a subsidiary of Compass Group and is based in France . Compass Group started operating Compass France in 1999 after the acquisition of Euronest, SHRM and Azuelos group.

Compass France has emerged as one of the biggest foodservice wholesalers of the mass catering industry in the country. The company works with the private and public sectors around 4 divisions, namely:

• Hospital Cafeterias
• Education
• Event catering
• Catering for companies

The firm achieved a turnover of € 1139 million in 2019, indicating an increase of 1.06% in revenue compared to 2018. Compass France has a team of 13336 employees.

Compass France operates in the country through subsidiaries including (but not limited to):

• Euronest: the company was acquired by Compass Group in 1996 and operates in the administration sector
• SHRM: the business was taken over by Compass Group in 1996
• Azuelos Group: Compass Group acquired Azuelos Group in 1998
• Scolarest: The firm operates in the education sector
• Levy Restaurants: a business involved in event catering
• Regiself: a company that was acquired in 2002
• Caterine Restauration: Compass Group took over Caterine Restaurant, which owns several businesses in the HoReCa sector
• Set Meal: Set Meal was acquired in 2012

Established in 1989, Tus is a retail chain headquartered in Celje, Slovenia. 

The business operates 260 stores as well as an online platform.

It also offers an online drugstore.It employs almost 3,000 workers and its turnover for the financial year 2021 amounted to €630 million.   

It offers a variety of products under different categories such as:   

• Sweet grocery: cakes, biscuits, chocolate, etc.
• Savory grocery: pasta, spices, canned foods, etc.
• Drinks: juices, syrups, water, etc.
• Dairy: yogurt, milk, cheese, etc.
• Frozen food: ice cream, vegetables, meat, etc.
• Fresh and chilled: fresh chicken, pork and beef, prepared soups, etc.
• Personal care: baby products, body creams, shower gels, etc.
• Household: dishwashing liquids, laundry products, detergents, etc.

Tus sells its private label products under the brand ANA ROŠ AND TUŠ which consists of: popcorn, noodles, tomato sauce, etc. 

The company’s online shop can be accessed on: https://www.tus.si/

Rimi Baltic Latvia is a chain of general retail stores. In Latvia, Rimi Baltic operates 131 stores as well as an online shop. Rimi Baltic Latvia is owned by ICA Group.

Rimi Baltic Latvia operates the following banners:

• Rimi Hypermarkets
• RIMI Super
• Rimi Mini
• Rimi Express

Rimi Baltic Latvia achieved a turnover of € 775.2 million in 2018. The business’s turnover grew to 3% compared to 2017. 

It employs more than 1,000 employees. 

Rimi Baltic Latvia provides products in the following categories:

• Sweet Grocery: chocolates, tea, coffee, etc.
• Savory Grocery: pasta, snacks, canned food, etc.
• Dairy: cheese, milk, yoghurt, etc.
• Drinks: soft drinks, fruit juices
• Chilled & Fresh Food: fruits, ready-meals, vegetables, etc.
• Personal Care: skincare, hygiene, face care, etc.
• Household: detergents, fabric softeners, laundry care

Some of the brands available include Galbani, Ehrmann, Valdo, Aviko, Magnum, etc. 

Rimi Baltic Latvia also offers products under Rimi Baltic’s private labels which include:

• Rimi: high standard products at low prices.
• Selection by Rimi: Gourmet products
• Rimi Basic: daily grocery
• ICA: selection of items covering a wide range
• Mywear: clothes and personal care line

Rimi Blatic Latvia’s online shop can be found on www.rimi.lv

Founded in 2004, Rimi Baltic is a retailer and its headquarters is based in Riga, Latvia. It is a subsidiary of the Swedish group ICA. It operates three chains namely Rimi hypermarket, Rimi supermarket and Mini Rimi.

In order to expand its business, the company opened 81 stores in Estonia. Moreover, in the financial year 2016, it obtained a total revenue of 389 million euros and it has 2786 dedicated employees working towards the ultimate goal of the company.

Its product categories include:

• Sweet grocery (bread, sugar, chocolate crunch, etc...)
• Savoury grocery (pasta, oil, canned foods, etc...)
• Chilled and fresh (fruits & vegetables, marinated herring filet, grilled chicken, etc... )
• Dairy (butter, cheese, milk, etc...)
• Personal care (baby products, shoes & accessories, lingeries, etc...)
• Household (dishwashing detergents, paper towels, etc...)

Additionally, the firm’s private label are known as:

• Rimi - Under this brand, products such as pasta, chocolate crunch etc are sold.
• Selection by Rimi - Fruits, vegetables, olives, grains are available in this brand.
• Rimi Basic - Products such as bread, butter, salt etc are sold under this name.
• ICA - The products that can be found under this brand are laundry detergents, toilet paper etc
• Mywear - This brand includes baby clothing, women & men accessories.

The company has attained organic certification for its warehouses and also ISO 14001 certification (Environmental Management System). Its products are Fairtrade, UTZ and Rainforest Alliance certified. This shows that the firm is determined to  promote sustainability.

Rimi’s objective is to promote a healthy lifestyle to its customers and always wants to innovate new things in order to promote development.

Rimi Baltics is a chain of general retail stores operating in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. In Lithuania, the business operates a total of 58 stores. The retail chain is owned by ICA Gruppen. 

Rimi Baltics Lithuania has a market share of 7%. 

Rimi Baltics Lithuania operates under the following banners:

• Rimi Hyper
• Rimi Super
• Rimi Mini
• Rimi Express

Rimi Baltics Lithuania achieved a turnover of € 4.8 billion in 2019. 

Rimi Baltics Lithuania offers products in the following categories:

• Savoury Grocery: pasta, olive oil, italian sauces, etc.
• Sweet Grocery: chocolate crunch, bread, cereals, etc.
• Dairy: yoghurt, milk, cheese, etc.
• Chilled & Fresh Food: meat, pickled herring fillet, fruits & vegetables, etc.
• Household: detergents, cleaners, dishwashing products, etc.
• Personal Care: oral care, baby care and other personal care products

A wide variety of products are available under its own brands which are:

• Rimi: Under this brand, products such as pasta, chocolate crunch, cereals, etc,.. are sold.
• Selection by Rimi: Fruits, vegetables, olives, grains, etc,.. are available in this brand.
• Rimi Basic: Products such as bread, butter, salt, etc,.. are sold under this name.
• ICA: The products that can be found under this brand are laundry detergents, toilet paper, kitchen appliances, etc...
• Mywear: This brand includes baby clothing, women & men accessories.

Rimi is the only company in Lithuania bearing the BRC certificate for the storage and distribution of goods. Also, it is compulsory for manufacturers to possess the  BRC, ISO 22000, IFS certificates as the firm wants that 80% of its private label products should have quality certificates.

Rimi Baltics Lithuania’s online shop can be accessed on www.rimi.lt 

Founded in 1901 in the US by Charles R. Walgreen, Walgreens is a store chain specialised in the distribution of pharmaceutical and beauty products countrywide. The company gained popularity when it started selling prescription whiskey and it currently operates 9277 stores across the country and owns an online store as well as a mobile application. Walgreens has been a subsidiary of Walgreens Boots Alliance since 2014. 

Walgreens expanded over the years, acquiring the chain Happy Harry in 2006. The business has also ventured outside the US and bought 20 stores in Puerto Rico and in 2015, Walgreens also took over RiteAid which was its major competitor in the pharmaceutical business. 

Furthermore, Walgreens offers health services for 100 conditions practised by professionals such as dermatologists and many more. The firm provides online consultations as well.

Walgreens recently launched the new loyalty program, myWalgreens, which is designed to benefit customers and help local communities. The program has about 86 million active members as of August 2020.

8 million customers were reported to engage with Walgreens each day.

In 2020, Walgreens achieved a turnover of €356 million.

Moreover, Walgreens has been recognised as the 2nd largest pharmacy chain in the US.  In the retail pharmacy industry in the US, 72% of the Walgreens Boots Alliance’s sales are made in pharmacies. 

Walgreens won the Construction Buyer of the Year Award and the MBEIC Sharing Success Award. The firm is also one of the leading organizations that provide business opportunities for women.

The business offers a wide range of products in the following categories:

• Personal Care: skin care, hair care, fragrances, supplements, baby care, etc
• Household: candles, cleaners, laundry, etc

Brands such as Tide, Dove, Vera Wang and L'Oréal Paris collaborate with Walgreens. These are imported from France, UK, Switzerland and many more.

In addition, the company offers free delivery for orders exceeding €30.

Walgreens donates and supports several organisations to help people with cancer, reduce poverty and promote education.

Customers can purchase products on Walgreens’s online shop on www.walgreens.com

Sephora, a chain of cosmetics stores, was established in 1970 by Dominique Mandonnaud. Its headquarters is based in Boulogne Billancourt, France. It has operated as a subsidiary of LVMH since 1997. Sephora grew by acquiring 85 stores of the perfume chain, Marie-Jeanne Godard.

Moreover, the firm has expanded by opening 332 stores across the country and a total of 2700 stores in 35 countries worldwide as well as an online shop. 

Sephora offers services such as virtual beauty consultations, brow wax, online makeup classes as well as personal shoppers.

In 2020, Sephora achieved a turnover of €316 million. 

Sephora has been recognized by Forbes as one of America’s Best Employers in 2018, 2019, and 2020 and scored 100% on the Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equality Index.

Products under the personal care category such as makeup, perfumes, face care, shower gel, and hair accessories are available at Sephora.

Additionally, Sephora also supplies various vegan and organic products. Sephora has also announced that by the end of 2020, all the products from its Sephora Collection skincare line and its new foundations will be developed with more than 90% of natural ingredients.

Famous brands such as Dior, Chanel, Guerlain, Armani, Anastasia Beverly Hills and Azzaro, which are imported from Italy, USA, UK, etc, are available in all of Sephora’s outlets.

Its private label, known as Sephora Collection, features several products including makeup, skin care, accessories and many more.

Sephora has introduced a new system of tags, namely:

• Good for you: for products with 90% natural ingredients
• Good for vegan: for vegan products
• Good for recycling: for those items that can be recycled
• Good for a better planet: products with eco-friendly packaging

The business is also working on eliminating virgin plastic made out of petroleum from its packaging.

Sephora is part of Valuable 500, a global movement that is dedicated to include disabled people in businesses. 

The online shop can be found on www.sephora.com

Ikea Food Services France is part of IKEA, a chain of furniture stores based in Sweden. Ikea Food Services France englobes the food service activities of IKEA in France. The business specialises in Swedish specialties. 

In France, Ikea Food Services offers a varied menu including salads, wraps, vegetables, meatballs, desserts, etc. The business also offers breakfast options and options for children.

Some of the brands offered include Evian, Daim, Pepsi Cola, etc. 

UPDATES ON IKEA FOOD SERVICES FRANCE ON 21/08/2020

Ikea Food Services France started testing its food home delivery in Paris in 2019 and intends to provide the service in other countries in the future depending on the success of the project. A warehouse with a floor area of 5400 m2 which can cater for 1500 references is being used to provide this service. 

Countdown is known as a supermarket brand in New zealand having 18,000 collaborators and over 20,000 references. The supermarket chain serves over 2.5 million customers weekly.

Founded in 1929, the retail chain now has 184 supermarkets across New zealand providing ranges like:

• Drinks
• Chilled and fresh
• Grocery
• Personal care
• Dairy products
• Frozen
• Countdown

Countdown has 9 private labels:

• Countdown Value / Countdown Everyday / Countdown Finest - fresh products
• Woolworths Homebrand - low priced groceries
• Signature Range - daily grocery
• Woolworths Select / Signature Range Select - high-end grocery products
• Woolworths Naytura
• Woolworths Freefrom / Free From Gluten - grocery products dedicated to special dietary requirements
• Macro / Macro Free Range / Macro Organic - Grocery products derived from organic and free range source
• Woolworths Essentials - general items
• Gold - High-end speciality grocery products

MAF Carrefour represents Carrefour in the Middle East

Kruidvat is a personal care retail chain which was established in the Netherlands in 1975 by the de Rijcke family. The company was owned and managed by Kruidvat Holding until 2002 when the group was acquired by AS Watson which is now owned by CK Hutchison Holdings. 

Kruidvat operates about 970 stores in the Netherlands and an online shop. The firm operates subsidiaries in Belgium as well.

Kruidvat offers 12 500 references in the food and non-food categories.

Kruidvat launched the The Kruidvat Kinderdagverblijf Service (KKS) which supplies daycares with products from Kruidvat private labels.

Kruidvat was the second most popular online store in the Netherlands in 2018, resulting in a turnover of € 55 million.

Kruidvat won 'Chosen Private Label Product of the Year 2021' in 5 categories providing products such as Kruidvat Oh My Hair Gummies, Kruidvat Crème Hair Coloring No Ammonia, Kruidvat Lash Define Skinny Mascara, Kruidvat Natures Shampoo and Kruidvat Midpack Diapers in size 0, 1 and 2.

The company offers a wide variety of personal care products which include skincare, face care, hair care, oral care, baby care and more.

Kruidvat also provides vegan products.

Brands such as Nivea, Nestle, Dove and L’Oreal Paris can be found in Kruidvat stores. 

Kruidvat has also developed its private labels which consists of various high quality personal care products which are as follows:

• Kruidvat Solait: A range of sun protection lotions for adults and children
• Kruidvat Pro: a series of supplements
• Kruidvat Skin Science: a set of face care products
• Kruidvat Natures: a range of face care products using natural ingredients
• Kruidvat Originals: a range of face care, body care, oral care and supplements
• Kruidvat Moments of Me: a range of bath products

Kruidvat’s online shop can be accessed on www.kruidvat.nl

Konzum is a supermarket chain which was established in the year 1957 and is headquartered in Zagreb, Croatia. Konzum serves 500000 customers. The firm operates as a subsidiary of Fortenova Group based in Croatia.

Presently Konzum operates 615 stores under 3 formats:

• Konzum grocery store
• Konzum maxi format
• Super Konzum

Kozum marked history by launching the first Western European supermarket in the country. By 2004, Kozum had launched shops in all Croatian counties. 

In the financial year 2018, the company achieved a turnover of € 1.2 billion and currently employs 10000 people.

Konzum provides vast product ranges such as (non-exhaustive list):

• Frozen Food: fruits, vegetables, fish, seafood, pizza, ice-cream, etc. 
• Household: detergents, softeners, cleaning products, etc.
• Personal care: body care, face care, oral care, hygiene products, etc.
• Sweet Grocery: cookies, chocolates, candy, chewing gum, etc.
• Savory Grocery: chips, crackers, snacks, canned food, sauces, spices, etc.
• Dairy: milk, cheese, eggs, desserts, margarine, etc.

The company has developed its own brands under the following names (non-exhaustive list):

• Kplus: a brand with around 3000 references in all categories
• Adria Mare: a range of products such as canned seafood
• Bio Zone: a brand of organic grocery products
• Buddy: a range of pet food 
• Daisy: a brand of household goods
• Dentoral: a range of oral care products

The firm provides e-commerce facilities through Konzum klik which has 50000 users.

Konzum’s logistics distribution center consists of a 85000 m2 distribution center in Dugopolje.

Konzum’s online shop can be accessed on www.konzum.hr

UPDATES ON KONZUM CROATIA ON 10/02/2020

By the end of 2019, it was announced that Velpro-Centar Plus would be merged with Konzum Croatia.

UPDATES ON KONZUM CROATIA ON 02/03/2021

Konzum Croatia enjoyed a market share of 20 to 30 %.  The company was also recognised as one of the largest food donors in the country in 2019.

In 2020, Konzum Croatia partnered with the Croatian Ministry of Agriculture to support small local producers. As greengrocers closed down due to the Covid 19 pandemic, Konzum Croatia started to work with 200 small producers to provide its customers with fresh and local products. The aim is now to work with 4000 producers in Croatia. 

Named after Nosy Be located in Madagascar, Nocibe is a retailer of beauty products which was founded in 1984 in France by Daniel Vercamer and is owned by Douglas Holding since 2014. 

There are currently 30 000 references available in its stores, a network consisting of 392 beauty institutes, 610 stores, an online store as well as a mobile application.

Alongside its services, Nocibe provides a training program for its employees and a variety of beauty treatments are available in all its salons.

In 2020, Nocibe partnered with Spockee, a developer,  to create 2 live streaming services enabling customers to communicate directly with a sales assistant for a personalized service.

Moreover, the firm is a leader in the beauty products distribution with 15 million customers visiting the stores and over 60 million website visits per year.

In its financial year 2021/22. it achieved a turnover of €781.2 million and currently employs 20 000 people, including 4000 advisors. 

In 2021, Nocibe was awarded the Customer Excellence Award for the 5th consecutive year.

Nocibe offers several products in the following category:

 Personal Care: makeup, face care, body care and fragrances. 

Furthermore, more than 600 brands including Patyka, Nyx Professional Makeup, IT Cosmetics, Chanel, Dior, Guerlain and Lancome, collaborate with Nocibe.

The private label business goes by the name, Nocibe, which features around 1400 references such as masks, makeup, cleansing foam, body creams.

Nocibe has also donated around 15 000 hand creams to caregivers in France.

Its online shop can be accessed on www.nocibe.fr

Amazon launched in the UK in 1998 and is one of the leading e-commerce platforms in the country. Amazon UK is part of the American giant, Amazon, which is based in the USA. Its head office is located in London.

Just like Amazon USA, the UK subsidiary offers Amazon Prime which allows its members to benefit from exclusive deals such as fast delivery, access to specific products such as free e-books and movies at no extra cost. Amazon Prime Video has nearly 5.96 million subscribers countrywide.

It has a workforce of 75,000 employees. 

The business also runs a Fashion Photography Studio and a data centre.

Moreover, through the Amazon Academy, the firm has been able to help many SMEs(Small & Medium Enterprises) develop, thus creating thousands of job opportunities. 

In 2020, the company achieved a turnover of €22.41 billion, making it Amazon’s third biggest market.

Amazon UK offers products in various categories which include:

• Sweet Grocery: Chocolate, Confectionery, Biscuits, Cereals
• Savory Grocery: crisps, chips, rice, pulses, baby food
• Drinks: soft drinks, water, energy drinks, beer, wine, spirits
• Household: cleaners, air fresheners, dishwashing products, laundry products
• Personal Care: hair care, makeup, fragrances, nail care, skin care

Furthermore, the firm also offers gluten-free, vegan, dairy-free, sugar-free and organic products.

Brands available on Amazon UK’s platform include Doritos, Aptamil, Finish, Lays and many more. 

Amazon UK manages 9 fulfilment centres in England, Wales, Sotland, etc. Furthermore, the company has more than 16,000 Pickup Locations in the UK.

In addition, the business has been sponsoring several charities in the country as well.

Amazon UK’s online shopping platform can be accessed on www.amazon.co.uk

7-Eleven France is a liaison office for 7-Eleven in Japan. Japanese buyers purchase for their own market.

Inspired by explorer Christopher Columbus, the Columbus Café & Co is a French Espresso bar chain created in 1994 by Philippe Bloch and Ralph Hababou. This concept has been brought up to make the Espresso bar a comfy place of retreat where consumers will be able to enjoy quality time around a coffee and bakeries from Italian, French, and American influences.

The coffee chain specialises in hot & cold drinks (coffee, chocolate, tea, fruit juice), sandwiches (various options), wraps, bagels and American bakeries such as donuts, cookies, brownies and cheesecakes. Its flagship product is its muffin, made in 30 different tastes, which are sold in all of its Espresso bar. Consumers have the option to personalise their drinks, while opting from 4 different sizes of cups. The gourmet hot drinks (including the muffin) are made by the experienced barista and are also offered as ‘takeaway’.

To be noted that Columbus Café capsules are available in two ranges: espresso and gourmet at the supermarkets and the Columbus Café point of sales. The company’s network of franchise has grown fast with the development of 30 new stores opening each year across the world (Morocco, Qatar, Belgium , Kuwait , Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Abu Dhabi).

Founded in 1990 in Belgium by Alain Coumont, a chef who developed a passion for bread since childhood, Le Pain Quotidien is a chain of bakeries known for its variety of breakfast, lunch and dine-in options. The business also runs a catering service. Le Pain Quotidien’s headquarters is now based in New York, US. 

In Belgium, the first Le Pain Quotidien bakery is still in operation. Nowadays, the group has a total of 31 shops in the country. 

Le Pain Quotidien Belgium is known for using organic products in its various dishes and beverages. The company also offers a variety of salads, pastries, and coffee drinks.  

Le Pain Quotidien Belgium publishes its list of allergens present in each option on the menu, giving the customer the ability to choose what they will order based on any allergies they may have. 

Mezzo di pasta is a fast food chain of French origins, providing ready meals such as pastas, soups, desserts which can be consumed right away or at home. 

Since 2004, the fast food chain started to operate under the franchise system and is even present in:

• Travel stations
• Kioks
• Malls
• Suburbs
• Company restaurant

Indeed, its product assortment consists of:

• Pizzas
• Sandwiches
• Salads
• Drinks

The concept relies on a quick service, serving pastas with different sauces and put into an isotherm cup to hold its warmth longer.

Their product ranges include:

• Dairy
• Chilled and fresh
• Savory
• Drinks

Léon de Bruxelle is a restaurant chain specialised in serving fried mussels. Founded in 1893, the food service opened its first restaurant in 1989 and is owned by Groupe Léon Vanlancker.

Its menu takes inspiration from Belgian cuisine with a vast product assortment:

• Fish and chips
• Waffles
• Fresh salmon
• Salads
• Beers

Its other brands include:

Absolute taste is a catering company based in London. Its business activities includes:

• Gordon Ramsay Holdings (GRH)
• McLaren Group
• Private jets
• Cafés
• Restaurants
• Private parties catering

Absolute taste operates 4 types of cafés:

• The design café
• Dome café
• DetoxRetox
• Apron café

Moreover the operations are as follows:

• Events
• Venues
• Cafes & Restaurants
• Inflight private jets
• Performance sports

Compass Group entered Czech Republic in 1992 and has operations in both Czech Republic and Slovakia. The catering company serves around 130000 meals each day. 

In these 2 countries, Compass Group Czech Republic manages the following subsidiaries:

• Eurest: for corporate catering
• Appetera: for the restaurants
• Scolarest: for school meals

Furthermore, the caterer has developed several gastronomic projects such as (but not limited to):

• Grill Express: a live cooking show and restaurant with a barbecue concept. Customers can observe the chef as he cooks their meals.
• Mr.Wok: a restaurant concept with Asian meals and ingredients
• Pasta and Basta: this project concerns Italian dishes
• Red Rondon: healthy food is the theme and Red Rondon is known for its vegan and vegetarian options

Compass Group Czech Republic’s clients include schools, company canteens, restaurants, etc. The firm provides breakfasts as well as lunches and dinners. It also provides vending machines and collaborates with Starbucks and other coffee 

In 2019 Compass Group Czech Republic reached a turnover of € 58.9 million and it employed 2250 people. 

The caterer continues to develop new catering concepts for its customers. 

McDonald's is the biggest hamburger fast-food restaurants chain in the world, located in 119 countries with about 36.000 outlets. It is the first american company to open several restaurants in Romania. McDonald's has currently 67 outlets in 21 Romanian cities, receiving about 140.000 customers daily. 

Aramark is an American company that provides food service and uniforms to its various customers in different fields like education, healthcare, corrections, business, and leisure.

The company is based in Pennsylvania and was founded in 1959. It was Davre and Henry Davidson that created Aramark and today the company is the largest employer on the fortune 500 and has activities in North America along with 20 other countries.

In 2016 the service provider did a revenue of 14.415 billion dollars in 2016 with 265,500 employees.

Emirates Flight Catering UAE (EKFC) was established in 2003 by the Emirates Group. Its headquarters is based in Deira, Dubai. EKFC provides catering services to Emirates as well as to around 100 other airline companies.

The services that are provided by the food service are as follows:

• Airline Catering: In-flight catering services are provided to over 100 airlines worldwide and two of its catering units are found at Dubai International Airport.

• Airport F&B: Passengers of Emirates first and business class lounges are provided with food and beverages at Dubai International’s lobby.

• F&B Catering Solutions: FoodCraft is part of Emirates Flight Catering, providing catering services to cafeterias, private events, learning & development centres, etc. 

• VIP Private Jet Catering: catering services for private jets

• Linencraft: Linencraft forms part of the company and it provides laundry and cleaning services.

• Food Point: a food production facility that is based in Dubai and provides mealsfor airlines. 

EKFC employs 11000 people. 

EKFC has its own procurement team. The company works with innovative suppliers that can meet the standards of the group in relation to quality. The firm also supports SMEs.

Suppliers wishing to work for EKFC can apply for tenders online through the company’s platform.

Suppliers of Halal products must hold an ESMA certificate.

EKFC holds the following certificates: HACCP, ITCA, ISO 45001:2018, ISO 9001:2008, ISO 9000, ISO/IEC 17025:2005, etc.

UPDATES ON EKFC ON 28/05/2020

EKFC has launched a facility of 56 000 m2 in the UAE that will be providing meals for Emirates Airlines first class and business class.

EIPC  is a food service buying office which was founded in 2001 based in the UK. EIPC was launched by Subway Europe and is responsible for sourcing products for over 5400 Subway restaurants across Europe. 

EIPC  sources products from brands such as Sainsbury’s, Yum!, Brakes, etc. 

EIPC purchases products in large volume for the various Subway restaurants in Europe and ensures that everything is in line with Subway Europe’s standards. Suppliers should be able to provide products based on Subway Europe’s requirements. 

Once the supplier is approved by Subway Europe, EIPC enters into a partnership with the supplier, which enables investment on both sides over the term of the contract to supply.

Bidfood UK is an importer, wholesaler and distributor of ambient, chilled and frozen food products. It was founded in 1999 when the company acquired Booker Foodservice. The firm is part of Bidcorp. Bidfood UK also runs an online shop named Bidfood Direct. Its head office is situated in Slough, United Kingdom.

In 2015, Bidfood UK bought Cimandis, followed by the acquisition of Yarde Farm and an artisan ice cream company in 2016. Furthermore, the firm partnered with Enotria & Coe in 2018 and took possession of Elite Fine Foods in the successive year.

Bidfood UK operates 24 branches across the country from Worthing on the south coast to Oban in Scotland.

More than 18 000 references are available in the food and non-food categories.

Bidfood UK works with more than 45 000 clients countrywide including businesses in the horeca sector such as restaurants, schools, pubs, caterers, coffee shops, hotels, care homes, travel hubs and many more. Some examples are Midlands Partnership, The Royal Wolverhampton, Heart Of England, Subway, Swissport, David Lloyd Clubs, and many more.

An annual turnover of €2.4 billion is achieved by Bidfood UK and it was reported to employ roughly 6000 people.

Additionally, Bidfood UK won the Product Excellence Awards, 3 BFFF Gold Award and the Chef’s Choice Award.

Bidfood UK has a wide range of foods assortment in the following categories:

• Frozen Food: ice-cream, snacks, desserts, etc.
• Chilled & Fresh Food: seafood, chicken, salads, etc.
• Savory Grocery: oils, condiments, canned foods, sauces, etc
• Sweet Grocery: sugar, tea, coffee, etc. 
• Drinks: soft drinks, juice, energy drinks, wine, etc.
• Dairy: milk, eggs, cream, yoghurt, etc.
• Household: all purpose cleaners, candles, cleaning supplies, etc.

Moreover, Bidfood UK offers a wide range of protein alternatives, vegan, vegetarian, sugar-free, dairy-free, and gluten-free options.

Bidfood UK caters food for patients suffering from dysphagia in hospitals and care homes while taking IDSSI guidelines in consideration. 

Brands such as McCain, Napolina, Heinz, Casa De Mare and many others collaborate with Bidfood UK.

The company also owns several private labels which are as follows (not limited to):

• Essential Supplies: this brand has a wide range of products like foil and film, dishwashing chemicals, paper products, laundry powders, and cleaning chemicals – all at great prices.

• Premium Selection: is a selection range with over 100 carefully selected products using only the best ingredients to create an unrivalled range of products.

• Farmstead: has a great choice of meat selection with more than 300 fantastic products available to suit all meals occasion.

• Everyday Favorites: this brand consists of more than 600 products in the range including store cupboard cans, cooking sauces, frozen fish, frozen bakery, frozen desserts, frozen vegetables, potato products, individual and multi-portion ready meals and chilled dairy products.

• New4you: supplies a selection of chilled and fresh food.

• V Kitchen: offers a collection of vegan products.

Bidfood UK imports its goods from countries such as France, Belgium, Italy, Germany, Spain and several other countries.

Furthermore, Bidfood UK is certified by MSC, the Fairtrade Foundation and the Red Tractor.

All disposable products provided by Bidfood UK are made from recycled waste and are recyclable, compostable and biodegradable. 

Bidfood UK owns 4 regional distribution centres and operates its own fleet of distribution vehicles which offers home deliveries.

Concerning its social responsibility, Bidfood UK is a premier partner of the organisation NACC. In addition, the company supports 11 sustainable development goals including zero hunger, no poverty, gender equality and many more. Bidfood UK also funds LACA. Moreover, the firm aids several charities including The Springboard Charity, Hospitality Action, The Prince’s Trust and The One Foundation. Bidfood UK is also part of the Peas Please foundation.

Cojean is a french fast food chain which launched its first establishment in the UK in 2015. Nowadays, Cojean operates 3 restaurants in the country. Customers can also order online through the platform deliveroo. 

Cojean UK is known for its varied menu that features breakfast and lunch choices. The menu, far from from typical french cuisine, offers healthy options such as  juices, salads and detox soups using fresh as well as organic ingredients. Some of the dishes are influenced by Asian cuisine. The menu varies according to the season.

Furthermore, 40% of the menu is vegetarian. Cojean UK also features vegan and gluten-free options.

Cojean UK aims to reduce food wastage. Moreover the company has taken measures to use eco-friendly packages using recycled materials. 

Cojean UK donates 10% of its profits to the charity Nourrir Aimer Donner. 

Eat out is a subsidiary of Ibersol, a catering company having 665 restaurants among which 440 are owned while 225 are franchised.

With a presence of over 25 years, the company has developed its own brands which are as follows:

• Pans and company
• Ribs
• Santa maria
• Frescco
• Travel

The group has over 2100 collaborators in 2015 and in 2016, the company was acquired by Iberso group, following which Ibersol positioned itself as the first restaurant group in the Iberian peninsula having 716 restaurants.

Beaumarly is a french restaurants and hotels chain owned by Gilbert Costes and his two sons Thierry and Jean-Louis Costes. The company owns some famous outlets in Paris, such as le Café Costes, le Café Beaubourg, the prestigious hotel Amour, the hotel Thoumieux, le café Marly and other premium establishments in the French capital city. Beaumarly Group generated a turnover of €70M in 2014. 

Il Ristorante is widely known as a French restaurant chain under the ownership of Agapes Restauration Group. The first restaurant was created in Dijon in 2006 as a subsidiary of Pizza Pai. But with its immediate success, the shareholders decided to dissociate both food services.

There are 22 Il Ristorante restaurants in different regions across France that offer fine Italian cuisine. 

All the restaurants have a shop section where customers can purchase wines, Italian cheeses, cold cuts and delicatessen items. 

Furthermore, Il Ristorante also provides catering services. 

Il Ristorante is known for providing meals out of fresh ingredients. The dough is kneaded at the restaurants, guaranteeing that they’re indeed fresh. Most of the Italian ingredients are imported from Italy. 

Il Ristorante also offers products in the following categories in its shop section:

• Savory Grocery: olive oil, balsamic vinegar, pasta, etc. 
• Dairy: various types of cheeses
• Chilled & Fresh Food: cold cuts, charcuterie, pates, etc.
• Drinks: red wines, white wines, rose wines, etc. 

Some of the brands available include Brunello di Montalcino, Chianti, Bardolino Chiaretto, etc. 

The firmdirectly imports products such as oil, pasta and wine from Italy to its logistics platform situated in the North of France which is further distributed to its restaurants.

Regarding packaging, the company uses eco-friendly cardboard boxes and reusable plastic packages.

ExtenC, previously known as Geimex, is a retailer which was established in the year 1973 and is headquartered in Paris, France. The firm operates as a subsidiary of Casino Group, a French mass-retail group. 

ExtenC operates a chain of discount retail stores across the country. ExtenC has some activities in Africa, Middle East, Eastern Europe and in the West Indies.

In the financial year 2020, the firm achieved 228 million euros in terms of turnover. ExtenC has an entrepreneurial team of more than 20 people working towards the ultimate goal of the business. 

It is noteworthy that the retailer collaborates with suppliers who meet AFNOR NF V01-003 Standard for its Chilled perishable products, hence maintaining the highest quality standards. 

Pertaining to its logistics solutions, the business operates its own warehouse and has a fleet of vehicles to ensure deliveries. 

Casino Group signed an agreement with the Baud family for acquiring ExtenC which operates under the banner Leader Price internationally. Through this agreement, Casino Group is able to expand the Leader Price brand globally. ExtenC has the exclusive right of using the registered trademark Leader Price.  

Moreover, for Leader Price, ExtenC is currently looking for fresh products with optimised expiration dates. Leader Price is known for its high quality products at the lowest and unbeatable price. The firm is able to provide its customers low price products as it does not use aeroplanes for its supply chain solutions. 

ExtenC plans to switch its products to private label in the coming years. 

Costcutter Supermarkets is a chain of supermarkets under different banners and was established by Colin Graves in 1986. Based in the UK, the company  has operations in Ireland as well. Costcutter Supermarkets is actually a subsidiary of Bibby Line Group. Costcutter offers over 14000 references.

Over the years he company has expanded leading to its establishment in countries like:

• United Kingdom
• Ireland
• Poland
• Jersey
• Channel islands

Costcutter Supermarkets operates over 1550 stores in the UK.

Costcutter Supermarkets operates under the following banners:

• Costcutter
• Mace
• Supershop
• Simply Fresh

Costcutter Supermarkets reached a turnover of € 460 million in 2019. 

Moreover the group provides retailers brands they can work with. Working predominantly with independent retailers, costcutter group also provides its own brand under the name independent.

Moreover during the pandemic, Costcutter Supermarkets started offering around 2000 references from the brand Co-op. 

The logistical features for Costcutter supermarkets is handled by Bibby distribution.

Lidl, one of the leading retail chains in the world, launched in the US in 2017. The company is a subsidiary of Schwarz Group. Lidl US operates 94 stores and intends to launch 25 more shops in 2020. Lidl US is known for having a strong influence on its competition in the US market.

Lidl US has acquired 27 Best Market Supermarkets which will be converted to Lidl stores in the future.

Lidl US employs over 5000 people and is expected to reach a turnover of € 3.5 billion by 2020. 

The company was ranked as one of the Top 3 US supermarkets by Food & Wine magazine. 

The business offers products from the following categories:

• Savory Grocery: canned food, pet food, oil, spices, pasta, etc.

• Sweet Grocery: industrial pastries, breakfast cereals, coffee, tea, etc.

• Drinks: soft drinks, flavored water, juice, iced tea, etc.

• Dairy: cheese,  yoghurt, butter, cream, buttermilk, etc.

• Chilled & Fresh Food: charcuterie, meat, seafood, ready-meals, etc.

• Frozen Food: ice-cream, vegetables, seafood, meat, ready-meals, etc. 

• Personal Care: hair care, oral care, face care, baby care, etc.

• Household: laundry care, disinfectant, air freshener, cleaner, etc.

Some of the brands available include Emoji, Hannah, Captain, Heinz, Duke’s, French’s, etc. 

The company also offers products under its own label, Lidl Preferred Selection which features a range of ready-meals, industrial pastries, sauces, etc.

At present, Lidl US operates 3 warehouses and is investing in building a new warehouse of 925000 sq.ft in Georgia. 

The company maintains high quality standards. There are strict measures that are taken to ensure that all products available respect the necessary norms. Furthermore, the suppliers are audited by third-party professional quality and safety auditing firms.

The company is UTZ, NON-GMO, USDA, Fairtrade, MSC, Rainforest Alliance, True Source, RSPO, ASC and BAP certified.

Lidl US has also decided to offer cage-free eggs by 2025. The firm has been focussing on sourcing responsibly over the years.

Bidfood has been active on the Czech market since 1990. The firm is part of the food service holding Bidcorp Inc. Bidfood’s business activities include production, distribution and exportation.

At present,  Bidfood Czech Republic provides around 5000 references. In fact, 1500 of these references are produced in Czech Republic. 

The food service accounts for over 24000 HoReCa clients such as hotels, cafeterias, school canteens, etc. as well as 12000 retailers including retail chains, butchers, independent stores, etc.

In 2008, Bidfood Czech Republic launched its Grastrostudio where Czech chefs as well as foreign ones create unique menus which are introduced to customers. 

Bidfood Czech Republic employs 180 people and in 2020 achieved a turnover of € 22.96 million. 

Nowadays, Bidfood Czech Republic provides products in the following categories:

• Frozen Food: ice cream, ready-meals, seafood, etc.
• Chilled & Fresh Food: fruits, vegetables, pastries, cold cuts, etc.
• Dairy: cheese, yoghurt, milk, etc. 

There are also gluten-free and there are also Italian specialties. 

The company provides a wide range of products from Bidfood’s private labels. 

Bidfood Czech Republic is known for supporting various projects such as KU Young Chef 2020 and School Canteen Insprires. 

UPDATES ON BIDFOOD CZECH REPUBLIC ON 20/07/2021

In 20201, Bidfood Czech Republic announced that it would stop offering disposable plastic dishes and cutlery in order to protect the environment.

The coffee shop company take its origins from Austria, specialised in coffee making. The food service is a subsidiary of the Scharf group and operates using the franchise systems as well as online. The company has activities around the world in countries like:

• Armenia
• Azerbaijan
• Bulgaria
• Germany
• Hungary
• Czech republic
• Slovakia
• Poland
• Turkey
• Morocco
• Egypt
• United States
• Russia
• Slovenia
• Croatia
• Macedonia
• Mexico

All shops provide a large product assortment including coffee, tea, chocolate delicacies. The company has expanded its activity range by providing its own beverage brand under the name Aqua Coffea. This particular brand also incline as a refreshment range having different flavours.

Other products available at the shops are:

• Sweets
• Muffins
• Brownies
• Cakes
• Bagels
• Wraps
• Focaccias

Robert’s coffee is a coffee chain shop where all sorts of coffee can be found as well as ice creams and other groceries. It first opened its doors in 

The product ranges available are:

• Drinks
• Sweet grocery
• Savory grocery
• Frozen

Yo sushi is a restaurant chain specialised in Sushi. The first restaurant was opened in 1997. Owned by Mayfair Equity Partners, Yo Sushi uses the Japanese style “kaiten” which is the conveyor belt method to deliver the sushi to customers.

The sushi are prepared in front of the customers and the restaurant proposes various sushi types as well as other Japanese foods.

Vegan can also be found on their menu. In fact there are 29 vegetarian dishes and 16 vegan meals.

Founded in 2012, Pret A Manger is a food service based in France. The chain is owned by JAB Holding. Pret A Manger France is well-known for its freshly prepared meals. 

Presently, the company operates 45 stores in the country. Furthermore, Pret A Manger also offers a delivery service through its online platform. 

It is noteworthy that 20% of its products are different to what Pret A manger UK sells. In fact, other Pret A Manger stores outside France have introduced some of these French products in their own country. 

In 2020, the firm achieved a turnover of €28.6 million and employed 623 people. 

The food service offers a wide range of products under the following categories: 

• Savoury Grocery: snacks and crisps.
• Sweet Grocery: chocolates, biscuits, coffee, etc. 
• Chilled & Fresh Food: soup, salad, sandwiches, etc. 
• Drinks: fruit juice, water, soft drinks, etc. 

Moreover, the business offers a line of organic and vegetarian products as well. Its menu changes regularly depending on the availability of fresh seasonal ingredients. In addition, the restaurant chain works mostly with local suppliers to expand its product categories. 

Additionally, the firm partnered with Deliveroo to take care of its deliveries. 

Pret A Manger is also engaged in community service as all fresh and unsold products are donated to charities and the homeless at the end of each day. 

Currently, the buying team of the organisation is interested in products to develop its private label. Furthermore, it is also looking to develop its breakfast and hot meals options. Besides, the company is focusing on innovative recipes in order to stand out from its competitors on the French market.  

Furthermore, Pret A Manger is concerned about the use of eco-friendly packaging and wishes to work with suppliers that use recycled materials such as glass. In fact, the business has introduced reusable mugs and bottles which can be purchased in all its stores. 

The company’s online platform can be accessed on: https://click.pretamanger.fr/ 

Servair is a French airline catering business which was founded in 1971 and started operating in 1973 by catering onboard trains in France. Launched by Air France, the company became under the control of Gate Group in 2017 when the latter became the majority shareholder. 

The services are segmented into three divisions:

• In-flight services
• Airport services
• Complementary services

The detailing of the on-board services are as follows:

• Meal elaboration
• Preparation
• Layout
• Trays transportation

 Expanding its range of services, Servair provides:

• Cleaning of plane
• Preparation
• Press management
• On-board sales

Servair manages 36 catering units which supply more than 100 airlines in 19 countries. The company employs 10500 people and registered a turnover of € 900 million in 2018. 

In 1974, Servair started to cater for airline companies. In 1988, the company partnered with Flying Food Catering, entering the US market. 

In 1989, the company started operating its first establishment on the African continent in Gabon. 

In 1990, Servair signed an agreement with Nippon Airways, a Japanese airline company. Servair became the caterer for the airline company, offering Japanese meals to the airline company from its facility in Roissy Charles De Gaule, France. . 

During that same year, Servair entered the Duty free sector by launching a Duty Free shop in Dakar.

In 1995, Servair set up its first Asian unit in Macau.

By 2003, Servair launched its training centre, Servair Formation which is responsible for the training of its employees. 

Servair started a new service, Buy on Board. Passengers can purchase sandwiches, snacks and drinks during a flight. 

In 2009, Servair started operating Studio Culinaire Servair which gathers various Michelin-starred chefs who revolutionize meals in airline catering. 

In 2014, Servair partnered with Burger King with the aim of developing the brand in Kenya and West Africa. 

Servair is known for its focus on the African Airline Catering market. In fact, in 2018, the company launched a 2600m2 unit at Accra Airport which caters for 7 airlines, providing 2500 meals per day. 115 people work in this facility. 

Over the years, Servair felt the need to develop its own brand namely Air lounge café, at the same time partnering with several international brands.

In terms of food supplies, Air lounge café uses the logistic support of Servair. Presently, Air lounge café has approximately 41 locations around the world.

Recently Servair inaugurated Air lounge café in Reunion island, comprising of 1400 square meters as well as an Air lounge café & Burger king in Martinique island. 

Servair has obtained the ISO 9001 and ISO 22000 certificates. The company operates its own laboratory which analyses the microbiological quality of food items since 1976. Around 220000 analyses are carried out in order to ensure that all norms are respected.

Carrefour is a retailer which has been present in Morocco since the year 2009. Its headquarters is based in Casablanca, Morocco. The company is managed by Majid Al Futtaim and is currently one of Morocco’s leading businesses, offering a choice of more than 500,000 food and non-food products. 

Carrefour Morocco partnered with Label Vie and all stores under this partnership started operating under the banner Carrefour Market. The supermarkets Label’Vie were converted into Carrefour Market stores.

It operates 81 stores. 

Furthermore, it employs more than 250 employees. 

In addition, Label Vie and Carrefour hold a combined market share of around 20%. 

The company provides a wide assortment of products under the following categories:

• Sweet Grocery: biscuits, sugar, hot drinks, chocolate, sweets, industrial bread, pastries, etc.
• Savoury Grocery: spices, rice, pasta, pulses, pet food, crisps, nuts, snacks, etc.
• Frozen Food: desserts, ice cream, fish, fruits, vegetables, meat, ready meals, etc.
• Chilled & Fresh Food: a range of charcuterie.
• Dairy: yoghurt, cheese, milk, cream, butter, margarine, etc.
• Drinks: juices, water, syrup, etc
• Wine & Spirits: wine, spirits, beers, etc.
• Personal Care: hair care, supplements, hygiene, makeup, skincare, oral care, baby care, fragrances, etc.
• Household: cleaners, air fresheners, laundry care, dishwash, shoe care, etc.

In addition, the firm offers solutions for consumers with specific food needs such as dairy-free and meat-free products. 

Brands such as Nesquik, OMO, Nivea, Dettol, etc are endorsed by the firm. 

Moreover, customers can choose from a vast range of private label products such as:

• Carrefour: This brand is dedicated to almost all product categories.
• Carrefour bio: A range of bio products available in almost all product categories. 
• Twimen: Under this brand, products such as juice, condiments, detergents, etc, are sold. It is the cheapest brand which guarantees lowest prices in basic products. 

Additionally, the firm maintains the highest quality standards as it possesses certifications such as ONSSA and ISO 9001. 

With regards to its logistics solutions, the company partnered with Glovo, an on-demand courier service to conduct its deliveries. 

Concerning sustainability, Carrefour Morocco collaborated with Searious Business in order to combat the issue of plastic pollution in the country. This project aims to collect around 26 million plastic bottles annually. 

Founded in 2001, EIPC (European Independent Purchasing Company) is a non profit making company owned by Subway franchises in Europe. It manages the purchases of the 5000+ Subway shops in Europe. It also provides services in the area of quality control, maintenance, insurance, utilities, merchant services waste management and more for the fast food chain. 

The organization has delivered over €229M of benefit to European Subway franchises. They only work with suppliers able to supply the products, packaging services to SUBWAY Franchisees across Europe in the volumes required, to the exact specification dictated by Subway, and with the ultimate approval of the company.  Once the approval process is complete, EIPC enters into a partnership with the supplier, which enables investment on both sides over the term of the contract to supply.

Being one of the fastest growing submarine sandwich chain, Subway is present in 44000 countries across the world, including 5000 in Europe. All the products in Subway restaurants are specified and monitored  by the franchisor.

It is the IPC Europe's role to make sure that the products that reaches to the the restaurants are approved products and services they need to run their business, at the best price for the quality required.

Bidfood Netherlands is an online wholesaler which was established in 1949. The firm operates as a subsidiary of the food service company, Bidcorp. Bidfood Netherlands focuses on the wholesale distribution of quality products across the Netherlands. It is headquartered in Ede.

Bidfood Netherlands provides over 50 000 references in the food and non-food categories.

Bidfood Netherlands has 13 pick-up locations countrywide including Amsterdam, Drachten, Geleen, Emmen, Meppel, Tilburg, etc.

Bidfood Netherlands also helps its customers promote their businesses by offering menu calculations, preparation sheets to train employees, and marketing advice.

Furthermore, Bidfood Netherlands launched ChapChap: a platform where business owners can learn how to interact with their customers in a more beneficial way. 

Bidfood Netherlands attracts 25 000 customers in its business. The company’s clients consist mainly of businesses in the HoReCa sector and healthcare centres. Some examples are hotels, restaurants, cafeterias, canteens, etc.

In 2020, Bidfood Netherlands achieved a total turnover of € 549 million and had a team of 1643 employees.

Bidfood Netherlands is known as one of the largest B2B webshops in the Netherlands.

Bidfood Netherlands provides various products in the following categories:

• Frozen Food: ice-cream, snacks, desserts, etc.
• Chilled & Fresh Food: seafood, chicken, salads, etc.
• Savory Grocery: oils, condiments, canned foods, sauces, etc
• Sweet Grocery: sugar, tea, coffee, etc. 
• Drinks: soft drinks, juice, energy drinks, wine, etc.
• Dairy: milk, eggs, cream, yoghurt, etc.
• Household: all purpose cleaners, candles, cleaning supplies, etc.

Bidfood Netherlands offers more than 3700 organic, gluten-free, lactose-free, halal and vegan options.

Products provided by Bidfood Netherlands are MSC, ASC, UTZ and organic certified.

Bidfood Netherlands distributes brands such as Aquarius, Boiron, Evian, Honig and many more.

Bidfood Netherlands is the exclusive distributor for brands such as Koh Pen, Frosted, Hollandsch Rijk, Dairy Life, etc. 

Bidfood Netherlands works with approximately 400 suppliers in order to fulfill the requirements of its customers.

Bidfood Netherlands runs its private label under the following name:

• Bravour Essentials: offers biscuits and several others. 
• Bravour Premium: provides fat liquid, steak, ready-made meals, etc.
• Bravour Free From: offers products free from certain properties.
• Bravour Green Chef: offers meat substitutes items.
• Pro Smart Choice: provides napkins, disposables, gloves, etc.
• Smart Choice For Smart Chefs: offers products in large quantities such as syrups, juice, ham, etc.

Bidfood Netherlands recycles its residual waste and is reducing its CO2 emissions to help the environment. The company also uses reusable and recyclable packaging.

Bidfood Netherlands operates 17 distribution centers in the Netherlands. Regarding the logistics solutions, the company operates a fleet of 375 trucks in order to conduct deliveries. 

Bidfood Netherlands's online shop can be found on www.bidfood.nl

Jean Coutu Group is a chain of drugstores based in Canada founded in 1969 by Jean Coutu and Louis Michaud. Jean Coutu Group operates its own stores and also is a franchisor. The company has also expanded in the US. The company was acquired by Metro Inc in 2018.

The drugstore chain is the 3rd leading retailer and distributor in pharmaceuticals in North America. 

Jean Coutu Group acquired several companies such as Clautier Pharmacy, Douglas Drugstores and Rite Aid Drugstores. 

At present, Jean Coutu Group operates over 2200 stores under the following banners:

• Jean Coutu
• PJC Clinique
• PJC Sante

Each year, Jean Coutu Group makes an turnover of € 686.7 million. There are 2000 people working for the business, including 1350 in Canada. The company has been recognised as one of Canada’s Most Respectable Corporations. 

In regards to the logistics, Jean Coutu Group operates 2 distribution centres. 

Recently Jean Coutu Group has donated € 41574 to Brunswick United Ways to help the organisation in its efforts to help local communities during the Covid 19 pandemic.

Coles is a retailer which has been established in the year 1914 by George Coles and is headquartered in Hawthorn East, Melbourne, Australia. The firm operates more than 2500 department stores across Australia and also has an online store. Coles serves around 21 million customers each week. 

Coles employs over 113000 people and achieved a turnover of €23.4 billion in 2019 which can be retributed under the 3 main business areas as follows:

• Coles Supermarket chain reached a turnover of nearly €19 billion 

• The Liquor business achieved a turnover of €1.9 billion 

• Coles Express attained a turnover of € 1.2 billion

In addition to the Coles supermarket chain comprising of around 800 supermarkets, the company also manages around 700 Liquorland stores, 95 First Choice Liquor stores, 81 Vintage Cellar stores ,24 First Choice Liquor Market outlets in the Liquor business. Coles also manages 685 Cole Express stores. The firm also operates an online shopping platform. 

The retailer provides a wide assortment of goods under the following categories:

• Chilled & fresh food: fruits & vegetables, delicatessens, soups

• Frozen food: pizza, mixed vegetables, meat

• Savory grocery: oil, pasta, canned goods

• Sweet grocery: jams, cookies, chocolates

• Dairy: yoghurt, pure cream, custard

• Drinks: energy drinks, soft drinks, alcohol

• Personal care: tampons, shampoo, baby wipes

• Household: toilet paper, kitchen towel, detergents

• Bazar: batteries, stationery, cigarettes

Furthermore, the firm has its own brands which are listed below:

• Coles Smart Buy - The products that are sold under this brand are dog food, corn flakes, chicken nuggets, etc…

• Coles Finest - Under this brand, products such as fruit pies, lamb, pork, etc,.. are available.

• Coles Green Choice - Detergents are the specialty of the brand.

• Coles Organic - Its products include flour, baked beans, full cream milk, etc…

• Coles Simply Less - Under this brand line, products such as oat bars, ice cream, custard, etc,.. are sold.

• Coles Simply Gluten Free - Pancakes, biscuits, corn flakes, etc,.. are available in this brand.

• Mix Clothing - Under this line, women and children’s clothing are available.

In addition to operating in the retail market, Coles has also ventured in other sectors. Coles Financial Services offers insurance, credit cards and personal loans to Australian people. 

The firm also owns Spirit Hotels, a chain of hotels situated in various parts of the country.

The objective of the company is to be sustainable. For its own brands of products, the firm has set up a specific criteria by which suppliers must abide to. Furthermore, for its brands of meat, poultry and dairy, Cole works with Australian suppliers. There are around 1900 healthy products under the company’s various brands.

Additionally, the distribution center of Coles is situated in Perth and has facilities such as temperature controlled vehicles.

The firm is certified by RSPO, UTZ, Fairtrade, Rainforest Alliance, RSPCA , MSC and ASC

Tiniloo is a French company specialized in selling boxes of baby care products online, through a monthly subscription system. The firm was founded by Caroline Sicot and Marie Lemoine in 2012. Every month, each subscriber receives some products dedicated to mothers and their children : from mothers-to-be until the child is 9 years old.

The objective of Tiniloo is to simplify the life of future parents and it does so by offering 3 types of boxes:

• The Box for Future Moms
• The Box for children from 0 to 36 Months
• The Creative Box for children from 3 to 9 years old

Each box provided by Tiniloo contains on average more than €40 of products. 

Moreover, all products are personalized according to the age of the child.

Deliveries can be done in 2 ways which are as follows:

• Colieco: allows Tiniloo to provide clients with its boxes at the best price. Delivery takes 5-10 days without a tracking number.
• Colissimo: allows customers to benefit from a tracking number and orders are delivered within 48 hours.

Tiniloo can be accessed on www.tiniloo.com

Established in 1924, Spinneys is a retail group headquartered in Maadi, Egypt. Its first store in Egypt was opened in 2006.

It operates 19 stores as well as an online shop. 

The company employs more than 1,000 workers and achieves a turnover of €257.3 million.

Spinneys Egypt offers products in the following categories: 

• Frozen: ice cream, vegetables, ready-meals, etc.
• Chilled & Fresh: charcuterie, cold cuts, fruits, etc.
• Savory Grocery: spices, canned food, rice,etc.
• Sweet Grocery: cereals, jams, sugar, etc.
• Drinks: fruit juices, soft drinks, water, etc.
• Dairy: eggs, milk, cheese, etc.
• Household: dishwashing liquid, fabric softeners, detergents, etc.
• Personal Care: body care, oral care, hair care, etc.

It also offers organic products such as: lentils, juice, butter, baked beans, shampoo and many more. 

The business represents brands such as:

• Biotalia(a wide range of bio products): juice, beans, butter, etc.
• Avanti: a wide range of cheese
• Atyab: frozen crispy chicken, nuggets, crispy strips, etc.

In addition, Spinneys provides a wide assortment of goods under its private label which are listed below:

• Spinneys: duck, facial tissues, lamb cutlets, etc.
• Spinneys Supreme: salt, aluminum foil, fabric freshener, etc.

In 2019, Spinneys Egypt was acquired by Investec Asset Management.  

The firm’s online shop can be accessed on www.spinneys-egypt.com

Metro cash & carry established its presence in Japan in the year 2000 and the head office settled in Tokyo. The company operates as a subsidiary of Metro AG. The firm operates 10 metro stores in the Tokyo area. In an effort to further increase sales, METRO Cash & Carry Japan has developed what is known as the multi-specialist approach.  

The products can be classified under the following categories:

• Frozen
• Sweet grocery
• Savory grocery
• Dairy
• Drinks
• Household

Metro offers their own brands under the following names:

• Rioba - Under this brand, products such as coffee, soda, cocktail, etc,.. are sold.
• Aro - In this line, products such as flour, olive oil, tea, etc,.. are available.
• Metro Chef - This brand consists of meat, bread crumbs, flour, etc…
• Metro professional - Kitchen equipments are sold under this name.
• H.Line - This line is dedicated to tablewares which are used in restaurants.
• Fine food - Condiments are sold under this brand.
• Sigma - Under this brand, office supplies are sold.

In terms of logistics, the company offers delivery solutions to their customers at the required location. The firm ensures low temperature transport for chilled and frozen products.

BIM Egypt is engaged in operating retail stores through its retail shops throughout Egypt, which sell an assortment of 600 products, including a number of private labels.

Its products categories include:

• Sweet grocery (cookies, chocolates, cereals, etc...)
• Savory grocery (salty snacks, oil, canned food, etc...)
• Frozen (fish fingers, chicken, fish, etc...)
• Dairy (butter, cheese, yoghurt, etc...)
• Drinks (soft drinks, juices, etc…)
• Household (detergents, toilet papers, kitchen appliances, etc…)
• Personal Care (diapers, shampoo, body lotion, etc…)

High quality and low prices constitute the basic criteria for defining the product portfolio at BİM. The products offered at the stores are carefully selected to meet the daily basic needs of a household. The BİM family has adopted a detailed and precise working method for selecting and pricing these products. There are 600 products available in-stores, a model which remains in line with the “hard discount” concept. Changes in customer habits and behaviors are reflected in the introduction of new products.

Founded in 1993, Evroopt Belarus is a retail chain company, headquartered in Minsk, Belarus. The company is a subsidiary of Eurotorg Holding PLC. 

By the end of 2021, there were more than 1,000 Evroopt stores in all regions of Belarus. The network “Evroopt” has more than 600 retail facilities. It provides an online application that caters for purchases through all Evroopt stores across the country. 

The business offers a variety of products under different categories: 

• Savory grocery: pasta, macaroni, rice, etc.
• Sweet grocery: chewing gum, candy, waffles, etc. 
• Fresh and chilled: Fruits, fish, sushi, etc.
• Frozen: Meat, vegetables, ready-made pizzas, etc.
• Dairy: Milk, butter, yogurt, etc.
• Drinks: Soft drinks, juice, water, etc.
• Household: Detergents, kitchen towels, toilet paper, etc.
• Personal care: Conditioner, shampoo, face wash, etc.
• Wine and spirits: Whiskey, Beer, Wine, etc.  

The company has a segment of its own production and involves brands such as: Sushi yammy, bisconti, brown’s bakery and many more. 

The product categories of its own production varies as follows: 

• Fresh and chilled products: ready-made pizzas, sushi, bakery products, etc. 
• Frozen: Pizzas, meat, sausages, etc. 

Evroopt also sells fresh products from farmers such as: rabbit, beef, pork turkey, semi finished kebabs and many more. 

The retail chain is focused on products without flavor enhancers or antibiotics. 

In September 2022, Evroopt held a charity event by the beginning of the academic year and always brings gifts at least three times a year. It offers the Bonus card E-plus to provide customers with bonuses after purchases.

Established in 1996, Anglesey Food started as convenience stores and by 2001 they started to operate under the name korzinka.uz in Uzbekistan. The stores welcome around  10000 customers each day. 

A national brand with an extensive experience in food retailing and related products, Korzinka supermarket guarantees high quality.

There are many benefits to shop with Korzinka, they provide a wide variety of foods and non-foods daily specials and discounts, product samplings in store.

Korzinka proposes a varied selection of branded products, thus encouraging customers to shop in their stores through their loyalty program.

Korzinka operates 52 stores under 2 banners in Uzbekistan:

Korzinka stores

Korzinka stores especially focus on small wholesale shoppers. Their top priorities are to be the best in their area of ​​expertise. Korzinka.uz is a close-knit team and experienced qualified specialists.

Smart Stores

Smart are convenience stores designed to meet daily needs of the consumers in their area. 

UPDATES ON ANGLESEY FOOD ON 28/02/2020

For 2020, Anglesey Food is interested in brands providing products for the following categories:

• Savory Grocery: rice, pasta, oils, condiments, baby foods, etc.

• Drinks: carbonated soft drinks, soft drinks, water, juices, etc. 

Carrefour is a french store chain which reopened in 2015 and is planning to open 5 other hypermarkets by the end of 2018. Specialised in retailing, Carrefour was at first opened in 2006 in partnership with the group Arcofina before retiring.

Carrefour Algerie and its 4000 m² offer a customized food service, with several thousand items, a tasting area and services that simplify shopping. Fresh produce is particularly valued in a friendly atmosphere.

Carrefour’s ranges comprises of :

• Frozen
• Chilled and fresh
• Grocery
• Dairy
• Agri-food products
• Personal care
• Households

The selection, control and quality of products are subject to strict requirements. Food security remains a constant priority to guarantee customers shop with confidence. The non-food section meet the needs of everyday life: textile collections, small and large appliances, tableware, stationery, cultural goods and crafts.

A large area "market" run by true professionals offer a wide choice of quality fresh products: fruits and vegetables, traditional stalls of fish, meat and halal meats, rotisserie, catering area, bakery and pastry (made on site).

The supermarket chain has developed its private labels under the same name:

• Carrefour bio - natural and organic products
• Carrefour - product range for the whole family
• Carrefour no gluten - gluten-free range
• Selection carrefour - premium foods
• Carrefour viversano - chilled and fresh food
• Carrefour baby - baby food & products
• Carrefour kids - mothers and kids items (food & non-food)
• Tex - clothes line
• Tex home - home textiles and decorations

International brands are also available:

• Danone
• Ferrero
• Dylia
• Aroma
• Bonne maman
• Soummam

 Created in 2007 by the Cevital group Uno is the largest Algerian retail brand. Today it stands as the industry leader and provides 40000 SKUs both in food items and non food items as well as personal care products.

Uno will not be advantaged in the creation of private labels as most of the Algerians are satisfied with their local grocery shops. Only the new generations are interested in hypermarkets or supermarkets formats.

Still, Uno has managed to establish itself in the Algerian market with 13% market share. Moreover Uno works with suppliers who have the exclusivity of certain brands like :

• Procter & Gamble
• Unilever
• RB

 Today UNO is recognized as a retailer reputed for its quality of service and purchasing experience, its competitiveness and innovative offering, adapted to customer expectations.

A.S. Watson Benelux is a AS Watson group's subsidiary that handles the company's business in the Benelux union. The company is headquartered in UTRECHT, Netherlands.

Being in a fast moving sector like the retail sector, AS Watson Benelux adheres to its innovative side, with more than 17,000 references among which the different assortment are always changing.

A.S. Watson Benelux is the leader of the health & beauty market in the region and operates under 4 different banners:

• Kruidvat - The firm has been founded in the year 1975 and is headquartered in Renswoude, Netherlands. It is indeed the market leading drugstore in the Netherlands and is also famous in Belgium. The firm operates 170 stores in Belgium and overall operates over 1000 stores in both the countries. One can find an extensive range of health and beauty products and household items in the company. The firm attracts more than 3 million customers weekly.

• Prijsmepper - The company is part of the AS Watson group and runs their business across the Netherlands. In the stores, the firm does not provide a fixed assortment of products, instead the collection of goods can differ weekly.

• Trekpleister - The company is known as the second largest health & beauty brand in Netherlands operated by the AS Watson group. All the products can be found in over 180 stores in the Netherlands.

• ICI PARIS XL - The company established their presence in the year 1960 and operates over 280 stores in Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg.

AS Watson Benelux was reported to employ a total of 7882 people and achieved a turnover of €1.60 billion in 2019. 

AS Watson Benelux stores provide products in the personal care category as well as self-medication products, food supplements, toys, craft materials and textile products.

The company has a distribution center in Heteren where the orders are processed on a daily basis for the well functioning of the 1300 stores of Kruidvat and Trekpleister.

Interested suppliers should register for the A.S. Watson Ideas Day, which can be accessed here: www.kruidvat.nl/ideeendag

Landmark United Arab Emirates is managed by Landmark Group which is among the largest retail and hospitality organisations worldwidely. The initiation in the market of Bahrain was initiated with 1 store only.

The establishement of Landmark in the United Arab Emirates is as follows:

• Indeed the first store to open was that of a shoe mart in 1990.
• Following which the initiation was a success and Landmark decided to have more stores in different formats hence babyshop was opened the following year. Baby shop was created in 1992 in Muscat.
• In 1998 lifestyle store was opened in Fujairah. Lifestyle store deals with beauty and personal care products. Always on the innovative side, Landmark lauched itself in the hospitality sector by the opening of fun city.
• 2004 witnessed the opening of Max in Dubai dealing with clothes.
• In 2009 food mark was formed and in 2010 annonced that they will be having their own brand restaurant shortly.

At Landmark there are vast choice of brands available. Mostly world class brands are present among which can be found owned brands as well as franchised ones. Over 50 world class brands are available in their respective categories and they are as follows:

Retail

• babyshop
• splash
• shoe mart
• centrepoint
• iconic
• homecentre
• shoe express
• home box
• e max
• lifestyle
• easybuy
• spar

International brands

• new look
• reiss
• kazar
• ecco

Hospitality

• icare
• fitness first
• funville
• chi zen
• max burger

Malls

• oasis mall

Landmark's presence in the United Arab Emirates has been well established with its implementation in different sectors. This has enable the group to cement itself in different market segments and is on the verge to be even more successful.

Groupon Goods France is a leading e-commerce company and was launched in France in 2010. It is part of the US e-commerce company, Groupon. The online store allows the customers to purchase products and choose within a wide range of electronics, fashion, furnishings and much more. It operates a mobile application as well.

The firm also sells coupons for beauty treatments offered by different cosmetic companies and salons.

In 2018, Groupon Goods France achieved a turnover of € 3.75 million and employed 20 people.

Groupon provides products for its different product categories which include

• Sweet Grocery: chocolate bars, sweets, tea, etc. 
• Savory Grocery: sauces and many more.
• Drinks: beer, wine and many more.
• Dairy: a variety of cheeses.
• Personal Care: fragrances, oral care, face care, etc.
• Household: cleaning supplies, dishwash, cleaners, etc. 

Some of the brands offered by Groupon are Kit Kat, A La Folie, Oral B, Rhino, etc. 

Groupon France's e-commerce platform can be accessed on www.groupon.fr

SPAR Poland started in 1996 though the licence was acquired in 1995. Currently the country operates in around than 215 retail outlets marked with a distinctive green-and-red logo.

Furthermore, in 2021, the retailer opened a EUROSPAR Supermarket, which used to be a Piotr i Paweł outlet.

An online shop is also available on the website. 

Spar Poland achieves an annual turnover of around  € 237 million. Moreover, in 2020, the firm witnessed sales growth of 12%.

Various goods are offered under the following categories: 

• Sweet Grocery: sugar, pudding, jellies, etc
• Savoury Grocery: flour, spices, soups, etc
• Homecare: bleaches, detergents, washing liquids, etc
• Drinks: water, energy drinks, juices, etc
• Dairy: cheese, milk, eggs, etc
• Frozen Food: sausages, beef, poultry, etc
• Chilled & Fresh Food: fruits, vegetables, salads, etc
• Personal Care: cosmetics, hair care, body care, etc

Furthermore, a range of organic products are also available under Spar Natural brand, which includes gluten-free, lactose-free, vegetarian and vegan items. 

Brands such as Jacobs, Bobovita, Winiary, Lubella, etc, are endorsed by the company. 

A wide assortment of products is available under the company’s own brand, Spar. These include a wide range of goods such as grocery products, animal care, health care, etc. 

With regards to logistics, the company has a retail sales area of 93,003 sqm. Furthermore, a SPAR store in Poland has an average surface area of 243 sqm. 

With regards to the community, Spar Poland has been participating in many programs for the welfare of the community. These include events and charities as well as encouraging a healthy lifestyle. 

The online shop can be accessed at: www.e-spar.pl 

Othaim Markets is a retailer which was established in 1982 by Sheikh Saleh al-Othaim and is headquartered in Cairo, Egypt. The company is part of Abdullah Al-Othaim Markets.

Currently, the business operates a total of 46 stores across the country and has over 510, 000 loyal customers. 

In the financial year 2021, Othaim Markets Egypt achieved a turnover of €53.8 million. Moreover, its employee count ranges from 1,000 to 5,000 people. 

Moreover, Othaim Markets is keen on expanding and has established a new store in 2021.

The products categories available at Othaim Markets include:

• Savory Grocery
• Sweet Grocery
• Chilled & Fresh Food
• Dairy
• Frozen Food
• Personal Care
• Household 

Brands such as Nestle and many others collaborate with Othaim Markets.

The firm also owns several private labels which are as follows: (non-exhaustive list):

• Bonita
• Shiny Gold
• Rex
• Jodan 
• Shera
• Proof

It is important to note that Othaim Markets does not work with any French products.

Furthermore, the firm fulfills the requirements of its customers according to international quality standards.

In relation to the logistics solutions, the firm operates its own warehouses, equipped with the most modern dry and cold storage facilities, and fleet of vehicles hence ensuring the smooth running of the supply chain.