In our BRC-A and HALAL CORRECT certified production plants in Putten, The Netherlands we work with approximately 200 employees on cutting and production of chicken products. The products vary from approximately 250mt of fresh chicken breast fillets per week, to chicken wings, semi-finished products like Baader and MDM to frozen convenience products like Halal chicken burgers and fricandelles.

Gafoor Pure Halal was established in 1964 as a specialist supplier of high quality Halal poultry to local residents in the Preston area. A family owned business with traditional values, it has since grown to become one of the country’s best-known halal poultry brands. Today, Gafoor serves the entire UK halal poultry markets and deals with some of the country’s long established retailers, wholesalers, government departments and food processors.

Located in Belgium, Food n’Joy is a family business which manufactures food products of the highest quality. Our passion for food, novelty and innovation continually drives us to rethink our products and services. Curious and inventive, we look at developments and trends in our environment to swiftly and regularly adapt to these changes. We offer a working environment in which our employees can express their talent and develop their skills. Confidence, initiative, autonomy, fun, humor and conviviality: these are some of the values we endorse every day.

FROZEN FOOD SPECIALISTS OF STARTERS AND READY MEALS. MANUFACTURER ON THE MARKET OF PRIVATE LABEL FROZEN MEALS.

WE DEAL WITH RETAILERS, FREEZER CENTERS AND FOODSERVICE IN FRANCE AND ALLOVER EUROPE.

IFS AND BRC CERTIFICATIONS, WE MANAGE THE DEVELOPMENT OF PREMIUM RANGE PRODUCTS.

UNIGEL is one of the leading companies in Italy operating in the field of bakery and pastry. Specialized in frozen semifinished products, we can provide a full range for every need. From our birth, in 1989, we devote special attention to quality: carefully selected ingredients and traditional production systems offer unique taste to our products worthy of the best italian tradition. In our rich range we've highlighted some selections: sourdough croissant and butter croissant lines, extra virgin olive oil focaccias and pizzas, our new, inimitable, schiocco bread range and finally our latest QIC croissant range, ready in two minutes! In the year 2016 QIC range is enriched by the AperiQIC, innovative appetizers in two minutes on your table and Chocolate Vulcano delicious chocolate dessert with liquid chocolate heart, ready in 40 seconds!

Moy Park is a leading provider of fresh, locally farmed poultry in the UK and Ireland and is recognised as one of the largest producers of organic, free range and corn fed poultry in Europe. We supply leading retailers and foodservice providers throughout the UK, Ireland and Europe with a range of high-quality, fresh, coated and added value poultry products.

Bofrost is a German retailer that’s one of the leading European frozen specialists thanks to its home delivery concept. The group has activities in 13 countries with a fleet of over 5000 vehicles. A 24/7 order service and a cost-free delivery are two of the main elements that helped Bofrost* becoming the leading frozen pure player in Europe. In France, Bofrost* accounts 13 agencies and the company achieved 55M€ of sales revenue in 2015. 

Club Med is a chain of holiday resorts which was founded in 1950 by Gerard Blitz, a former water polo champion from Belgium. Club Med’s headquarters is based in France and has been owned by the Chinese company Fosun Group since 2015. 

Club Med began as a low-price summer colony in Majorca and the first official Club Med launched in 1954. The group expanded rapidly as from the 1960s following an investment by Baron Edmond de Rothchild.

Nowadays, Club Med is known as a luxury holiday chain of resorts with exclusive luxury villas.  The company operates 65 resorts in 26 countries across the world. Club Med’s occupancy rate is around 90%. It is reported that Club Med serves about 1 million customers annually. 

In 2020, Club Med registered a turnover of €485 million and there are 20 333 people employed by the hotel chain.

Club Med sources products in the following categories:

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

Club Med has a Purchasing & Logistics department which consists of a team of 60 people working in 10 countries sourcing products for . The Purchasing & Logistics department is responsible for:

• Sourcing suppliers for Club Med’s various hotels
• Managing tender offers, managing, selecting and finalizing agreements
• Secure the procurement
• Build long-term relationships with suppliers
• Ensure that all suppliers comply to Club Med’s sustainable purchasing charter 

Club Med has been working  towards transforming all its resorts into sustainable ones. 80% of the resorts are Green Globe certified. The business ensures that the environment is protected. 

Club Med has been taking various measures to stop using plastic. In 2020, plastic bottles were replaced by other eco-friendly bottles like glass bottles and other recyclable options.

The company has been working on ways to reduce food waste. Some of the measures implemented was the careful management of its stock, training its employees and educating its clients on the dangers of food waste. 

Club Med also operates the Club Med Foundation whereby employees volunteer across the world to help various communities through different projects such as sports and educational projects for children. 

Incorporated in 1912, Passion Froid is a wholesaler which specializes in frozen products. Its headquarters is based in Tenine, Antony, France.

With regards to its distribution channels, it operates 76 distribution sites. 

Its turnover amounts to €496.8 million and it employs more than 2,000 employees. 

Moreover, the business offers more than 4,500 references and also introduces over 100 new products per year.

PassionFroid provides a selection of products in the following categories:

• Savory grocery: pie, bread, sandwiches, etc.
• Sweet grocery: chocolate, cakes, pie, etc.
• Frozen: beef, lamb, pork, etc.
• Fresh and chilled: salad dressing, mayonnaise, jam, etc.
• Dairy: milk, cheese, yogurt, etc.

Moreover, it works with suppliers such as:

• Cooperl: pig meat. 
• Zini: pasta.
• Lactel: milk and yogurt.
• Soignon: goat cheese. 

The company has developed its private labels including:

• Le boucher du chef: fresh meat. 
• Beaufort: a range of raw fish. 
• La grande charcuterie: charcuterie products. 

It is noteworthy that its products are sold to at least 11,007 customers daily. 

Concerning its logistics, Passion Froid delivers its products via 76 bi-temperature vehicles with the help of 1,077 drivers.

KFC France is owned by Yum! Brands. KFC started to operate in France in 1991 and now runs 267 restaurants in the country.

KFC France aims to operate a total of 500 restaurants in France by 2022. Customers can also order meals from KFC France through their online portal.

KFC France offers a variety of meals including burgers, wraps, buckets, salads, desserts, beverages, etc. 

KFC France publishes all information about the allergens present in its products. 

KFC France works with 100 suppliers. KFC France is interested in French suppliers but is also willing to work with suppliers from different countries as well.

For the sourcing of chicken, KFC France works with suppliers from the Netherlands, Germany, Poland and France. Chicken consists of 47% of its purchases. 

Concerning the logistics, there are 3 warehouses operated by the company. The logistics company STEF is also responsible for sourcing, storing and delivering the products to KFC France’s restaurants. 

Delhaize, which is famously known as Ahold Delhaize, is of Dutch origin and is a multinational retail company. 

It was established in 1857. Ahold and Delhaize have merged together and operate as one. It engages with at least 15,000 employees and 834 stores across the country. 

It also provides an online shop.

Delhaize Belgium received the European private label awards for its raw cakes in the confectionary and snacking category with all its flavors. 

It offers a variety of products under different categories: 

• Savory grocery: pasta, macaroni, rice, etc.
• Sweet grocery: chocolate, cookies, candy bar, etc. 
• Fresh and chilled: Fruits, fish, soups, etc.
• Frozen: Meat, vegetables, rabbit, etc.
• Dairy: Milk, butter, yogurt, etc.
• Drinks: Soft drinks, juice, water, etc.
• Household: Detergents, kitchen towels, toilet paper, etc.
• Personal care: Conditioner, shampoo, dental care, etc.
• Wine and spirits: Whiskey, Beer, Wine, etc.     

Delhaize has organic products such as: Fruits, vegetables, meat, pasta, bread, carrots, paper towels etc. 

Last but not least, it offers vegetarian, gluten-free and lactose-free products. It has categories of products that are distinguished by labels or brands such as Delhaize Bio, Delhaize veggie or Delhaize gluten-free. 

These products are certified by Certisys. 

It offers products under its private brand label DELHAIZE in the category of fresh products and works with local brands such as: albert, etos, giant, hannaford and many more. 

Delhaize Belgium has launched a new subscription service that allows companies to offer their employees a discount on healthy food products. 

When it comes to sustainability, the supermarket chain is committed to animal welfare, to use sustainable palm oil as well as keep eradicating food waste and many more. 

The link to its online platform: https://www.delhaize.be/fr-be/shop

Pure Ingredients develops specialities which are 100% natural and do not contain any artificial flavourings, colorants and aromas. Our products are fresh, contain high quality meat including an extensive range of spices. In 1993, the company started out under the name of Mekkafood and quickly became market leader on the halal market. Nowadays, we offer an accessible assortment containing pizzas, wraps and other savouries.  

OK Snacks - high quality, broad range and many different types of products and flavors.

OK Snacks A/S is among the world's leading producers of crunchy, crispy pork rinds and also offers a complementary quality assortment of snacks, popcorn, peanuts, crisps and Tex-Mex varieties. These are in the form of our own label as well as private label production.

OK SNACKS A/S IS AMONG THE WORLD'S LEADING PRODUCERS OF CRUNCHY, CRISPY PORK RINDS

THE WORLD'S BEST PORK CRACKLING PRODUCTS

Since the establishment of the company in 1982, we have focused on delivering the world's best pork rinds products. The high quality of our raw products and quality characterises the broad range of snack and special products which the company produces and markets today. Through constant product development, we can always offer an assortment that meets the demands of the market for renewal and new flavour varieties.

Our production is fully automatic with modern monitoring equipment and the latest technologies within robot operation. We employ about 80 people and currently export to more than 20 different countries

Semi-manual production of frozen products: - BACON ROLLS (beans in bacon, dried fruit in bacon, shrimps in bacon..) - SKEWERS (meat, fish, vegetable skewers) - COOKED MEAT (grilled spare ribs, pork knuckle, pork loin....)

Aldi is a private discount store retailer. Made up of independent operating companies, the company started its journey in 1913 as a small grocery under the name Albrecht Diskont in Germany. After the sons took over the company, the business was divided in to Adi Nord and Aldi Sud. Theo Albrecht presided Aldi Nord while Karl managed Aldi Sud. All stores were organised as independently operated companies with around 35 companies for Aldi Nord and 31 companies for Aldi Sud. The specialty retailer Trader Joe's was even acquired by Aldi Nord in 1979.

Aldi expanded both on a national scale and internationally, now having 8125 stores worldwide.

The company deals with products such as food, beverages but also non-food items such as

• electrical products
• household products
• clothes

Aldi has been concentrating on its expansion hence the new store in San diego has expanded to 22,000 square feet and even projects to have 2500 stores in the United States by 2020. With this plan, Aldi aims to reach 100 million clients monthly.

Alon Israel Oil Co. was renamed as Alon Holdings Blue Square-Israel post acquisition. This company is listed in Tel Aviv Stock Exchange (TASE). They operate in different segments viz. 

• Mega Retail (supermarkets under different formats)
• BEE Group non foods, specialty outlets
• Real Estate

Alon is the largest retail group in Israel, operating 212 supermarkets, 138 nonfood specialty outlets out of which 21 are franchised with the Bee Group. They took over Dor Alon, which included 202 fueling stations and 209 convenience stores in October 2010. 

The Supermarket Segment operates in four formats: 

1. 119 Mega In Town neighborhood stores
2. 67 Mega Bool discount stores
3. 15 large Zol Beshefa hard discount outlets that cater to the price-sensitive Ultra-Orthodox sector
4. 20 Eden Teva Markets featuring natural and organic products. 

The company has 85% owned subsidiary which includes Bee Group Retail (formerly called Kfar HalShaashuim), which operates 138 non-food retail stores under the following seven formats:

• 81 Kfar Hashalashuim toy stores
• Sheshet houseware and gift stores
• Vardinon home textile stores
• Naaman Porcelain home and kitchenware shops
• Rav-Kat
• Dr. Baby
• All for a Dollar

 They have also expressed interests around commercial real estate.

Axfood is a Swedish wholesaler and grocery retailer which launched in 2000. The company is a subsidiary of Axel Johnson and was launched with the aim of providing high quality and sustainable products to its clients. Over 4 million customers purchase products from Axfood through various stores. 

Axfood supplies to around 1200 stores which involve 325 stores owned by the group. Furthermore, the firm’s products can be bought online. The firm has emerged as one of the market leaders in the industry in Sweden. 

The business employs 12772 employees and in 2022, achieved a turnover of €6.4 billion. Axfood is listed on the stock exchange since 1997 and in 2006, was listed on NASDAQ Stockholm’s Large Cap list. 

Axfood owns several companies which include:

Willys: a food retail chain with 200 stores in Sweden. The chain is known for its low prices. Willys also operate 50 smaller shops under another name, Willy Hemma. The company also runs an online shop.

Hemkop: a grocery chain with 187 stores out of which 70 are owned by the group. The firm launched its online shop in 2016. Among its products, one can find a variety of organic and vegetarian products.

Axfood Snabbgross: A wholesaler which supplies restaurants, cafes and other businesses in Sweden’s HoReCa sector. The company offers over 13000 references.

Mat.se:  An online shop offering grocery items. The firm is known for offering innovative options to customers and is constantly testing new concepts.

Middagsfrid: founded in 2007, the firm offers meal kits in the form of pre-packed grocery bags which are delivered to customers. Middagsfrid is a subsidiary of Mat.se

Eurocash: Eurocash consists of 8 stores and has is considered to be one of the largest food retailers on the Norwegian border.

Dagab: The logistics company which is responsible for managing the stocks and the logistics for Axfood.

Apohem: An online pharmacy founded in 2017 

Tempo: a chain of 134 grocery stores 

Urban Deli: Axfood is the major partner in Urban Deli, a chain of speciality stores which also operate a restaurant and an indoor market. There are currently 3 stores in Sweden. 

Handlar’n: a chain of of 224 mini-marts

Axfood has also developed several own brands including:

Garant: a brand of organic products which include milk, cheese, pasta and olive oils

Minstingen: a brand of baby care products which was launched in 2016

Eldorado: a range of grocery products including rice, olive oil and cereals.

Saklart:  a brand of household products and personal care items

Premier:  a brand of soft drinks 

Fixa: a brand of household products that includes various laundry and cleaning products

Axfood launches more than 300 new products under its private labels every year. 

Axfood has a code of conduct which clearly stipulates its requirements and regulations concerning employment rights and ethical behaviour . Suppliers wishing to work with the company have to abide by this code of conduct. At present, there are around 1500 suppliers who supply axfood with products based on the company’s criteria. 

Concerning the private labels, Axfood has devised a specific process on how products are developed. First, Axfood will set the criteria for quality based on taste, content, ingredients, forbidden ingredients and allowed ingredients. Once the criteria is defined, suppliers are invited to submit proposals along with samples. 

Axfood carries out tests on the samples and selects three to four suppliers. The firm can request changes to improve the products. Once this is done, further tests are carried out. This includes testing by a panel of 60 consumers.

Based on the results, Axfood will select the supplier which meets all the specifications and sign an agreement. The packaging is also designed Axfood’s requirements and the product is launched and distributed to Axfood and its different stores. 

Axfood manages several warehouses and around 600 000 cases are delivered each day. Axfood is now also operating a fully automated warehouse. The company’s vehicles are modern and Axfood has also announced that it would be introducing more fossil-free trucks to its fleet.

Established in 1995, Bim Birlesik Magazalar As is the first store represented as a hard-discount model in Instanbul, Turkey. 

The company ended the year 2021 with 10, 489 stores in Turkey. In 2020, its turnover amounted to €2.8 billion.

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

• Sweet grocery: chocolate, waffles, cookies, etc.  
• Savory grocery: rice, pasta, bread, etc.
• Fresh and chilled: meat, fish, soups, etc.
• Frozen: seafood, pizza, meat, etc.
• Dairy: yogurt, milk, cheese, etc.
• Drinks: fizzy drinks, water, juice, etc. 
• Household: kitchen napkins, toilet papers, detergents, etc.  
• Personal care: shampoo, conditioner, face masks, etc.     
• Wine and spirits: beer, wine, gin, etc. 

It also offers products under its private labels:

• Aknaz: milk, cream cheese, butter, etc.
• Pasta veneta: pasta, pesto sauce, macaroni, etc. 
• Mr. green: washing powder, liquid dishwasher, detergents, etc.

Booker is a wholesale company which was established by Georges Booker and Richard Booker in 1835 in the UK. Booker Group has over 400000 customers. Booker also operates cash & carry stores. The business is now owned by Tesco. 

Booker has more than 18000 product lines.

In 2015, Booker Group acquired Musgrave Retail Partners in Great Britain, including Budgens (167 stores) and Londis (1630 stores).

Furthermore, Booker operates several subsidiaries which are:

• Booker Wholesale Holdings
• Makro Self Service Wholesalers
• Booker Direct
• Classic Drinks 
• Ritter-Courivaud
• Premier Stores
• Booker India
• Booker Retail Partners

Booker Group distributes products in the following categories: 

• Sweet Grocery: chocolate, coffee, breakfast cereals, etc. 

• Savory Grocery: sauces, canned food, oil, etc.

• Chilled & Fresh Food: chicken, meat, fruits, vegetables, etc. 

• Drinks: an array of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks

• Household: a range of products including detergents.

Some of the brands offered include Coca Cola, Fairy, Kellogg’s, Nescafe, etc. 

Booker Group also developed its own labels which include (but not limited to):

• Chef’s Larder: around 1000 references in the food and non-food categories

• Chef’s Essentials: a range of around 70 food items such as beef, salmon, seafood, etc.

• Lichfields: a range of grocery products

Carrefour is a French international hypermarket chain founded in 1959. It is not only the largest hypermarket chain in the world in terms of size, but also the second largest retail group globally in terms of revenue as well as the third largest in profit after WalMart and Tesco. Carrefour serves around 13 million customers globally.

Furthermore, Carrefour operates mainly in Europe, Asia and Latin America, but also has stores in Africa. The company manages a total of 12 225 stores, either owned or franchised, in over 30 countries. 

Carrefour operates several stores under the following category across the world:

• 1207 Hypermarkets
• 3412 Supermarkets
• 7193 conveniences stores
• 413 Cash & Carry stores

The Group also owns an Iranian subsidiary, Hyper Star. 

An online shop is also available on the website. Moroever, in 2021, Carrefour launched occasion.carrefour.fr in order to provide an online platform where  second-hand products are offered. 

Moreover, Carrefour has also launched a new Ok Market! application, paired with a shopper service, which provides personalized e-commerce service as well as home delivery. 

Pertaining to delivery services, Carrefour and Everli formed a partnership in 2021, offering  French consumers a choice of up to 20,000 products. 

As of June 2018, the firm entered into partnership with Google to sell food online in France. This mission has been set up to make Carrefour the leader in grocery e-commerce. The project launched in early 2019. 

The Group has also announced a strategic partnership with Meta. Furthermore, in 2021, Carrefour Group and Coop Nordics reaffirmed their strategic partnership, extending it to include international brands.

In 2020, Carrefour launched its first hypermarket in Kampala, Uganda. The new hypermarket, launched in collaboration with Majid Al Futtaim Group. Furthermore, in 2021, the company signed a deal with Shoprite to acquire 6 of its stores in Uganda. 

The enterprise also took over the organic chain Bio C'Bon. Carrefour's subsidiary, So.bio, will be managing the operations of the Bio C'Bon stores. Currently, these two brands have around 160 points of sale across the country. 

Moreover, Carrefour acquired Potager City, a business involved in the sale of online subscription boxes of fresh vegetables and fruits. Potager City works with 750 local producers. The acquisition will help Carrefour to expand its e-commerce business.

The firm then took over Dejbox, a business which is an online business which delivers lunches across France.  The business delivers around 400 000 meals per month.  

In 2021, Carrefour opened its first autonomous store which operates using artificial intelligence. In the same year, the enterprise announced the opening of its new store in Gabon with its franchise partner Prix Import.

In collaboration with AiFi, the company also lauched Flash 10/10 store which offers customers the fastest and most accessible shopping experience. 

In 2020, Carrefour has achieved a total turnover of € 70.7 billion. Additionally, the company employs over  321,000 people across the world. 

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

• Sweet Grocery: chocolate, cookies, cakes, cereals, etc.
• Savory Grocery: soups, pasta, rice, oil, vinegar, sauces, etc.
• Chilled & Fresh Food: seafood, meat, poultry, etc.
• Frozen Food: ready meals, ice cream, meat, poultry, vegetables, fruits, etc.
• Dairy: butter, margarine, eggs, cheese, milk, etc.
• Drinks: water, fruit juices, vegetable juices,etc
• Wine & Spirits: wine, spirits, gins, etc.
• Personal Care: oral care, makeup, face care, skincare, etc.
• Household: detergents, deodorants, laundry care, etc. 

Several items which are bio, gluten-free, vegan, etc, are also offered. 

Carrefour generates up to 40% of its total revenue through its own brands and aims to reach half of its retail sales through private labels in the next few years as it will expand its ranges in food and non-food categories. 

Nowadays, 73% of the group’s own brand products are manufactured by SMEs and local suppliers generating up to 10 000 private labels, in almost all categories and segments. These include brands such as: 

• Carrefour:  including Carrefour Baby, Carrefour Kids, Carrefour Halal and Carrefour Exotique (foreign food) — and “Bon’app” (snacks) for budget to mid-priced products.
• Reflets de France and Terre d’Italia: for artisanal and regional specialties sourced in France and Italy.
• Carrefour Bio: for organic food and non-food as well as for fair trade, Filière Qualité Carrefour for quality sourced food products, Carrefour Eco Planet for organic HPC and Carrefour Sans Gluten for gluten free products.
• Selection Carrefour: for Premium ranges.
• Tex: for clothing.
• Cosmetiques Design Paris: the brand launched in 2012 for beauty and personal care. 

Pertaining to Carrefour’s Bio branded products, the firm has decided to ban 100 controversial ingredients from all the food products. Also, they are aiming to diminish the use of chemical pesticides in the livestock areas and feed GMO-free grains.

It must be noted that currently Carrefour works with 27 800 suppliers for its own brands. 

In the breeding sector, Carrefour is going to reduce antibiotic treatments. Thanks to the blockchain, Carrefour is able to assure transparency of products.  

Furthermore, 92% of its seasonal fruits and vegetables are of French origin. 

Carrefour is interested in providing to its consumers certified fish through Aquaculture.

In relation to the supply chain, the company partnered with Plug Power Inc to establish 137 Plug Power GenDrive-powered electric forklifts for the two to three shift operation in its distribution centre.

With regards to the environment, Carrefour indulges in several measures such as  reducing its CO2 emissions, fighting against deforestation and for the protection of water resources, etc. Furthermore, the enterprise aims to achieve carbon neutrality by 2040. 

The online shop can be accessed at: www.carrefour.fr 

Founded in 1898 by Geoffroy Guichard, Groupe Casino initially operated as Guichard-Perrachon & Co. Headquartered in France, the firm is present in the Retail Distribution sector and owns around 12,271 stores in total. The compay is currently recognised as the leading local group in France. 

With a workforce of around 205,000 employees, the company achieved a turnover of € 31.9 billion in 2020. 

The Group also owns the Colombian subsidiary, Grupo Éxito.

Moreover, Groupe Casino also operates e-formats such as Cnova and Cdiscount. The latter is recognised as the 2nd leading e-commerce in France. 

In 2017, the company partnered with the delivery firm, Ocado. Additionally, the enterprise has also signed a strategic memorandum of understanding with the delivery group, Gorillas.

Groupe Casino has developed several private labels over time. Some of them are:

• Casino: a range of food and non-food items
• Casino Delices: a brand of food products
• Casino Bio: a brand featuring organic products
• Casino Saveurs D’Ailleurs: a variety of food stuff

The central purchasing unit of Casino, AMC, remains the preferred point of entry for suppliers ensuring that retail strategies are put into perspective.

Around 159 products that are offered in its stores are locally sourced. 

Concerning the environment, the firm has not only successfully reduced 37% of its carbon footprint but also, has launched GreenYellow, a subsidiary dedicated to energy production and energy consumption. The company has also banned plastic packaging for fruits and vegetables. 

With regards to the society, the Groupe Casino foundation indulges in several measures such as fighting against the cultural exclusion of the under-privileged, supporting their education, fighting  child malnutrition, etc. Furthermore, the group also donated more than 37 million meals to food banks.

Founded in 1992 through the alliance of 10 businessmen to purchase a network of grocery stores, CBA has evolved to be one of the largest supermarket chains in Hungary. 

The group is present in Bulgaria, Lithuania, Czech Republic, Croatia, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Serbia and Slovakia. At present, CBA operates a total of 5200 stores, including 154 in Bulgaria. 

CBA employs 30000 people.

CBA offers products in the following categories:

• Drinks: mineral water, ice tea, spirits, fruit drinks, etc.

• Savory Grocery: olive oil, canned food, sauces, etc.

• Sweet Grocery: chocolate, biscuits, candy, etc.

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

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

• Chilled & Fresh Food: sausages, charcuterie, ham, etc.

• Household: detergents, cleaning equipment, air fresheners, etc.

Grillbars, bakeries, butcher corner and wine shops are additional services proposed by the supermarket chain. Operating under different formats, CBA is available as discount stores under the name CBA cent as well as hypermarkets under the name Prima.

Concerning the logistics, CBA manages a 5-storey warehouse with a floor area of 18000m2 in Budapest.

The Co-operative Group, which began in 1844, is known as the largest customer-owned business and the fifth largest food retailer in the UK. The group has 4.6 million members.

The Co-operative Group is involved in the following areas of business:

• Food retailing and wholesaling

• Funeral provider

• Life planning services

• Insurance

• Banking

• Pharmaceutical 

The Co-operative Group operates 2582 food stores, including 102 which were launched in 2018. During that same year, the group also opened its first Co-op franchise store. In addition to this, the business also acquired Nisa, hence now owning 4000 Nisa stores. 

The Co-operative Group acquired Dimec, a digital platform in 2019. The acquisition indicates a return to the healthcare market with a focus on online business. The Co-operative Group is also investing in technology for various areas of business. For the food segment, it is currently testing robotic home delivery and “pay in aisle” technology. 

For 2018, The Co-operative Group’s turnover was € 12.2 billion, indicating an increase of 14% as compared to the previous year’s turnover. It must be noted that the Food segment has registered a growth of 4.4% in revenue for 2018. 

In 2016, the group was awarded convenience retailer of the year at the Retail Industry awards.

While the products are collectively sourced, the Co-op brand can be found in more than 3500 premises, having the largest geographical spread.

Concerning the logistics, the company has invested € 33.4 million in order to modernize its current distribution centres. A further € 53.7 million has been injected so as to build a new distribution centre. 

The Co-operative Group is also concerned about the community. The company provides education in deprived parts of the country and has created the Co-op Academies. By 2018, the number of schools joining Co-op Academies is 18. 

The Co-operative Group has been committed to using renewable sources of energy since 2005. Nowadays, all the electricity consumed by the group and its subsidiaries come from UK wind farms. In addition to this, the group has succeeded in reducing its green gas emissions by 50%. 

Furthermore, all palm oil used in The Co-operative Group’s products are sustainable and have been certified by the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil since 2012. 

UPDATES ON THE CO-OPERATIVE GROUP ON 20/02/2020

For 2020, The Co-operative Group is looking for products in the following categories:

• Frozen Food: desserts and ice cream

• Dairy: yoghurts, milk, cream, butter, margarine, etc.

The Co-operative Group is also sourcing dairy-free products for all its categories. The products should be vegan and/or free-from range. The group is highly interested in products such as ice-cream, desserts, cheesecakes, milk, spreads, cheese, savory goods, etc. The Co-operative Group has a preference for working with a supplier that can supply all the dairy-free products mentioned under the group’s private labels. 

Coop Group is a cooperative that operates as a retail and wholesale company. Coop Group has been operating in Switzerland since 1969 following a merger between several cooperatives in the country.

Coop offers more than 50000 SKUs in the food and non-food segmentsin Switzerland. 

The firm operates various supermarkets, mega stores, department stores, specialty stores and production facilities. Being a consumer cooperative, the firm represents around 2.5 million members.

In the retail sector, Coop Group manages a total of 2333 supermarkets and convenience stores under the following banners:

• Coop to Go
• Fooby
• Sapori D’Italia
• Karma Shop
• Coop Supermarkets

In the wholesale sector, the subsidiary Transgourmet Holding handles all the wholesale and cash &carry activities. 

As a manufacturer, Coop Group manages different subsidiaries including Bell Food Group that provides convenience products across Europe. The company has been focussing on sustainable products. 

Coop is also present in the restaurant catering business, operating 178 Coop Restaurants and Coop Take It outlets. 

Coop Group achieved a turnover of € 28.4 billion in 2019 and employed 90000 people. 

Coop Group offers products in the following categories:

• Savory Grocery: spices, condiments, canned food, etc.
• Sweet Grocery: cereals, jams, canned fruits, etc.
• Drinks: soft drinks, juices, beers, etc.
• Dairy: cheese, butter, milk, yogurt, etc.
• Chilled & Fresh Food: fruits, vegetables, charcuterie, etc.
• Frozen Food: ice-cream, ready-meals, seafood, etc. 
• Personal Care: skincare, face care and other products

The selection of products consists of both national and international branded products as well as own-label brands. Coop Group operates several private labels that include (but not limited to):

• Betty Bassi: a range of fresh products
• Delicom: a brand of meat alternative products
• Karma: a brand featuring vegan and vegetarian products
• Primagasto: fruits and vegetables
• Sapori D’Italia: a range of Italian products
• Naturaline Cosmetics: a range of natural beauty products

Coop Group holds different certifications such as MSC, Demeter, Biosuisse, FSC, etc. 

Coop Group has been on becoming a sustainable organisation and has been taking a number of measures. Firstly, Coop Group has been involved in developing innovative products with eco-friendly packaging. Furthermore, the business sources raw materials that are traceable for its manufacturing businesses.

Founded in 1906 by Ferdinand Salling, Salling Group is a retail group operating a number of retail and departmental chains offering clothing, groceries, food services, etc.

Based in Denmark, the business has a market share of 34.9% in the physical grocery trade category and 33% in the online grocery trade. Salling Group has expanded in the UK, Germany and Poland. 

In 2020, Salling Group took over Tesco Poland which consists of 301 shops. This acquisition strengthens the group’s presence in Poland. Salling Group has also announced that all Tesco Poland stores will be converted into Netto stores.

As of 2021, the business operated a total of 1,719 stores in different countries under the following banners: 

• Netto Denmark (525 stores)
• Netto Germany (342 stores)
• Netto Poland (654 stores)
• Bilka (19 stores)
• Fotex and Fotex Food (107 stores)
• Salling (2 stores)
• BR (29 stores)
• Starbucks (15 stores)
• Carl’s Jr. (16 stores)
• Basalt (10 stores)

In addition to its physical stores, Salling Group has a bunch of online shops such as bilka.dk, fotex.dk, salling.dk, foetex Home Delivery, flowr, skagenfood.dk, husets forsikring.dk and bilkatogo.dk. 

Furthermore, Salling Group is also a franchisee operating Starbucks and Carl’s Jr. restaurant chains across Denmark. 

Salling Group runs the meal box delivery company, Skagenfood, which has developed different online stores for its different banners. 

As of 2015, the firm introduced the first MobilePay solution by collaborating with Fiftytwo. This solution is used in all its stores.

In the financial year 2021, Salling Group reported a turnover of €8.8 billion and currently employs 61,874 employees from 164 nationalities. 

The group developed its own brands which are:

• Vores: a large choice of convenience products
• Levevis: includes both food and non-food items
• Princip: gourmet products at competitive prices for Netto
• Budget: basic products at affordable prices
• VRS: Danish clothing brand
• OGO: a range of organic products developed for Netto
• SCO: a brand of classic bicycles in Denmark

In 2021, Salling Group partnered with Naveo in order to provide online shopping and delivery services to its customers through its brand Fotex. 

In 2022, Salling Group launched its new discount chain under the banner “Basalt” which offers cheaper prices than traditional discount stores. 

Continuing its work towards reducing food waste, Salling Group has adopted the latest technology, Apeel which helps retailers preserve fresh food for a longer period of time.

Pertaining to the logistics solutions, the firm operates the city’s largest warehouse which consists of 100 000 pallets hence ensuring the smooth running of the supply chain. Salling Group optimized its supply chain from vendors to end consumers by introducing the cross docking functionality in SAP EWM. The company works with third-party delivery companies concerning the distribution of products. 

Salling Group is aiming at reducing food waste by 50% by 2030. Furthermore, the company is also taking measures to reduce plastic packaging by 30% for its own brands by 2023. In relation to this, Fotex stores no longer provide plastic tableware.   

Ahold Delhaize was founded in 2016, following a merger between Ahold and Delhaize Group. Delhaize Group has been in business since 1867 while Ahold started its operations in 1887. 

The merger led to Ahold Delhaize becoming one of the largest retail groups in the world. Indeed, nowadays Ahold Delhaize serves around 54 million customers.

Ahold Delhaize’s headquarters is based in the Netherlands and the company operates 6500 stores in 11 countries including Belgium, Czech Republic, Greece, USA, Serbia, etc. 

In June of 2020, Ahold Delhaize partnered with Instacart to provide home delivery from more than 750 stores operating under the Hannaford, Food Lion, Giant Food, and Stop & Shop brands.

The company expanded in the USA by acquiring the online grocer, FreshDirect, in the fiscal year 2020.

An online marketplace named Ship2Me was introduced by Ahold Delhaize in 2021. It features food and merchandise items.

In Indonesia and Portugal, Ahold Delhaize has set up stores by forming joint ventures with local companies.

Ahold Delhaize operates its stores under several different banners:

• Food Lion
• Giant
• Hannaford
• Stop & Shop
• Delhaize
• Albert Heijn
• Etos
• Gall & Gall
• Albert
• Alfa Beta
• Ena
• Maxi
• Tempo
• Mega Image
• Pingo Doce
• Super Indo

Furthermore, Ahold Delhaize runs the online shopping platform, bol.com, which brought in €4.3 billion in sales in 2020.

In 2020, Ahold Delhaize’s turnover reached €74.7 billion. The company currently employs 380 000 people. 

Ahold Delhaize is aiming at supplying a wider range of healthy products and is constantly bringing in new products. Furthermore, the business intends to be more transparent concerning its sourcing. 

Concerning sustainability, Ahold Delhaize is also focussing on reducing its waste.

Dunnes Stores is a chain of department stores which was established in 1944 by Ben Dunne. The headquarters is based in Dublin, Ireland.

The firm operates 142 stores in the following countries: Ireland, Northern Ireland, UK and Spain.

In addition to running an online shop offering both food and non-food items, Dunnes Stores has launched another online store providing groceries only. This new store provides home delivery to South Dublin currently. 

Dunnes Stores employs approx. 15 000 people and in 2020, the company achieved a turnover of €4 billion, experiencing a rise of €400 million compared to the previous year. Furthermore, its online sales alone amounted to €61 million in 2020.

The products are categorized as follows:

• Drinks: beverages like soft drinks and juices.
• Chilled & Fresh Food: poultry, lamb, steak, etc. 
• Dairy: a variety of cheese and desserts
• Frozen Food: products like ice-cream and dessert
• Savory Grocery: products including chips and sauces
• Sweet Grocery: chocolate, breakfast cereals, jam, etc.
• Household: stain remover, toilet paper, detergent, etc.

Dunnes Stores has launched its own labels which include:

• Dunnes Stores: a range of pre-cooked products
• Simply Better: a range of gourmet products

Dunnes Stores has its own buying team which sources products for all its stores in various product categories. The team sources both brands and products for its private labels, ensuring that the chain keeps up with the latest trends on the market. 

The firm deals with local Irish suppliers to offer customers the best quality products.

As far as the logistics solutions are concerned, the firm partnered with Pulse logistics which is an Irish supply chain management company. Through this partnership, the company is able to deliver goods efficiently. 

Its online shop can be accessed on www.dunnesstores.com/

E. Leclerc is a private cooperative that regroups over 500 independent retailers. The group is a major actor, in the French market with 653 outlets in France and 117 outlets in Europe. The group is composed of 600 drives-through and 562 shop owners.

The group focusses on formats like hypermarkets, supermarkets, city outlets and drives-through and has 20.2% of the market share. The drives-through has 7460 SKUs.

E. Leclerc has expanded by developing a  multi-channel approach  and emphasizing its online activities. Furthermore, Leclerc launched its "Cultural Space" concept store for books, music, videogames etc. 

In terms of distribution, E. Leclerc has  16 warehouses  across France. The group is active in many such business activities such as: drugstores (Parapharmacy E. Leclerc) or even Beauty Shops (One Hour For Soi). 

Leclerc's private labels are managed by its subsidiary  Scamark , an organism which oversees sourcing and developing the retailer's own brands. The private labels which count  over 6000  are as follow:

• Brand reference  (5313 references)
• Eco +  (680 references)
• Our regions have talent  (370 references)

The group's products are provided by 800 suppliers and 800 new products are launched each year. Priority is given to SMBs.

Leclerc provides 1,600 references in Grocery (branded mark) and  250 references  (Eco +), provided by  230 suppliers . For personal care, the revenue is estimated at  700 million euros  and  1000 references  including  100 references  (Eco +), provided by  900 suppliers.

Brand as well as divided into  brands  (such as grilled brands)

• Brand repere Lydog- products for dogs
• Brand repere lycat - products for cats
• Brand repere apple smooth - chips
• Brand fishing marks ocean - fish products

As well as sweet grocery brands:

• Brand repere p'tit dej
• Brand mark confiseo - sweets
• Brand repere tablet gold - chocolates
• Brand repere mamie douceur - jams

Established in 1957, Esselunga is an Italian retail chain. The company is now a subsidiary of Supermarkets Italiani which is owned by the Caprotti family.

The business has a total of 171 stores across the country. It also offers an online platform with home delivery facilities. 

In the financial year 2021, it achieved a turnover of €8.56 billion and employs 25,000 employees.

The Group’s network includes two production centres, including one in Limito di Pioltello for delicatessens and fresh pastries and one in Parma for the production of fresh pasta and bakery products. It also consists of three distribution centres, located in Limito di Pioltello, Biandrate and Florence.

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

• Sweet grocery: Cookies, waffles, chocolate, etc. 
• Savory grocery: Bread, rice, macaroni, etc.
• Fresh and chilled: Fruits, chicken, vegetables, etc.
• Frozen: Seafood, meat, 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, dental care, etc.
• Wine and spirits: Whiskey, Beer, Wine, etc.

Esselunga developed its private labels which are known as:

• Equilibrium(Natural ingredients): hair care, body care, face care, etc.
• Esselunga TOP(Premium): chocolate, fresh egg pasta, DOP oil, etc.
• Esselunga BIO: shrimps, pasta, meat, etc.

It works with different brands such as:

• Parmalat: whipped cream, milk, cheese, etc. 
• L’oréal: shampoo, conditioner, hair serums, etc.
• Negroni: salami slices, raw ham, meat, etc. 

Link to Esselunga’s e-shop: https://www.esselungaacasa.it/ecommerce/nav/welcome/index.html  

Coop Danmark is the leading grocery retailer in Denmark holding a 30% market share and operating about 1200 hypermarkets, supermarkets, discounters and convenience stores across Denmark. The Danish group is owned by FDB (Faellesforeningen for Danmarks Brugsforeninger), one of the country's largest membership organizations and the largest grocery store operator in Denmark; FDB is fully possessed by its 1.7 million members. Alongside with Coop Sverige, Coop Norge and the Finnish Inex/Sok, Coop Danmark is a former member of the late Coop Norden retail chain which has now disappeared and is nowadays a member of Coop Trading, the biggest purchasing organization in Scandinavia.

GruppoPam, which opened its first supermarket in 1958 in Padua, Italy, has since then expanded into other formats, primarily concentrating in Central and Northern Italy.

Today, this private firm has a total of 847 outlets (146 of them franchised and 224 under master franchises).

GruppoPam is the holding company for five store banners, each run separately by different companies.

The group encompasses Pam and Superal supermarkets and Panorama hypermarkets (€ 1.8 billion), Meta and Super Mercati franchised neighborhood stores (€ 176.2 million),In’s Mercato hard discount stores (€ 628.8 million) and different restaurant concepts: Brek (quick service), cafes, ice cream parlors, bakery, etc.

Gruppo Pam’s subsidiary, Nuance Group-AG (with PAI Partners, a private equity firm) operates 350 airport retail outlets in 19 countries as well.

Additionally, the company is a co-investor in multiplex cinemas.

Established in 1938, ICA group focuses on grocery retail. In 2013, Hakon and ICA merged its activities together and Hakon Invest was renamed as ICA Gruppen.

The company operates 1,951 stores including pharmacies.

It has a dedicated team of 24,000 employees and in 2021, its turnover amounted to €11.8 billion.

In the retail sector, ICA Gruppen operates its subsidiary ICA Sweden, a chain of grocery stores. 

The company runs its stores under the following banners:

• Maxi ICA Stormarknad: a chain of 88 stores
• ICA Kvantum: a chain of 130 supermarkets
• ICA Supermarkets: a chain of 422 supermarkets
• ICA Nara: a chain of 626 convenience stores

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

• Sweet grocery: chocolate, waffles, cookies, etc.  
• Savory grocery: rice, pasta, bread, etc.
• Fresh and chilled: meat, fish, soups, etc.
• Frozen: seafood, pizza, meat, etc.
• Dairy: yogurt, milk, cheese, etc.
• Drinks: fizzy drinks, water, juice, etc. 
• Household: kitchen napkins, toilet papers, detergents, etc.
• Personal care: shampoo, conditioner, face masks, etc.     
• Wine and spirits: beer, wine, gin, etc. 

The group offers products from brands like Ajax, Edet, Imsdal, Pepsi, etc.

ICA Gruppen runs Rimi Baltic which consists of a total of 292 stores in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania

It also took over Apotek Hjartat, a chain of 391 pharmacies which consist more than 4,000 employees in Sweden. 

Founded in 1970, Iceland Foods is headquartered in Deeside, Wales, United Kingdom. The founder started by selling frozen products solely but it was further developed with both food and non-food products.

Nowadays, Iceland Foods operates a total of 977 stores in the UK.

The enterprise owns Iceland International which is present in 65 countries, found mostly in Europe, The Middle East, Asia Pacific and North America. Furthermore, Iceland Foods also operates an online shopping platform. 

In 2018, the company partnered with The Range, where Iceland Food’s products are displayed in 47 outlets. Furthermore, 10 of these stores are equipped with Iceland café serving the supermarket’s products.

Iceland Foods reached a turnover of €4.8 billion in 2021 and employed 30 256 people. The firm controls 2.5% of the UK’s grocery market share, up by 2.1% compared to the year before.

Iceland Foods received various accreditations from Good Housekeeping Taste Approved and Grocer Great Food. The firm won the Best Retailer Initiative award by Grocer Great Food in 2019.

Iceland Foods offers products in the following categories:

• Dairy: milk, cheese, yogurt, butter, eggs, etc
• Sweet Grocery: chocolates, sweets, jams,etc
• Savory Grocery: rice, pasta, noodles, crackers, canned foods, etc
• Frozen Foods: ready meals, seafood, meat, poultry, desserts, etc
• Drinks: flavoured water, still water, wine, fruit juices, fizzy drinks, etc
• Chilled & Fresh Foods: seafood, poultry, meat, ready meals, etc
• Personal care: fragrances, oral care, hair care, body care, etc
• Household: air fresheners, dishwasher tablets, washing liquids, etc

Brands such as Surf, Finish, Weetabix, Nestle, Quality Street and many others are available in all Iceland Foods stores. 

Iceland supermarkets were the first to eliminate artificial colourings, flavourings, non-essential preservatives and monosodium glutamate from its own brand products, Iceland Foods 

Also, it is the first supermarket that guarantees that its own label range is free of GM ingredients. Iceland Foods accounts for 30% of frozen ready meal sales in the United King`dom.

The firm expanded its business by entering food production thus, acquiring its supplier, Loxton Foods, which was later renamed to Iceland Manufacturing Ltd. By entering into partnership with the South African investment holding company, Brait, the firm increased its shareholding in the business to 57%.

In 2016, the retailer partnered with Slimming world, Millie’s cookies and Greggs to launch an exclusive new range of  frozen pizzas, prepared meals and desserts.

As of 2018, the company became the first major retailer in the world to remove plastic packaging from its own brand products. Also, it has committed to stop using palm oil as an ingredient in all its own label food products.

In January 2019, the supermarket chain launched a range of vegan pizzas hence expanding its plant based assortment.

In 2020, Iceland Foods reported a 29% reduction in its own label plastic packaging usage since January 2018 and 74% reduction in its carbon emissions since 2011 and aiming for zero carbon by 2042.

Pertaining to the supply chain, the firm owns about 121 warehouses.

Iceland Foods’ online shop can be accessed on www.iceland.co.uk

IKEA Food Services is part of IKEA, a Swedish furniture store chain with over 400 stores across the world. IKEA Food Services was launched in 1959 in Sweden when IKEA’s founder Ingvar Kamprad decided to feature food service establishments in IKEA stores. 

At present, IKEA Food Services operates its restaurants in over 400 stores in 49 markets. 

IKEA Food Services operates under 3 banners:

• IKEA Restaurant

• IKEA Bistro 

• Swedish Food Market

IKEA Food Services attained a turnover of € 18.2 million in 2019. 

IKEA Food Services is interested in promoting healthy and sustainable eating. The company is engaged at all steps from the sourcing to the final product. 

IKEA Food Services has launched the Food is Precious programme that aims to reduce food waste in all its establishments by 50% by August 2020. 

IKEA Food Services also runs IKEA Bootcamp Project where it collaborated with startups for 3 months to find ways to improve food production.

J Sainsbury also known as Sainsbury’s is a supermarket chain in the United Kingdom having 16,9% market share. Since its humble beginning in 1869 as a shop, the company has come a long way and has now 6 segments:

• Sainsbury’s groceries
• Sainsbury’s Bank
• Sainsbury’s Argos
• Energy
• Habitat
• Tu    

The company along with Lloyds banking group partnered with regards to property management as well as online services.

The retail section comprises of 2 formats:

• Supermarkets
• Convenience stores

Sainsbury’s has 13 distribution centres and 2 national ones segmented as follows:

• 3 distribution centres for slow moving items
• 2 for frozen goods
• 2 for general merchandise
• 1 for clothing

Jeronimo Martins was founded in 1792 in Portugal. Currently, the company operates several retail businesses in Portugal, Poland as well as Columbia. 95% of the activities are in the food distribution sector. 

The company manages a total of 3115 stores in Poland, 495 in Portugal and 663 in Colombia. 

With a workforce of 138,094 people, Jeronimo Martins achieved a turnover of €19.34 billion in 2020. 

Jeronimo Martins owns several banners which operates in 3 sectors:

Food Distribution

• Biedronka
• Ara
• Racheio
• Pingo Doce

Specialized Retail

• HEBE
• Jeronymo: specialised in coffee blends
• Hussel: specialised in the sale of chocolate and confectionary

Agribusiness

• Terra Alegre: manufactures dairy products
• Best Farmer: Angus beef production and fattening 
• Seaculture: production of seafood

The firm has been awarded several titles, such as Most Effective Domestic Community Investment by Ethical Corporation, National Champion and Ruban d’Honneur awards, Golden Leaf CSR 2021 by “Polityka” magazine, etc. 

The company also manages 4 brands:

• Hebe Cosmetics: a range of skin care, foot care products for men and women
• Hebe Professional: a brand of hair and make up accessories
• By Hebe: a range of cosmetic bags and wash bags
• Hebe Basics: a range of hygiene products that include cotton pads and wipes. 

With regards to logistics, Jeronimo Martins manages 17 distribution centres in Poland, 10 distribution centres in Portugal and 4 distribution centres in Colombia.

Concerning the environment, the business takes several measures such as respecting the environment, sourcing responsibly, supporting surrounding communities, etc.

John Lewis Partnership is a co-operative founded by John Spedan Lewis in 1929 in the UK. The company is known for operating the chains Waitrose and John Lewis with operations across the UK as well as abroad. John Lewis Partnership manages 2 international offices and exports products to around 58 countries. 

John Lewis Partnership operates the following banners:

• John Lewis & Partners: a chain of 50 department stores offering clothing, accessories, cosmetics, etc. 

• Waitrose & Partners: a chain of 338 general retail stores in the UK. The business also has operations in the Middle East. 

In addition to retail banners, John Lewis Partnership has diversified and manages 5 partnership hotels, 2 customer contact centres, 5 waitrose cookery schools, a heritage centre, a waitrose farm, a plant nursery, 1 content production hub and 1 soft furnishing factory. 

John Lewis Partnership employs 80800 people and reached a turnover of € 11.3 billion in 2019. 

John Lewis Partnership has a Responsible Sourcing Code of Conduct by which suppliers should adhere to. The code contains regulations concerning labour standards, ethical regulations, quality information, etc. 

John Lewis Partnership has 33 delivery hubs and distribution sites and intends to centralize all its supply chain operations for John Lewis & Partners and Waitrose & Partners. 

John Lewis Partnership is also working towards reducing the use of plastic. For instance, over 200 references from Waitrose & Partners no longer have packaging. Furthermore, the business is also investing renewable energy. One of the measures consists of replating its current refrigeration systems with eco-friendly equipments, hence reducing energy consumption by 25%. 

Founded in 1921 by Jan and Anita Meurs, Jumbo Group Holding is the 2nd largest supermarket chain in the Netherlands and has been part of the Van Eerd Group since 1983.

Jumbo Group Holding operates more than 712 stores. It owns an online shop as well.

In 2021, Jumbo Group Holding launched 3 new stores in Belgium. 

Furthermore in 2022, the group entered a partnership with an instant on-demand delivery company, Gorillas, where a large part of Jumbo’s portfolio will be distributed to Gorillas, including Jumbo's own brands, organic as well as exclusive items. 

Moreover, Jumbo Group Holding runs an academy where employees are offered the necessary training courses in order to run the stores effectively. The training offered allows employees to learn from professionals and these courses are MBO and HBO certified.

Employees can be trained in occupational health and safety, management and professional and product knowledge. Courses are delivered through their teaching locations and through the learning square, a digital platform.

The company also runs Jumbo Tech Campus where over 200 employees work to develop online concepts for Jumbo.

Jumbo Group Holding also owns a chain of more than 60 famous and fast growing restaurants under the brand name La Place.

In 2018, Jumbo Group Holding started a new concept store, Foodmarkt City which gathers under 1 roof its 3 existing concepts: Supermarkets, Foodmarkten (fresh market) and its famous restaurant chain “La Place ''.

The firm is currently working on launching another new concept for the remaining La Place branches. Under the new concept, La Place restaurants will be specialising in healthy meals which can be prepared rapidly. 

Additionally, Jumbo Group Holding is planning to launch 10 new stores that will consist of city shops in the Netherlands and supermarkets in Belgium.

Jumbo Group Holding’s turnover reached €9.73 billion in 2020 which increased by 15% compared to the previous year and its online sales also rose by 50%. 

The chain has a market share of over 21.5%. Regarding its restaurant chain, La Place, the company has partnered with Vermaat Group which will take over 44 of the restaurants in the Netherlands. 

There are around 33 000 people who are employed by the company.

Jumbo Group Holding’s private brands are:

• Jumbo: for the retail chain
• La Place: for the restaurants

Furthermore, Jumbo Group Holding is focusing on developing their own brands products called Jumbo, Jumbo Biologisch (organic products), Jumbo Veggie Chef (Veggie rang) and Jumbo Gourmetschotel (premium products).

As of March 2018, the firm partnered with Quintiq to optimize its supply chain and the retailer operates 10 distribution centers and 500 trucks. 

Jumbo Group Holding will be operating 10 delivery hubs as well as its 3rd E-fulfillment centre which will handle online orders. At present, Jumbo Group Holding runs 5 delivery hubs dedicated for grocery deliveries.

Its online shop can be accessed on www.jumbo.com

Founded by 4 wholesalers in 1940, Kesko is a Finnish retail company operating in the grocery trade, construction and building services trade and car trade. Its headquarters is based in Helsinki, Finland. 

As of 2020, the company operates approximately 1,800 stores in Finland, Sweden, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway and Poland. Along with its comprehensive store network, the enterprise operates online stores as well. Furthermore, Kesko also runs a subsidiary business, Kespro which is a wholesaler supplying restaurants, hotels, cafes, etc. 

In the financial year 2020, the business achieved a turnover of approximately €14 billion and employed about 39,000 people. Further, Kesko holds a market share of 36.9% in the food sector. 

Moreover, the enterprise gained recognition through the Gold SAP Quality Awards in Nordics and Baltics countries for innovation category. 

A wide assortment of products are displayed in its grocery stores which are classified under the following categories: 

• Savoury grocery: canned goods, oils, rice, etc. 
• Sweet grocery: chocolates, biscuits, sugar, etc. 
• Chilled & fresh: ready meals, fruits, vegetables, etc. 
• Frozen: ice creams, meat, pizzas, etc. 
• Dairy: milk, cheese, yoghurt, etc. 
• Drinks: juices, water, soft drinks, etc. 
• Wine & spirits: beers and wines.
• Personal care: moisturisers, deodorants, shampoos, etc. 
• Household: detergents, toilet papers, air fresheners, etc. 

In addition, Kesko developed its own brands which are as follows:  

• Pirkka: a range of more than 2,500 products which covers almost all product categories. 
• K-menu: a range of quality everyday items offered at low prices. It contains products such as meat, pasta, juices, etc. 

The company works with local food suppliers and small producers as well. However, the business has a code of conduct that suppliers should adhere to.

Additionally, the firm maintains high quality standards as it possesses certifications such as FSC, PEFC ST 2002:2013, PEFC 2001:2008, MSC, etc. 

In relation to its logistics solutions, the company operates 2 warehouses of 140,000m2 and a fleet of temperature-controlled delivery vehicles. Moreover, the business conducts about 3,500 daily customer visits with its 300 contract trucks. 

With regards to sustainability, the retailer collaborates with international sustainability organisations and encourages its suppliers to cut their emissions. 

The firm’s online store can be accessed on: https://www.k-ruoka.fi/

In 1960, 10 confectionery wholesalers in Germany merged and formed Lekkerland. During the company’s early days, the main clients were petrol stations. Nowadays, Lekkerland distributes not only to petrol stations but kiosks, convenience stores, restaurants, food retailers, etc. 

Lekkerland also advises its clients on which products to order and also offer sales promotion solutions. 

Lekkerland owns 5 subsidiaries:

• Convivo: a private label developing company

• Lekkerland Information Systems: a firm offering a range of IT solutions

• Amv: a distributor of non-food items

• Trimex: an importer of Scandinavian food items

• Cofact: an invoice and billing company

The company also runs the banner Frischwerk, a chain of modern shops for petrol stations that include a food service area and a bakery. 

Lekkerland achieved a turnover of € 6.9 billion in 2018 and employed 2710 people. 

Around 48% of its sales are in tobacco goods, while 49% of the sales are in foods and nonfood items.

Lekkerland operates several brands that include:

• E-va: a range of prepaid products such as sim cards, top-up credits, vouchers, etc.

• E-va gives: a range of vouchers which are personalised with packaging

• Take Off: a brand of energy drinks

Lekkerland operates over 15 logistic centres in Europe which can handle fresh, frozen and dry food items.

Makro is a cash-and-carry wholesaler serving independent, small and medium-size retailers and the institutional market (hotels, restaurants and caterers). The Makro chain encompasses 196 high-volume, low-cost/low-price, no frills cash & carry wholesale stores in six countries: Brazil (76 stores), Argentina (25), Thailand (48), Venezuela (34), Colombia (15), and Peru (4). The business is owned by SHV Holdings N.V. (Steenkolen Handels-Vereeniging), a € 16billion (+34.5%) privately held, diversified company, which also trades in liquid petroleum gas, recycled scrap, oil/ gas exploration, energy/transportation solutions, and the private equity business. SHV was started in 1896 with the merger of some large Dutch coal traders; when coal declined as an energy source, SHV diversified, opening its first Makro self-service wholesale store in 1968 in Amsterdam. That business grew internationally until, in 1997, SHV sold most of its Makro European stores (233 cash & carry outlets) to Metro Holdings AG of Germany (also in this database). In January 2004, Makro sold Massmart, a leading food and nonfood distributor in South Africa, since that operation was moving away from the cash-and-carry wholesale business. (Early in 2012, Walmart acquired a majority interest in this operation.) Makro today is divided into two groups: Makro South America (148 stores) and Thailand (48 stores). Its stores range between 4,000 to 12,000 square meters. Makro Thailand also operates Siam Food Service.

Founded in 1884, Marks and Spencer is a retailer which was established by Thomas Spencer and Michael Marks. It is headquartered in London, United Kingdom. The retailer launched its business as a penny bazaar first and marked it with the slogan “Don’t ask the price, it's a penny.”

Presently, Marks and Spencer operates 1,509 stores worldwide. Moreover, the company attracts about 30 million customers in its shops. M&S manages an online shop as well. 

In the financial year 2021, the firm achieved a turnover of €11 billion. Furthermore, with the help of its 78,000 employees, the retailer is able to handle its day to day operations efficiently. 

Additionally, the enterprise gained recognition from “compassion in world farming” through the “Special Recognition Award” in 2021. It is noteworthy that the retailer received 11 awards in this segment as it maintains the highest standards of animal welfare. 

Moreover, Marks and Spencer operates mainly in 2 segments: Food (67%) and Clothing & home (50.5%).

Marks and Spencer offers several products in the following categories:

• Sweet Grocery: chocolates, cakes, biscuits, etc.
• Savoury Grocery: olive oil
• Wine & Spirits: wines, prosecco, champagne, etc.
• Chilled & Fresh: burgers, chicken, spicy rice, etc.
• Personal care: hand cream, shower gel, shampoo, etc.

In addition, the business works with brands such as Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Malbec, etc. The company imports its goods from Australia, France, Spain and many more.

Marks and Spencer owns a private label named M&S which provides various items, hampers and food gifts such as chocolate, coffee, buns, desserts and many more.

Moreover, the company possesses certifications such as HACCP, Fairtrade, MSC and many more. 

In 2020, the firm partnered with Ocado in order to allow its consumers to have their M&S products delivered to them in a timely manner. 

Besides, on 28th January 2022, the enterprise launched a live online shopping service. 

With regards to its logistics features, the retailer operates its own distribution centre and fleet of vehicles, hence, managing the flow of goods globally in an efficient manner.  

Concerning sustainability, the firm has ensured that the electricity from M&S energy is 100% renewable and its coffee farmers are adapting to environmental challenges with Fairtrade.

In fact, the objective of the company is to cut its carbon emissions by 90% by the year 2025.

Currently, the retailer is looking for products for its private label in the following category:

• Frozen food: desserts, ice cream, fish & seafood, pizza, starter, fruits & vegetables, cooking aid, meat, potatoes, ready meals, bakery, snacking, drinks.

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

Mercadona is the leading Spanish supermarket chain which was founded in 1977 by the Carnicas Roig group. The group took its origins from a small butcher shop and has evolved to 1645 supermarkets operating in Spain and 29 in Portugal. Mercadona also runs an online shop as well as a mobile app.

The store size averages between 1300-1500 sqm and Mercadona emphasizes the "Always Low Prices" concept. Presently, the firm occupies 13.5% of Spain’s total food retail space.

A total of 5.5 million households were reported to purchase at Mercadona. 1.2 million orders were received on its online store.

Training is also provided to its employees. So far, 953 people have been promoted.

Mercadona employs 95 500 people, including 2300 for its stores in Portugal. In 2020, the business achieved a turnover of €26.7 billion. 

The retailer offers a wide assortment of products under the following categories:

• Sweet Grocery: tea, infusions, biscuits, cereals, etc.
• Savory Grocery: chips, crisps, pasta, etc.
• Frozen Food: ready-meals, poultry, pork, etc.
• Chilled & Fresh Food: charcuterie, fruits, vegetables, etc.
• Dairy: yoghurt, cheese, eggs, milk, butter, etc.
• Drinks: wine, soft drinks, mineral water, etc.
• Personal Care: hair care, skincare, face care, etc.
• Household: laundry care, disinfectant detergent, etc.

Some of the brands available are Elena, Bonito Del Norte, Chatka, etc.

The fact that Mercadona keeps up with trends has been a contributing factor to the increasing productivity. Hence since 2013, the company has started to develop free-from products.

As gluten-free products were quite rare in Spain, the company went on to create a whole gluten-free line at competitive prices.

Mercadona also became the first retailer in Spain to sell BAP certified seafood products in its stores. 

Moreover, Mercadona’s fish is considered as the best on the market as the firm collaborated with CSIC to ameliorate the safety and quality of its fishery products.

In 2020, Mercadona introduced a cosmetics brand, Deliplus, which offers facial oil on the market. The company launched the Hacendado Tofu Cream, of which more than 1600 tubs are sold daily.

An innovation centre was established in the same year in Lisbon in order to get acquainted with the preferences of the local consumer and develop new products.

Furthermore, it launched a disinfectant spray with 70% alcohol.

Mercadona works with 1400 totaler suppliers, 2387 commercial service suppliers as well as 13 000 SMEs and raw material suppliers. 

Pertaining to logistics, Mercadona owns an automated distribution center in Madrid where the orders are tracked and 12 other distribution centers as well.

Also, the company invested €35 million to expand its logistics block and a new warehouse of 36 700 sqm was built in 2021.

Mercadona has been extending its online delivery service and has also been continuously injecting funds to renovate many of its stores.  It also owns chargeable delivery vehicles.

As of August 2018, Mercadona decided to stop using plastic bags and use paper bags. Through this action, the firm fulfills its commitment of moving towards a sustainable business. 

209 000 tons of CO2 emissions were saved and €47 million were invested in environmental protection. Moreover, 20 000 Kg of products were donated to the Food Bank of Valladolid and 32 other foundations.

The retailer also bought land which has an area of 25 668 m2, of which 14 650 m2 will be used to open a new online warehouse which is currently in construction.

In 2022, Mercadona raised its employees wage by 6.5%.

Mercadona's online shop can be found on www.mercadona.es

Metro Germany is a chain of Cash & Carry stores which was established in 1964 and the headquarters is based in Dusseldorf, Germany. By 2020, Metro has opened stores in over 30 countries under the banners Metro and Makro, operating over 678 shops worldwide. In Germany, Metro runs 103 stores. 

Around 4 million customers shop at the different stores in Germany. 

Metro Germany achieved a turnover of € 25.6 billion in 2020 and employed a total of 97639 people in the world. Metro Germany is the 4th largest retailer in the world.

Products in the following categories are available.

• Savory Grocery: pasta, snacks, sauces, oil, flour, spices, canned food, etc.
• Sweet Grocery: chocolate, candy, coffee, honey, etc.
• Drinks: wine, champagne, spirits, etc.
• Dairy: cheese, eggs, cream, butter, etc.
• Chilled & Fresh Food: meat, poultry, charcuterie,etc.
• Frozen Food: vegetables, fruits, ice cream, fish, pastries, meat, ready-meals, etc.
• Personal Care: body care, hygiene, face care, hair care, etc.
• Household: cleaner, degreaser, bleach, etc.

Moreover, Metro Germany offers organic products which are free from pesticides and other chemicals. In the case of animal products, they should not be injected with hormones and antibiotics. 

The company operates a wide range of private labels that include:

• Aro: Under this brand, products such as shrimps, vegetable pots, tuna pieces, etc,.. are sold.
• Fine Life: The products that are available in this brand are butter croissants, organic cress, oranges, etc.
• METRO boss: Products such as steaks, storage containers, aluminium foils, etc. are available in this brand.
• Fine Food Finestro: aproduct line  that includes duck breast filets, beef, chicken, etc.
• Rioba: Under this brand, products such as lime juice, spray cream, espresso whole beans, etc. are sold.
• Sigma: Marking machines, chairs, folding bags, etc. are available in this brand.
• METRO Professional: The products that are available in this brand are tables, hand dryers, blankets, etc.
• Tarrington House:  Products such as microwaves, meat grinders, sofa sets, etc. are available in this brand.

The firm has acquired the HACCP certification to ensure food safety and to keep customers away from health risks.

Concerning its logistics, Metro Germany decided to open a logistics centre in Marl in 2017.

UPDATES ON METRO GERMANY ON 21/07/2021

In July 2021, Metro Germany signed the European Commission’s EU Code of Conduct for Responsible Business and Marketing Practices. The chain will be providing healthy products and reducing its food waste. It is investing in renewable sources of energy, eco-friendly refrigeration and heating equipment. 

In the case of food items, Metro Germany is collaborating with various producers in order to manufacture healthy products with less sugar in the case of its private labels. The chain also plans to educate customers about nutrition. 

Established in 1925, Migros is a retail chain headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland. It is one of the largest retailers across the country. 

The company ended 2021 with a total of 658 supermarkets.

In 2021, its turnover amounted to €32.10 billion. It has a team of 97,727 employees.

Moreover, the company’s online sales have grown by 67% in the last five years and in 2022, it generated sales of €3.9 billion.

 It offers a variety of products in different categories: 

• Sweet Grocery: chocolate, cereals, chewing gums, etc.   
• Savory Grocery: olive oil, soup, pasta, etc.
• Chilled and fresh: meat, sausage, salad, etc.
• Frozen: vegetables, pizza, ready-made meals, etc.
• Drinks: water, fizzy drinks, juice, etc.
• Dairy: cheese, butter, milk, etc. 
• Personal care: shampoo, shower gel, deodorants, etc.
• Household: kitchen towels, cleaning products, gardening products, etc.

Migros has also developed its own brands:

• Migros Bio: a range of organic products such as yogurt, milk, butter, etc.
• M-Budget: a brand of food and non-food items at affordable prices such as bacon rolls, toilet paper, cream cheese, etc.
• Migros Selection: a brand of premium food items such as macarons, meat, granola, etc. 

Concerning its logistics, more than 400 rail wagons transport goods for Migros every day. It also focuses on climate-friendly lorries and hydrogen-powered vehicles.

Migros Ticaret, formerly known as Moonlight Perakendecilik ve Ticaret Anonim Pirketi, was founded in 1954, originally as a sourcing point for Swiss Migros Coop. It is listed on the Istanbul Stock Exchange and is traded as MGROS.

In 1971, after they began to open stores in Turkey, the KOC Group took control of the company.

 In 2007, BC Partners Ltd, an equity firm, acquired 50.8% of Migros Tuk’s  and eventually took 97.9% control.  The group is now a subsidiary of MH Perakendecilik ve Ticaret A.Þ. Turkey.

They operate 745 stores, 717 of them in Turkey under six formats and 28 Ramstore supermarkets/hypermarkets in Kazakhstan (23) and Macedonia (5).

In Turkey, the company operates 511 Migro supermarkets and hypermarkets (262 M basic stores, 190 MM wider selection and 59 MMM large selection outlets), 177 Tansas neighborhood supermarkets, 16 ‘5M’ hyper discount stores and 13 Macrocenter stores (featuring gourmet foods).

Migros Ticaret also operates shopping centers and a food wholesale business for institutional/foodservice customers.

Musgrave Group was founded by Thomas and Stuart Musgrave in 1876. Based in Ireland, the company is a family-run wholesaler, retailer and food service, and is presently Ireland's largest grocery distributor. Initially, Musgrave Group started by offering tea and food but by 1894, the firm was known as a retailer and wholesaler. 

Furthermore, the company owns more than 1,400 stores and offices across Ireland, UK, and Spain. The Group also owns subsidiaries such as the Spanish company, Dialsur.

Additionally, the company owns Day-Today, a retail solution Group which allows convenience stores to compete more effectively and profitably in their market, while still maintaining their independence. 

Musgrave Group owns 24% share of the grocery market in the Republic of Ireland, and a 12% share in Northern Ireland.

The business partnered with Guaranteed Irish in 2020 in order to nurture and grow their network of indigenous Irish businesses. It has also signed a €300 million supply deal with Circle K. 

In 2017, Musgrave Group acquired La Rousse Foods from Aryzta. Additionally, in 2020, the firm also acquired Drinks Inc, strengthening its position on the Irish market. 

Musgrave Group is the exclusive distributor for Happy Pear and aims to market and distribute its products across Ireland and eventually across the globe. Through this collaboration, Musgrave Group is extending its vegetarian and vegan range of products. Furthermore, the enterprise will also develop new products to expand the range of Happy Pear’s products. 

With a workforce of around 41,000 people, Musgrave Group achieves a turnover of € 5.4 billion.

In 2021, the Group was awarded the ‘Graduate Employer of the Year’ Award and is also the Sustainable Development Goal Champion 2019-2020. Other awards include The Irish Food Award, National Parenting Product Award, Free from Food Award, etc. 

The firm owns several brands under its private labels, some of which include:

• Caramico: offers an assortment of pizzas
• Moo’d : a range of ice creams
• Frank and Honest: a brand which offers a wide range of coffee products

Additionally, the firm is also the longest verified retail member of the Origin Green Programme. 

Musgrave Group believes in supporting ‘Local and Irish’ by buying from local Irish producers whenever possible. In fact, 75% of all products at SuperValu are sourced from local producers. The company works with more than 1,800 Irish suppliers.

Moreover, Musgrave Group is looking for products for the following categories:

Dairy: yoghurts, desserts, cheese, milk, cream, butter, eggs, etc.

The firm is interested in dairy-free products and is also looking for brands as well as suppliers that can supply the firm with products for its private labels. 

One of the distribution centres owned by Musgrave Group is found in Kilcock.  

With regards to the community, the Group indulges in several measures such as sponsoring TidyTowns, partnering with GAA football, autism-friendly shopping events, etc. 

Musgrave Group  also adheres to a number of preventive measures in order to protect the environment, these include steps such as removing plastic packaging from their supply chain, recycling, planning to become a net-zero carbon business by 2050, etc. 

Picard Surgeles, which was established in 1906, opened its first store in 1974. The business, founded by Raymond Picard in France, specialises in the production and distribution of frozen products. Picard Surgeles is owned by Lion Capital. 

The firm is a leading specialized retailer in the French frozen food market with a total of 1010 stores across France. Picard Surgeles runs 14 shops in Belgium, 1 shop in Luxembourg and 2 shops in Switzerland. In addition to this, customers can also shop online through its mobile app as well as its website. 

Picard Surgeles currently offers 1100 references and introduces around 200 new items each year.

In 2021, Picard Surgeles achieved a turnover of €1.9 billion and employed a total of 5055 people.

Picard Surgeles offers products in the following categories:

• Frozen Food: desserts, ready-meals, pastries, meat, seafood, etc.
• Savory Grocery: sauces, chips, snacks, etc.
• Sweet Grocery: tea, coffee, biscuits, jam, candy, etc. 

Furthermore, Picard Surgeles also has a range of organic products. 

Brands such as Mc Cain, The English Tea Shop, Musseti, etc. can be found in all the stores. 

The company offers products under its own label, Picard, which offers frozen desserts, fruit salads, appetizers, etc. 

Picard Surgeles works with farmers directly, ensuring that the products are of great quality and fresh. Unlike other companies that offer frozen items, Picard Surgeles does not use any additives or preservatives in its frozen range. 

Picard Surgeles’s online shop can be accessed on www.picard.fr

The REWE group was created in 1927 and today has become the leader in the trade and tourism group, not only in Germany but also in Europe. Its activities are expanded in 21 countries across Europe, operating 15 300 stores. REWE group is among the TOP 4 German retailers, in fact, it holds 17% of the market share in Germany.

The Group’s business areas are as follows:

• Retail Germany
• Retail International
• National Specialist Stores
• Travel and Tourism

The group has 9129 stores in the following formats:

• Supermarkets 
• Hypermarkets
• Discounters

These formats are available in 12 countries and are part of the group CORE which is a buying alliance. CORE group has its online shop and other non-retail businesses. 

Rewe also has a subsidiary named REWE Digital which has managed all the online activities of the firm since 2013.

In 2014, the group partnered with Aral, a gas station operator to launch its convenience store: REWE to go.

Having the most technologically sophisticated online shopping facility in Europe, Rewe gets the opportunity to beat Amazon and other online retailers. Its Cologne facility comprises 20 000 SKUs in six different cooling zones.

In the year 2017, the company launched a 360 degree marketing campaign in order to promote its economy private label line.

The group is also active in food and non-food sectors, and reveals its presence through banners such as the REWE center which was initially known as Toom BauMarkt and B1 as well as other tourism agencies. Presently, to arm itself against the competition and to establish itself as a leader in its sector, REWE targets Europe (principally Austria) through banners like Bipa and Billa.

In the financial year 2020, the company had a revenue of €75 billion and employed 380 000 employees.

The firm offers a diversified assortment of products under the following categories:

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

Rewe is trying to improve its image by upgrading the quality of its own brand products. In fact, the group offers a wide range of private label products positioned from low-priced to premium categories and addressing many specific segments such as regional specialties or organic food. Rewe is estimated to realize an average of up to a quarter of its total sales thanks to its own brands:

At Rewe stores:

• Rewe Best Wahl, former Rewe brand for packaged food ranging from low to mid-price range.
• Rewe Bio for organic products.
• Rewe Feine Welt for premium packaged food at medium prices.
• Rewe Frei Von for food with special needs (gluten-free, lactose-free…).
• Vivess for household products, textiles, school furniture…
• Wilhelm von Brandenburg for meat products.
• Rewe Regional for regional specialties.
• Ja! for budget price range packaged food.

At Penny Markt stores:

• Bunte Basics for budget ranged groceries.
• Bäckerkrönung for bakeries.
• Penny To Go for snacks.
• Mühlenhof for fresh meat.
• San Fabio for Italian groceries.
• Today for personal care.
• Naturgut for organic products.

At Billa stores:

• Billa for core ranged products.

• Billa Corso for premium groceries.

• Billa Freshy for fresh snacks and ready meals.

• Ja! Natürlich for organic food.

• Clever for budget ranged groceries and HPC.

• Chef Menu for mid-priced ready meals.

• Wegenstein for wine.

• Hofstädter for fresh meat.

• Da Komm’ Ich Her for regional groceries and specialties.

• Wunderlinge, providing unconventional vegetables and fruits in order to fight against food waste.

• Vega Vita for vegan products.

At Bipa stores:

• Look by Bipa for core products.
• IQ Cosmetics for premium categories.
• B. Pretty for budget young customers.
• Little Girl for little girls.
• B. Styled for legwear.
• BabyWell for baby care.
• Bi Good for eco-friendly products. 

Pertaining to the logistics facilities, in cooperation with Witron logistics, Rewe built a warehouse which measures 683 508 sqm.

Rewe Group eliminated the use of plastic straws in some of its stores. The firm is committed to use FSC/ PEFC certified paper straws in its 6000 chains. Also, the company decided to transform its whole own brand chocolate assortment into the Fairtrade cocoa program.

Now the group is focusing on new technologies: how to relate new technologies with the trade sector. Expand its e-commerce activities and also establish new sale formats and channels to adapt itself to changing times.

Schwarz Group is a retail group that was founded in 1912 in Germany by Johannes and Georg Schwarz. The business operates both retail and wholesale businesses. Schwarz Group operates over 12500 stores in around 33 countries.

Schwarz Group operates the following retail banners:

• Kaufland: a chain of hypermarkets
• Lidl: a chain of supermarkets

Schwarz Group runs its wholesale business under the name Ruep. 

In 2020, Schwarz Group reached a turnover of € 113.3 billion and there were 458000 people employed by the business. 

Schwarz Group, under its various banners, offers products in 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, kefir, 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.

Various brands including K-classic, Airwick, Alpro, Vittel, Beeck, etc. are offered.

Regarding its banners, Schwarz Group is encouraging both Kaufland and Lidl to develop nutritive products and reduce sugar and salt in them.

As a company working towards achieving sustainable goals, Schwarz Group is targeting to use solely recyclable packaging for all the products under the private labels for Lidl and Kaufland. 

Moreover, Schwarz Group intends to reduce its food waste by 50% by 2030. 

UPDATES ON SCHWARZ GROUP ON 10/06/2021

In 2021, Schwarz Group announced that it was developing till-less stores in Germany.  The project is being tested under the store name shop.box and is being run by Schwarz Restaurantbetriebe, another subsidiary of the group. 

Furthermore, a pick-up application, collect.box is in the works. Through this service, customers can make a shopping list and then pick up their orders at a terminal.

Sonae is the largest Portuguese company which was established in 1985 and is headquartered in Matosinhos, Portugal. 

It comprises 1,343 stores. 

In the financial year 2021, it reported a turnover of  €5.36 billion. 

The company also offers online shops.

Sonae Portugal operates its grocery retail business, Continente, under the following banners:

• Continente: Continente is a chain of hypermarkets founded in 1985.
• Continente Modelo: a chain of large supermarkets
• Continente Bom Dia: this is the proximity supermarket format for Continente
• Meu Super: a chain of small proximity stores

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, carbonated soft drinks, etc.  
• Household: kitchen towels, toilet paper, detergents, etc.   
• Personal care: dental care, shampoo, shower gel, etc.     
• Wine and spirits: beer, wine, whiskey, etc.

Sonae’s own brands portfolio consists of:

• A wide range of Continente for food and non-food budget-ranged categories (usually 20% cheaper than the category leader),
• 75 Continente Biológico SKU’s, for organic range,
• Cabaz Frescos, dedicated to the chilled & fresh category. 
• Zu, is a line especially created for pet care. 

In 2016, Sonae strengthened its presence in the health and wellness market by acquiring the organic supermarket chain Amor Bio and Go Natural.

Sonae owns Wells, a chain of para-pharmacies and the coffee shop chain, Bagga. 

The firm also acquired Note!, a bookstore chain, Zu, dedicated to pet care that also offers veterinary services and Maxmat, a chain of DIY stores. 

The business opened 64 company-operated stores in 2021, including 12 Continente Bom Dia proximity stores.

When it comes to its logistics, it consists of 5 depots. Every year it distributes over 300 million boxes around 1.300 stores in Portugal.

It also invested €50 million in the new Sonae MC Distribution Centre building situated in Azambuja.  

One of its online shops can be accessed on: https://www.continente.pt/ 

Founded in 1894, Systeme U Centrale Nationale owns and operates a chain of supermarkets and hypermarkets in France. The firm occupies a market share of 11.1% in the French market.

Systeme U signed an agreement with Carrefour in June 2018 for a joint purchasing alliance. 

Furthermore, Systeme U Centrale Nationale has invested in the creation of a new online platform along with a mobile phone application. 

The retail group operates 1568 stores under the following banners:

• 65 Hyper U: a chain of hypermarkets
• 762 Super U: a chain of supermarkets
• 341 U Express: a network of mini-markets in the countryside
• 5 Marche U
• 395 Utile

Systeme U Centrale Nationale achieved a turnover of €26.8 billion in 2020, indicating that its turnover has grown by 8.2% since 2019. The turnover for its online activities has grown by 50%, at €927 million. 

At present, over 70 000 people are employed by the business.

So far, Système U operates a wide range of private labels such as (but not limited to)

• U: the core brand for food and nonfood products
• U Saveurs: for premium gourmet food products
• U Bio: for organic and fair trade food products
• U Nature: for organic household products such as wipes, dishwashers etc
• By U: for personal care references
• U Tout Petits: for children food and nonfood products

The firm has been able to attain the RSPO certification.

Moreover, Système U partnered with Nedis in order to benefit from private label solutions.

In 2017, Systeme U Centrale Nationale  began a partnership with the US based Schreiber Dairy Group for the latter to become the exclusive supplier of U brand yoghurt. 

In 2021, Systeme U Centrale Nationale, along with other retail chains, signed a commitment charter to offer more locally-produced items.  

The company has been supporting SMEs in France. In fact, studies have shown that 72% of the company’s turnover from its own brands come from products supplied by SMEs. Many of its stores work with local and regional farmers.

In terms of logistics, Systeme U Centrale Nationale operates 30 sites across France. The services are provided to external customers also and not only to the U associates.

As a sustainable measure, Systeme U Centrale Nationale has decided to stop the use of petrochemicals in its packaging for its private labels. The company has joined the initiative by (Re) set and will be looking into eco-friendly packaging for products such as milk, salads, pastries, compotes, sweet and savory biscuits, etc. 

Moreover, Systeme U Centrale Nationale is now looking for ways to reduce its packaging. In 2020, the company stopped using plastic for certain products.  

Systeme U Centrale Nationale has banned around 113 additives and chemicals from its products, replacing them with safe alternatives. For instance, the company has launched its own chocolate spread where it switched from using palm oil to rapeseed oil.

Morrisons is a supermarket chain which was established in 1899 by William Morrison. Its headquarters is found in Bradford, UK. The business started as a stall in Rawson Market that sold eggs and butter. Today, the company is the UK’s 4th largest supermarket chain. 

As of 2021, Morrisons manages 497 stores in the UK serving 11 million customers each week. Moreover, in 2012, the firm launched its first retail website called “Morrisons Cellar” selling wine around the world. It started offering online shopping when it closed a deal with Ocado to use its technology system and distribution infrastructure. 

Morrisons operates its own manufacturing sites that include meat processing factory, seafood sites, vegetable packing factory, fresh food factory as well as potato packing facility. 

Furthermore, the supermarket chain holds a 10.4% market share as of 2019. 

In the financial year 2021, the business achieved a turnover of € 21.1 billion and employed 110,000 people.

Since the company’s sales rose by 9% in 2021, it was awarded “supermarket of the year” at Retail Industry Awards 2021. 

Morrisons provides a diversified assortment of products under the following categories:

• Chilled & Fresh Food: meat, pizza, fruits, vegetables, etc.
• Dairy: milk, yoghurt, cheese, etc.
• Sweet Grocery: chocolate, breakfast cereals, biscuits, etc. 
• Savoury Grocery: pasta, sauces, crisps, noodles, etc.
• Frozen Food: fish, seafood, ready-meals, ice-cream, chicken, etc.
• Drinks: soft drinks, water, fruit juices, etc.
• Personal Care: oral care, skincare, fragrances, hair care, etc.
• Household: air fresheners, detergents, stain removers, etc.

The retailer also offers a free from product line with over 400 references. The products include lactose-free, gluten-free, dairy-free, wheat-free, etc. 

The brands available include Ariel, Uncle Bens, Walkers, Heinz, Kellogg’s, Cadbury, Mc Cain, etc. 

In addition, the retailer provides its own brand with over 1,000 references. It is called “Morrisons” which consists of products such as biscuits, canned foods, industrial pastries, sauces, etc.

Moreover, the grocer possesses certifications such as ISO 9001:2015, RTRS, RSPO, etc. 

Located across the UK, Morrisons operates 6 distribution centres close to its stores. Using its fleet of over 650 tractor units and 1,750 trailers, the company is able to deliver more than 18 million cases a week. 

In relation to sustainability, the firm decided to make 65% of its own brand ‘healthy’ and all the eggs used in processed foods will be from free-range by 2025. 

Morrisons’s online shop can be accessed on www.groceries.morrisons.com

Gall & Gall is the leading wine and liquor retailer in the Netherlands. The chain distinguishes itself with a wide range of quality products, a high quality of service and expert advice. The company was founded in 1884 by a widow under the name of her husband - H.J.T. Gall who had died young - prompting her to start a business that would provide a steady income as she grew older. The Widow Gall proved to be a successful entrepreneur and spent many years successfully building the business with a sharp focus on what her customers wanted. By the time she died in 1920, the business had two successful stores.

The couples son took over the business and changed the name to Gall & Gall. He continued to develop the business, which in 1989 became a part of Ahold. Soon after, it was merged with other liquor store chains acquired by Ahold to become the largest business of its kind in the Netherlands. In 2007, Gall & Gall updated its brand image and began pilots for a new type of store with a fresh modern design and a new layout. The company keeps growing its sales by broadening its appeal to an increasingly wider customer base, and providing more value to customers. It was the first liquor store chain in the Netherlands to launch an own-brand line containing a full range of more than 40 products, from wine and port to whiskey and gin, at competitive prices. In recent years it has been voted one of the most customer-friendly companies in the Netherlands.

Bol.com was founded in 1999 in the Netherlands as an online book seller but diversified its activities and offers products in the drinks category and the personal care category. Bol.com has over 9 million customers in the Netherlands and Belgium.

The company employs 1400 employees and achieved a turnover of €1220 million in 2015. The company ranked first on the Annual Twinkle 100 companies for 3 consecutive years since 2016.

In 2014, Bol.com was nominated “Best Web Shop of the Netherlands” and “Best Web Shop of Belgium 2014-2015.”. To give customers another convenient way to collect their orders, Bol.com has opened over 700 pick-up points in Albert Heijn stores.

The company is looking for products in the drinks category which include beer, wine and liquor.

For its beauty category, the company is looking for products such as perfumes, make-up and skincare.

In order to serve customers quickly and efficiently, bol.com has created a highly developed inventory-management system. The company stocks tens of thousands of products, buying more into its central warehouse as and when necessary. Bol.com has also made agreements with other suppliers promising fast and free delivery, and hosts an online “marketplace” for the exchange of second-hand goods.

The company’s online shop is accessible on https://www.bol.com/

Stop & Shop is a leading supermarket brand in the northeast United States and the pioneer of the super store concept in New England. Today Stop & Shop is organized into two divisions: Stop & Shop New England and Stop & Shop New York Metro.

Stop & Shop traces its roots back to 1914 when the Rabinovitz family founded the Economy Grocery Stores Company in the Boston suburb of Somerville, Massachusetts. Four years later, family member Sidney Rabb introduced an idea that was then new to retail – the self-service, modern supermarket. As that idea caught on, the company rapidly expanded, furthering its development from a single corner grocer to two divisions with around 400 stores today. The company officially became known as Stop & Shop, Inc. in 1946.

In 1982, Stop & Shop pioneered the superstore concept in New England. Today the two divisions operate superstores (some of which include gas stations), full-service pharmacies, and conventional supermarkets. The divisions have taken format development further in recent years, with stores that not only better serve customers but also use less energy.

Along with the other divisions in Ahold USA, the Stop & Shop divisions continue to focus on strengthening their own-brand offerings. They are using smartphone and internet technology to make shopping more convenient for customers. For example, ScanIt! Mobile lets customers use smartphones to scan their groceries, tally their orders, receive personalized savings and checkout – while they shop. The divisions are also introducing pick-up points that enable customers to order groceries online and pick them up at the store without leaving their cars.

Stop & Shop is strongly committed to supporting local charities and fundraising initiatives.

At the end of 2014, the Stop & Shop New England division operated 216 stores and the Stop & Shop New York Metro division operated 182 stores.

Peapod is the leading online grocery service in the United States. Peapod is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ahold, and works in partnership with the Ahold USA divisions to provide internet-based home shopping and grocery delivery and pickup.

Brothers Andrew and Thomas Parkinson founded Peapod in 1989 in Evanston, Illinois. The brothers' goal was to offer a convenient way for consumers to accomplish their grocery shopping. During the early days, Andrew and Thomas would do the picking and packing themselves, and make deliveries using their own cars. As demand for the service grew, Peapod continued to expand into new markets and began taking orders over its own website (www.peapod.com) in 1998. Since joining Ahold in 2000, Peapod has pursued a successful "clicks and bricks" strategy by partnering with Ahold’s supermarket businesses in the United States to provide an integrated service for customers. The company achieved a significant milestone in 2011 when it delivered its 20 millionth order.

Peapod continues to grow sales and expand its business, including by opening Peapod pick-up points as another convenient option for customers. In 2014, we opened a new distribution center in the New Jersey area to expand the capacity of our Peapod business in the metro New York market.

Peapod serves customers in 13 states including the District of Columbia.

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Albert Czech Republic is a retailer which was established in the year 1990 and it is owned by Ahold Delhaize. Albert Czech Republic is based in Prague, Czech Republic. 

Albert Czech Republic operates its stores under the following banners:

• Albert Hypermarkets: 90 hypermarkets
• Albert Supermarkets: 235 supermarkets

In 2017, the firm obtained a turnover of  € 1.9 billion and employs over 17 000 employees.

The company obtained the Czech National Quality Award three times and one of its hypermarkets won the Best Store in the Czech Republic by the Diamond Quality League 2018. 

Its products categories include:

• Savory Grocery: Salty snacks, rice, flour, etc.
• Sweet Grocery: pastry, tea, chocolates, etc.
• Chilled & fresh food: ready meals, fresh meat, fruits & vegetables, etc.
• Frozen food: beef steaks, english bacon, sausages, etc. 
• Dairy: yoghurt, cheese, milk, etc. 
• Drinks: mineral water, juices, smoothies, etc. 
• Personal care: shower gel, shaving foams, liquid soaps, etc.

Besides it has its own brands namely:

• Albert:The products that are sold under the private label are pastry, fruits & vegetables, beverages, etc… It is interesting to know that the products are of high quality and are sold at low prices.
• Albert Excellent: Under this brand, products such as milk chocolates, fresh juices, sausages, etc,.. are sold.
• Basic: Pasta, milk, rice, etc,.. are available in this brand.

Moreover, the brands that are exclusively sold in Albert stores are:

• Ceska Chut:Its products includes meat, sausages, dairy, flour, etc…
• Etos: The specialty of this brand are body and facial care products.
• Cherokee: Clothing for men, women and babies are available in this brand.
• Nature’s promise: It’s aim is to offer recipes of its products to its customers.

Albert Czech Republic took over the Spar and Interspar stores in the country in 2014. 

Additionally, the firm has been certified by UTZ which gives an insight that it is advancing towards sustainability.

In fact, the objective of the retailer is to provide healthy and sustainable products to its customers. The goal is also to be eco-friendly.

UPDATES ON ALBERT CZECH REPUBLIC ON 29/05/2018

Although the company has a strong partnership with AMS, the company does its own sourcing. Albert Czech Republic cooperates directly with its suppliers and is always on the lookout for innovation.

UPDATES ON ALBERT CZECH REPUBLIC ON 08/01/2020

In 2018, Albert Czech Republic has injected funds to finance to renovate and upgrade 64 stores. 

Albert Heijn is the largest Dutch supermarket and convenience chain which was established in 1887 by Albert Heijn Sr. The company is a subsidiary of the Ahold Delhaize Group. In 2021, Albert Heijn had a market share of 35.9%, experiencing a growth of 0.9% when compared to the previous year.

Albert Heijn operates a total of 1050 stores as well as 64 pick-up points. 

In 2021, Ahold Delhaize announced the acquisition of 38 Deen stores which will be converted into Albert Heijn stores.

Furthermore, the company also owns the AH app, which is present in 50 cities, where the customers can buy their products online. 

Albert Heijn also launched ‘My Albert Heijn Premium’, which is an omnichannel subscription for a set amount per year that gives customers more discounts. More than 300 000 customers were reported to have subscribed.

Albert Heijn employs around 100 000 people and in 2021, the business’s turnover was €1.62 billion. Its online sales account for 10% of its revenue.

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

• Savory Grocery: pasta, rice, oil, herbs, etc.
• Sweet Grocery: cereals, biscuits, chocolate, candy, etc.
• Drinks: beer, soft drinks, juice, etc.
• Wine & Spirits: a wide assortment of wines
• Frozen Food: dessert, snacks, ready-meals, meat, etc.
• Chilled & Fresh Food: fruits, vegetables, ready-meals, cold cuts, etc.
• Dairy: butter, eggs, cheese, milk, etc.
• Personal Care: baby care, fragrances, makeup, hygiene, etc.
• Household: fabric softener, detergent, cleaning products, etc. 

Products from brands like Cruesli, Heineken, Coca Cola, Lays, Pampers, Page, etc. can be found in the stores. 

A range of organic, sugar-free, gluten-free, etc, items are also offered. 

Albert Heijn offers their own brands which are:

• AH Huismerk: Under this brand, a range of sustainable groceries and ecological products. This brand is dedicated to both the food and non-food sector.
• AH Excellent: This brand includes products such as rice, olive oil, coffee, etc,..
• AH Biological: This brand comprises more than 1500 skus which are organic. Products such as yoghurt, snacks, cheese, etc,.. are sold under this name.
• AH Basic: Quality products are sold at a lower price under this name.

Moreover, the firm is fairtrade, MSC & ASC and Better Life certified.

The procurement team of the company has a sourcing manager and a buyer who are responsible for each category.

In order to collaborate with Albert Heijn as a supplier, the following requirements are compulsory:

• Strong desire for competitiveness
• Should be independent enough when working with large retailers
• Quick delivery (Ensure delivery within two days)
• Huge capacity
• provide own logistics solutions

The firm works with more than 1000 permanent farmers and growers and takes special measures such as animal welfare, carbon emission reduction and the promotion of biodiversity.  Albert Heijn works with 80 local bakers, cheese makers and butchers from the Netherlands as well as the supplier, Streeckgenoten. 

Albert Heijn is interested in branded products in the personal care category such as vitamins and complements. The firm wishes to collaborate with suppliers from Eastern and Western Europe and will consider factors such as lead times and transportation costs. 

Furthermore, Albert Heijn is willing to work with suppliers from the UK but there should not be any delays due to Brexit. 

The company is also willing to partner with suppliers that have a wide range of products. 

Albert Heijn is also interested in products for private labels in the following categories:

• Frozen Food: fish and seafood
• Chilled & Fresh Food: meat

In 2021, the company imposed a ban on Brazilian meat as it was causing deforestation.  

Albert Heijn has a fleet of 800 delivery vehicles devoted mainly to deliver orders placed by customers online. The company has 4 fulfilment centres and 20 cross-dock hubs. At present, Albert Hein can process over 100 000 orders each week. 

With regards to the community, the company collaborates with Red Cross, Food Banks, and Linda Foundation in order to provide food for the less fortunates. Furthermore, Albert Heijn minimises food wastage, uses better packages, avoids plastic, etc, in order to meet its sustainable goals pertaining to the environment. 

Albert Heijn’s online shop can be accessed on www.ah.nl

Founded in 1992, Pingo Doce is a supermarket chain owned 51% by Jeronimo Martins and 49% by Ahold Delhaize. Its headquarters is based in Lisbon, Portugal. Spread across 300 locations throughout the country, Pingo Doce is the leading chain in the supermarket segment in Portugal. 

The company operates 458 stores under the banner Pingo Doce across Portugal. It manages an online store as well. 

In the financial year 2020, the firm achieved a turnover of € 4.3 billion and employed more than 30,000 people. 

Furthermore, the retailer was awarded the 2021 Gold Vertex Award for its private label. The company also won a prize in the personal care category at the European Private Label Awards, organised by the European Supermarket Magazine in 2021. 

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

• Chilled & Fresh : ready meals, pastries, pastas, etc.
• Frozen: seafood, meat, ice creams, etc.
• Savoury grocery: oils, vinegar, spices, etc.
• Sweet grocery: chocolates, cookies, tea, etc. 
• Dairy products: yoghurts, cheese, eggs, milks etc. 
• Drinks: water, juice, soft drinks, etc. 
• Wine and Spirits: wines, beers, champagnes, etc. 
• Personal care: shampoo, moisturisers, makeup, etc.
• Household: air fresheners, disinfectants, toilet papers, etc. 

In addition, the firm offers solutions for consumers with specific food needs such as vegans, vegetarians, celiacs or people who are looking for fat-free, sugar-free, lactose-free and gluten-free products. 

The business offers various products under its own brand which are as follows (not limited to): 

• Go Active Pingo Doce: protein oats, protein bars, peanut butter, etc. 
• Pingo Doce: shampoo, frozen chocolates, burgers, etc. 
• Pingo Doce Pura Vida: milk, rice, dark chocolate, etc. 
• Go Bio: bio rice, bio dark chocolate, bio pasta, etc. 
• Pingo Doce Cuida Bebe: moisturising cream, biscuits, milk flour, etc. 

Moreover, the company maintains the highest quality standards as it possesses the international animal welfare certifications for its own brand meat products. Pingo Doce also achieved a certification in antibiotic production by Aenor. 

With regards to its logistics solutions, the firm operates its own distribution centres and fleet of vehicles. Moreover, it partnered with Takeaway.com to deliver home-cooked meals in Lisbon. In 2021, Pingo Doce invested in a fleet that emits less CO2. 

Concerning sustainability, the business is fighting plastic pollution and has proper waste management. 

The online shop can be accessed on: https://mercadao.pt/store/pingo-doce 

Aldi opened its first store in Australia in 2001 and now counts 457 discounters around the island. The discounter expanded quickly to become one of the largest food retailer in the island.

In fact, Aldi is now among the top ten retailers in Australia. Being among the top ten retailers has enabled Aldi to influences its prices as well as proposing innovations in terms of market initiatives. Aldi has managed to change the way private labelled products are perceived by customers. The discounter even manages its exclusive branded items.

Aldi in Australia also disposes of distribution centers that cater for the needs of the stores across the island. Being strict regarding the quality of its products Aldi conducts regular controls upon the products both internally and externally. 

Aldi started to operate in Austria in 1968 after taking over Hofer, an Austrian chain of retail stores. In Austria, Aldi Sud operates all its stores under the banner Hofer. At present, there are over 500 shops in Austria offering around 1400 references. There is also an online shop.

Aldi Sud Austria has diversified its business throughout the years. In 2003, it started operating a tour operator business under the name Hofer Reisen. In 2015, the firm launched Hofer Telekom. 

Aldi Sud Austria provides products in the following categories:

• Chilled & Fresh Food: charcuterie, cold cuts, meat, etc.
• Frozen Food: dessert, ice-cream, ready-meals, etc. 
• Drinks: soft drink, juice, wine, etc.
• Savory Grocery: crisps, oil, rice, etc.
• Dairy: yoghurt, milk, cheese, etc.
• Sweet Grocery: breakfast cereals, biscuits, coffee, etc.
• Personal Care: baby care, fragrances, skincare, etc.
• Household: detergent, dishwashing liquid, all-purpose cleaner, etc.

Aldi Sud Austria also offers vegan, vegetaria, organic and lactose-free items. 

Aldi Sud offers products from brands like Coca Cola, Red Bull, Fanta, Vegeta, etc.

Furthermore, the business also operates its own brands such as (but not limited to):

• Back to the origin: a range of organic products
• FairHOF: a brand of meat and dairy products following ethical standards. The meat sourced is from Austria itself
• Ombia: a range of personal care products free from parabens, silicone and microplastics
• Milfana: a brand featuring dairy products
• Amaroy: a range of coffee products

Hofer’s online shop can be accessed on www.hofer.at

Aldi Nord, a German chain of retail stores, launched in Belgium in 1976. The chain consists of 450 stores offering a variety of food and non-food items. The business had a market share of 9.49% in 2018. 

Aldi Nord Belgium employs 6587 people.

The company provides a large range of products in the following categories:

• Savory Grocery: canned food, pet food, pasta, sauces, etc.
• Sweet Grocery: coffee, tea, cocoa, confectionery, etc.
• Drinks: beer, wine, soft drink, iced tea, etc. 
• Chilled & Fresh Food: meat, vegetables, fruits, pastries, etc.
• Frozen Food: ready-meal, dessert, seafood, etc.
• Personal Care: face care, hair care, oral care, etc.
• Household: cleaning supplies, disposables, laundry detergent, etc.

Aldi Nord Belgium also offers organic, vegan and vegetarian options. 

Aldi Nord Belgium offers products from brands like Lays, Heinz, King’s Crown, Kinder, Valgrande, etc. 

98% of cocoa offered by Aldi Nord Belgium comes from sustainable sources. Furthermore, Aldi Nord Belgium is the first Belgian retailer to only sell fairtrade bananas in its stores. 

Aldi Nord Belgium operates 7 distribution centres and has been taking measures so that by 2019, all the centres will be using LED lighting only. 

Aldi Nord, a chain of retail stores established in Germany, launched its first shop in France in 1988. The business Is recognised among the best ranked companies in France.