Poon's London’s Post

Very exciting news... Better Nature Tempeh is rolling into 100 more Asda stores today 🤩 As a marketer, I spend most of my time thinking about brand awareness, brand fame, driving trial etc. But the truth is, without the right distribution, those metrics are a bit pointless 🤷♀️ Not to say getting them right doesn't help you get the distribution, but they're so interwined and there's no point nailing one without the other. There's still a long way to go to get Better Nature Tempeh's distribution where we want it to be, to allow everyone across the UK (and beyond!) to add it as a supercharged protein staple to their weekly shop. But steps forward like this, especially with our current retailers, are huge and well worth celebrating 🙌 Thanks so much to our fab team for making this happen - from our full-time team members, to advisors, to freelancers, to all the brilliant people in our community who listen to our challanges, support us, give us feedback and so much more. We couldn't grow as we are without each and everyone one of you. And special shoutout to Christopher Kong for leading on this - smashed it! Here's to supercharging the nation one store (or 100!) at a time 🌟 #BetterNatureTempeh #Supermarket #Distribution

Since my initial review of Kroger Boost, I’ve relied on it exclusively for grocery deliveries over the past seven months. Paul Chambers was the one who got me to try Boost, and it's been quite a journey. Here are some key takeaways: 🔹 30 deliveries, 29 from Kroger, 1 from Instacart 🔹 Only one minor delivery hiccup 🔹 Reliable handling of out-of-stock items 🔹 Valuable perks like double fuel points 🔹 Kroger Boost continues to impress, but there's more to the story. Full article in the comments. #CustomerExperience #GroceryDelivery #KrogerBoost #Ecommerce

The Race Between Waitrose and M&S - In recent weeks Marks and Spencer has had to contend with Ocado Retail Ltd threatening litigation as they both clash over a final payment tied to their online joint venture. Notably, prior to 2020 Ocado and Waitrose & Partners were business partners for 19 years. In essence, both high-street names are in the same fight: competing for consumers in the premium grocery market. M&S and John Lewis & Partners have both also been reaping the fruits of a revival plan, with M&S being catapulted back into the FTSE 100 last year, adding yet another dimension to the race for the premium grocery consumer market. Sources: https://lnkd.in/db9_hUX2 https://lnkd.in/dJPqxHZU #ABTL #uklawyers #lawstudents #aspiringlawyers #commercialawareness

Alimentation Couche-Tard is set to acquire Giant Eagle, Inc.'s GetGo c-store business • Approximately 270 GetGo locations across 5 states included in the deal • Acquisition covers convenience retail and fueling locations • Couche-Tard and Giant Eagle to partner on myPerks loyalty program • Deal expected to close next year, pending regulatory approval • Financial terms not disclosed What this means: ✅ Couche-Tard expands its network of 16,700+ stores ✅ Giant Eagle to focus on core supermarket and pharmacy businesses ✅ Potential for price reductions and store improvements at Giant Eagle Brian Hannasch, Couche-Tard CEO, expressed excitement about welcoming GetGo's talented team and innovative approach. Giant Eagle CEO Bill Artman sees this as a win-win, allowing strategic investments in their core business while partnering GetGo with an industry leader. Progressive Grocer https://lnkd.in/gdKziStk #retail #conveniencestores #supermarkets #acquisition #cstores #strategy

Foxtrot is out, but small format “Click-and-Mortar” is white hot. The Foxtrot / Dom’s closures hit all of us hard. But is it a sign of a doomed Economy? Not necessarily. People are still buying. Small / express formats are still growing. The ones that are, are just competing differently. Here are some major players racing for small and express grocery in 2024: GROCERS. -Whole Foods Daily Market, starting at 7,000 sqft. -Big Y building out Big Y Express Fresh Markets. -Trader Joe’s launches Pronto at just 2,800 sqft. C-STORES. -Sheetz: Resourcing delivery, digital, and BFY foods. -7-11: Teching up delivery to target the ‘small cart’. -Circle K: Expanding grocery to lure food shoppers. -CVS inked a deal with KeHE to expand BFY. Now are these the same as Foxtrot? Absolutely not. Not by a long shot. But they’re all building. Here’s WHY theyre able to grow in this Economy: -All of them are focusing hard on digital customers. -All of them are using tech to streamline checkout. -All are competing for a fast evolving consumer. -All of them are competing hard in fast delivery. So Foxtrot is not the end of the World as we know it. It’s the beginning for businesses that position for the digital customer. ——— 🔹Driving shelf turn in Kroger, Whole Foods, Albertsons, Costco, Walmart, Sprouts, and More 🔹DM me or book an appointment for help. #ecommerce #retailmedia #retailgrowth #retailvelocity #cpg #cpgbrands #instacart #foxtrot #cstore #smallformat

I was sad to read that "Asda has scrapped its refillable product stations across some of its stores." The company ran trials of #refill stations in four of its supermarkets and is exiting all of them. Why? The company stated the following in its latest #sustainability report: "...we have experienced operational issues and commercial challenges with our existing approach. Our research showed that the key #barriers which included cost, convenience, cleanliness, and perceived product quality have prevented customers from engaging with the refill proposition.” (https://lnkd.in/eCCzjCTF) It's worth mentioning that Asda introduced in 2022  "a ‘refill price promise’ to ensure refill products would be cheaper than their packaged counterparts." Nevertheless, this wasn't enough to drive sufficient consumer interest. I'm glad that Asda remains committed to learning and plans to start new trials (though it's not clear when and where). The lesson here, which is applicable almost everywhere, is that while we know WHAT needs to be done when it comes to redesigning businesses, we don't know HOW to do it well, certainly at scale. Hopefully, with a much more #design-centered approach and focus, we can start figuring it out. Link to the article: https://lnkd.in/esaxQDas

⬇ Not had time to catch up on recent retail news? We've got you covered with a summary of this week's top stories: 🏢Holland & Barrett is to automate its Burton distribution centre, as part of its “multimillion-pound” modernisation of its supply chain. H&B plans to install a new intelligent warehouse management system as well as ‘smart’ forklift technology aimed at improving the efficiency and speed in which deliveries are handled at the site. 📹Waitrose & Partners is trialling the use of shelf-edge cameras to improve availability in its stores. The tech is currently being used to monitor stock levels in two Little Waitrose convenience shops. 🚲Deliveroo has launched a major marketing campaign for its subscription membership offer Deliveroo Plus, as it seeks to become a “Plus-first business” by 2026. 🥚Sainsbury's has announced the launch of a development group to support its egg farmers and protect its supply. The Sainsbury’s Egg Group is an industry first and will launch next month in collaboration with the retailer’s three main egg packers. 🍶Activia has launched a kefir range made with kefir grains and a blend of 16 live culture strains. The brand has launched both drinkable and spoonable formats to provide a “delicious gut health experience to consumers”. #latestnews #newstoday #podtalent #supplychain #recruitment #business #london #manchester

ATTENTON TAKE NOTE: The Great Retail Revolution: Woolworths & Coles, January 2025 In a stunning announcement, Woolworths and Coles revealed their bold plan to slash grocery prices. The catch? Customers must take on active roles in the supply chain. Truck Unloading Duty: Customers are rostered to unload trucks at 5 a.m., donning hi-vis vests. “Picture the camaraderie,” said a Woolworths spokesperson. “You and your neighbors, stacking bananas before sunrise!” Self-Serve 2.0: Forget scanning your items—now customers take shifts running registers, troubleshooting errors, and training recruits. “I’ve always wanted to say, ‘Unexpected item in bagging area,’ with authority!” laughed one customer. Aisle Managers: Customers manage their favorite aisles, from straightening biscuit shelves to enforcing specials limits. Woolies hinted at titles like “Dairy Defender” and “Frozen Food Foreman.” DIY Promotions: Coles encouraged customers to pitch jingles. Last week’s “Down Down, DIY Prices Are Down!” was a hit. Reactions: Mixed, Naturally Some balked: “I signed up to save $2 on tomatoes, not become assistant night-stock replenisher!” Others loved it: “It’s like CrossFit, but useful,” one said, stacking watermelons. The ACCC approved the plan, calling it “modern shared economy principles.” Said one rep, “If Uber makes us do all the work, why not supermarkets?” Unexpected Wins Communities bonded over "unloading picnics" and “register roster reunions.” Rival Aldi trolled, “At Aldi, we do the heavy lifting for you!” while independents offered “pampered shopping” with coffee and zero expectations. The savings? Australians agreed: $0.30 less for cucumbers was worth it. The Future of Retail? Only time will tell. For now, bring your steel-caps and a smile. Down Down—but only if you pitch in!

It’s not all about price and scale. JLP will never be the cheapest so will have to be better and different. #strategy There’s millions who love quality, personal attention, experience , service etc. Nothing you will find buying at Tesco. JLP is a cooperative with cooperative values, these values need to be turned into strategy. #retail #price #quality #differentiation #transformation

Industry News Update Whole Foods Prepares for National Rollout of Small-Store Format Whole Foods Market is gearing up for a national rollout of its Daily Shop concept, which will begin after the opening of several New York City locations under the small-store format. The first Daily Shop is slated to open this fall on the Upper East Side. The grocer plans to open its second Daily Shop in Manhattan’s Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood. A third New York City Daily Shop will be announced soon, followed by a nationwide rollout. Whole Foods’ Daily Shops will be about half the size of the grocer’s traditional stores, and aim to bring fresh, quality food and ingredients to urban customers. The new store rollout plans align with Amazon’s continued efforts to bolster its grocery business, with recent initiatives including a grocery subscription for Prime members and a growing roster of grocery delivery partners. #grocery #retail #brickandmortar #stores #ecommerce #delivery