Posts by theo@aacs.org.au

Valora Group, the Swiss-based retail and foodservice company, is flexing its convenience retail and foodservice credentials with its new avec branded store at Freiestrasse in Zurich.The 159sq m store is a strong contender in The Best Foodvenience Store in the World contest, and it’s not difficult to see why. The store is all about foodvenience and fulfils avec’s aim to put the consumer at the centre of its decision making, states Roger Vogt CEO Retail at Valora Group. With a 25-year career in the industry, Vogt has an expert view on convenience and food retail. He started out as an apprentice butcher where “you are very close to the customer all day – you have to speak to customers and serve them, which is key in this business”; before moving to Coop, one of Switzerland’s largest retailer for 20 years. There he had responsibility for 350 supermarket stores in the…

AI saves time and increases efficiency, said speakers at the NACS Show.  For a mid-size operator like Cubby’s, which operates 42 retail locations in Nebraska, Iowa, and South Dakota, sorting through vast amounts of data to leverage insights is time-consuming and daunting. “I see all these great products [that collect data] out there, but I’m always asking myself, ‘Who in my organization has the time to go through all of this information and then take action based on it?’” said De Lone Wilson, president of Cubby’s Inc., during “Use Cases for AI Inside of the Store” at the NACS Show on Monday. “But with AI, the technology does that for you—pulls out all the insights and presents it right to you so you don’t have to go digging for it,” he continued. Saving time and increasing efficiency were two of the major benefits of implementing AI for both day-to-day in-store…

Baking supplies manufacturer Allied Pinnacle has held a ceremonial cherry blossom planting and ribbon cutting with parent company Nisshin Seifun Group at its Ravenhall Distribution Centre in Victoria, ahead of the site’s official opening next month. According to a statement from the company, the event on Friday celebrates the new facility’s opening – which will represent its largest footprint nationwide – as “a key milestone in Allied Pinnacle’s commitment to growth and innovation”. It is set to play “a key role in distributing flour and bakery goods” and service Australian states including Victoria, South Australia, and Tasmania. “This facility not only strengthens our ability to serve customers across multiple states but also reinforces our commitment to delivering innovative, high-quality products. We’re proud to contribute to the local economy and look forward to creating more opportunities for growth in the region,” said Allied CEO David Pitt. The facility includes a test…

Mr Whippy and Darrell Lea, two iconic Australian brands, have partnered to launch a new chocolate – Mr Whippy 100’s & 1000’s Marshmallows. Paul Ayoub, General Manager at Mr Whippy, said the two brands joined forces to bring fun and excitement back into the chocolate category, reigniting childhood memories. “Together we looked at what brings excitement and joy and landed on the old-time favourites of marshmallows and 100’s & 1000’s. This combined with quality Darrell Lea Milk chocolate formed a perfect partnership.” Ayoub explained that at Mr Whippy they are always looking towards the long term with its partnerships. “We see this product exceeding all expectations and driving incremental sales into the convenience network. The two companies will be closely evaluating the performance to decide how far and wide it will go.” Looking at partnerships, Ayoub said that this coming together with Darrell Lea is a true example of a…

A range of single use plastic products will be banned from today in one of the most significant phases of the Malinauskas Government’s efforts to reduce plastic waste in our natural environment, waterways and beaches. From today, the following items are banned.

Today there are more brands and products than ever competing for a place in our shopping baskets—organic or non-organic; local or imported; new categories; private label, premium, and name brands. There are also more ways to shop, including online, in store, or various combinations. All of this choice comes at the cost of time, money, and energy. In the average month, you might shop at a half dozen different places for groceries and everyday essentials, like personal and household goods. That’s different store locations, layouts, mobile apps, products, promotions, delivery promises, loyalty programs, and subscriptions, just to fill the fridge and pantry. At Amazon, we’re working to change that. We believe we can make customers’ lives easier every day by offering all the selection they want while making grocery shopping simpler, faster, and more affordable—and even more so for customers who have all of the savings, convenience, and entertainment in a single membership with Prime.…