Albertsons Companies is big on tech

When it comes to technology and consumers, retail giant Albertsons Companies is focused on providing its shoppers with connected, digital experiences that align with the company’s purpose to inspire well-being and bring people together around food, according to a spokesperson.

“The company’s mobile app is one of the best examples of how we’re using technology to create a fast and easy digital shopping experience.”

Albertsons was voted the ‘People’s Voice’ winner for best shopping and retail app in the 28th annual Webby Awards earlier this year.

The app has more than 10 million active visitors each month and boasts a 4.8 rating in the app store, according to the spokesperson.

Features of the Albertsons app include:

Shoppable Meal Plans and Recipes Tool

Designed to provide customers with culinary inspiration throughout the week while saving time and money, the meal plan feature includes a budget tracker, an expanded library of more than 9,000 exclusive recipes, shoppable ingredient lists and hands-free cooking mode with step-by-step timer. The tool also boasts an artificial intelligence-powered “Scan Your Own Recipe” feature that allows customers to snap a photo with their phone of grandma’s handwritten, not-so-secret recipe, for instance, and transforms it into a digital version saved in the app. Recipes are instantly turned into shoppable ingredients and are added to shoppers’ carts for quick, convenient checkout.

In-Store Mode

This feature acts as a personalized remote control for the store, providing customers with quick access to store-specific deals, aisle locations, wayfinding and more, directly from their smartphones.

Schedule and Save

A subscription service that allows customers to automate their weekly grocery shopping, ensuring they never run out of their favorite items.

Personalization

Features like ‘Buy it again,’ ‘Don’t forget to add’ and ‘Quick start cart’ offer a tailored shopping experience, making it easier for customers to repurchase their favorites and discover new items.

Albertsons has leveraged other technologies to make shopping easier than ever, according to the spokesperson.

One of them, Flash 30-Minute Grocery Pickup and Delivery, allows customers to receive their DriveUp & Go™ and delivery orders in as little as 30 minutes.

Available at more than 2,000 Albertsons Cos. locations through its websites and mobile apps, shoppers can select up to 35 of their favorite items for either Flash pickup or for delivery.

In addition, the retailer’s Simplified for U Loyalty Program has been revamped. Albertsons’ 38 million loyalty members now enjoy a single points-based system, double the time to earn points and a new automatic cash off option for more convenient savings, among other benefits.

“The program retains all the benefits customers love with exciting enhancements to celebrate their loyalty and create customers for life,” according to the spokesperson.

Supermarket consumer insights:

  • 2 in 10 shoppers purchase groceries online ‘often’ or ‘always’
  • Another 25% shop online half the time
  • Two-thirds of online grocery shoppers are driven by time saving and effort, 52% by convenience, and 1/3 report it’s “easier to find items I need”
  • 56% of online shoppers find online offers/promotions/coupons
  • 4 in 10 like to read product reviews before buying
  • 46% of online shoppers are driven by the scheduled delivery feature
  • 45% like the ability to track order/delivery progress online.
  • More than 6 in 10 consumers prefer to select perimeter items in-store vs. purchasing online

Source: 2024 Supermarket Tech Trends and the Consumer study commissioned by Supermarket Perimeter and conducted by Cypress Research

This article is an excerpt from the August 2024 issue of Supermarket Perimeter. You can read the entire Technology and the Consumer feature and more in the digital edition here.



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Trident Seafoods creates COO role in management reshuffle

Credit: @TridentSeafoodsCorporation / Facebook

US-based Trident Seafoods has made a clutch of executive appointments, including creating the position of COO.

The company, which has sold off assets this year, has named board director and former Microsoft executive Mike Quinn to the new role.

Two Trident Seafoods veterans – Jeff Welbourn and Kenji Nasu – have been appointed president of the company’s US business and president of its unit Alaskan unit respectively.

Quinn has spent 25 years at Microsoft, where, most recently, he was VP of sales – global account management. He has been a Trident Seafoods director for five years.

“Creating this new position and adding a proven leader like Mike is the next step in Trident’s evolution to a customer-centric, business unit-led strategy that will return value to all stakeholders,” CEO Joe Bundrant said.

Quinn added: “Trident has been an industry leader for over 50 years and, despite the unprecedented challenges in the seafood sector, I see tremendous opportunities ahead.”

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Before moving into his new role, Welbourn was the company’s SVP for its Alaska operations. Nasu was most recently the SVP for global species.

Privately-owned Trident Seafoods is one of the largest companies in the sector in North America. Based in Seattle, it employs around 9,000 people worldwide with operations in six countries.

Earlier this year, US peer Silver Bay Seafoods bought two facilities in Alaska from Trident Seafoods.

In March, Trident Seafoods sold another processing plant in the state to US group E.C. Phillips & Son.






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Port of NSW installs its first major rooftop solar panel system

Port Authority of New South Wales Principal Environmental Planner Fiona McKay announced the installation of 81 solar panels to reduce dependence on grid electricity.

By utilizing rooftop space efficiently, the panels will generate power to support onsite maritime operations.

While the Port Authority already offsets 100% of its State-wide electricity consumption through renewable energy via a power purchase agreement with a solar and wind farm in New South Wales, this new initiative marks the next step in producing its renewable energy to offset consumption.

McKay also highlighted that the Sustainability Plan 2020 has integrated sustainable practices throughout the business, focusing on enhancing operational efficiency, reducing environmental impact, and promoting long-term sustainability.

The rooftop solar installation aligns with the Port Authority’s Sustainability Plan and its Net Zero goals, which include reducing carbon emissions and achieving net zero by 2040, with a 75% cut in Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2030.

“This investment in renewable technology is just one way Port Authority is meeting its own sustainability goals, while also actively offsetting increasing energy costs within our port facilities. This 35.6 kW solar system provides, on average, 150 kWh/day of electricity, which will be used to offset electricity use within the Newcastle Port Centre. The added benefits will see an estimated US$170,000 in electricity savings over the life of the system which equates to around US$9,000 per year,” stated Fiona McKay.




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‘Snackification’ of mealtimes growing in popularity

CHICAGO — Circana’s annual report on “Eating Patterns in America” reveals consumers are switching up where, when and what they eat in response to changes in their daily lives.

The Chicago-based market research company said 86% of eating occasions are sourced from home. People also are eating breakfast earlier, and snacking away from home is becoming more popular, the report found.

Emerging trends in eating patterns are “really driven by the disruption of our daily routines,” said David Portalatin, senior vice president and industry adviser, food and foodservice, Circana. He said because of shifting home and work habits, lunch in the restaurant industry is permanently disrupted and has been 15% lower than it was in 2019.

“People pack their days with meetings, and then they look up and it’s 2:30 and they say, ‘What are we going to do about lunch?’ and dinner is at 6:30,” Portalatin said.

Snacks are more often filling the gaps left by foregone meals, he added, with some snacking happening in mid-morning, some in the afternoon and some at night.

“Two things that we’ve seen steadily increase over the years are the consumption of snack items during mealtimes — and sometimes in replacement of a main meal — and the increase of time between mealtimes,” he said. “It’s the ‘snackification’ of our mealtimes.”

In response, consumer packaged goods companies increasingly are developing foods and beverages offering the convenience, ingredients and value consumers want.

“For CPG companies, it’s thinking about crafting eating flexibility for consumers in three ways: price points, portion control and portability,” Portalatin said.

The trends are especially evident among younger people who have more flexibility, he said.

“They throw a collection of items in their backpack, maybe string cheese snacks, salty snacks for satiety, a bottle of water or juice for pleasure, and just have a snack and save some for later,” he said. “In any case, (the items) are packaged to go where the consumer goes.”

The 86% of eating occasions being sourced at home is up about 3 percentage points from pre-pandemic years, according to Portalatin. The eating trend is part of the overall shift in consumer behaviors that includes more people working at home and investing more time and effort in their kitchens.

“That doesn’t mean we’re all going to become Michelin Star chefs,” he said, adding, “We’re seeing more heat-and-eat options and more meals thrown into an Instant Pot.

“As a food manufacturer, if you can bring that kind of architecture to the home from items in the pantry or the refrigerator, those are the kinds of things consumers are looking for. We still want culinary exploration, and we still want to try global cuisine, so manufacturers are still developing items in response.”

As CPG companies continue to innovate, consumers continue to want to experiment by trying new products, Portalatin said. This trend is unlikely to wane, especially if new products are overlain with functional aspects and offered so that budget-conscious consumers perceive value.

“The consumer is under pressure right now,” he said. “It’s the cumulative effect of inflation and debt causing people to rationalize their spend across categories. They’re focusing in on the value equation and not just the cheapest item.” 



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Posted on Author Categories Meat

Ecuador’s farm-gate shrimp prices finally jump, closing gap with Asia

Farm-gate vannamei shrimp prices in Ecuador have increased 4-7% in week 36 (Sept. 2-8), finally following the levels seen in Asia, where supply is said to be short.  […]

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Posted on Author Categories Seafood

China customs bans poultry products from Poland

Imports banned due to avian influenza outbreak


6 September 2024


1 minute read

China’s customs has banned direct or indirect import of poultry and related products from Poland from Friday, due to the outbreak of the highly pathogenic avian influenza subtype H5N1, reported Reuters. 

The agency said poultry products from Poland shipped on or after the announcement will be returned or destroyed while those shipped before will be quarantined and tested.





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Posted on Author Categories Poultry

Tous les Jours launches fall-inspired pastry line

Tous les Jours, the bakery café chain offering over 300 pastries, cakes, coffee, tea, and desserts baked in-store daily, has announced a lineup of seasonal treats just in time for pumpkin season, available at participating locations nationwide and while supplies last.

“Nothing marks the season of autumn like a cup of pumpkin spice matcha in hand,” said Sue Han, marketing manager for Tous les Jours. “Our fall beverage collection, with its warm spices and rich pumpkin flavor in every sip, is sure to be a cozy delight. Make it a perfect fall day with our Pecan Croissant Flattie, a unique spin on the classic croissant, a perfect snack or treat any time of day. Now is the time to try our new fall treats, available only for a limited time.”

Tous les Jours’ new Croissant Flatties are flattened, buttery croissants, pressed and rolled out, infused with buttery delight, and topped with a sugar glaze, creating that perfect crisp in every bite. For those with a sweet tooth and still craving the crisp texture, the seasonally-inspired Pecan Croissant Flattie are infused with the rich, nutty flavor of pecans. This spin on the classic croissant is priced at $3.75 or $3.95 each.

Additionally, the new seasonal collection features Pumpkin Spice Cream Cheese Pastry, a treat with the rich flavors of pumpkin spice and creamy, tangy cream cheese ($3.75), and a Pumpkin Pie Macaron, a flavorful macaron infused with the classic taste of pumpkin pie ($2.85).

Related: State of the Industry 2024: Desserts category shows promise



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Mondelēz eyes stable cocoa prices amid global supply optimism

Poor cocoa harvests in Africa due bad weather impacting growing conditions were a factor in hiked cocoa prices last year and into 2024​.

Consumers worldwide were frustrated by price inflation, but Europeans were more understanding and less likely to leave the category over increasing prices, Mondelēz CEO Dirk Van de Put said in an interview at the Barclays Global Consumer Staples conference this week.

There was “more optimism” around higher prices in Europe as consumers had “good wage increases” alongside easing inflation. “Overall, the consumer feeling [in Europe] is good”, he said.

A good second half to Mondelēz’s financial year was expected, with new pricing in the market rolled out a month ago already showing positive results. Additional mechanisms would also be put in place soon to deliver further sales, including the launch of “new items at different price points” rather than general line price increases.

Will Mondelēz increase chocolate prices?

Line price increases would occur, but in steps to ensure consumers reacted in the “right way”, he continued. “Most consumers don’t want to give up chocolate on a regular basis[…] it’s an affordable luxury[…] if you paid €2 and now €3 it’s still affordable.”

Cocoa prices had come down “quite a bit from most recent historical highs”, said Mondelēz CFO Luca Zaramella, who added the market believed this year’s crop in Africa was “going to be quite good”, with yields up around “20-25% from what happened last year”.

Africa’s main coco crop was evolving well, with soil moisture at ideal levels and all the indicators showing “the supply side is quite good”, said Zaramella. “But still, there’s a few weeks [to go] so we can’t declare, but all indicators are good.”

Having some cost protection for the end of 2024 would signal a “material reduction in some cocoa pricing”, Zaramella added, saying light on what the cost of cocoa would be in 2025 would likely be shed in the business’s third-quarter financial report.

No cocoa formulation changes would be made to leading products including Cadbury and Milka, he confirmed.

“The chocolate category is the most loyal and best snacking category and we will be careful with pricing so as not to lose penetration,” he said, echoing Van de Put.

Mondelēz’s ambitious growth plans

If cocoa prices stabilised it would allow for more flexibility and “2026 should be a good year if this happens”, and where the business should have been without the recent inflation pressure, Zaramella added.

Mondelēz had ambitious growth plans, including opening up and expanding into new markets, such as developing further in Brazil, China, India and Mexico.

The business was targeting millions of new stores across its target countries, adding hundreds of thousands of listings in the first half of the year alone, said Van de Put.

Other areas of growth potential included in cakes and pastries, which Van de Put said Mondelēz had a right to move into as, in Europe, this category often sat alongside biscuits and other products in its portfolio.

“It’s a natural extension of the biscuit space and a fragmented, billion dollar market globally. We have a natural right to play in this space,” he said.



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FDA’s new rules on agricultural water use for imported fruit

By Sebastian Ramírez

Earlier this year, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) imposed new rules on the use of agricultural water during pre-harvest for fresh produce exported to the U.S.

The new measures, which seek to identify conditions that are reasonably likely to introduce known or reasonably foreseeable hazards to produce or food contact surfaces, were detailed by Mississippi State University professor Juan Silva during the 8th Jalisco Avocado Congress, held in Mexico.

The food science expert explained that, specifically, the regulation seeks to determine whether corrective or mitigating measures should be implemented, and in what timeframe, to minimize the risks associated with pre-harvest agricultural water.

Related article: Challenges for Mexico to remain at the helm of the avocado market

For avocados, in particular, the safety challenges lie in pesticide residues, and pathogens such as salmonella, which has been found on some occasions in imported products.

However, Silva said, “Fortunately for avocados, the rejection rate for pesticide residue violations is very, very low.”

He also highlighted the risk of Listeria monocytogenes, a pathogenic bacterium that causes listeriosis and is almost always associated with packaging or already processed products, such as guacamole. He assured that this pathogen is the one that has caused the most product rejection for avocados and that, therefore, there is an import alert in force.

“In terms of listeria, environmental contamination and contamination in packaging or processing plants is the main cause,” Silva said.

Pre-harvest water

The first thing for Silva was to define what agricultural use water is, which he said “is the water that touches the harvestable part of the product. For example, according to the regulation, in most cases, irrigation water is not agricultural water; however, if the same source is used for applications, it does fall into the category.

Silva told the attendees that what the FDA regulation seeks is “that you make an evaluation of your water system, from the source to the point of use, to identify the potential hazards in that distribution system and then take action”.

Producers must do an annual inspection of their distribution system to see if the source is clean and take corrective action.

In addition, they must do an assessment, which seeks an analysis of the entire water system, to include what possibilities there are for contamination of that water system, both immediately and in the long term.

“First we must look at the components of the water system and make an assessment of those components, both the impact of animals and the impact of amendments, or the impact of our neighbors,” Silva said, adding that ”if there is one or more possibilities of contamination in those different activities that we carry out, then we have to take measures.”

Contamination factors

Sources of contamination in a water system can be multiple, including livestock, wildlife, and even birds.

Silva gave the example that if a fruit plantation abuts a producing cow farm or chicken coop, these can contaminate the product through direct contact or the air.

“There are already FDA cases in which the presence of animals near production fields has contaminated harvested fruit products,” he said.

A septic tank near a plantation can also be a major source of contamination.

Shared water sources provide another challenge, as they are not under the farmer’s full control, so Silva suggested looking for alternatives.

However, he said that “there are very few cases in which evaluation is not required, for example, if they use municipal water, drinking water”.

What to do with contaminated water

A water analysis may show contamination if, for example, there is a dead animal in the source or if there is flooding affecting the source, or if a positive result is found for any pathogen.

In this case, Silva indicated that according to the regulation, “they have to suspend the use of the water and take corrective measures, which can be, to look for an alternative source or to treat the water.”

Once the corrective measures are taken, the water system must be re-inspected to make sure the corrective measures work.

“In areas of the U.S. with high pathogen incidence, growers start treating water 10 days before the start of harvest to prevent outbreaks,” he said.

Specifically, the new regulation obliges fruit growers – under the aforementioned conditions – to take the corresponding water analyses on an annual basis.

In the face of obvious contamination risks, preventive measures must be taken to minimize the risk of contamination and, in the face of a positive result for pathogens in field tests, water sources may not be used until the sources of contamination are corrected and the tests show negative results.



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Posted on Author Categories Produce

More than 47M people live in food-insecure households, USDA reports

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Dive Brief:

  • The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service reported 47.4 million people lived in food-insecure households last year, an uptick of 3.2 million compared to the year prior, according to the department’s latest Household Food Security report. 
  • There were 18 million food insecure households in 2023, an increase of 1 million households over 2022 and up more than 4 million from 2020, the USDA reported.
  • Grocers have made strides to help improve food access by expanding the acceptance of SNAP and EBT amidst rollbacks and by partnering with third-party e-commerce providers to enable online access.

Dive Insight:

The USDA’s findings show that 13.5% of households were food insecure for at least some time last year, a significant uptick from the 12.8% of households that were food insecure in 2022. 

The spike in the number of food insecure individuals was likely driven by inflation and the discontinuation of COVID-19 relief efforts like SNAP emergency allotments and free school meals for all students, Crystal FitzSimons, interim president for the USDA’s Food Research & Action Center (FRAC), said in a statement about the report. 

FitzSimons, as well as Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, placed blame on Congress and other lawmakers for not prioritizing federal nutrition programs aimed at addressing poverty.

Food-secure households spent 16% more on food than the typical food-insecure household of the same size and composition, the report found, adding that food insecurity negatively impacts dietary quantity and quality. Low-income, food-insecure households purchased fewer calories overall and had lower nutritional food purchases than low-income, food-secure households. 

More than half (58%) of food-insecure households reported receiving assistance from one or more of the nation’s largest federal food and nutrition assistance programs, with 42% participating in SNAP. 

Since the end of SNAP emergency allotments in February 2023, grocers have bolstered their efforts to expand SNAP accessibility and reach food-insecure households. 

In June, Albertsons partnered with Uber to launch a white-label delivery service that donates surplus food from its banners to local nonprofits and food banks. 

The USDA made SNAP online purchasing available nationwide in June 2023 and, since then, grocers including Kroger, Albertsons and e-grocer Thrive Market have added the capability to their online ordering platforms.



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