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2 days ago | 
esmmagazine.com | Branislav Pekic
The Albrecht and Heister families, who own Aldi Nord and Aldi Süd respectively, are reportedly discussing a merger of the two branches of the Aldi empire. The confidential discussions were reported by several German media outlets including Handelsblatt and Wirtschaftswoche, citing sources close to the families. Aldi’s roots date back to 1945 when brothers Theo and Karl Albrecht took over their family's Essen grocery store and rapidly expanded it.
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2 days ago | 
esmmagazine.com | Branislav Pekic
Groupement Les Mousquetaires, the company behind French supermarket chain Intermarché, plans to sell eight of its 55 French food production plants in a move that will impact approximately 1,200 jobs. The eight factories, which produce items such as rice packaging, spice production, fruit juice, and seafood processing, are considered ‘non-strategic’ by Agromousquetaires, the manufacturing branch of the Mousquetaires group.
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3 days ago | 
esmmagazine.com | Branislav Pekic
Carrefour Belgium has opened its third autonomous BuyBye store in Belgium at the NATO SHAPE (Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe) headquarters in Casteau near Mons. Using computer vision and weight sensor technology, the 24/7 checkout-free store allows customers to simply walk out with their purchases, which are automatically tracked and charged.
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3 days ago | 
esmmagazine.com | Branislav Pekic
South Africa-based SPAR Group is exploring the sale of approximately 363 Swiss stores as part of its efforts to restructure the European business. While negotiations with potential buyers are underway, no final decision has been made, according to local news agency AWP. SPAR Group is seeking a buyer with local retail expertise who can support the growth of the Swiss business, which it acquired in 2016.
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4 days ago | 
railjournal.com | Branislav Pekic
Personalised advertising and content, advertising and content measurement, audience research and services developmentStore and/or access information on a deviceYou can choose how your personal data is used.
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4 days ago | 
esmmagazine.com | Branislav Pekic
Croatian retailer Studenac is investing €10 million to upgrade its logistics and distribution network, including two new facilities in Velika Gorica and Dugopolje totalling 60,000 square metres, according to local daily Poslovni Dnevnik. Beyond these logistical improvements, the company plans to add 160 new locations and is open to further acquisitions, which have been key to its growth since Poland’s Enterprise Investors took ownership seven years ago.
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4 days ago | 
esmmagazine.com | Branislav Pekic
Private-label brands continued to grow in Portugal during the first quarter of 2025, although the pace of growth slowed compared to 2023. This growth was mostly seen in stores with a wide product selection, driven by price-conscious shoppers. However, a Kantar and Centromarca study warned that the disproportionate growth of private labels could undermine the overall value and perception of product categories. This imbalance could harm overall category growth and value.
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5 days ago | 
esmmagazine.com | Branislav Pekic
Delhaize Belgium has opened a new €53-million distribution centre in Forest, Brussels, as it seeks to boost its online grocery capacity. Built collaboration with logistics real estate firm, Montea, the new facility will enable the retailer to double its e-commerce fulfilment capacity from 25,000 to 50,000 orders per week, addressing the growth in online demand and complementing existing facilities.
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5 days ago | 
esmmagazine.com | Branislav Pekic
European investment fund Charterhouse Capital Partners has divested Casa Optima, an Italy-based provider of ingredients for artisanal gelato, pastries, and mixed beverages, in a deal worth approximately €900 million, including debt. The buyer is an investment group headed by Terlos, which specialises in European consumer brands.
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5 days ago | 
esmmagazine.com | Branislav Pekic
Cadbury has introduced packaging made with 80% recycled plastic for its sharing-sized chocolate bars like Dairy Milk, Fruit & Nut, and Caramel. This new packaging, which uses a mass balance approach certified by ISCC, will cover over 300 million bars annually, utilising approximately 600 tonnes of recycled plastic – the equivalent weight of 40 double-decker buses, the company noted. This marks the highest percentage of recycled plastic used in Cadbury packaging globally.
