Large Chains

Southeastern Grocers is keeping up a swift pace as it opens eight new stores in the Sunshine State.

Is Amazon looking for a supermarket partner in Europe?   Privately held French supermarket operator Leclerc has been approached by Amazon over possible logistics partnerships, reported Reuters.    “Yes, we have been approached by Amazon,” Michel-Edouard Leclerc, who heads the company, told Reuters.   

Sprouts Farmers Market is in expansion mode.    Sprouts Farmers Market announced it will open nine new locations in the first quarter of 2018. In total, the natural and organics grocer will open approximately 30 new stores across the country in 2018.  

Amazon is exploring its next grocery opportunity — but not in the United States.    The online giant is looking for physical store locations in France, especially Paris. French newspaper Le Monde, which first broke the story, said Amazon has approached various French supermarket operators — including Groupe Casino, Intermarche and Systeme U — about setting up distribution deals or making an acquisition in the country, according to CNBC.  

One of the largest grocers in Canada has just expanded its presence in the drugstore business.    Metro Inc., the third largest food retailer in Canada, on Monday announced a deal to acquire the Jean Coutu Group, which operates more than 400 pharmacies, for $3.6 billion. The deal creates a combined food and pharmacy retailer with annual sales of $12.8 billion, and an overall network of more than 1,300 stores in Canada, with 677 drug stores.  

The nation's supermarket retailers are positioning themselves to capture a significant majority of online grocery sales over the next decade or so.   That's according to Joe McKeska, president of Elkhorn Real Estate Partners. He made his remarks during a panel discussion at Marquette University’s annual commercial real estate conference.  

Publix Super Markets is ramping up its grocery delivery services.   Beginning Sept. 28, the supermarket chain will begin testing curbside grocery pickup at a store in Wesley Chapel, Florida, and another in Valrico, Florida. In addition, Publix's Metro-Atlanta stores will begin testing the service by the end of this year.  

Kroger on Friday launched a new website to welcome local and emerging brands to partner with the company.  

Albertsons Cos. has become the first national grocery retailer to acquire a prepared-meals company.   The nation's second largest supermarket chain is acquiring online meal company Plated in a deal that is expected to close later this month. The move taps into Americans' growing demand for meal delivery services and also shores up Albertsons' defenses against Amazon, which has become a key player in grocery with its acquisition of Whole Foods Market.    

Walgreens Boots Alliance is reportedly tweaking its previously announced deal with Rite Aid Corp.