India at centre of global tech strategy: Costco
US retail giant Costco has put India at the centre of its global technology strategy as it works towards a target of $500bln in revenue by 2033, global chief information and digital officer Javier Polit said during his first visit to the country in the role.
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Belgium: The conversion of Ekoplaza to Färm in Flanders has been completed
With the reopening of the store in Drongen, the renovation project to convert the seven Flemish Ekoplaza locations to the Färm brand is now fully complete. The organic chain, which now has 41 stores in Belgium, promises lower prices.
Source: retaildetail.eu

UK: Aldi announces Festive Super Six deal and Christmas dinner for just £1.36 per person
Aldi reported: “Aldi has announced it will once again slash prices on its Christmas veg staples as part of its popular Festive Super Six promotion landing in stores from 19th December, meaning shoppers can pick up Nature’s Pick White Potatoes (2kg), Brussels Sprouts (500g), Carrots (1kg), Parsnips (500g), Swede and Red or White Cabbages for an unbeatable 8p each!”.
Source: aldipresscentre.co.uk

UK: Waitrose welcomes first customers to brand new supermarket in Hale Barns, Greater Manchester
Waitrose reported: “Key features include dedicated meat, fish and sushi counters, dry-aged beef cabinet, hand-cut and speciality cheeses, and a fruit and veg section championing organic, Fairtrade, and regeneratively-farmed produce”.
Source: johnlewispartnership.co.uk

Coop Italia expands regional footprint
Regional cooperative Coop Lombardia integrated seven Coop Como Consumo retail locations into its network at the start of November. Formed through a 1984 merger of three major regional cooperatives, Coop Lombardia now operates 86 supermarkets and hypermarkets across the Lombardy region, supported by over 4,300 employees.
Source: esmmagazine.com

UK: Stuart acquired by Quiver to accelerate next phase of growth
SRT Group, parent company of leading last-mile delivery platform Stuart, announced its acquisition by ambitious UK technology firm Quiver. Founded in Paris in 2015, Stuart has grown rapidly, particularly in on-demand food, grocery and retail delivery across the UK, France and Poland.
Source: blog.stuart.com

UK: From the main event to all the trimmings, enjoy half price roast favourites with Nectar Prices
Sainsbury’s reported: “From Thursday 12th November until Tuesday 17th November, Nectar customers can make savings on the all-important trimmings too, with selected roast favourites including potatoes, carrots, swede and cabbage available for half price with Nectar Prices”.
Source: corporate.sainsburys.co.uk

South Africa: Spar appoints Lwazi Koyana as chair and Pattison to board
The Spar Group has appointed Lwazi Koyana as its chair, and former Massmart chief executive Grant Pattison as an independent non-executive director. Koyana, a chartered accountant who has served as acting chair since 17 August, takes up the position with immediate effect. Pattison has accepted Spar’s offer and will join the board on 25 February 2027. He stepped down from the Pick n Pay board with immediate effect on 26 October.
Source: moneyweb.co.za

Colruyt Professionals reaches milestone of ten stores with opening in Hoboken
Colruyt Group reported: “Colruyt Group opened its tenth Colruyt Professionals store in Hoboken. In 2026, Colruyt Professionals expanded with five new stores, doubling its network in just one year. The stores are aimed exclusively at professional customers and are a crucial step in Colruyt Group’s growth in the b2b sector. With this opening, Colruyt Group reaches its target of 10 stores aimed at professional customers”.
Source: press.colruytgroup.com

Tesco aims to accelerate supplier decarbonisation across UK and Ireland with OpenClimat partnership
Tesco is inviting around 400 of its key suppliers, representing over 80% of its grocery supply chain by value in the UK and ROI to join a data sharing platform which it hopes will accelerate decarbonisation across the sector.
Source: tescoplc.com

Amazon ranks No. 1 on Forbes’ list of America’s Best Companies for 2027
Amazon has been named the No. 1 company on Forbes’ 2027 list of America’s Best Companies, up from No. 2 last year. The list, now in its third year, evaluates U.S. companies with more than 5,000 employees across more than 120 metrics spanning 12 categories, including employee sentiment, customer sentiment, financial performance, innovation, and social responsibility.
Source: aboutamazon.com

US: GrubMarket launches AI agent that transforms purchase order processing for food distributors
GrubMarket announced the launch of its latest specialized AI agent: AI Orders – Purchase Order Agent. For produce and other fresh food distributors, purchasing can be a highly demanding operational function. The new agent is particularly valuable for distributors that purchase and sell fresh products within a matter of hours.
Source: prnewswire.com

US: Vallarta Supermarkets brings its authentic Latin grocery experience to Bay Area with first San Jose Store
Located at 2179 Monterey Road, San Jose, CA 95112, the new store represents a significant milestone in the family-owned grocer’s Northern California expansion, bringing its total footprint to 67 locations across California and Arizona. The community is invited to celebrate the opening with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and grand opening festivities on Wednesday, November 18.
Source: prnewswire.com

US: Target appoints Sally Grimes to Board of Directors
Target Corporation announced that its Board of Directors has elected Sally Grimes as a new independent director, adding experience leading consumer brands, driving innovation and partnering with retailers to create long-term growth.
Source: prnewswire.com