The Co-op news and analysis – Page 97
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News
Co-op woos discerning with tighter tomato specs
The Co-operative Group said it plans to offer fewer tomato varieties and tighten the specifications given to suppliers. “Customers are becoming more and more discerning,” said salad buyer Carla Fletcher. “Benchmarking tomatoes from all...
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Baugur joins combined bid to buy out Somerfield chain
Competition officials have revealed the 23 former Safeway stores that Somerfield may be forced to divest.The move came as some City analysts predicted that Somerfield could be broken up if a consortium comprising Icelandic retail group Baugur...
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Working Week
>>Helen Corbishley, category product manager, co-operative groupHelen Corbishley says she needs more days to get through her busy working week as category product manager for chilled ready meals at the Co-operative...
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The Acid Test
>>consumers and buyers give their views on the latest launchesPremium White RumFrom: The Co-operative GroupLaunched under the Co-op’s own Fair Trade label, Premium White Rum is the first spirit in...
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Dairy UK forms board to identify priorities for Scottish industry
Dairy UK has formed a new board to look after the interests of members north of the border.Dairy UK Scotland was set up to identify priorities and promote policy developments. It comprises representatives of producer co-ops, processors and...
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Property assets of £1bn for Somerfield bidders
A successful bid for Somerfield could net the bidder control of more than £1bn of property assets, announced the Financial Times today.Somerfield’s properties were valued at £772m in April 2004, according to its annual report, but property...
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DFB circles Lincolnshire co-op
Dairy Farmers of Britain is poised to buy milk processor Lincolnshire Co-operative Dairy.DFB issued a short statement on Tuesday, saying: “Dairy Farmers of Britain confirms that it is in exclusive discussions with Lincolnshire Co-operative...
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Kinnerton confectionery sold to investment firm
UK confectionery company, Kinnerton, has been sold to investment firm Zetar for £32m.Kinnerton, which supplies Asda, Co-Op and Tesco, among others, specialises in confectionery and chocolate, particularly those which contain toys and popular...
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Somerfield to stock Quality Standard lamb
A new season lamb range carrying the English Beef and Lamb Executive’s Quality Standard mark will go on sale in Somerfield stores at the end of this month.The So Good-branded range is supplied by West Country producer Lloyd Maunder and is...
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Somerfield will freshen up Texaco
from Tom Fender, MD, Harris International MarketingSir; I write concerning Somerfield’s intention to buy 140 of Texaco’s 240 company-owned stores (The Grocer, February 19, p4). Somerfield brings fresh credibility to the party....
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The Acid Test
>>Consumers and buyers give their views on the latest launchesBumblebee Honey AleFrom: The Co-operative GroupLaunched under the Co-op’s own Fair Trade label, Bumblebee Honey Ale is brewed using first gold hops...
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‘Regan matter is now closed’
Entrepreneur Andrew Regan, the majority shareholder in celebrity chef-backed shell company Conival, has ended a 10-year legal fight after agreeing an out-of-court settlement with the Co-operative Group.Regan, who staged an abortive hostile bid...
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loyalty cards are double-edged sword
from Paul Taylor, managing director, Catalina MarketingSir; As MD of the company that helps Somerfield run its Saver Card scheme, I read with interest your piece on loyalty cards (The Grocer, February 19, p44). It is not the...
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Giving cabinet approval
Tchibo’s non-food units built into 120 Somerfield stores’ grocery aisles are profiting both parties. Rod Addy examines the mixWhen Somerfield announced the roll-out of its Tchibo concessions last October, there were a few raised...
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Somerfield in the doghouse
The average number of dog food products is 140 per store across the six major retailers. Alongside this wide choice, Stockwatch also found good levels of availability for non-promotional lines, with only 7% at risk of being out of stock during peak...
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Texaco’s forecourt retreat
Texaco is looking to offload a further 100 company-owned forecourt sites over the next 18 months as it focuses on its core fuel distribution business.Speaking as the fuel giant revealed it was in talks with Somerfield about selling 140 of its...
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Grampian makes chicken easy
Somerfield has launched a new ‘Primary Plus’ fresh chicken range into its stores under the Grampian brand.The products, which went on sale on Wednesday, are designed to be easy to cook and offer short cooking times. They are selling alongside...
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Kwik fixes are not the solution for Baugur
Baugur could extract some synergies from teaming up Iceland and Kwik Save, but it could prove a marriage made in hell, warned analysts as news of Baugur’s interest in Somerfield Group broke this week.Just two days before the Icelandic...