Latest News Across Regoverning Markets

In emerging markets Wal-Mart pledges to sell $1 billion of food from small and medium farmers

billv — Fri, 15 Oct 2010 08:17:17 +0000

New York Times, October 14, 2010

Wal-Mart Stores announced a program on Thursday that would focus on sustainable agriculture among its suppliers, as the retail giant tries to expand its efforts to improve environmental efficiency among its suppliers.

BHARTI WALMART calls for change to India sourcing rules

billv — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 12:22:31 +0000

Planet Retail 1 Oct 2010

Indian joint venture operation Bharti Walmart has called for the Indian government to remove restrictions allowing FDI-backed wholesale firms to sell no more than 25% of their total turnover to a group retailer. The latest relaxation in FDI rules by the government lifted restrictions on products being sold only for internal use. However, Bharti Walmart Chairman Rajan Bharti Mittal said that this was only "half the job done" and told reporters that the group had written to the finance ministry demanding the removal of the 25% cap.

Wal-Mart in talks to buy South Africa's Massmart

billv — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 20:37:18 +0000

Guardian 27 September 2010

Wal-Mart, the world's largest retailer, is planning a major move into the fast-expanding African market, announcing today that it is in talks to buy South Africa's third-largest retailer, Massmart.

Wal-Mart in talks to buy South Africa's Massmart

billv — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 20:35:47 +0000

Guardian 27 September 2010

Wal-Mart, the world's largest retailer, is planning a major move into the fast-expanding African market, announcing today that it is in talks to buy South Africa's third-largest retailer, Massmart.

FDI rules in India to include creation of back-end logistics

billv — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 15:42:05 +0000

Planet Retail 6 Sep 2010

The Indian government plans to allow only those retailers who first invest in back-end supply chain and infrastructure to set up multi-brand retail outlets in the country, India's Financial Express reports. The Indian Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) said that interested players will first have to set up cash & carry outlets, sourcing centres and the entire supply chain before they enter retailing.

FDI rules in India to include creation of back-end logistics

billv — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 15:41:34 +0000

Planet Retail 6 Sep 2010

WALMART adjusts business to local conditions in India

billv — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 10:44:03 +0000

Planet Retail 16 Aug 2010

Walmart has been forced to create a unique business model in India due to its immature supply chain, India's Business Standard reports. The supermarket chain, whose supply chain is known for its efficiency, awards marks out of 100 to all suppliers. Whereas in other countries most suppliers score around 95, in India the average is a mere 60 points.

WALMART adjusts business to local conditions in India

billv — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 10:42:51 +0000

Planet Retail 16 Aug 2010

CARREFOUR India calls for 100% FDI in retail

billv — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 10:59:25 +0000

Planet Retail 11 Aug 2010

Hypermarket operator Carrefour has called for India to allow 100% FDI in multi-brand stores, following a similar call from Walmart. Carrefour said the move would ease inflationary pressures, and promise to create a strong infrastructure and thousands of jobs in India if the change in the law came about. "Any cap or restriction on FDI in this sector may result in potential loss of opportunities and avenues of inclusive growth of the retail sector," Carrefour said.

UK: Government unveils supermarket ‘adjudicator’ to protect farmers

billv — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 08:14:44 +0000

Farmers Guardian 3 August 2010

THE Government has announced groundbreaking plans to create a supermarket ‘adjudicator' to investigate and solve supply disputes between farmers, suppliers and supermarkets.

PICK N PAY enters Zambia, pushes foreign growth

billv — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 11:03:50 +0000

Planet Retail 29 Jul 2010

South African retailer Pick n Pay has opened its first store in Zambia, in the capital city Lusaka, as it enters a new phase of aggressively accelerated international expansion. The retailer is planning to grow its Zambian network to seven company-owned outlets during the next five years.

WALMART Bharti says supply chain is main hurdle for growth in India

billv — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 10:57:17 +0000

Planet Retail 29 Jul 2010

Raj Jain, Managing Director and Chief Executive of Bharti Walmart in India has said he sees the supply chain as a major obstacle inhibiting growth for western retailers. Earlier this month the government took a tentative step towards opening the organised retail sector to foreign investors with the issue of a discussion paper on the issue. However, according to Jain the larger issue in the country is the fragmented supply chain.

MEPs urge supply chain transparency

billv — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 08:17:09 +0000

Freshinfo 18 Jul 10

New legislation is needed to ensure fair returns to farmers and growers and transparent prices to consumers, by enforcing fair competition throughout the food supply chain, an agriculture committee of MEPs said recently.

India debates foreign retail laws

billv — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 12:42:49 +0000

Fruitnet.com 08 July 2010

The Indian government has opened debate about relaxing its laws on foreign direct investment (FDI) in the retail sector, Business Week has reported.

Pick n Pay plans Africa expansion

billv — Sun, 11 Jul 2010 11:42:28 +0000

Times Live (Zambia) Jul 4, 2010

Pick n Pay should use the proceeds from the sale of its struggling Australian operations to compete more effectively in South Africa and expand its footprint in the region.

Tesco, Big C, Dairy Farm, Japanese Supermarkets Keen On Carrefour SE Asia Assets

billv — Sun, 11 Jul 2010 11:29:36 +0000

Wall Street Journal JULY 6, 2010

SINGAPORE (Dow Jones)--Leading supermarket chains are interested in the assets of French hypermarket Carrefour SA in Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia, two people with direct knowledge of the deal said Tuesday.

Reliance Retail largest food retailer in India: Mukesh Ambani

billv — Sun, 27 Jun 2010 15:45:55 +0000

India Infoline News Service 18 June 2010

In a short span of three and a half years since the launch of its first store, the Retail business has rapidly grown to become one of the largest pan-India retailers, Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani said in his speech at the company's 36th AGM.

DSCL to hive off agri retail business

billv — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 21:43:51 +0000

Mydigitalfc.com Article By Rakesh Khar May 20 2010

DSCL, the Rs 3,523 crore diversified group, might spin off its Rs 630 crore agri-retail venture, Haryali Kissan Bazar (HKB), into a separate corporate entity.

The company plans to bring in private equity (PE) funds interested in partnering with the company, DSCL chairman Ajay S Shriram told Financial Chronicle. HKB, which blends agri products with the FMCG product line, now has 300 stores spread across eight states, primarily in northern and western India.

DCM Shriram consolidating rural retail chain biz

billv — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 21:30:55 +0000

Press Trust of India / New Delhi April 01, 2010

DCM Shriram Consolidated (DSCL) today said it has undertaken the process of fine-tuning the business model of the company's rural retail chain 'Hariyali Kisaan Bazaar' for faster growth.

Coca-Cola, Technoserve and Gates Foundation partner to boost incomes of 50,000 small-scale fruit farmers in East Africa

billv — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 19:21:32 +0000

KAMPALA, UGANDA, January 20, 2010 - The Coca-Cola Company, nonprofit TechnoServe, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation today launched a partnership to enable over 50,000 small fruit farmers in Uganda and Kenya to increase their productivity and double their incomes by 2014.

Coca-Cola, Technoserve and Gates Foundation partner to boost incomes of 50,000 small-scale fruit farmers in East Africa

billv — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 19:20:29 +0000

WALMART seeks US Government help to expand in India

billv — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 10:17:50 +0000

Planet Retail 1 Jun 2010

Walmart has solicited support from the US Government for entering the Indian retail market, where foreign investment rules are posing hurdles to its entry, the Indian press reported. The retailer is lobbying lawmakers in the US to help it expand in India, possibly through talks between authorities of the two companies.

CARREFOUR Indonesia launches SME product showcase

billv — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 10:16:21 +0000

Planet Retail 1 Jun 2010

Carrefour Indonesia has launched a programme in its hypermarkets that will offer customers a range of products made by small and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs), a company official said. About 140 SMEs joined Carrefour's first bazaar in Jakarta and sold various products, including food, garments, herbal medicine, handicrafts and furniture. The bazaar is running from 31 May to 6 June, said a company official. Carrefour's second bazaar will start in Palembang, South Sumatra, on 7 June. The company will stage week-long bazaars in the parking lots of all its outlets in Indonesia.

Indian Government preparing to relax foreign investment restrictions?

billv — Tue, 25 May 2010 10:05:13 +0000

Planet Retail 25 May 2010

The Indian government may be preparing to relax some of its tight restrictions on foreign direct investment in the cash-and-carry sector, The Economic Times reported. Current regulations state that wholesale operations may generate no more than 25% of sales by revenue and prevents global retailers from investing in multi-brand consumer retail in India.

UK government pledges greater regulation of grocery sector

billv — Mon, 24 May 2010 14:47:14 +0000

FoodandDrinkEurope 21-May-2010

The UK's new coalition government said it intends to increase regulatory oversight of the nation's grocery sector, under policy plans unveiled in a 34-page programme document released yesterday.

The Liberal-Conservative coalition government said it would cut regulation for small businesses and farmers, but increase regulatory oversight of the grocery sector, and appoint an ombudsman to enforce the Groceries Supply Code of Practice.