Online supermarket Crisp has secured €25 million in a new funding round from existing shareholders. The capital will support expansion and growth initiatives. The investment will finance a new sustainable distribution centre, AI development, and expansion within the food sector. This includes the recent acquisition of corporate lunch specialist De Buurtboer. Funds will also support private label products and organic range expansion. The funding coincides with operational milestones. Crisp's first deliveries from its new Amsterdam distribution centre launch this month. The facility has an A+++++ energy label and generates its own electricity, operating nearly self-sufficiently. The move doubles Crisp's operational capacity for consumer and business segments. The location also accommodates an expanded production kitchen, addressing growing demand for freshly prepared meals.

Penny Hungary invests in mega logistics center. UK: Aldi trials earlier store closures as it looks to protect low prices Aldi is trialling earlier closing times at selected UK stores as the discounter looks for new ways to keep costs down and protect its low-price model. Some stores will close at 9pm rather than 10pm, with customer feedback being reviewed before the supermarket makes any further decisions. Source: grocerygazette.co.uk Iceland: Hagar reports revenue and profit growth in Q1 2026/27 Icelandic retailer Hagar reported revenue of ISK 50.8bln (€352.9mln) for its first quarter 2026/2027, marking a 5.5% year-on-year increase. Gross profit for the period was up 24.1%, to ISK 13.3bln (€92.4mln), with a gross margin of 26.2%, while net profit increased by 2.4%, to ISK 1.92bln (€13.5mln). Source: esmmagazine.com Hungary: Major retail chain invests in mega logistics center Penny Hungary is launching a 13.5bln forint (38mln euros) investment to expand its logistics center in Alsónémedi. The Alsónémedi center in the Budapest metropolitan area has played a key role in the company's supply chain since Penny began operations in Hungary, Világgazdaság reports. Over the past three decades, the discount chain has grown into a nationwide network, while demand for fresh products has steadily increased and the product selection has expanded. "Proximity plays a key role in logistics. It is important to us that both our stores and our suppliers are easily accessible, as this is how we can ensure that fresh products get from the farm to store shelves as quickly as possible", said Viktor Reis, logistics manager at Penny Hungary, as quoted by the company. Source: hungarytoday.hu Holland: Crisp acquires De Buurtboer to strengthen its B2B presence Online grocery store Crisp is acquiring De Buurtboer, a provider of corporate lunches, from catering group Albron. This move strengthens Crisp's position in the business market, where revenue rose by 40% last year. Source: retaildetail.eu Pick n Pay launches AI grocery shopping assistant in South Africa Retailer Pick n Pay launched an artificial intelligence-powered shopping assistant that helps customers build grocery orders using voice, text or photos instead of searching for products manually. Known as "Penny", the assistant allows shoppers to order groceries conversationally in multiple languages using voice notes, text prompts or images, including photographs of handwritten shopping lists, recipes or products they want to buy. Source: reuters.com New Zealand: Big changes are happening behind the walls at PAK'nSAVE Richmond Foodstuffs South Island reported: "PAK'nSAVE Richmond is undergoing a major upgrade designed to offer more choice, better availability and a faster, easier shopping experience. The first stage of the project, which opened early last week, includes a new customer entrance, a dedicated Aisle of Value and an expanded produce hall". Source: foodstuffs-si.co.nz UK: Quality Food & Drink Awards partners With Whole Foods Market to champion small producers The Quality Food & Drink Awards (QFDAs) have announced a partnership with Whole Foods Market UK for 2026, which sees the natural and organic grocer become the official sponsor of the 2026 Small Producer Award. Source: kamcity.com Mattoni 1873 expands PepsiCo partnership to Croatia and Slovenia Czech beverage company Mattoni 1873 is expanding its strategic partnership with PepsiCo. As of 1 January 2027, Mattoni 1873 will become PepsiCo's manufacturing and distribution partner in Croatia and Slovenia, taking on full responsibility for the production, distribution, and commercial activities of PepsiCo's beverage portfolio in these two new markets. Source: esmmagazine.com UK: Co-op reports rise in store sales following digital data collaboration with Google and LiveRamp LiveRamp has announced the implementation of the first closed loop omnichannel measurement framework for Co-op. In collaboration with Google, LiveRamp enabled the retailer to deterministically link search ads to real-world store visits and food sales, proving the offline impact of its digital marketing investments. Source: retailtechinnovationhub.com US: Save Mart returns to Tahoe with first South Lake Tahoe store Save Mart opened its new South Lake Tahoe location on Wednesday, July 1, at 1020 Al Tahoe Blvd. Save Mart is banking on a variety of options and services to attract shoppers to its South Lake Tahoe store. The list includes in-house cut fruit and vegetables and a wide selection of locally sourced produce. Source: eu.rgj.com Walmart: Healthier choices made more accessible Walmart reported: "Walmart is making fresh foods and everyday wellness products easier to try and easier to afford. This summer, customers can find 300+ Rollbacks on fresh favorites like watermelons, blueberries, cherries, and fresh organic ground beef". Source: corporate.walmart.com Walmart continues to shape the future of global food retail International Supermarket News reported: "Fresh food remains one of Walmart's most important priorities. The company continues to expand its selection of fresh fruit and vegetables, meat, seafood, bakery products, dairy, and ready-to-eat meals. By working closely with suppliers and investing in cold-chain logistics, Walmart aims to maintain high product quality while keeping prices competitive". Source: internationalsupermarketnews.com US: Demystifying produce prices across the supply chain Bill Loupée (COO at Ben B. Schwartz & Sons, a Detroit-based wholesale distributor of fresh produce) reported: "Grocery prices have been steadily rising, particularly fresh produce. People are pointing fingers at a number of factors - tariffs, inflation - but the truth is that it's a very complex and layered issue". Source: progressivegrocer.com US: Convenience store retailer Cumberland Farms files for IPO Chain Store Age reported: "The convenience store retailer has filed a registration statement with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for a proposed public offering. Cumberland Farms was formerly known as EG Group, a global convenience retailer with more than 3,200 stores in the United States - its single biggest market by revenue - and Europe. (The name change became official this June. The company also moved its headquarters from the U.K. to Charlotte, N.C.)". Source: chainstoreage.com