Top 7 grocery retail stories from around the world
ShelfLife’s pick of the week’s top global industry stories
Print15 September 2025
From bold retail tech moves to brand shake-ups, supply chain shifts, and in-store innovation, this week’s round-up spotlights the key developments reshaping the grocery industry worldwide.
Whether it’s a strategic pivot by a major retailer or a breakthrough in how food gets from shelf to shopper, these are the stories you can’t afford to miss.
1/ Enel and Mars sign major power deals
Enel North America and Mars, Incorporated, the leading pet care, snacking and food company, have completed a major power purchase agreement (PPA) transaction involving the full output of three solar plants in Texas.
The three agreements represent Enel’s largest corporate PPA transaction worldwide. Combined, the agreements represent 851 MWac and are expected to yield 1.8 terawatt-hours of electricity each year.
2/ Nestlé and Sofia Vergara launch TOMA Empanadas
Nestlé Professional Solutions and TOMA, the Latin culinary brand created by acclaimed actress Sofia Vergara and her son, Manolo Gonzalez Vergara, have partnered to bring bold, authentic Latin flavors to foodservice with the launch of a new Empanada line. The line, curated with The Everybody Eats Hospitality Group, is now available for order ahead of its official September 2025 release.
3/ Business rates hike threatens UK retailers
Up to 400 large shops are at risk of closure with as many as 100,000 jobs at risk if the government goes ahead with plans to hit stores with higher business rates, retailers have warned.
Some of the UK’s largest retail premises, including supermarkets and department stores, would face higher property tax charges under new rules being considered by the government before November’s budget, The Guardian reports.
4/ Waitrose sales surpass £4bn milestone
Waitrose outperformed the market in H1, achieving £4.1bn (€4.7bn) in sales, driven by a 6% revenue increase and 3% volume growth.
Almost all of Waitrose’s growth was like-for-like, highlighting strong consumer demand and effective strategies across its grocery and retail offerings.
5/ Brazil coffee exports fall, surge elsewhere
Brazilian coffee exports to the United States fell 46% in August while sales to Latin American neighbors surged, coffee exporters group Cecafe reported recently, even as industry leaders said re-exporting Brazilian beans via third countries was not an alternative for getting past US import tariffs.
Despite a drop in total exports to Germany, the European country took the top spot as the biggest importer of Brazilian coffee – accounting for 414,109 60-kilogram bags – in August, while to Mexico and Colombia rose by 90% and 578% respectively to 251,166 and 112,948 bags, The Business Standard reveals.
6/ South Africa online retail to surpass R130bn
South Africa’s online retail sector is entering a new era, with e-commerce turnover expected to exceed R130-billion (€15.5bn) by the end of 2025 and capture nearly 10% of the country’s total retail market.
This is the central finding of the Online Retail in South Africa 2025 report, produced by World Wide Worx in collaboration with Mastercard, Peach Payments and Ask Afrika, George Herald has reported.
7/ Kroger targets cost cuts amid growth
The Kroger Co. raised its fiscal 2025 guidance as Ronald Sargent, chairman and chief executive officer, reported strong second-quarter results and cited efforts to rein in costs — including store closings and job cuts — as well as bolster the store base, Food Business News reports.
“We’re happy to report another quarter of strong results, which demonstrates the clear and measurable progress we’re making on our key priorities,” Sargent told analysts in a 11 September conference call.
Read more: Top 7 grocery retail stories from around the world
Related Articles
KitKat theft sparks Easter supply concerns →
Followers 0
Fans 0
Followers