Woolworths Group’s Post

Loads in the press recently regarding Asda. Not much of it is positive. However, there are some incredible people in my network that have joined, or remained in, the business - these people have incredible track records in driving and delivering exceptional technological, operational and people oriented change that is capable of propelling the business forwards. It’s worth noting that Asda have absolutely lost some incredible talent of late. Some really key people to the business… But they have also done some great work regarding talent acquisition and talent retention. What I think is KEY to Asda’s future success is the appointment of an inspirational, transformation and turnaround focussed leader, who can build cohesion between the executive leadership team(s), and an effective and consistent communication channel that inspires and informs the wider business - from top to bottom. As well as building a strategy that sees the customer being of paramount importance. The core, central strategic cog. A short-term leader is great, who can initiate change and foster motivation and a sense of togetherness internally. But a longer term leader who has successfully lead similar transformation and turnaround efforts is critical. A new strategic direction, and a clear roadmap is also essential! The technology transformation, that’s come off the back of the separation from Walmart, needs to be turned around and sped up - but the talent is absolutely there to deliver this, so long as there is a clear strategic vision and consistent, inspiring communication from top down, with open ears to ideas and current feelings from bottom up. Some modernisation is needed across areas like clothing, home and household - sure. But getting to grips with pricing, loyalty and promotions across the grocery business should help with driving footfall and traffic to the brand, across their various channels and store-types, to increase profits and revenues, closer to those of past times. This is a perfect case of transforming the business with the customer being the priority. Modernised technology solutions will help, but not for technologies sake. A strong strategy and direction needs to be devised, with internal customers buy-in being key. Technology will be a strong enabler to create the customer journey and experience, and to improve the experience of the internal customers, but people and processes are more important - especially in this case! Massively exciting to watch from the outside, and I really hope Asda can turn this around!

Coles Group Ups the Ante: A Strategic Shift in the Liquor Market Coles Liquor is taking bold steps to shake up the liquor retail landscape, rebranding some of its Vintage Cellars and First Choice liquor stores under the @Liquorland banner. With Liquorland Cellars and Liquorland Warehouse set to debut, this move is part of a larger strategy to challenge the dominance of Dan Murphy's. The stakes are high: Endeavour Group's Dan Murphy's and BWS saw a 1.7% sales growth in 2023-24, maintaining their lead as Australia's top liquor retailers. But Coles is not backing down, testing this rebrand with the potential to roll out nationwide. As commercial real estate agents, these changes present exciting opportunities to reimagine retail spaces and align with dynamic market shifts. If you're looking to position your assets for success in this evolving landscape, let's connect. Ready to discuss how this could impact your portfolio? Reach out today to explore tailored strategies that align with these market developments. Hudson Capital Michael Khouri #RetailStrategy #CommercialRealEstate #LiquorIndustry #PropertyInvestment #Coles #DanMurphys #Rebranding #MarketOpportunities

This year, almost 800,000 Everyday Rewards members have chosen to bank their points to spend over Christmas, an increase of 14 percent since last year. Members have banked an average of AUD 104 to spend. Woolworths Group Read more: https://lnkd.in/gApBBeKf #FMCG #Grocery #Supermarkets #NZSupermarkets #SupermarketsNZ #NZGrocery #GroceryIndustry #GroceryRetail

"During an interesting chat over coffee this morning with my 'table of knowledge' buddies in Grafton, it was mentioned that Fresh and Save is set to take over the Coles store in our major shopping center. Coles currently has three stores in Grafton, and this particular location has been a bit of a white elephant for almost the entire ten years I've lived here. It makes me wonder if Coles is shifting focus, letting go of a store they've been propping up to keep their hold on the market. I’m not too familiar with Fresh and Save, but if they do set up in the shopping center alongside Woolworths, it could bring a significant change to the retail landscape here. From my perspective, this seems like a prime opportunity for Fresh and Save to expand beyond their Queensland base. Does anyone know who supplies most of their groceries? Grafton could be in for some interesting times with two Coles, two Woolworths, and Aldi competing." As for Fresh and Save, they are a growing grocery chain that’s been expanding primarily in Queensland. They focus on providing competitive prices, especially in fresh produce, similar to Aldi but without the same strong private label presence. Fresh and Save operates with a model that includes bulk buying and direct sourcing from suppliers to offer discounts to consumers. While they haven't yet expanded much beyond Queensland, this could be a strategic move to test other markets. It will indeed be interesting to see how the competition plays out in Grafton! #retail#competition#freshfoods#discounts#bulkbuys

Good Housekeeping recently rated the top mince pies in Britain. First place? Aldi - £2.29 a box. Second place? Fitzbillies (famous bakery in Cambridge). £8.50 a box. I've had my parents staying this week and they tend to not venture out far from my house. So on a quest to expand horizons we've been on a three-day mission - ostensibly to test the best mince pies in Britain, but really to see some things. First trip - local charity shops to drop off things, then to Aldi for the first taste test (£2.29). (Not the most exciting trip, granted, but got them started locally). Second trip - into Cambridge for the day, punting down the river, Fitzbillies for lunch, mince pie pick up whilst there (£8.50). Third trip: Stowe to see the WW2 exhibit. Where we also found National Trust mince pies - £6 a box. What has this got to do with brand strategy? Well, it's highlighted something to my parents that helps them understand my job a bit better. Strong brands can create higher ‘perceived value’; a belief that something is worth the price being asked for. Was there really a £6 difference in ingredients between Aldi and Fitzbillies? Of course not. But the brand and its positioning in the market can increase the perceived value, and hence increase the price. Secondly, if a brand is associated with a set of values, or an emotional higher-order benefit, it can stretch into multiple categories. If you were asked 'What does the National Trust do?' your answer wouldn't be 'mince pies.' But what they stand for in people's minds is much more than what they do. And it allows the brand to stretch into selling multiple things. Best mince pie? Difficult. Mincemeat best in Fitzbillies but pastry too short. Aldi strong all round but stingy on the mincemeat. National Trust's were average, but box by far the most attractive. Sainsbury's still leading in our house. What about in yours? (Yes yes - I know we've started early... But what's not to like about a mince pie?) #brandstrategy #value #branding #christmasiscoming

⏱️ 60 second read - Highlights of JS Performance ⏱️ Simon Roberts has plenty to smile about this week as Sainsbury's posted a H1 investor update... In summary: Sainsbury's reported a +3.7% increase in #retail underlying profit to £503 million on the back of a 5% rise in #grocery sales. The company claimed some significant gains in share versus the rest of #ukgrocery, driven by customers opting for larger baskets and choosing to trade up to the premium Taste the Difference range, (delivering +18% sales increase YoY). Chief Executive, Simon Roberts highlighted the strong performance and continued volume growth in their food business, attributing success to the combination of value, quality, and service, bolstered by a £1 billion investment in recent years. Looking forward, Sainsbury's plans to open about 20 new #supermarkets and 20 to 25 #convenience stores in the next 18 months. They recently acquired eleven Homebase and two Co-op stores to expand their presence. Looking forward, Roberts expressed confidence in maintaining strong profit growth, expecting retail underlying #profit to reach £1.01 billion to £1.06 billion, a growth of 5% to 10%. The company is also preparing for another robust performance during the #festive season. #striqenews #bfg

Thanks for the update The Australian Financial Review This is a massive wedge issue from Labor as they struggle on many fronts. The good doctor denies his spending is fuelling inflation, and shows a disdain towards the RBA and its independent Governor. All this while the PM was a one-legacy-issue candidate, and when that failed, after investing 1/2 a billion of our dollars, it was clear there was little else of substance. And bookend all that with the Minister for Energy, and his ideological policy, that has recently been exposed to cost more like 1/2 a Trillion dollars, or about 4x their budget estimate. All of this amplifies inflation, and adds to the cost of living pressure most of us are experiencing. We’re being gaslit by a government that destroyed any perceived mandate, and are now desperate ahead of a pending election. That said, when only 32.58% of Aussies vote for this crew we’re clearly getting the behaviour we walk past.

There is no surprise that Coles Group is excelling in winning the value consumer market. Over the past 24 months, they have strategically expanded their private label program with great success through the multi-tier approach - Coles Simply, Coles, & Coles Finest. These products are not only well-positioned and stocked in-store but also maintain a high standard of quality. With the recent opening of the second automated distribution centre (ADC), Coles Group is poised for further growth in market share, enhancing productivity, and service levels for both stores and consumers. Despite being a smaller business in terms of revenue and store numbers, Coles Group's focused approach on its core supermarket business sets it in a strong position, allowing undivided attention to address any issues and drive performance. Moreover, Coles Group benefits from a significant CODB advantage and currently delivers an enhanced in-store experience. The rebranding of Vintage Cellars & First Choice liquor stores to Liquorland reflects strategic simplification and clarity for both consumers and the organization, leading to cost savings in the future. #focused #foodretail #qualityexecution #smartmoves

Very very interesting commentary below, from some interesting and informed sources including the set-up by Expert's of tenant's shops is out of control! Thank you Jack Zervos for your views including how leases are being structured etc. etc. This party is well and truly over. Please go to Jack's original post; there are fascinating comments within. How long have I been saying: Start Using our SaaS? It has these things programmed into it to properly evaluate what a #reasonable #rent ought to be for #ONE #retail #shop! Ref. https://lnkd.in/gr72F_n

GROCERY RETAILING IN AUSTRALIA Whenever I visit another country, I also try to visit local grocers. Being in Australia, I went to Woolworths and Coles. The Australian market is essentially a duopoly. Woolworths and Coles together have c. 75% of the market. Duopolies tend to overpice and underdeliver. But the inroads of Aldi have shaken up things a little, and put the big two on edge. I noticed a few things. 1. Self-service checkout (the combi 'self' and service' seems an oxymoron) is big here. Woolworths has two service checkouts and 30 self-service! Coles offered both options. 2. Coles was much more organized, roomier, cleaner, and had a much better store atmosphere. 3. Australians don't care a lot about pasta. The assortment of pasta sauces was minuscule. 4. But they love Vegemite, a yeast paste that you only find in parts of the former British Empire. There is nearly as much shelf space for this as for pasta sauce. 5. Unthinkable in the US, but neither Coles nor Woolworths carried Pampers! A boycott? 6. Many brands were readily recognizable, from Gilette and Pantene to Omo and Nescafe. The power of global brands on full display. 7. Both push their own store brands, but their own brands are much less prominent than you would see in Tesco, Carrefour, or even Kroger. Is here a growth opportunity? PL share in Australia is only 18%. All in all, especially Coles made a very sophisticated impression on me. But my own observation, as well as conversations with Australians suggest that the prices of both Coles and WW are quite high compared to, say, the US. If you enjoyed this, share it with others and follow me Jan-Benedict Steenkamp for more writing. #business #leadership #grit #history #executivedevelopment