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Walmart challenges Amazon in same-day delivery using shops as warehouses


Walmart is experimenting with the possibility of storing third-party goods in Supercenter warehouses to enhance its online marketplace. It was the system that Tesco used in the early days of e-commerce and that we used with Esselunga at home, only we only did it with food whereas they do it with the marketplace, with non-food. In fact, 'the online sales platform of the largest US retailer offers around half a billion items from third-party sellers. The sellers retain ownership of the items until they are sold and pay Walmart sales commissions and shipping costs. Third-party sellers typically store their items at their own locations or in Walmart-owned warehouses. Most deliveries from Walmart warehouses take one or two days, while direct shipments from sellers can be slower. According to sources close to the initiative, Walmart is currently testing the use of shelves in shop warehouses as sorting areas for the delivery of third-party merchandise, with the goal of delivering it to customers within the same day'.

AmazonE-CommerceEsselunga e-commerceNon-foodTescoWalmart
 

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The next global food crisis


The world must act to protect the poorest from the effects that will linger long after the fighting is over. After only seven weeks, food shortages and even famine now seem more likely for millions of people in vulnerable countries in Africa and Asia... Recent data from the World Bank clearly show the link between energy and food. In March, the organisation's energy price index rose 41.6 percent, driven by a 59.4 percent increase in European natural gas and a 45.8 percent increase in Brent oil. In the same month, food prices increased by 2.7% and fertiliser prices by 26.2%. The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) warned that global fertiliser prices could rise by an average of 15-20% in the first half of 2026 if the crisis persists... The Gulf states now directly influence food production and movement, supplying key chemical raw materials, exporting large volumes of finished fertilisers and controlling the logistical corridors through which food and agricultural products move across much of the Middle East, Central and East Asia and Africa. .. The old image of the Gulf monarchies as mere exporters of oil and gas is no longer valid. Today, the region is at the centre of modern agriculture, not only as an important producer of fertilisers, but also as a driving force for the development of fertiliser industries in neighbouring countries... Financial Times To understand what is happening in Italy read here.

AgricultureInflation
 

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The retailer’s brand reaches 50% in the main European markets, setting a new record. In Italy, however, it remains at 36%


According to Circana, growth is set to accelerate in 2026: inflation and Ai-driven shopping will favour the cheapest products for the same benefits ... circana's analysis finds that retailers have managed to keep prices low and quality high. MDDs are intercepting health and lifestyle trends, offering premium offerings and innovative product launches with more dynamism than national brands. Retailers' strategy of targeting social media content at younger shoppers who are less loyal to traditional brands is also playing a key role in sustaining demand... Below: Esselunga, under my leadership, was already at around 35% private label in 2003 (thanks to the Esselunga, Naturama, Esselunga Bio and Fidel brands, the first price created to combat discount stores).

AIDiscountEsselungaEsselunga organicInflationPrivate Label
 

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Lidl revolutionises the mobile phone market with discounted tariff plans


The chain intends to expand beyond Germany, Austria and Switzerland, offering a service that could be available in up to 30 countries... The chain told the Financial Times it plans to expand beyond Germany, Austria and Switzerland with a mobile service that could be available in up to 30 countries in the future, including the UK, US, France and Spain. Lidl did not specify which markets it intends to target first... As part of the deal, Schwarz Group will also acquire a 9.9% stake in 1GLOBAL, a company that holds telecommunications licences and partnerships in 12 countries. The mobile initiative is a further step in Schwarz's efforts to build a broader digital ecosystem alongside its 14,000 Lidl and Kaufland shops. Through its Schwarz Digits division, thegroup has already become a fast-growing European provider of cloud computing and cybersecurity services , as well as an investor in artificial intelligence startups... Financial Times Lidl continues on its path to becoming a brand (and in Italy focuses on non-food fruit and vegetables and technology)

AIFruit and vegetablesLidlNon-food
 

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Green Pea in Turin, after Fico another flop for Oscar Farinetti


Green Pea, the eco-dream in the Lingotto area of Turin opened in 2020 by Oscar Farinetti as a manifesto of an ethical capitalism inspired by the new environmentalist movements, 15 thousand square metres with a swimming pool on the roof, no longer has a shop open and is being converted for use as offices and events. After Fico Eataly World, which in six years had accumulated about 28 million in losses, another experiment decidedly gone wrong for Oscar Farinetti: Green Pea' s balance sheet was immediately in the red, without ever reaching profitability, a script already seen. Even Eataly, a global brand with prices that were anything but cheap, had lost around EUR 100 million between 2020 and 2022, so much so that new capital had to be brought in and the majority stake sold to Bonomi's Ivestindustrial.... Source

Eataly
 

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The Plant Based sector in Europe is worth EUR 16.3 billion, growing at an annual rate of 5.1% between 2024 and 2025


Despite this, the segment still only accounts for 2.4% of total sales, signalling a gap between consumer interest and real market impact. Driving the sector are mainly nuts and seeds, which account for 45% of sales, followed by dairy alternatives (21%) and ready meals (15%). More contained is the weight of alternatives to meat and fish, standing at 4%.

FishFruit and vegetablesMeat
 

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Unilever acquires the vitamin gummy candy brand Grüns


The group expands its wellness division in the wake of the supplement boom after agreeing the sale of the food division... Grüns is the latest brand to join Unilever's wellness division, which has been growing rapidly thanks to a surge in demand for vitamins and supplements since the Covid-19 pandemic. Over the past decade, soap manufacturer Dove has embarked on a series of acquisitions in the wellness sector. It has taken over brands such as the moisturising sachets Liquid IV, the hair growth supplement Nutrafol and the vitamin manufacturers Olly and SmartyPants. In 2025, sales of the wellness division, which now includes eight brands, grew by double digits, driven by Nutrafol and Liquid IV. Since Unilever acquired these brands, Liquid IV sales have increased sevenfold and Nutrafol sales threefold... After the food deal, the beauty, wellness and personal care sectors, including brands such as Dove and Vaseline, will account for 67% of the group's sales, up from 51% in 2025. Founded in 2023, Grüns produces vegetable-based gummy candies containing fruit and vegetable powder, vitamins and fibre, designed to be consumed daily to increase nutrient intake. The company said last year that it generated $300 million in annual recurring revenues within two years of its founding, growth that will now accelerate thanks to Unilever's global distribution network. Among Grüns' major distributors, besides its own site, are Amazon, Target, Walmart, Costco, Sam's Club, and Sprouts.

AmazonUnileverWalmart