India’s agriculture-related imports grew 14% between 2013 and 2019, from US$22 billion in 2013 to $25 billion in 2019, according to USDA/FAS data. Its main imported agrifood products are tree nuts, fresh fruits, and prepared foods, 20% if which comes from the US. These imports are being driven by millennials, affluent professionals, brand-oriented importers, modern retail outlets, e-commerce channels, mobile e-commerce and trend-setting restaurants.

UK retailer Asda has launched a new fruit and vegetable food box that includes next day delivery. Costing GBP20, the food boxes have proved a great hit as consumers seek to minimise visits to supermarkets. The food box weighs approximately 12kg and has 18 different colourful fruits and vegetables, all delivered to your door the next day. It includes salad items, such as cucumber, tomato and baby gem lettuce; cooking veg including mushrooms, spinach and green beans; roast dinner essentials such as potatoes and carrots; plus snack fruits like grapes, apples and blueberries.

US retailer Rouses Markets is to “pilot” a home delivery programme using drones to meet the surge in online orders. Progressive Grocer reports that the Gulf Coast chain has partnered with Deuce Drone in a venture that will begin this autumn using an Aerial Drone Delivery Interface System (ADDIS) at the Rouses on Airport Boulevard in Mobile, Alabama. "Drone delivery offers the fastest, safest delivery store to door. We should be able to get groceries to customers in 30 minutes or even less," said Donny Rouse, CEO of Rouses Markets.

Sales of fresh produce appear to be levelling off in the US, after seeing a rapid surge in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. Overall, fresh produce sales in the week ending June 28th were up 5.8% from 2019 levels, which is markedly down on the growth seen in since April 2020. While vegetable sales were up 12.5%, fruit sales rose just 0.2%, according to IRI data. There is still strong performance in the frozen and processed produce segment, with the former up 15.1% and the latter growing 22% from the same time last year.

Photo: Vietnamnews

Between March and May, UK supermarket sales grew at their fastest rate for at least 26 years, according to data published by Kantar. Overall grocery sales were up 14.3% in the 12 weeks up to May 17th. The good weather prompted shoppers to go to parks and beaches, leading to a bump in sales of food for picnics. The VE Day bank holiday on May 8 made it the biggest shopping day of the month, with £488 million spent on groceries.

The share of sales of fresh produce in US shopping baskets is almost back to pre-Covid levels. Following the outbreak, there was a rush to stock up on frozen and canned products, which led to a drop in sales of fresh produce to 70% in March.  However, according to data published in a report by 210 Analytics and PMA, in the week ending on May 24th, the share of fresh produce was back up to 82%, slightly less than the 2019 average of 84%.

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Carrefour is expanding its presence in Taiwan, just as it pulls out of China. The French retailer announced an agreement to acquire Wellcome Taiwan, consolidating its position as the leading multi-format food retailer in Taiwan. As part of the agreement, Carrefour will acquire 224 proximity stores in quality locations (199 Wellcome - average sales area of 420 sq. m - and 25 Jasons - average sales area of 820 sq. m) as well as a warehouse (including ownership of the real estate and land).