Food businesses from China, the US, Russia, India, Canada and Thailand are included in the Institute of Grocery Distribution’s Ten to Watch 2006.

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The new set of movers and shakers are not necessarily global retailers such as Carrefour, Tesco and Wal-Mart but those that stood out for being different from all the others.


The US$4,701m turnover Whole Foods Market of the US, for example, which plans to launch in the UK next year, sells 95% organic food and 100% non-synthetic food.


Couche-Tard, the leading convenience retailer in Canada with a turnover last year of $7,689m, has been developing a differentiated store concept focused on a higher growth/higher margin foodservice offer.


Others in the list include Central Retail Corporation, of Thailand ($2,057m), Pantaloon, of India ($246m), Perekriostok, of Russia ($1,014m), Wegmans, of the US (US$3,800m) and Wu Mart, of China ($478m).

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Wegmans, was included because of its strong fresh food offer and for the in-store excitement it creates with cooking demonstrations and enthusiastic, highly motivated staff.


The IGD has also included eBay on the list even though it is not a traditional grocery retailer but because of the big impact it is having, and Hong Kong’s AS Watson, the world’s largest health and beauty retailer.

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