News Briefs

From fires to hurricanes and floods, natural disasters and major infrastructure failures can bring many small businesses to a halt overnight, cutting off lifelines for entire communities. That’s why DoorDash is expanding its Local Business Disaster Relief Fund, created to help a wider range of small businesses rebuild and recover following natural disasters.

Building on the success of its Restaurant Disaster Relief Fund — which has awarded more than $2.5 million in grants to 250-plus restaurants since 2021 — the company is now expanding eligibility to include even more small businesses. Now local grocery stores, convenience shops, flower shops, liquor stores and pet stores can apply for relief.

Small businesses that have been affected by a natural disaster or major infrastructure failure as declared by a state, tribal or federal government in the past year that meet the eligibility requirements can now apply for grants ranging from $5,000 to $15,000. These grants are awarded four times per year based on need and the extent of damage incurred to help cover essential operating expenses like rent, inventory, utilities and vendor costs to help small businesses stay afloat. 

“We know that small businesses of all kinds are impacted when disasters happen, and we want to make sure everyone has the support they need to recover,” said Maggie Polachek, social impact manager at San Francisco-based DoorDash. “Expanding our relief fund is about backing more types of businesses who can help their communities pick up the pieces when it matters most.”

Walmart Canada is extending a digital "buy now, pay later" partnership to its stores.

Walmart Canada, the Canadian subsidiary of Walmart Inc., is rolling out in-store payment solutions from Klarna across its network of more than 400 stores. The retailer launched the Klarna buy now, pay later solution on its e-commerce site and app in 2023.

Now, Walmart Canada shoppers can use Klarna to pay in-store via QR code at assisted checkout lanes, choosing between the pay in full option for a seamless one-time payment or pay in 4 to split purchases into four interest-free installments for purchases more than $50. 

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"At Walmart Canada, we strive to be Canada’s most trusted omnichannel retailer, and that means catering to our customers’ needs – no matter how they choose to shop with us," said Joseph Godsey, chief growth officer at Walmart Canada. "We’re always looking for innovative ways to enhance the shopping experience and provide more flexibility and convenience for our customers."

To leverage Klarna payment options, Walmart Canada customers can scan a QR code displayed on the POS screen at checkout with their mobile device. In March 2025, Klarna became the exclusive provider of buy now, pay later loans for purchases at Walmart in the U.S.

"As Klarna continues to bridge digital and physical retail, we’re proud to collaborate with Walmart Canada to bring smarter, more flexible ways to pay to millions of shoppers," said David Sykes, chief commercial officer at Klarna. "This milestone reflects our ambition to be the everyday spending partner for consumers — everywhere and for everything."

This article was originally published by sister brand Chain Store Age. 

International retail conglomerate Ahold Delhaize has reached an agreement to divest 87 stores in Romania with local Romanian supermarket company Annabella, which has operated in the market for more than 30 years. The divestment is in accordance with Ahold Delhaize’s post-closing obligations from the Romanian Competition Council (RCC), as revealed this past January 2025 following the acquisition of Profi.

Of the 87 stores to be divested, 82 are currently run by Profi, with the remaining five operated by Mega Image, Ahold Delhaize’s other supermarket brand in the Romanian market. 

Subject to customary closing conditions, including merger clearance by the RCC, the transaction is expected to wrap up by the end of this year. 

Mihai Spulber, formerly SVP operations and supply chain at Mega Image, assumed the role of Profi’s brand president on July 1, succeeding Gaeton Pacton. 

Ahold Delhaize’s family of local brands serves more than 72 million customers each week, both in stores and online. Together, these brands employ approximately 390,000 associates in more than 7,000 grocery and specialty stores. The Ahold Delhaize USA division is No. 11 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2025 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America. PG also named the company one of its Retailers of the Century and among the 10 Most Sustainable Grocers of 2025. 

Walmart is giving its approximate 1.6 million U.S. employees a new perk.

The country's largest private employer is extending its 10% employee discount to include purchases of nearly all grocery items — in its stores and online. The discount is available effective immediately.

The move extends the 10% discount Walmart already gives to employees (after 90 days on the job) on purchases of fresh produce and most general merchandise, including fashion, but only to other food during the November and December holiday season.

“We’ve heard your feedback that these savings make a real difference for you and your families,” Walmart chief people officer Donna Morris wrote in a memo to employees that the company sent to Chain Store Age. “And we have continued to hear that you would like to see this benefit expanded. In fact, it’s one of our most requested benefits. The expanded discount on food you receive during the holidays will now be available all year round."

The expanded discount now includes all food categories, including dairy, frozen, dry grocery, meat and seafood. With the expansion, the associate discount now covers 95% of regularly priced items across the store, noted Morris.

Walmart also revealed the news about the expanded discount on LinkedIn. 

This article was originally published on sister brand Chain Store Age. 

The New York Association of Grocery Stores (NYAGS), a coalition representing New York City's grocery landscape, opposes mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani's proposal to open government-owned and operated grocery stores across the city. According to the organization, this initiative threatens the livelihoods of mom-and-pop grocery stores and jeopardizes the food distribution network that New Yorkers rely upon daily.

"The proposal to establish government-run grocery stores undermines the very fabric of our community's food access," said David Schwartz, Esq., director of NYAGS. "New York City's grocery stores have long operated on razor-thin margins, contending with some of the highest operational costs in the country, including exorbitant taxes, rent, and congestion pricing. Despite these challenges, local grocers have consistently risen to the occasion, keeping their doors open during crises like COVID-19 to ensure New Yorkers never went without food."

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NYAGS believes that government intervention in the grocery sector could lead to inefficiencies and disruptions in food supply, as it points out that government entities often lack the expertise and agility to manage retail operations effectively. 

"The unique challenges of running grocery stores in New York City require experienced hands and local knowledge, which our member stores provide," Schwartz added. 

NYAGS is calling on city leaders to recognize and support the role of local grocers. Rather than undermining these establishments, NYAGS urges policymakers to work collaboratively with the private sector to address the systemic issues facing the grocery industry, paving the way for a sustainable and thriving retail environment.

NYAGS is a coalition of local New York City grocers, convenience stores and bodegas dedicated to preserving and promoting the interests of small grocery businesses. Through advocacy and unity, NYAGS seeks to protect the livelihoods of its members and ensure the continued availability of diverse and accessible food options throughout New York City.

Identiv, Inc., a global leader in RFID- and BLE-enabled Internet of Things (IoT) solutions, and IFCO, a leading provider of reusable packaging solutions for grocery products, announce a strategic partnership to enhance traceability, efficiency and sustainability across the fresh grocery supply chain. The two companies have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to develop and launch a BLE-enabled smart label that will enable real-time monitoring of IFCO's global pool of reusable packaging containers (RPCs).

IFCO has over 400 million units of reusable packaging containers in circulation globally that facilitate the sustainable transportation of fresh produce. Through this strategic collaboration, advanced BLE smart labels will be integrated into IFCO's existing RPC network. This initiative aims to provide real-time traceability and temperature monitoring for IFCO and its customers transporting fresh food perishables worldwide, ultimately enhancing supply chain visibility, enabling efficiencies and reducing food waste.

[RELATED: Superior Grocers Partners With IFCO on Reusable Packaging Containers]

Dr. Sebastian Grams, chief digital officer of IFCO, commented, "We are pleased to partner with Identiv on this pioneering BLE-enabled packaging solution, which will provide unprecedented visibility into our supply chain. These smart labels will be instrumental for optimizing the logistics of our RPC pool, further enhancing our SmartCycle and allowing retailers and growers to improve their supply chains, reducing food waste and ensuring the highest quality of fresh food for consumers worldwide."

IFCO plans to begin pilot testing its combined solution in 2025, with full-scale deployment anticipated in 2026.