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This week in FMCG

This week Inside FMCG reported on the opening of a boutique chocolate store in Sydney and the brands taking a stand on the Black Lives Matter movement. Catch up on the top stories from this week below.

KitKat Chocolatory to open in Sydney in July

Nestlé is opening a KitKat Chocolatory in Sydney’s CBD, at The Mid City Sydney on July 6. Consumers can design their own KitKat bars, see other exclusive creations and dine at the in-house chocolate cafe. The new store is at the former Trenery store site at number 54/197 Pitt Street. Head chocolatier Connie Yuen told Inside FMCG that the new Chocolatory will be bigger and better than the Melbourne store.

Aussie brands in the spotlight for Black Lives Matter post

Ben & Jerry’s, L’Oréal, Aesop and Lush posted messages of support for the Black Lives Matter movement after the death of African-American man George Floyd in police custody last week. It sparked protests in the US and other countries, using the hashtag #BlackLivesMatter. The movement has prompted companies to speak out against racism and inequality. Aesop shared the names of 9 African-American men, women and children killed in recent years and will donate US$100,000 to organisations that fight racial injustice and promote opportunities for black people. While Ben & Jerry’s released a statement calling for an end to white supremacy.

Woolworths awards shares to over 100,000 employees

Woolworths Group recognised its employees for their efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic. The retail giant gave each eligible full-time team member up to A$750 of Woolworths Group shares to keep or sell in the future. Part-time eligible team members will be allocated shares on a pro-rata basis. Over 100,000 team members across Woolworths, Countdown, Big W, Dan Murphy’s, BWS, CellarMasters and Langton’s businesses are eligible for shares. Woolworths Group CEO Brad Banducci said the board and group leadership could think of no better way to thank and recognise the team for their efforts over the past five months than by making them shareholders in the group.

CUB joined Asahi Beverages

Asahi Beverages finalised the acquisition of Australian beer giant Carlton & United Breweries (CUB) on Monday. CUB is now part of the business division of the Asahi Beverages Regional Hub alongside Asahi Premium Beverages, Asahi Lifestyle Beverages and Asahi Beverages NZ. The Japanese beverage giant said CUB will continue to operate in much the same way with CUB employees transferring over to Asahi as part of the deal.

Alibaba launched 6.18 shopping festival

Alibaba Group kicked off the annual 6.18 Mid-Year Shopping Festival which runs until June 20. It predicts the campaign to be China’s largest sales event since the Coronavirus outbreak rocked the country. In the first 10 hours of the festival, its total gross merchandise volume jumped 50 per cent compared to 2019. Alibaba issued digital coupons for the festival in China to fuel post-pandemic consumption and economic recovery. Over 100,000 brands on Alibaba-owned online store, Tmall, joined the event, including Apple, Cartier, Chanel, Burberry, Balenciaga and Montblanc.

That’s it for this week. Happy long weekend!

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