Walmart partners with Google, expands Uber delivery service

Walmart and Google announced last week that a new partnership between the companies will allow shoppers to use Google's apps and devices to shop at Walmart.

According to a story in Supermarket News, Walmart customers will soon be able to link their accounts to Google and receive personalized shopping results based on past purchases using Google Express, Google Assistant or a Google Home device. Walmart will fulfill orders made through Google at no extra charge.

According to the companies, "hundreds of thousands" of items will be available through the service. (Walmart.com has about 67 million SKUs available for sale.)

Walmart ecommerce CEO Marc Lore said the partnership is "just the beginning," adding that voice shopping, which will be possible through Google, will be expanding its capabilities in the near future.

Walmart and Uber team up for home delivery

In a separate announcement, Walmart said last week that it plans to expand its grocery home delivery service through Uber to the Dallas and Orlando markets. Walmart began testing Uber delivery over a year ago in Phoenix.

Customers who choose home delivery through Uber are charged $9.95 per order.

Perhaps the bigger news is that the fleet of Walmart Uber delivery cars have giant models of fruit and vegetables on their roofs.

Albertsons in talks to acquire Sprouts

It was reported last week that Albertsons is considering a deal to acquire Sprouts Farmers Markets, and an industry source told me that he thought the likelihood of such a deal was 50-50.

Sprouts, based in Phoenix, is the largest farmers' market-style food retailer in the country. It operates more than 250 stores in 15 states, not including Pennsylvania, where a Philadelphia store is planned. There are no stores currently in New Jersey either, and it has been rumored that the company is looking for a site in South Jersey.

According to reports, Sprouts has plans to open 32 stores this year, following 36 new stores last year and 27 in 2015.

Jefferies Anlyst Chris Mandeville said last week that "the logic of a deal makes sense in our view," but added that it would be very expensive.

Albertsons, which is owned by Cerberus Capital, acquired Safeway and Supervalu in recent years. Reports said that the company was in talks to acquire Price Chopper late last year, but the deal never happened.

Tesco to shut down Fresh & Easy chain

Tesco, the British supermarket giant and the world's fourth largest retailer, announced it will sell or shut down its 200 Fresh & Easy grocery stores. All of the stores are located in California, Arizona and Nevada, and the banner is Tesco's only U.S. asset.

Fresh & Easy began with its first store in Phoenix in 2007, and the grocery chain's stores are typically in the 10,000 to 15,000 square foot range. They offer fresh food and ready-to-eat meals at low prices, and the stores are touted as more convenient alternatives to traditional U.S. supermarkets.

Since 2007, Tesco has invested about $1.6 billion in the chain, but it has never been profitable.

"It is now clear that Fresh & Easy will not deliver acceptable shareholder returns on an appropriate timeframe in its current form," said Tesco CEO Philip Clarke.

Analysts say that Aldi could be among those interested in acquiring the chain, and that Walmart could bid for parts of it.