Target investing in pricing, e-commerce, small format stores
Target announced that it plans to shift away from promotional pricing and back to every day low pricing as part of a $1 billion investment this year. The change in pricing is part of the company’s overall strategy to enhance the in-store experience and leverage its stores as fulfillment centers for online orders. CEO Brian […]
BJ’s may be looking to sell or go public
A report in the Wall Street Journal last month stated that the private equity firms that own BJ’s Wholesale Club could either be trying to sell the company or planning for an IPO. Leonard Green and Partners and CVC Capital Partners acquired BJ’s in 2011 for about $2.8 billion. At the time, it was reported […]
Whole Foods closing 9 stores by end of April
Last month Whole Foods announced that it would close nine stores by the end of April, and is scrapping its plans to expand from 440 to 1,200 stores. In addition to the closings, the company plans to open six new stores in the next couple months. Same store sales for Whole Foods have declined in […]
Lidl to begin opening stores this summer
Lidl announced last month that it would open the first 20 of its U.S. stores this summer rather than waiting for 2018. It had been previously thought that the company would open about 100 stores in the first quarter of next year. Lidl has been aggressively purchasing property in Eastern states from New Jersey to […]
Soda Tax putting a dent in Philly grocery sales
According to recent published reports, Philadelphia’s new soda tax is putting a significant dent in overall grocery sales and forcing retailers to reduce labor as consumers are shifting their shopping to locations outside the city. The tax is levied on distributors at the rate of 1.5 cents per ounce and covers any beverage containing sugar […]
Ahold’s small format Bfresh stores coming to Philly
It was reported last week that leases were signed for Ahold Delhaize’s small-format Bfresh store at 2300 Bainbridge Street and 3401 Chestnut Street, both in Philadelphia. The Bainbridge store will be on the ground floor of a new condominium complex, and the Chestnut Street location is where Eastern Mountain Sports recently closed. A store planned […]
Weis Markets unveils in-store pub, ice cream shop and drive-thru pharmacy
Weis Markets unveiled its “Community Market,” a new store prototype, last week in Enola, PA, near Harrisburg. The 65,000 square foot store incorporates an in-store pub, ice cream shop, juice bar and expansive food court. According to a PennLive.com story that was reported in Supermarket News, the store is designed to take Weis’ service to […]
Walmart, Kroger and Costco top list of 75 food sellers in US and Canada
Supermarket News released its annual list of the Top 75 Retailers and Wholesalers. The list ranks the largest sellers of food (by revenue) to be consumed at home in the United States and Canada. Here are some bulleted highlights that I have copied word-for-word from Supermarket News. I would suggest visiting their website for the […]
Asian grocer 99 Ranch opening stores in New Jersey
Asian supermarket 99 Ranch plans to open at least three stores in New Jersey this year, according to published reports. The first store, a 60,000 square foot former Pathmark, opened recently in Edison, NJ, about a mile from an H Mart, which is also an Asian grocery chain. Locations are also slated for Jersey City […]
Acme to close Burlington, NJ store
Acme announced that it would close its Burlington Township, NJ store by February 16 due to under-performance. With the closure last year of Mattson’s Market, a family-owned store that had been in existence since the mid-20th century, ShopRite and Walmart are the remaining grocery stores servicing township residents.