National Supermarket Chains

[SobaAddict70]

Are there any national or global supermarket chains, like Pathmark or Shop-Rite?

Fine Fair? Kings? Safeway? Costco? Associated? Food Emporium?

Just wondering. What are the differences, other than layout and services?

More importantly, what are your preferences?

Do you think that there will be any mergers any time soon? Everything else seems to have merged in the past 10 years.

Discuss.

Soba

[jhlurie]

This is a daunting topic, since we've got to be aware of which different chains are actually the same with different names in various regions.

[Fat Guy]

I get the sense that most supermarkets in the traditional sense are part of regional chains. The national chains tend not to be supermarkets but, rather, specialty (like Whole Foods and Trader Joe's) or multi-purpose stores (like Costco and Super Walmart).

And yes, there are major differences -- especially when it comes to fresh products, but also in terms of what market is being targeted (e.g., do they have a good selection of imported Italian pastas or is it more Prince-oriented.)

[SobaAddict70]

Super Walmart?

eeek!!!

Sort of like the Big Red K?

hope that never comes to NYC.

Soba

[Fat Guy]

As you emerge from the underwear section you find yourself in the dairy aisle.

[Jason Perlow]

pretty soon, Target will be a full service supermarket, the way things are going.

[Fat Guy]

Past tense. All SuperTargets have full-service grocery stores within. You just haven't seen them because you haven't been in the Midwest lately. The New York Metro area is a total backwater when it comes to the latest and greatest big-box store innovations. There's not a SuperTarget within 200 miles of where we live. You go to Chicago, you'll find one in pretty much every compass direction.

[wgallois]

I believe that the French group Carrefour has one of the largest global reaches of all supermarket chains. Here's a page where they state that they are the biggest hypermarket operator in the world (through franchising) and the largest supermarket operator in Europe:

http://www.carrefour.com/francais/groupeca...nceMondiale.jsp

In the UAE, where I live, we have at least five Carrefour supermarkets and they are really fantastic. What impresses me most is the way that they use their size to develop ranges that appeal to all the different ethnic and cultural groups in this country. This means that you can get all the Indian vegetables you want, shisha and turkey sausages if that's your thing, durians and other Far Eastern fruits, lovely baguettes and a super range of French cheeses, and one of the best selections of olives and pickles you will see anywhere.

[snowangel]

In Minneapolis (world headquarters of Target), Super Targets are popping up everywhere. I find them to have more of a "full" grocery than Sam's Club of Costco.

The big grocery chain here is Cub, but I most often find myself at Kowalskis, which is a true "full service" grocery. No hunting down someone to help you find anything, great meat, seafood and fish counters. The produce is awesome. And, if they don't have it at my local branch (smaller than most), they'll have it by 9:00 am the next morning. I think I may pay a little more (not necessarily if I shop what's on special), but they bag my groceries for me (not true at most Twin Cities supermarkets), and will carry them out for me. If it's raining, they even have an umbrella for me so I can get to the car -- dry. Come to think of it, if I arrive, and it's pouring, one of the carry out people will run out with an umbrella for me.

One of the big differences for me between Kowalski's and Cub/Super Target is that they are close to my house, and for some reason, every time I go, I'm in and out and home in about half of the time of the latter stores.

[fresco]

The Loblaw chain in Canada, with its massive array of private label products (it also operates various regional supermarket groups in the U.S.) has managed to both dominate the domestic retail food market and to influence, sometimes for the better, the national palate. While it purveys things like five-pound packs of frozen lasagne, Loblaw has also achieved the not inconsiderable feat of making things like evoo and balsamic vinegar something close to mass staples in Canada.

[Jinmyo]

fresco, I agree entirely about Loblaws. As well as massive packs of frozen lasagna, they also have frozen cassoulet.

[Rail Paul]

Super Walmart?

eeek!!!

Sort of like the Big Red K?

hope that never comes to NYC.

Soba

Be afraid, be very afraid. It's on the way to the NY metro.

NYC was the last area of the US to get Home Depot, Pathmark, and other big boxes, too.

[Rail Paul]

Albertson's Markets operates Albertson's, Jewel, Super Saver, Max, Osco, Acme, and Seesal's among other chain names

Kroger provides services through Kroger, King Sooper, Owen's, Pay Less, Bell, Cala Foods, Fry's, Fred Meyer, Ralph's, QFC. Big chain, with 32 states served under 24 different chain names, and 2488 stores.

The largely unionized food markets are at a significant competitive cost disadvantage when they compete against the largely non-union Wal-Mart organization. This has caused considerable friction in some marketplaces.

[fresco]

Quote (Jinmyo): "...they also have frozen cassoulet."

I guess, on balance, this is a good thing. Your posts (and Weekend Updates) are an adornment on this site.

[Peter B Wolf]

I get the sense that most supermarkets in the traditional sense are part of regional chains. The national chains tend not to be supermarkets but, rather, specialty (like Whole Foods and Trader Joe's) or multi-purpose stores (like Costco and Super Walmart).

And yes, there are major differences -- especially when it comes to fresh products, but also in terms of what market is being targeted (e.g., do they have a good selection of imported Italian pastas or is it more Prince-oriented.)

Steve, to quote you:..... "but also in terms of what market is being targeted (e.g., do they have a good selection of imported Italian pastas or is it more Prince-oriented.)"

I find it always being the case of targeting 'the Market' versus marketing 'the Target'.

Is there not an obligation,well sort of, by the vendor to educate and improve?

I find too many stores to continue with the idea of "what they don't know, they won't buy".

And if they bring in something different (not 'new' in it's existance !), but new to the area, they invariably will sell that item so expensive, plus label everything right away as "Gourmet", that people shy away (Gourmet) or can't afford it ($$$).

The constant misuse of the term "Gourmet" is pissing me off (Excuse me).

New lines of Gourmet Drinks: Mango flavored Tang

Burnt 'frenchroasted' Gourmet Coffee

Gourmet Clover Honey from the Highlands

Gourmet Angus Beef, not 'black' Angus, but 'Angus'

on & on & on

People should become Gulletiers instead of being gullible.

[nerissa]

Massive chains are a problem. Dominicks here in Chicago belongs to Safeway. But, honestly, some of the generic Safeway products are pretty decent.

Whole Foods/Fresh Fields. Does anyone know why the name is different?

[TrishCT]

Larger Supermarket chains are regional in nature. In Conn, Stop & Shop, Big Y, & Waldbaum's are some of the bigger players. Shaw's Supermarket, (any relationship to Fat Guy?? ) is British (Sainsbury is the parent), and headquartered in Massachusetts. They are actively expanding their holdings in New England. When Grand Union went bankrupt a few years ago, Shaw's scooped up a bunch of their stores in this region.

Before he retired last year, Bernie Rogan, the spokesman for Shaw's, told me that his company's policy is to stock any product a customer wants and will buy. If they want a certain brand of Pepperpot Soup, he'll carry it, but if the product doesn't sell, its outta there.

We discussed the proliferation of Big Box stores like Super Walmarts (which personally I find repulsive). They are finding a niche because they offer low prices on staple items. Bernie doesn't think Big Boxes will become "the supermarket of the future" because the customer service is less personal than regular stores. He did say that modern supermarkets must be very careful to stay on top of consumer interests and tastes.

Time will tell.... A new Shaw's is being built in my area and will open in about a year. It will be interesting to see what new concepts are introduced.

[jhlurie]

I like Piggly Wiggly only because of the name. Nothing else about them, at least the ones I've been to when in Florida.

Really here in the NY/NJ/Conn. area most of the grocery chains (at least the dominant ones) are regional, not national.

[newguy]

The King's stores in NJ are great. Most have very high end products including wines, cheeses etc...

Rumor has it though that they are bankrupt. There were talks of other groups looking to buy them out, but no takers so far.

[jhlurie]

King's won't get their white knight. Someone is probably waiting for them to teeter enough to pick them off, sure, but it won't really be in the best interest of the chain I think.

Probably the same thing will happen to them as Grand Union. The vultures will pick up their real estate after the corpse doesn't respond anymore to being poked with a stick.

A&P and Pathmark really have the strongest hold around here, with Stop & Shop moving in fast.

[hjshorter]

Whole Foods/Fresh Fields.  Does anyone know why the name is different?

Whole foods bought Fresh Fields. They kept the Fresh Fields name in the DC area for a few years, but now are moving everything to the Whole Foods name.

[jjpuss]

Why has nobody mentioned Wegmans? They're gradually taking over the eastern seaboard, and most people seem happy about it.

[Rhea_S]

The large supermarkets available in my area are Jewel,Cub Foods, Shop N' Save, Super Wal-Mart, Sam's Club, Schnucks and Meijer. The last two tend to have fresher and more exciting produce that you can't find in the other stores. They both also carry King Arthur flour which is a big draw for me. Meijer has the best selection of international and health foods. The meat prices are usually one of the best for the area while the quality is better than the others aside from Schnucks. The only thing I really don't like about Meijer is that it's like a Super Wal-Mart, "one-stop shopping." You can buy goldfish and live birds right across from the flour aisle. The baby clothes are across from the pet section and so on.

I go to the other stores regularly except for Cub Foods and Super Wal-Mart regularly. Cubs has no appeal for me and Super Wal-Mart isn't worth the trek across town. I go to Jewel because it's the closest to my house, Shop N' Save for $0.99 DVD/video rentals, Sam's Club for dog food, party supplies, bulk items, cheese and plugra butter and Schnucks and Meijer for produce and meat. I also shop regularly at the local Asian grocery store and go to either St. Louis or Chicago every couple of months to buy things I can't find around here.

[coolranch]

H-E-B is the big player here in central Texas. Low prices, decent store brand.

Randall's is probably next, but they are treated more like a convenience store, it seems--people run in for milk and toilet paper--sure, it costs more, but HEB's are always crowded.

HEB also owns Central Market, the best grocery store ever. Huge produce section, great deli, seafood, wine, cooking school etc., etc.

Is Fiesta national?

[plax]

Here in South Florida, our big chain stores are Publix & Winn-Dixie. I think WD is a regional chain, but I'm not sure if there are Publix stores outside Florida. We also have a few others-- Whole Foods, Wild Oats, the occasional Albertson's and a Food Lion way out in the western burbs. We do a lot of our grocery shopping at BJ's-- for things we consume in bulk. There's a Costco nearby, too, but they are poorly laid out and the check out line is always a mile long.