FD Buyer: More Smaller/Regional Brands at Grocery?
In an August survey, FD Buyer asked a number of supermarket frozen and dairy retail executives to rank a variety of statements on a scale of one to 10. One expl...
FD Buyer: WinCo Foods – Below the Radar
WinCo Foods doesn't have a loyalty card or gas savings program. Outside of some direct mail to support openings, the stores don't advertise. But there's one thi...
FDBuyer: It Ain’t Just Walmart
A manufacturer friend e-mailed Warren Thayer to vent his frustration about working with Walmart lately. After asking around, Warren found that his friend was no...
FDBuyer: Bi-Lo is 50!
Brian Carney, Bi-Lo's CFO, was quoted as saying at the time that when he joined Bi-Lo in 2005, he was told that the chain had to "get out of the middle" between...
The Sky is Not Falling
The sky is not falling after all. This startling epiphany came to BrainTrust Panelist Warren Thayer after sitting through a series of presentations as speakers ...
FD Buyer: Whole Foods – Retailer of the Year
Whole Foods Market is Frozen and Dairy Buyer Retailer of the Year for so many good reasons it's hard to know where to begin. One competing retailer said Whole F...
FD Buyer: Playing Off Shopper Buzz
The Net Promoter Score (NPS) has nothing to do with promotion in the sense of endcaps or price cuts. Rather, it has everything to do with shopper buzz. Here's h...
FD Buyer: Wholesale Dilemmas
It's a tricky road ahead for wholesalers, with fewer big retailers, and perhaps even some spin-offs of small chains down the line. Fuel prices and SKU rationali...
FD Buyer: How About an Exit Strategy?
Many supermarket buyers say they are more than happy to take on new items. The problem is the support they get from manufacturers helping make room on the shelf...
FD Buyer: Vendor Venting
There are complaints about things retailers do, but shouldn't. For example, during demo or promotion times the buyers don't purchase enough product to support t...
FDBuyer: Clubbing The Clubs
For supermarkets getting clubbed by club stores and losing share, experts advise grocers to focus on selection, convenience and quality. And -- perhaps most imp...
FD Buyer: ‘Frozen’ Means ‘Cheap,’ Right?
"Don't even try to get that item into the frozen food department." Basically, that's what a frozen food buyer told a vendor awhile ago. He's not upset about it ...
FDBuyer: Fire the Nerds! Is there hope for those secondary brands after all?
No rocket science here -- the recession has turned many branded manufacturers into cowards, afraid to innovate. More and more, from the shopper's point of view,...
FD Buyer: Let’s Try Coordinating the Time of Category Reviews
Let's say you're a manufacturer with a new product breakthrough, and you're ready to present it to the trade this month. But let's also say that several of your...
FD Buyer: Want To Sell Me Your Product?
In this article, Betty Buyer, a fictional store buyer based on interviews with a group of retailers, offers advice to Sammy the Seller.... What should take prio...
Frozen & Dairy Buyer: Trader Joe’s – Cherry Pickers of ‘Quality’
Warren Thayer recently asked Phil Lempert, editor of SupermarketGuru.com, for some data on Trader Joe's shoppers, about what percent of shopping they do there, ...
R&FF Retailer: Kroger SKU Rationalization Push Going Strong
Observers say Kroger is in the middle of an aggressive SKU rationalization program, significantly reducing the number of offerings store-wide. Vendors say the c...
R&FF Retailer: What are some ways to avoid pantry loading and cannibalization?
Jon Hauptman, partner, Willard Bishop, notes that pantry loading in today's increasingly competitive market isn't necessarily bad.... What are some ways to avoi...
R&FF Retailer: It’s ‘Win, Play and Show’
Having written the book about taking costs out of the supply chain, Wal-Mart is now focusing on building growth categories and taking market share. To bring all...
R&FF Retailer: Wal-Mart’s Big Plans for Private Brands
Wal-Mart has significant plans for its private label program, with the unveiling of its redesigned Great Value line expected any day now. What do you think of W...