Southeastern Grocers Converts 73 Stores to Harveys Banner
JACKSONVILLE, FL – There are some big changes coming to the Southeastern Grocers banners, as the company looks to hone in on just how to serve its customers best in the tight buy-side environment. The company announced that 73 stores have been unveiled under the Harveys Supermarkets banner, with some converted from the Bi-Lo and Winn-Dixie chains.
“We know that a number of our customers are cash strapped. They’re shopping on a budget. We want to try to make sure that we give them the best value we possibly can,” CEO and President Ian McLeod stated, according to FirstCoast News, of the strategic decision.
The 73 stores will open their newly christened doors as Harveys Supermarkets today, according to the TheState.com, throughout Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Florida. The company stated that this multi-state conversion came after months of listening to customers, who named pricing as the ultimate deciding factor as to where they shop.
At the forefront of this shift towards accumulating further consumers, comes a focus on fresh and reduced pricing. McLeod stated that the new Harveys stores will feature an expanded produce section, featuring the fresh fruits and vegetables of over 90 local farmers. The chain will also boast more than 3,000 items in the store with ultimately lower prices.
McLeod stated that in tandem with the conversions, the physical stores have received upgrades and remodeling. The chain also focused on tailoring store specifics to its surrounding demographics, in order to appeal to the consumers living and shopping in each locations areas. The new Harveys will now boast a fresher, brighter, and cleaner environment to further appeal to the price-conscious consumer.
As Harveys supermarkets offer a different market proposal than the Winn-Dixie or Bi-Lo brands, the company expects consumer traffic to increase in this banner. This new Harveys concept was initially tested in Jacksonville, FL, and Charlotte, NC. Southeastern Grocers stated that each test store was a success and boasted an increased number of customers.
McLeod stated that the while the company is ramping up its Harveys banner to fully engage a less-affluent segment of consumers, Southeastern Grocers is not abandoning its Winn-Dixie brand.
As Southeastern Grocers and other companies within the buy-side sector continue to zero in on new strategies to increase consumer traffic, AndNowUKnow will have the latest.
