Thrifty Grocery Shoppers Head to Smaller Save-A-Lot, Aldi

Across the USA, limited-assortment grocers, including Aldi, Grocery Outlet and Save-A-Lot, are very aggressively expanding. Aldi intends to open 80-100 more this year, Save-A-Lot aims to double the size of the company within the next 5 years, and Grocery Outlet plans to add 15 stores this year. The two bigger limited-assortment chains - Aldi and Save-A-Lot - offer about 80% of the items in conventional supermarkets.

USA Today

Shamrock Foods Brings Retail Warehouse Concept to Albuquerque, N.M.

Shamrock Foods is introducing a new retail warehouse concept in Albuquerque. The company is opening the new store in a 24,000-square-foot building.  It will offer an inventory of more than 6,000 items on-site, with thousands more available from Shamrock's distribution centers, such as dry groceries, fresh meat, fresh produce, dairy, deli meats and cheeses, party supplies, frozen foods, alcoholic beverages, janitorial supplies and business supply items.  The store is open to anyone and no club membership is required.

New Mexico Business Weekly

Natural Chains Eye Expansion

There is a series of recent moves by natural food chains to expand their banners into new markets.  Sunflower operates 32 stores in Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas and Utah, plans to open its first California store in the northern part of the state in March. The Fresh Market, Greensboro, N.C., has disclosed aggressive growth plans, saying it intends to grow its base from 95 stores to any many as 500. Earth Fare, Fletcher, N.C., which operates 21 stores in six Southeastern states and which expanded into Florida last year, has announced plans to open in Fairlawn, Ohio.  

Supermarket News

Food Lion Parent Accelerates U.S. Openings

Delhaize Group SA, the Belgium-based owner of Food Lion and five other U.S. grocery chains, plans to spend about $1.2 billion to open as many as 130 new stores globally this year, saying sales trends are improving. The company expects to step up expansion of newer formats, including its Bottom Dollar Food discount stores. 

The Packer

Maxima to Launch New Format

The Maxima group is reportedly set to open a new store format in Bulgaria, called 'T-Market Express'. The neighbourhood-style outlets will cover an area of up to 250 sq. m., and are aimed at residential locations. 

Kam City

HomePro Plans Five-Store Expansion

Home Product Centre, the operator of the HomePro chain, plans to launch five new stores this year with an investment of Bt400 million to Bt500 million each.  The company's focus this year will be on opening stores larger than 5,000 square metres in secondtier provinces.  By the end of the year the company aims to have 4-5 stores.  The company will also put more focus on home services, which it divides into four categories: 3D design, home installations, home improvement and home maintenance.  

The Nation