SuperValu Plans 160 New Save-A-Lot Stores

EDEN PRAIRIE, MN-Locally based SuperValu, a $38-billion-a-year grocery chain with almost 4,300 stores of various brands, plans to increase its value footprint with value division Save-A-Lot by 160 new stores this year. The firm had a same-store sale loss on its regular retail chains, including Jewel and Cub Foods, and will not be expanding those stores, a spokesman tells GlobeSt.com.

The company recently promoted three executives in its retail market development division.
Both Joe McKeska and Mark Lavin were promoted to group VP with real estate and market and development, with McKeska leading the West region and Lavin leading the East region. Sharon Lessard has been promoted to chief design officer, and continues to lead the store design services team.

A spokesman tells GlobeSt.com that the company, which finished its fourth quarter of its fiscal year in February, will this year focus on reversing the same-store sale loss, improving prices and getting people to do their full shopping at the stores. One approach is to increase the Save-A-Lot stores, he says, as the chains average about 15,000 square feet and cater to households with incomes of $45,000 or less.

“This past year we added 92 net Save-A-Lot stores, and this fiscal year we’re looking to add another 160 net stores,” the spokesman says. There are about 1,280 stores of this chain nationwide, he says.

To improve where the company is losing money, the spokesman says the firm will focus on improving customer loyalty with good service and lower prices, and making the store more efficient to shop. “We want to create hyper-local stores that meet the needs of the neighborhood, carrying products that shoppers want, with excellent fresh produce, baked goods and cuts of meat,” the spokesman says.