by Jenny Kosek
Like so many communities, we have an omnipresent grocery chain in our area that, quite simply, everyone shops at. You know the one: the chain with an inescapable number of locations, the chain so ubiquitous that when people say, “I’m going to the grocery store,” there’s no question which grocery store they’re headed to.
So it’s been interesting to watch this chain embrace the demands of consumers seeking fresh food and healthier lifestyles. It began with a change to their loyalty program. No longer based on mere savings for loyal shoppers, the program was revamped to reward consumers for purchasing fresh foods. The loyalty program is now subdivided into a yogurt 
club, a banana club, etc. and shoppers are rewarded for purchasing these healthier items.
Then the logo subtly changed. The font softened, and colors remained as they had always been, but the apostrophe in the store’s name became a tiny, earthy green leaf. The branding on the website also got a plant-ish, green-hued makeover.
The most noticeable changes were to the weekly circular. No longer the garish newspaper-style sales paper trumpeting value priced convenience foods, the new circular was a smaller, sleeker, 11.5” x 13” magazine, with health and cooking tips, gorgeous photos of fresh fruit and vegetables, nutritional tidbits, an emphasis on local products, and lists of the number of organic items the store carries. And no longer were the prices “valid through X/X/XXXX”; now the prices are “fresh until X/X/XXXX”.
Will the fresh-focused repackaging of our grocery store attract new shoppers and boost their profits? Time will tell, but with shoppers demanding products that support a healthy lifestyle and more and more retailers catering to those shoppers, the chain was wise to revamp their image at this crucial time.
No revolution happens overnight, but the Fresh Revolution is decidedly underway, and shoppers are leading the charge.
Consider a report from Mambo Sprouts Marketing showing “most already buy organic foods (99%).” In addition, 64 percent of consumers polled said they expect to increase the amount of organic products purchased.
No retailer can afford to avoid the Fresh Revolution, especially independent pharmacy. Consider an endcap that features these items or a “Natural Health” display that promotes your natural health and wellness selections. If you find items on you shelves that aren’t moving, consider replacing them with natural or organic offerings from your wholesaler.
Consumers will continue to demand products that address their complete health, inside and out. Recognizing this and reviewing and revising your inventory to stay, well, fresh, will keep shoppers coming back to you for more.
