Next Results for articles with tag 'grocery' (8 total)
05/06/2024 06:16:12 PM 
The brand had reached a point where its very power threatened it. While others suffered, Goldman prospered and its bankers became the target of everyone who hadn't been so fortunate. Goldman had multiple chances to show humility and to transform itself into something more transparent and balanced, but it took government action and public humiliation for the bank to take a long hard look at itself.
While business leaders and brand experts love powerful brands, their very power can threaten their core. It would be smart if every strong brand was big enough to realize that humility goes a long way these days and every bound forward needs to be balanced with a measure of humbleness.
UK grocery chain Tesco has been in superpower position for many years, as it's expanded geographically and into other business areas, it has been the subject of serious scrutiny. The brand has simply got too powerful and is at a point where it has to be careful with every action it takes. While it's shareholders and business leaders want the brand to become even more powerful, this power seems to have its limits.
As Tesco continues to expand into all four corners of the UK, it's meeting pockets of resistance from local governments who are making serious demands in return for the brand's continued expansion. These financially constrained local governments want some of Tesco cash reserves to fund housing, a move which is forcing Tesco into a business that it never intended to be in, homes.
While this news is fodder for any brand wizard wanting to show the amazing elasticity of power brands, it's something of a problem for Tesco, as it confirms their status of all conquering power.
However, perhaps there's a way that Tesco could turn this unintended consequence into a positive?
What if it was to create a foundation to facilitate the house building process and do it any way that pushed the boundaries on sustainability and provided homes at a low cost to those in need?
What if it could find a way to contribute something meaningful to society, like a new concept of community and do this through its foundation?
Tesco executives might be wise to read Fordlandia, the story of Henry Ford's attempt to create a perfect mid-western style company town in the middle of the Amazon.
While on paper, it looks like another example of corporate imperialism, dig deeper and you find Henry Ford wanted world class medical care and the best living standards for his workers, but more than that, he wanted community.
There's nothing wrong with powerful brands, but at some point, they all have to realize that humility and giving back are the only ways to stop them toppling over thanks to their own arrogance.
Posted by Ed Cotton
05/10/2024 01:46:52 PM
For incumbents stumbling out there, it would be wise to take a look at Bi-Rite, a San-Francisco-based grocery store that was recently named one of Monocle Magazine's Top 20 retailers worldwide.(registation required)
Bi-Rite has been in business since 1940 and is still a family business. It looks from outside appearances like a typical neighborhood grocery store, but if you look underneath the surface you can see how they have changed and adopted to survive in the world of grocery store giants.
Here's are 5 things that make Bi-Rite different:
1. They celebrate food- They are not in the business of just selling food, they celebrate and nurture it. The focus is on organic, sustainable and local foods.
2. They stretch beyond basic grocery- They also operate a bakeshop and a hand made ice cream store that uses local organic dairy products
3. Quality matters- They hand pick every item in the store and place an emphasis in making sure the staff knows their stuff. They go beyond typical grocery retail and provide health insurance for every employee.
4. They are part of the community- Instead of just operating a store, Bi-Rite manages a non-for-profit gallery 18 Reasons to create a dialog between art and food. At 18 Reasons, they host 18th Hour, a weekly happy hour for neighbors that features food and drink from the store.
5. Vertical integration- Bi-Rite operates its own farm, Apple Ranch in Sonoma where it raises produce that's sold exclusively in the store. Employees are encouraged to spend time working in the ranch, so they can gain an appreciation of where the food comes from and how its grown.
By focusing on the celebration of food, instead of just selling, Bi-Rite has built a platform that makes it interesting and relevant to people and one that allows to reach far beyond a typical grocery store.
Struggling incumbents could learn from this by spending time to understand what it is they are passionate about. Once they get this nugget, they then need to work out how to make this relevant to people.
Posted by Ed Cotton
10/22/2008 02:41:45 PM
The scary thing for brands is that there's so much more room for growth. Nielsen reports that categories like skin care and household detergents have a relatively low penetration for private label products (4-6%), which must be something of a worry for the likes of P&G and Unilever.
In the food space, dairy is the one area under considerable threat which spells significant problems for brands like Horizon.
Lots more detail here....
Posted by Ed Cotton
10/20/2008 09:24:52 AM
While the developers of this technology seems at pains to suggest how efficient and green their solutions are, but compared to what? E-Ink is a giant leap from static packaging and the technology involved in producing it is considerable. Add on the layers of shipping and assembly and you have a production process that is likely to consume a lot of energy.
While early stage advertisers in this new media may not care about the environmental impact of someone else's technology and be looking for ways to stand out on the shelf, it will be interesting to see if retailers like Wal-Mart endorse this form of packaging, given their stricter demands on the environmental performance of their suppliers.
Posted by Ed Cotton
09/23/2008 11:12:11 AM
"Seeking a way to improve the experience of its customers in checkout lines, a major European discount grocery and general merchandise chain, comparable to Wal* Mart in the U.S., turned to Prolitec for a solution.
Prolitec developed an Ambient Scenting program using a fragrance called “Nature After Rain,” which was diffused over the checkout area in a test store. Prolitec’s utilization and understanding of Aromatherapy and Performance was central in the choice of this particular aroma, which is known to be helpful in shortening people’s perception of time passed in a space.
Positive response to the test program moved the retailer to expand the service to additional outlets and also to add a “wine cellar” fragrance to enhance the consumer experience in its wine departments."
Posted by Ed Cotton
11/04/2024 11:18:26 AM
From the fleeting video, it looks like a brand with values, not perhaps as extreme as Whole Foods, but a step-up from your average grocery chain.
The same can be said for the overall experience.
Posted by Ed Cotton
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Articles for tag grocery (8 total).