Meijer Branches Out: Aiming for the hearts of Midwesterners

GRAND RAPIDS, MICH. —Meijer has been in a consistent and continuing act of self-transformation that has helped prepare it to meet significant new challenges. The company is both drawing on its past traditions and developing new concepts as it seeks to create a niche that will permit the supercenter retailer to fulfill its goal of expanding throughout the Midwest.

In many ways, however, the future is now.

Meijer is facing a terrific test that will tell a lot about the company’s ability to survive and thrive. Wal-Mart has invaded Meijer’s home turf of Michigan, even penetrating the market area of its headquarters’ city of Grand Rapids. In doing so, Wal-Mart is filling the void left when Kmart slashed the number of supercenters it operates, now at 55 nationwide.