Supervalu to roll out new private-label brand to independent grocer base

LAS VEGAS — Supervalu on Monday announced that its new Essential Everyday private-label brand — to include more than 2,400 products by early 2013 — now is available in select independent retail locations.

“Early results have shown that Essential Everyday is performing very well at our 1,100 Supervalu-owned stores, and we believe that our independent retailers will see a positive customer response as well," stated Leon Bergmann, president of Supervalu's independent business.

As part of the rollout, Supervalu will replace its current brands Flavorite, RichFoods and Homelife, with products in the Essential Everyday line.

Since June 2011, Superval's traditional retail stores have been transitioning from their banner labels to Essential Everyday in the cereal, wholesome snacks, pasta and pasta sauce categories. Supervalu has run extensive consumer testing on the Essential Everyday name and packaging which returned very positive results. In package design research, Essential Everyday outperformed other store brands on measures of purchase interest, perceived value, premium perception and overall appeal. In addition, the change provides Supervalu with a single, recognizable brand name that will help create efficiencies in advertising and marketing the products on a national and local scale.

“The addition of our independent grocers truly helps establish Essential Everyday as its own national brand, with a reach to more than 3,000 grocery stores and millions of customers every week,” Bergmann said. “Timing and execution of this transition will occur as new product rollouts are completed and in conjunction with our independent retailer’s specific store needs.”