Dive Brief:
- Albertsons on Wednesday debuted a private label line of ready-to-cook marinated meats featuring “adventurous flavors and globally inspired ingredients” that take about 20 minutes to prepare.
- The chain is bringing items sporting the new house brand, Chef’s Counter, to the self-service meat department before expanding the line to the deli, frozen and center store sections next year.
- Albertsons is positioning the new brand to attract shoppers interested in preparing restaurant-style meals on a budget.
Dive Insight:
Albertsons is bolstering its own brands portfolio with a new assortment of unique foods as the grocer looks to set itself apart from competitors and connect with price-conscious consumers who want to cook at home.
The grocer, which inaugurated Susan Morris as CEO at the beginning of the month, said in a press release about its newest house brand that it wanted to offer “distinctly memorable and sensorily evocative experiences and trend-forward flavors that are often challenging to replicate.”
Chef’s Counter selections range in price from $4.99 to $12.69. Options include lemon peppercorn chicken, boneless pork loin chops featuring mesquite or garlic herb flavors, and chimichurri beef sirloin steaks. Shoppers can also opt for carne asada beef flap steak that Albertsons said was designed to “evoke a distinct restaurant experience.”
Albertsons has also added a collection of shoppable recipes featuring Chef’s Counter-branded items to its online platforms. In addition, the grocer has enlisted celebrity chef Antonia Lofaso to help promote the brand through content on social media.
Albertsons’ addition of Chef’s Counter follows the company’s introduction in September of Overjoyed, which spans multiple grocery categories including snack mixes, candy, cookies and dessert supplies. The grocer also brought out Bee Lightly, a line of wines that come in flat bottles made from 100% recycled plastic, last fall.
Retailers have been expanding their selections of house brands as they angle to build ties with shoppers while holding down costs. Private label grocery sales rose by almost 4% last year, to a record $271 billion, according to Circana data cited by the Private Label Manufacturers Association.
