The Friday Checkout is a weekly column providing more insight on the news, rounding up the announcements you may have missed and sharing what’s to come.
During a period when most food retailers are working overtime to convince shoppers that their stores are places to save money, Erewhon’s reputation for sky-high prices is putting wind in its sails.
The Southern California luxury grocer — which woos moneyed customers with an assortment of “natural, organic and non-toxic options for a radiant lifestyle” — is on a small growth tear.
In a vote of confidence by Erewhon that its opulent image will resonate beyond Los Angeles County, where it has long based its operations, the retailer’s newest store is in the affluent Ventura County city of Thousand Oaks, California. Erewhon is also planning to open a store in late 2027 in Costa Mesa, California, giving the chain its first foothold in well-heeled Orange County. It also has a location in downtown Los Angeles in the works for next June.
But while Erewhon clearly needs to be within range of people who can afford products like the $20 smoothies and $30 packages of ice cubes it is famous for, the grocer’s strategy doesn’t just revolve around placing stores near customers with plenty of money.
Erewhon’s success stems from sticking to a unique assortment that oozes its remarkable knack for differentiating itself. Shoppers know that Erewhon offers products and a shopping experience they can’t find anywhere else — shifting the spotlight from what goods cost to the lifestyle they represent.
Other grocers might not be able to rely on customers who are seemingly willing and able to pay any price. But that doesn’t mean they can’t take a page from Erewhon and work relentlessly to stand out by tapping into people’s lifestyle aspirations.
In case you missed it
Post-Heinen’s, downtown Cleveland turns to farmers market
In the wake of Heinen’s shuttering its downtown Cleveland store this summer, the city’s residents now have a new grocery option: a farmers market. North Union Farmers Market launched a six-week pilot on Tuesday after the city approached it earlier this year about opening a downtown location, local news station WKYC reported. The farmers market plans to gauge community support during the pilot to determine whether to bring the market back next year, the news outlet reported.
Lawsuit over Trader Joe’s frozen PB&J snacks can proceed
A federal judge determined that J.M. Smucker can proceed with its trademark lawsuit against Trader Joe’s, The Associated Press reported. Smucker alleges that the grocer’s frozen peanut butter and jelly sandwiches — as well as the packaging — are too similar to its Uncrustables.
Trader Joe’s has said in court filings that its frozen sandwiches have a different shape — not round but rounded squares, or “squircles” — and that Smucker shouldn’t be allowed to monopolize the crimped design because it is necessary to keep the contents inside. Trader Joe’s also claimed that Smucker’s current Uncrustables packaging is not well known enough to meet the standards of a federal trademark dilution claim, according to the AP.
FMI taps tech expertise
Caitlin Allen and Benjamin Bond, executives at shelf intelligence company Simbe, have joined initiatives at FMI — The Food Industry Association, the tech provider announced Thursday. Allen, the company’s senior vice president of marketing, has joined FMI’s Daunting Data Dilemma Industry Task Force, which focuses on retail data quality, interoperability and real-time operational visibility. Bond, Simbe’s senior vice president of strategy and client success, has joined FMI’s Fresh Food Leadership Council, which is working on forecasting, food waste and visibility across fresh operations.
Impulse find
Stop & Shop hosts a hot diggity dog good day
The Ahold Delhaize banner recently held its first-ever Stop & Shop Staten Island Hot Dog Eating Contest. The grocer invited teams of New York City firefighters, police officers and Stop & Shop store managers to try to consume 100 hot dogs in 10 minutes, the grocer shared in a LinkedIn post. Alas, that bar was a tad high: Stop & Shop’s store manager team took home the trophy by downing 21 hot dogs, ABC7NY reported.
Along with the contest, people could enjoy free hot dogs and product samples in addition to picking up hot dog-themed stress relievers.
In conjunction with the event, Stop & Shop provided the FDNY Foundation and the 121 Police Precinct Community Council with $10,000 in donations to each organization.
@abc7ny The FDNY and NYPD battled on Saturday during the inaugural Staten Island Hot Dog Eating contest. #nyc #statenisland #hotdog #fdny #nypd #contest ♬ original sound - ABC7NY
