Supervalu to Expand Essential Everyday Brand

Supervalu is expanding its Essential Everyday private brand to 2,700 of the most shopped-for products across more than 100 categories throughout the grocery store by 2013.

The brand, which was introduced in select categories last year, was created to offer consumers quality food at a great value. Essential Everyday products are available at approximately 3,300 stores nationwide, including Supervalu-owned stores—Acme Markets, Albertsons Stores, Cub Foods, Farm Fresh Supermarkets, Jewel-Osco Stores, Shaw’s/Star Market, Shop ‘n Save Stores, and Shoppers Food & Pharmacy— as well as at independent retailers served by the company’s traditional food distribution business.

“Consumers continue to look for products that exceed their expectations in the areas of affordable value,” said Sam Mayberry, Supervalu’s VP of private brands. “Our Essential Everyday brand does just that,” “In addition to providing high-quality products at a great value, we’re focused on building customer loyalty for Essential Everyday and our other private brands by continuously innovating and bringing fresh ideas to our brand lineups.”

Chef, cookbook author and parent Antonia Lofaso, introduced the expanded Essential Everyday brand lineup today on behalf of Supervalu during an event today in New York City. “As a working mom, I know firsthand the challenges of juggling work and home life, and how hard it is to find the time to make a nutritious, home-cooked meal that your kids will actually like,” said Lofaso. “In my new book, ‘The Busy Mom’s Cookbook,’ coming out in August, I include some simple tips for getting organized as well as a list of must- have pantry essentials. With the wide variety of Essential Everyday offerings, there’s so much you can do to prepare a quick, easy, nutritious meal that your whole family is sure to enjoy.”

During the event Supervalu showcased “meals for all seasons,” featuring a variety of meals for winter, spring, summer, and fall cooking, all prepared by Lofaso using Essential Everyday products as the main ingredients.

Essential Everyday products include the most important home goods and grocery categories that families rely on every day, such as cereal, dairy, bread, canned goods, frozen foods, pasta, sauces, condiments, salad dressings and snacks. The brand currently features over 1,200 items in more than 40 categories. Supervalu will be adding 1,500 items to the lineup, bringing the total Essential Everyday offering to 2,700 products by 2013.

Essential Everyday joins the Supervalu portfolio of exclusive brands designed to meet customer needs for quality products across a variety of price points. The portfolio includes three tiers of brands: premium, national-brand equivalent and value brands. The company’s private brands account for about $6 billion in annual sales.

Supervalu’s premium brands include Wild Harvest organic and natural foods; the Culinary Circle brand of restaurant-inspired food; Stockman & Dakota hand-carved premium USDA Choice Angus beef; and Java Delight artisan-blended, 100 percent Arabica coffees.

In addition to Essential Everyday, the company’s national brand equivalents include Baby Basics products for babies and toddlers; Arctic Shores frozen seafood; Stone Ridge Creamery ice cream made from high-quality natural ingredients; and WholeCare Pet products.

Rounding out the three-tier brand portfolio is Shopper’s Value, which is Supervalu’s value brand for price-sensitive shoppers, offering more than 350 everyday items and family staples throughout the store.

Minneapolis-based Supervalu serves customers across the United States through a network of approximately 4,300 stores composed of approximately 1,102 traditional retail stores, including 797 in-store pharmacies; 1,332 hard-discount stores, of which 935 are operated by licensee owners; and 1,900 independent stores serviced primarily by the company’s traditional food distribution business. SUPERVALU has approximately 130,000 employees.