Safeway Hosts New Innovation Expo

SHARE:

Email

Print

LinkedIn

Facebook

Twitter

April 6, 2010

As part of its strategy to fully manage stores brands in-house and work more closely with industry suppliers, Safeway is hosting its first annual Innovation Expo on June 16.

Suppliers are invited to submit concept proposals by April 30 that will be “vetted against trends/platforms to be identified as priorities for Consumer Brands in 2011, starting with a focus on health and wellness, sustainability, meal solutions and convenience,” Nancy Cola, Safeway’s vice president of Innovation for Consumer Brands wrote in a recent letter to store brands suppliers.

The event, which will take place near company headquarters in Pleasanton, Calif., is open to all members of the new Direct Connect program, which the grocer announced to suppliers two weeks ago. (For more on Safeway’s Direct Connect and its in-house strategy see “Safeway Shifts Its Store Brands Business Model.” )

“As we work to address the needs and aspirations of our shoppers, we invite you to present and demonstrate your best consumer-focused innovation in this forum,” Cola said. “We are interested in current capabilities as well as future innovations.”

During the daylong trade-show-format event suppliers will interact with Safeway’s executive management including vice presidents, senior vice presidents and the senior executive team.

“We are fired up about the Safeway Innovation Expo as it gives us the chance to highlight what we at Consumer Brands and our supplier partners are putting into our 2011 innovation pipeline for 2012 launch,” Cola said.

Read These Related Articles:

• Store Brands Reign at KVAT's New Discount Retail Food Format
• Meijer Launches Specialty Store Brand Foods
• Retailers Seek Innovation Tools to Take Store Brands to New Heights
• Managing the Growth of Store Brands
• A&P's Doug Palmer Named Brand Innovator of 2010

Most Read

Guest Columns

Grocery Aisle Innovation Key to Retailer and Consumer Cost Savings

Retailers are redesigning the aisle, appealing to environmentally friendly consumers and capitalizing on market trends to make their private label brands more competitive.

Source: Tetra Pak Inc.

How to Develop a Private Label Expression Aligned with Retail Brand Strategy

By creating private label as a marketing tool rather than just a price alternative, retailers gain the opportunity to tell a complete brand story while simultaneously boosting customer loyalty.

Source: CBX

Using the Store Banner to Endorse Private Label Architecture

Although the economic downturn accelerated private label growth in Europe, there was another key driver -- retailers started to brand their stores.

Source: IPLC

See All Guest Columns »

Press Releases