The HBA mix likely stemmed from Albertsons' typical mix rather than Safeway's. Since Essential Everyday was completely phased out, certain new items have been introduced under the Signature banner which are direct replacements for EE items which did not already have a Signature equivalent. However, these items can only be found at stores which originated from the Albertsons side of the merger. As a result, in DFW, Albertsons and Market Street stores often have a much more extensive private-label product mix than Tom Thumb. In addition, Market Street stores also have an extensive natural health and nutrition products section.pseudo3d wrote:I was there too this weekend (presumably after the reset), and I was impressed overall. The soda section is all name-brand (no Refreshe), the HBA department is far larger than anything I've seen in a Safeway branded store, and of course, staffing was excellent. I didn't see higher-end products, though, you're right. I didn't check the milk, but the bottled water in 1 gallon jugs (using a different design than milk jugs--a more curved top, Walmart uses the same thing) was still Kristal.architect wrote:I was at the Market Street in Plano over this weekend and can confirm that Red River Farms has been replaced by Lucerne. However, the Lucerne milk being sold at Market Street is actually different from the Lucerne being sold at DFW Tom Thumb/Albertsons locations, as the Market Street jugs have a colored cap which corresponds with the label color, while the jugs sold elsewhere have a white cap. It is likely that the milk being sold at Market Street is still being supplied by the same plant which serves the United stores in the Panhandle/West Texas; I will check the coding next time I am shopping there. Also the Plano store has been extensively reorganized, with the product selection skewing much more mass-market than before (with some high-end products being eliminated). This is not a good move in one of the highest income areas of DFW, especially with so much competition nearby. Pricing was much more competitive than both Tom Thumb and Albertsons though, and the selection was still very good for a mainstream grocer.pseudo3d wrote:Cross-post, but I've heard reports that Red River Farms has been replaced with Lucerne. Dang.
Overall, it being my first time, it felt like a decent competitor to Kroger or H-E-B for the first time, and a bit like Albertsons/Randalls cooler, more successful cousin.
It is sad that Market Street is effectively being shafted in DFW, as it is likely the banner with the most growth potential within the region. It can hold its own against a typical Kroger or HEB, and could potentially even scare HEB away from expanding into the market if Albertsons was willing to increase store count.