QFC contemplating re-brand, maybe just ‘the Q’

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marshd1000
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QFC contemplating re-brand, maybe just ‘the Q’

Post by marshd1000 »

QFC may possibly re-brand. I am not sure about this. The brand and logo is iconic in my opinion. Here's what the Seattle Times says about this!

https://www.seattletimes.com/business/r ... ust-the-q/
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Re: QFC contemplating re-brand, maybe just ‘the Q’

Post by marshd1000 »

I could see a different font and modified crown and maybe different colors! I’d keep the name however!
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Re: QFC contemplating re-brand, maybe just ‘the Q’

Post by babs »

Change the name to Fred Meyer Marketplace and you'll save a ton on marketing expenses. Except for the prices, they are essentially just Fred Meyer grocery.
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Re: QFC contemplating re-brand, maybe just ‘the Q’

Post by marshd1000 »

babs wrote: April 6th, 2018, 11:27 am Change the name to Fred Meyer Marketplace and you'll save a ton on marketing expenses. Except for the prices, they are essentially just Fred Meyer grocery.
Fred Meyer Marketplace has a bit more general merchandise than does QFC. But I have seen the Fred Meyer Northwest Best on Burnside in Portland and that was very QFC-like with a Fresh Fare décor. I'm surprised that the few QFCs in Portland and Vancouver, WA have not converted to Fred Meyer Northwest Best. But Kroger could do like Albertsons and have a common food ad for QFC and Fred Meyer.
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Re: QFC contemplating re-brand, maybe just ‘the Q’

Post by Super S »

In nearly 30 years of living in the Pacific Northwest, I have NEVER heard QFC references as "The Q". Not one time. The fact that they are considering a rebrand hints that the chain is struggling. I think they would be better off just rebranding to Fred Meyer Marketplace, or maybe even Kroger or some other name that Kroger owns.

The Fred Meyer name at least still has a Northwest origin. I can't speak for Seattle, but I think the Fred Meyer name would work better for the Portland area stores anyway.
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Re: QFC contemplating re-brand, maybe just ‘the Q’

Post by storewanderer »

Never heard of QFC called "The Q" before and I've spent a lot of time in Seattle area.

I think they'd be better off opening a few new stores with the money it will take to do rebranding.
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Re: QFC contemplating re-brand, maybe just ‘the Q’

Post by babs »

marshd1000 wrote: April 6th, 2018, 12:40 pm
babs wrote: April 6th, 2018, 11:27 am Change the name to Fred Meyer Marketplace and you'll save a ton on marketing expenses. Except for the prices, they are essentially just Fred Meyer grocery.
Fred Meyer Marketplace has a bit more general merchandise than does QFC. But I have seen the Fred Meyer Northwest Best on Burnside in Portland and that was very QFC-like with a Fresh Fare décor. I'm surprised that the few QFCs in Portland and Vancouver, WA have not converted to Fred Meyer Northwest Best. But Kroger could do like Albertsons and have a common food ad for QFC and Fred Meyer.
The Fred Meyer Northwest Best moniker is no longer used. The Stadium store is just Fred Meyer. So is the new Gig Harbor store. I bet if you took someone into either store blindfolded, they couldn't tell if they were in a QFC or Fred Meyer. The two chains have basically become one.

Think about it. In the rest of the country (Kroger, Fry's, Smiths, Dillons, etc...) are using the regular name on their grocery store and adding "Marketplace" to the stores that have some apparel and general merchandise (essentially Fred Meyer). Why not do this in the NW with Fred Meyer? Spend the money to switch to Fred Meyer and don't waist it on the Q.
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Re: QFC contemplating re-brand, maybe just ‘the Q’

Post by storewanderer »

Maybe "The Q" is the code name for the QFC Division back in Ohio at Kroger Headquarters?

I'm not saying it is a bad code name, but, it is not commonly or even seldomly used by people in Seattle.

Based on the comments in the Seattle Times articles, it sounds like QFC operations are slipping pretty badly in recent years. Maybe they need to focus more on operations again. QFCs used to be run better. I dare to say Smiths seems to be run very well now compared to the other Kroger divisions in the west (15 years ago they seemed to be run far worse than Ralphs, Fred Meyer, Frys, or QFC with dirty stores, lousy perishables, and understaffed). My experiences with Smiths in Nevada and in Utah the past few years have been quite positive; much better than Ralphs or Fred Meyer for sure, two chains that have really gone downhill.
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Re: QFC contemplating re-brand, maybe just ‘the Q’

Post by pseudo3d »

Remember that the new Fred Meyer that opened in Gig Harbor is only 65k square feet yet keeps the Fred Meyer name.
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Re: QFC contemplating re-brand, maybe just ‘the Q’

Post by CPhT_Smith »

QFC is so small compared to other Kroger division and shares it’s entire marketing area with the Fred Meyer division it would make sense for Kroger to consolidate QFC in to Fred Meyer. I’m not saying that QFC doesn’t have a great past or heritage, but it’s still nothing compared to the northwest institution that Fred Meyer is. I think Kroger should start by combing QFC and Fred Meyer food, drug and HBA advertising. Then the next step would be to eliminate the QFC division. Merge redundant QFC stores into nearby full service Fred Meyer stores. Any remaining QFC stores would be rebranded for 1-2 years as Fred Meyer-QFC, mostly to show to the customers that it’s a grocery only Fred Meyer. At the same time in areas that QFC is better than Fred Meyer at, Fred Meyer would improve the operations of those areas. After slowly phasing out the QFC part of the Fred Meyer-QFC name rebrand the stores as Fred Meyer Food & Drug.
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