Southeastern Grocers consolidating private label brands across all banners

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Re: Southeastern Grocers consolidating private label brands across all banners

Post by wnetmacman »

rwsandiego wrote:
wnetmacman wrote:
rwsandiego wrote:What do you think they would change the names to? Winn-Dixie? SE Grocers? Southeastern Grocers?
Noting their recent history of 'nothing we already know', I'd guess that they'll try something local but unknown. With many of both Bi-Lo and WD stores going to Harveys and Fresco Y Mas, I'd say they may try to expand those banners more, since they seem to be successful thus far. I'm not sure if any of that would work in Louisiana where I am; our Hispanic population isn't large, so that would put FYM out. Folks here will try new names but once they discover it's the same place, they will move away quickly.
Maybe Albertsons will buy them. :lol: :roll:
Actually, I see evidence that this could be happening. There are only 3 Florida stores left, and that isn't enough to even stir any commotion at the SEC. The only three places they directly compete are Lafayette, Hammond and Baton Rouge, LA.

In Hammond, they are almost across the street from each other, but amazingly WD has the nicer store. One would close.

In Lafayette, there are 4 Albertsons and 1 WD; none compete directly, as the WD is on the north side of town where Albertsons left several years back.

In Baton Rouge, here's the map, courtesty of MapMuse.com:
BRWDA.png
As you can see, there is only minor encroachment between the two, and it would probably only result in one or two divestitures at best. The A near Old Jefferson was never there, and the one near West River Oaks on 190 East has closed.

(The map for Lafayette is more inaccurate, that's why I don't post it.)
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Re: Southeastern Grocers consolidating private label brands across all banners

Post by pseudo3d »

The fact that the FL Safeway stores aren't going anywhere (and I mean that in a negative sense--no new stores, no distribution deals) suggests that maybe it is all part of a master plan to buy up most of the remaining Winn-Dixie stores. I say most because there are too many Winn-Dixie stores in poor condition and too small to live on as an Albertsons-led store without major changes. I can't speak for the Florida stores, but I strongly doubt that ABS would be interested in the Rayne, LA store. It was old enough that about five years ago it still had "The Beef People" on the exterior signage, and it's less than 30,000 square feet.
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Re: Southeastern Grocers consolidating private label brands across all banners

Post by pseudo3d »

wnetmacman wrote:
rwsandiego wrote:
wnetmacman wrote:
Noting their recent history of 'nothing we already know', I'd guess that they'll try something local but unknown. With many of both Bi-Lo and WD stores going to Harveys and Fresco Y Mas, I'd say they may try to expand those banners more, since they seem to be successful thus far. I'm not sure if any of that would work in Louisiana where I am; our Hispanic population isn't large, so that would put FYM out. Folks here will try new names but once they discover it's the same place, they will move away quickly.
Maybe Albertsons will buy them. :lol: :roll:
Actually, I see evidence that this could be happening. There are only 3 Florida stores left, and that isn't enough to even stir any commotion at the SEC. The only three places they directly compete are Lafayette, Hammond and Baton Rouge, LA.

In Hammond, they are almost across the street from each other, but amazingly WD has the nicer store. One would close.

In Lafayette, there are 4 Albertsons and 1 WD; none compete directly, as the WD is on the north side of town where Albertsons left several years back.

In Baton Rouge, here's the map, courtesty of MapMuse.com:
BRWDA.png

As you can see, there is only minor encroachment between the two, and it would probably only result in one or two divestitures at best. The A near Old Jefferson was never there, and the one near West River Oaks on 190 East has closed.

(The map for Lafayette is more inaccurate, that's why I don't post it.)
The fact that the FL Safeway stores aren't going anywhere (and I mean that in a negative sense--no new stores, no distribution deals) suggests that maybe it is all part of a master plan to buy up most of the remaining Winn-Dixie stores. I say most because there are too many Winn-Dixie stores in poor condition and too small to live on as an Albertsons-led store without major changes. I can't speak for the Florida stores, but I strongly doubt that ABS would be interested in the Rayne, LA store. It was old enough that about five years ago it still had "The Beef People" on the exterior signage, and it's less than 30,000 square feet.

EDIT: The Winn-Dixie at Choctaw Road up in the more northern part of Baton Rouge closed a few years ago. Looks like it's in a really bad part of town, and the remaining Albertsons south of it doesn't seem a whole lot better--that shooting last year involving the murder of three Baton Rouge police officers was across the street!
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Re: Southeastern Grocers consolidating private label brands across all banners

Post by wnetmacman »

pseudo3d wrote:The fact that the FL Safeway stores aren't going anywhere (and I mean that in a negative sense--no new stores, no distribution deals) suggests that maybe it is all part of a master plan to buy up most of the remaining Winn-Dixie stores. I say most because there are too many Winn-Dixie stores in poor condition and too small to live on as an Albertsons-led store without major changes. I can't speak for the Florida stores, but I strongly doubt that ABS would be interested in the Rayne, LA store. It was old enough that about five years ago it still had "The Beef People" on the exterior signage, and it's less than 30,000 square feet.

EDIT: The Winn-Dixie at Choctaw Road up in the more northern part of Baton Rouge closed a few years ago. Looks like it's in a really bad part of town, and the remaining Albertsons south of it doesn't seem a whole lot better--that shooting last year involving the murder of three Baton Rouge police officers was across the street!
The Rayne store has modern signage now:
raynewd.jpg
That store actually does quite a business for its size. As I've mentioned here before, it is a small store, but it's very busy. There are 3 grocery stores in Rayne; a Piggly Wiggly that could best be described as a large closet, an independent, and this WD. It's the busy store.

The Albertsons on Airline is indeed just across the street from the infamous shootings, but it's not normally a bad area. As with many high profile crimes, the bad element came to the good area to inflict his crime. But that isn't retai-related.....

My point remains, however, that Albertsons and WD could indeed be positioning themselves for a merger, and the stores in Lafayette and Baton Rouge would be the only real sticking points. Looking at the maps, it's beyond justifiable at this point without raising eyebrows at the SEC. The last store that closed in Lafayette was just blocks away from a huge Albertsons.
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Re: Southeastern Grocers consolidating private label brands across all banners

Post by pseudo3d »

If a WD/Albertsons merger was to come to past, the most likely scenario I can see happening would probably go down like this:

1. Cerberus (not Albertsons) buys SEG from Lone Star Funds and gets to work closing the worst of the stores, selling "non-strategic" locations (BI-LO meets its demise), and gutting the main company.
2. SEG (as a subsidiary of Cerberus) sells the Louisiana stores (the ones that weren't sold to others or closed outright) to Albertsons, which closes and reopens them on their own schedule. This may or may not include the MS stores.
3. SEG, both downsized and its stores operationally better (now totaling less than 300 stores, with the remaining 400 or so sold or closed) is sold from Cerberus to Albertsons, where it becomes the new Southeastern Division. Winn-Dixie stores slowly start to morph into the Albertsons/Safeway format. The "Florida Safeway" stores remain under the Eastern division (which should be renamed anyway) but switch to the distribution system of the SE division. Finally, Winn-Dixie stores are rebranded as Safeway stores literally overnight, just like the three pilot stores.
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Re: Southeastern Grocers consolidating private label brands across all banners

Post by Knight »

pseudo3d wrote: With the dilution by Harveys and Fresco y Mas, I wouldn't be surprised to see more conversions. Though at this rate, I expect BI-LO to be dismantled first.
BI-LO is yet to exit Georgia, North Carolina, and the South Carolina counties of Florence, Georgetown, and Horry. Those are markets BI-LO has hoisted the white flag of surrender.
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Re: Southeastern Grocers consolidating private label brands across all banners

Post by Knight »

Albertson's acquiring Southeastern Grocers would be an interesting consolidation.

The organizational structure of Southeastern Grocers, specifically its regions, would need to change. I think the regions were BI-LO East (Charleston, South Carolina), BI-LO West (Greenville, South Carolina), WInn-Dixie Alabama (Montgomery, Alabama), Winn-Dixie Louisiana and Mississippi (New Orleans, Lousiana), Winn-Dixie Central Florida (Orlando, Florida), Winn-Dixie North Florida (Jacksonville, Florida), Winn-Dixie South Florida/Harvey's Supermarkets/Fresco y Más, and Winn-Dixie West Florida (Tampa, Florida).

I wonder if Albertson's would want to keep the low performing BI-LO, Harvey's Supermarket, and Winn-Dixie stores that have taken initial steps toward closure with the reduction of hours of operation, the closing of pharmacy, seafood, bakery and delicatessen departments, and expiring leases.
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Re: Southeastern Grocers consolidating private label brands across all banners

Post by pseudo3d »

Knight wrote:Albertson's acquiring Southeastern Grocers would be an interesting consolidation.

The organizational structure of Southeastern Grocers, specifically its regions, would need to change. I think the regions were BI-LO East (Charleston, South Carolina), BI-LO West (Greenville, South Carolina), WInn-Dixie Alabama (Montgomery, Alabama), Winn-Dixie Louisiana and Mississippi (New Orleans, Lousiana), Winn-Dixie Central Florida (Orlando, Florida), Winn-Dixie North Florida (Jacksonville, Florida), Winn-Dixie South Florida/Harvey's Supermarkets/Fresco y Más, and Winn-Dixie West Florida (Tampa, Florida).

I wonder if Albertson's would want to keep the low performing BI-LO, Harvey's Supermarket, and Winn-Dixie stores that have taken initial steps toward closure with the reduction of hours of operation, the closing of pharmacy, seafood, bakery and delicatessen departments, and expiring leases.
If Albertsons ended up buying SEC than there would be no Winn-Dixie Louisiana, they would be absorbed into Houston Division, which has more than enough space to expand (I believe it hovers at around ~65 stores total). The store base of Winn-Dixie is in rough enough shape that by the time Albertsons and/or Cerberus is done, there would be half of the stores remaining, and the result is that the resulting Southeastern Division would only have Alabama, North Florida, Central Florida, West Florida, and South Florida as districts, not divisions. Winn-Dixie's old divisions had different numbering and once stretched as far west as Texas and as far north as of Tennessee (I heard they owned some company in Ohio, but don't quote me on that).
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Re: Southeastern Grocers consolidating private label brands across all banners

Post by Knight »

Several quality BI-LO store locations could be acquired by another supermarket increasing store count as it further expands in Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina. Many other BI-LO store locations would close.

This is the WInn-Dixie store numbering system. Stores in this font color represent active store assignments in Southeastern Grocers.
0xx: Jacksonville Division -> Winn-Dixie North Florida Region
1xx: Jacksonville Division -> Winn-Dixie North Florida Region
2xx: Miami Division -> Winn-Dixie South Florida Region/Fresco y Más
3xx: Miami Division -> Winn-Dixie South Florida Region/Fresco y Más
4xx: Montgomery Division -> Winn-Dixie Alabama/Mississippi Region
5xx: Montgomery Division ->Winn-Dixie Alabama/Mississippi Region
6xx: Tampa Division -> Orlando Division -> Winn-Dixie West Florida Region
7xx: Tampa Division -> Orlando Division -> Winn-Dixie West Florida Region
8xx: Raleigh Division -> Charlotte Division
9xx: Raleigh Division -> Charlotte Division
10xx: Greenville Division -> Charlotte Division
11xx: Dallas Division
12xx: Greenville Division -> Charlotte Division
13xx: Dallas Division
14xx: New Orleans Division -> Winn Dixie Louisiana Region
15xx: New Orleans Division -> Winn Dixie Louisiana Region
16xx: Louisville Division -> Charlotte Division -> Harvey's Supermarkets
17xx: Louisville Division -> Charlotte Division
18xx: Atlanta Division -> Montgomery Division
19xx: Atlanta Division -> Montgomery Division
20xx: Charlotte Division
21xx: Charlotte Division
22xx: Orlando Division -> WInn-Dixie Central Florida Region
23xx: Orlando Division -> Winn-Dixie Central Florida Region
24xx: Sweetbay -> Winn-Dixie West Florida Region
25xx: Sweetbay -> Winn-Dixie West Florida Region
26xx: Save Rite
27xx: Save Rite
5xxx: BI-LO

The Thriftway stores in Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana acquired in the mid-1990's were in the Louisville Division.
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Re: Southeastern Grocers consolidating private label brands across all banners

Post by Wolfman »

Good bye Thrifty Maid, good bye Superbrand, good bye Winn Dixie brand. Won't be long 'til they change the names on the front door.
Not sure about the W-D brand but I thought Thrifty Maid and Superbrand died in 2005?

I miss Dixie Home tea. It was much better than Tetley or Luzianne.

More alienation killing off long time name brands such as Thrifty Maid, Chek, and Prestige.

While we're at it, remember Dano's Pizza? That was some naaasty pizza!!
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