Yes, FreshCo for Sobeys/former Safeways. Terrible. Pricing was okay but I didn't think it was as good as No Frills. I'd actually call them worse than Smart & Final because when they take the Safeway over they actually downsize the Safeway and completely scrap it of its departments. At least Smart & Final just moves into the space, and doesn't utilize the various departments/equipment. So the stores are not physically destroyed by Smart & Final the way they are being destroyed by Sobey. If Smart & Final ever decided they wanted to run full service conventional stores with all of the departments they still could in the stores they took over. Sobeys remodels/downsizes the stores in such a way this would no longer be possible.retailfanmitchell019 wrote: ↑May 21st, 2022, 7:24 pmYou meant FreshCo, not No Frills. FreshCo reminds me of Smart & Final Extra. They have a lot in common with Smart & Final: downgraded former Safeways, quasi-warehouse format, high prices.storewanderer wrote: ↑May 15th, 2022, 11:09 pm Most Safeways (if you find one still open) still look like a US Store. Very few have been remodeled. The strategy seems to be to close and convert to smaller bare bones franchise No Frills units. I am curious they've opened a handfull of new Safeway units in the middle of the ongoing No Frills conversions.
No Frills is the Loblaw format. That one is much better (due in large part to the excellent Loblaw private label programs in place). No Frills sort of reminds me of Grocery Outlet with a more consistent product mix day to day.