Albertsons To Consolidate To Signature Select

[storewanderer]

There have been multiple rounds of clearance hitting across the stores. This was reported last year on this board by someone and I noticed the same thing in multiple regions. It isn't just GM, it is all categories. It is more noticeable in the larger stores than it is in the smaller stores (since the smaller stores didn't have the room for as many items in the first place).

This has hit private label too, with most Signature Reserve SKUs gone, random private label soda flavors/sizes being discontinued, etc.

[Bagels]

There have been multiple rounds of clearance hitting across the stores. This was reported last year on this board by someone and I noticed the same thing in multiple regions. It isn't just GM, it is all categories. It is more noticeable in the larger stores than it is in the smaller stores (since the smaller stores didn't have the room for as many items in the first place).

This has hit private label too, with most Signature Reserve SKUs gone, random private label soda flavors/sizes being discontinued, etc.

Albertsons definitely back back on SKUS, specifically private label brands. For example, most of the Value Corner products have been discontinued. They also removed a plethora of Signature Select (and equivalent). For example, two years ago, they carried Value Corner, Signature Select, Open Nature, etc. laundry detergent and pods(no Value Corner pods). The last I checked, only Open Nature was still being carried.

They've also reduced the number of national brands. Notably, in SoCal, the Chicago brands (Vienna Hot Dogs, Eli's Cheesecake, etc.) are gone. Lots of other examples. Alta Dena products (milk, sour cream, whipping cream, etc.) went bye-bye not long ago.

But this had nothing to do with the merger -- Albertsons was removing product that just didn't sell. Ralphs still carries many of these products, including a small selection of Alta Dena.

[retailfanmitchell019]

Safeway in the 80's, 90's, and through the late 90's had various sub house brands.

Albertsons brands in the 90s/2000s were:

Albertsons (mainstream food brand, also sold under the Jewel and Acme labels)
Good Day (budget)
Janet Lee (secondary food brand)
A+ (upscale brand, just used for soda)
Essensia (upscale brand, similar to Safeway Select. Replaced by Culinary Circle in the SVU era)
Baby Basics by Albertson's (baby products)
Sav-on Osco by Albertson's (non-food, replaced by Equaline for drug products, HomeLife for other non-food)
Happy Tails (pet products)
Q (wine)
Timberwood (wine)
Village Market (turkey and ham sold during holidays)
Wild Harvest (organic products, brand came from Shaw's)

There is nothing left under the Albertsons "brand" sold at Albertsons anymore, except for case meat, which is still wrapped in packaging using the late 90s Albertson's script logo for some reason.

[storewanderer]

Safeway in the 80's, 90's, and through the late 90's had various sub house brands.

Albertsons brands in the 90s/2000s were:

Albertsons (mainstream food brand, also sold under the Jewel and Acme labels)
Good Day (budget)
Janet Lee (secondary food brand)
A+ (upscale brand, just used for soda)
Essensia (upscale brand, similar to Safeway Select. Replaced by Culinary Circle in the SVU era)
Baby Basics by Albertson's (baby products)
Sav-on Osco by Albertson's (non-food, replaced by Equaline for drug products, HomeLife for other non-food)
Happy Tails (pet products)
Q (wine)
Timberwood (wine)
Village Market (turkey and ham sold during holidays)
Wild Harvest (organic products, brand came from Shaw's)

There is nothing left under the Albertsons "brand" sold at Albertsons anymore, except for case meat, which is still wrapped in packaging using the late 90s Albertson's script logo for some reason.

Village Market was actually a Lucky sub-label and I don't think it was used after 1999. In fall 1999, a front page ad special at Albertsons banner stores in NorCal/NV had those "Lucky" (with Lucky logo) Village Market Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts. I may actually have that print ad somewhere. That sale/product gave me hope in Fall 1999 they'd keep the Lucky brand... short lived hope.

[storewanderer]

Albertsons definitely back back on SKUS, specifically private label brands. For example, most of the Value Corner products have been discontinued. They also removed a plethora of Signature Select (and equivalent). For example, two years ago, they carried Value Corner, Signature Select, Open Nature, etc. laundry detergent and pods(no Value Corner pods). The last I checked, only Open Nature was still being carried.

They've also reduced the number of national brands. Notably, in SoCal, the Chicago brands (Vienna Hot Dogs, Eli's Cheesecake, etc.) are gone. Lots of other examples. Alta Dena products (milk, sour cream, whipping cream, etc.) went bye-bye not long ago.

But this had nothing to do with the merger -- Albertsons was removing product that just didn't sell. Ralphs still carries many of these products, including a small selection of Alta Dena.

When they initially rolled out Signature Brands, a ton of additional items were added that Safeway did not slot. All those detergents you mention were part of that. They tried to roll items out that Supervalu offered but Safeway did not offer. So things like 1lb Signature Brown/Powder Sugar showed up since Essential Everyday had those (Safeway only had 2lb), things like 1 L Seltzer in assorted flavors showed up since Super Chill came in various flavors like Lime, Raspberry, Lemon, etc. and Safeway only sold that in cans previously (except plain 1 L they did have).

Where Safeway's private label program brought significant additional SKUs to the table that Supervalu did not offer was with things like O Organics (Wild Harvest was never as complete), Lucerne, private label bread, and deli. Safeway Select was far better than Culinary Circle in SKU mix/quality but Albertsons chose to make the very big mistake in not keeping defining Signature Select as the premium private label for long.