HCal wrote: ↑March 11th, 2024, 2:43 am
storewanderer wrote: ↑March 6th, 2024, 6:43 pm
I don't think it is successful though; the store has a very low customer count from what I've seen.
The other issue is Smart & Final isn't really even any deal...
Vons would be a better deal a lot of the time...
Smart & Final is good for its consistency. The prices aren't great, but they aren't terrible. With Vons you have to be careful to shop sales or J4U deals, or you might get majorly ripped off. Smart & Final also seems to have less problems with out-of-stocks than most other stores. So therefore, it's popular with food trucks, taquerias, and small restaurants. It's reliable, consistent, and has okay-ish pricing.
I think Smart & Final really isn't serious about the food service business these days, certainly not what it used to be. Where I have to give them credit is that they've successfully replaced nearly every original location that I am aware of by moving from off-the-beaten-path industrial type spots to closed supermarkets without going bankrupt. That is quite a feat which indicates that they have successfully followed the Costco model of moving from a largely industrial business to a largely consumer business. Their actual food service assortment is not great anymore but as mentioned here a small cafe or food truck can mostly operate from them. There is no question they do far more business now than twenty years ago as they made this shift. They were trying it for a long time with new prototypes, different names (SmartCo) and other experiments that failed but maybe they were ahead of their time? They are still expanding and seem to be able to properly invest in remodels and other capital intensive projects. Although they're not for everyone, I do have a few items I buy there out of convenience or difficulty finding elsewhere and I usually walk out having bought more than I expected. All good signs for their long term longevity.
There are many locations that S&F should not have been able to survive in where they replaced a upper tier mainstream market, usually a nicer Albertsons. But they are there and doing fine. Carlsbad Village (although redevelopment looms over it), Coronado, Santa Barbara upper State St, and more.
I think ten years from now they will be nearly 100% consumer business due to the gaping hole in the market left by the mass consolidation of the big grocery chains, and the desire by the consumer for more choices.
