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Re: Harris Teeter/Kroger integration

Posted: June 21st, 2017, 5:31 pm
by architect
Interesting advertising update: Earlier today, I received an ad in the mail with coupons for the Kroger Family of Stores, which clearly has Harris Teeter listed (but ironically, none of the Roundy's banners). This is the first time that I have seen coupons being distributed which are usable both at Harris Teeter and other Kroger banners. Could this be a sign that Kroger is in the process of further integrating the chain into their operations?

Side note, this ad also has the Fresh Eats MKT banner listed, the first time I have seen an ad for it.

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Re: Harris Teeter/Kroger integration

Posted: June 21st, 2017, 9:13 pm
by storewanderer
Since those are generic manufacturer coupons, theoretically, they could be used anywhere. What this demonstrates is Kroger and Harris Teeter are on common buying (which I already suspected). They are just not on common systems, common perimeter programs, common store decors, common management structures, or common marketing at large.

I notice a lot of sub banners missing from this like Gerbes, Bakers, Scotts, City Market, and FoodsCo. Yet the little "PayLess" banner is listed and that only has like 3 stores.

Re: Harris Teeter/Kroger integration

Posted: September 13th, 2020, 6:11 pm
by BatteryMill
Some observations I've made of post-Kroger HT:
  • *Prior to the merger, Harris Teeter locations would have endcap price markers, reading "VIC SAVINGS ON EVERY AISLE". These have been replaced with generic ads reflecting the "new lower prices" mantra. Stores opened after the merger have phrases such as "always the best price" and "freshness guaranteed" in block lettering on said fixture. I cannot tell if such a practice was discontinued by HT's corporate parent.
    *I've only seen one Kroger product end up at Harris Teeter thus far.
    *For the holidays, the Gift Card Mall had a paper slip with Kroger's "Fresh for Everyone" ad campaign.
    *The gradual phasing out of their signature 24-hour operation was likely a Kroger-influenced move, and in tandem with its sister chains from what I've heard.
I'll admit the ads are a bit tacky, but it is nice to see the chain stay true to itself even if it is under a large corporate parent.

Re: Harris Teeter/Kroger integration

Posted: September 13th, 2020, 11:54 pm
by storewanderer
BatteryMill wrote: September 13th, 2020, 6:11 pm Some observations I've made of post-Kroger HT:
  • *Prior to the merger, Harris Teeter locations would have endcap price markers, reading "VIC SAVINGS ON EVERY AISLE". These have been replaced with generic ads reflecting the "new lower prices" mantra. Stores opened after the merger have phrases such as "always the best price" and "freshness guaranteed" in block lettering on said fixture. I cannot tell if such a practice was discontinued by HT's corporate parent.
    *I've only seen one Kroger product end up at Harris Teeter thus far.
    *For the holidays, the Gift Card Mall had a paper slip with Kroger's "Fresh for Everyone" ad campaign.
    *The gradual phasing out of their signature 24-hour operation was likely a Kroger-influenced move, and in tandem with its sister chains from what I've heard.
I'll admit the ads are a bit tacky, but it is nice to see the chain stay true to itself even if it is under a large corporate parent.
Let's hope that HT continues to stay this way... right after Kroger bought HT was when they started to seriously over-centralize the other divisions...

Re: Harris Teeter/Kroger integration

Posted: September 14th, 2020, 6:35 am
by BatteryMill
storewanderer wrote: September 13th, 2020, 11:54 pm Let's hope that HT continues to stay this way... right after Kroger bought HT was when they started to seriously over-centralize the other divisions...
Much agreed. Who knows what may happen that'll cause the Teeter to integrate more into Kroger. I'm delighted of some things they've added, such as HT-branded fuel stations and large-format stores, but I'm hoping they don't become like the chains out west.

Re: Harris Teeter/Kroger integration

Posted: September 15th, 2020, 9:19 am
by cw06
BatteryMill wrote: September 13th, 2020, 6:11 pm *I've only seen one Kroger product end up at Harris Teeter thus far.
HT has been carrying Simple Truth and Private Selection products for about 3 years now. It's only this year that I saw regular Kroger product on the shelves (bagged rice).

Corporate stuff is still completely separated. You can even transfer to HT from Kroger, you have to apply as a new hire.

Re: Harris Teeter/Kroger integration

Posted: September 16th, 2020, 8:45 am
by Super S
BatteryMill wrote: September 14th, 2020, 6:35 am
storewanderer wrote: September 13th, 2020, 11:54 pm Let's hope that HT continues to stay this way... right after Kroger bought HT was when they started to seriously over-centralize the other divisions...
Much agreed. Who knows what may happen that'll cause the Teeter to integrate more into Kroger. I'm delighted of some things they've added, such as HT-branded fuel stations and large-format stores, but I'm hoping they don't become like the chains out west.
Sounds a lot like when they bought Fred Meyer....gradually integrating things here and there while letting Fred Meyer largely do their own thing, until the last couple years where they have accelerated the "Kroger way" of doing things and have changed many aspects of Fred Meyer for the worse.

Re: Harris Teeter/Kroger integration

Posted: September 16th, 2020, 5:54 pm
by BatteryMill
Super S wrote: September 16th, 2020, 8:45 am Sounds a lot like when they bought Fred Meyer....gradually integrating things here and there while letting Fred Meyer largely do their own thing, until the last couple years where they have accelerated the "Kroger way" of doing things and have changed many aspects of Fred Meyer for the worse.
That's a tad shame... I mean, there aren't any huge additions, but I honestly hope there are company measures to make sure HT does not follow the same route. The only thing I'd like to see in a fully-integrated HT, at the very most, is for them to fully adapt the "Marketplace" format.

Re: Harris Teeter/Kroger integration

Posted: July 12th, 2021, 3:26 pm
by BatteryMill
cw06 wrote: September 15th, 2020, 9:19 am

HT has been carrying Simple Truth and Private Selection products for about 3 years now. It's only this year that I saw regular Kroger product on the shelves (bagged rice).
I don't remember what was there before Simple Truth/Private Selection products entered the mix at Harris Teeter. Although I have seen someone report that more Kroger products with new item tags once popped up at their store.

It also seems as if Harris Teeter has done some self-checkout changes lately. More units have been installed, going from 4 to 6 USCANs per store and resulting in the removal of the "Check It Out signage". These splash screens are now identical to that found at the mainline Kroger, so perhaps this new shift is supposed to reflect new installations throughout the Kroger empire.

Also to note, some have speculated that Kroger has not further merged Harris Teeter because of the markets where the two banners coexist (Charlottesville, Hampton Roads, Hilton Head Island). Better not give Kroger ideas though... :P

Re: Harris Teeter/Kroger integration

Posted: July 17th, 2021, 5:42 pm
by cw06
BatteryMill wrote: July 12th, 2021, 3:26 pm
cw06 wrote: September 15th, 2020, 9:19 am

HT has been carrying Simple Truth and Private Selection products for about 3 years now. It's only this year that I saw regular Kroger product on the shelves (bagged rice).
I don't remember what was there before Simple Truth/Private Selection products entered the mix at Harris Teeter. Although I have seen someone report that more Kroger products with new item tags once popped up at their store.

It also seems as if Harris Teeter has done some self-checkout changes lately. More units have been installed, going from 4 to 6 USCANs per store and resulting in the removal of the "Check It Out signage". These splash screens are now identical to that found at the mainline Kroger, so perhaps this new shift is supposed to reflect new installations throughout the Kroger empire.

Also to note, some have speculated that Kroger has not further merged Harris Teeter because of the markets where the two banners coexist (Charlottesville, Hampton Roads, Hilton Head Island). Better not give Kroger ideas though... :P
The Simple Truth products mostly replaced HT Traders and HT Organics products. This was mainly because it was all made by the same manufacturer. In a lot of cases the former HT product was manufactured by Kroger pre-merger.

The u-scan upgrades seemed to have no real plan behind them. New stores got new machines with the Kroger software out of the gate, while old stores kept the old HT software. At my store they tried installing the Kroger software on the old HT scanners, which led to constant crashes and reboots.

As far as why they haven't pushed for a deeper integration, my guess is that Kroger knows well enough not to kill their golden goose. HT is quite profitable, and shareholders would revolt if they did anything to hurt that. A side benefit to keeping HT a subsidiary instead of making it a division is that it keeps the union out. If HT just became part of Kroger Mid-Atlantic, the UFCW would have a good case to organize it's stores.