Costa Mesa/Newport Beach Ralphs loses Fresh Fare branding

[ClownLoach]

Saw an odd one today. On Seventeenth Street in Costa Mesa/Newport Beach there are two Ralphs Fresh Fare locations literally two lights apart. One at Seventeenth and Tustin is a larger store, Seventeenth and Irvine is smaller. The Fresh Fare branding has been completely removed from the larger store off Tustin. It is now a regular Ralphs. I was not able to stop and visit to see if the interior was remodeled, but I don't believe it was.

Interestingly enough, there is also a Vons to the West that was rebuilt after a full tear down about 15 years ago closer to Newport Blvd.

If I was looking at which store would divest it would probably be the Ralphs in the middle that just lost Fresh Fare branding and the Vons would be kept simply because it is odd to have two stores two blocks from each other even though useless zip code maps would place them as different cities.

[storewanderer]

Pretty crude debranding of Fresh Fare on the road sign...

[ClownLoach]

Pretty crude debranding of Fresh Fare on the road sign...

They just removed the gold emblem and letters from the front as well then patched the holes. Now they have a small looking weird sign.

Really not sure what the intent was here.

[storewanderer]

Pretty crude debranding of Fresh Fare on the road sign...

They just removed the gold emblem and letters from the front as well then patched the holes. Now they have a small looking weird sign.

Really not sure what the intent was here.

They must not have been able to continue the higher cost programs in meat, bakery, and deli that come with the Fresh Fare format. Seems like it should have worked in that area, but they actually had to spend money to take the branding off (as opposed to keep the branding there but just get rid of the items).

[ClownLoach]

Pretty crude debranding of Fresh Fare on the road sign...

They just removed the gold emblem and letters from the front as well then patched the holes. Now they have a small looking weird sign.

Really not sure what the intent was here.

They must not have been able to continue the higher cost programs in meat, bakery, and deli that come with the Fresh Fare format. Seems like it should have worked in that area, but they actually had to spend money to take the branding off (as opposed to keep the branding there but just get rid of the items).

The oddity is that this is by far the busiest of the three stores in this small area. A small format Target opened about a block away. The neighborhood is packed with ultra expensive butcher shops as well selling stuff that makes Fresh Fare's best look cheap. Entirely multi million dollar homes.

And what a lost opportunity to add a fruit cart sign!

[storewanderer]

The oddity is that this is by far the busiest of the three stores in this small area. A small format Target opened about a block away. The neighborhood is packed with ultra expensive butcher shops as well selling stuff that makes Fresh Fare's best look cheap. Entirely multi million dollar homes.

And what a lost opportunity to add a fruit cart sign!

There is no fruit card logo Ralphs oval is there?

There is a fruit cart Kroger logo oval floating around. Check coffee endcaps.

[Bagels]

There isn't much difference between Fresh Fare and plain 'ole Ralphs these days. And Kroger has begun localizing merchandise. The El Toro Ralphs, for example, carries more Home Chef product than the nearby Woodbury Fresh Fare. Both stores were built at the same time with an identical layout, but whereas the Woodbury store features its third décor package, El Toro is one of the few retaining the 2000s décor package (that it was built with) and it looks like they're closing the pharmacy. In other words... it's the inferior performer, but obviously those $30 Home Chef meals must sell pretty good.

[veteran+]

There isn't much difference between Fresh Fare and plain 'ole Ralphs these days. And Kroger has begun localizing merchandise. The El Toro Ralphs, for example, carries more Home Chef product than the nearby Woodbury Fresh Fare. Both stores were built at the same time with an identical layout, but whereas the Woodbury store features its third décor package, El Toro is one of the few retaining the 2000s décor package (that it was built with) and it looks like they're closing the pharmacy. In other words... it's the inferior performer, but obviously those $30 Home Chef meals must sell pretty good.

Kroger is so weird in California! My decades of experience just cannot explain what they do here.

Kroger has effectively muddied Ralphs (once a premier brand respected by other retailers nationwide). Kroger had a great idea with Fresh Fare and quickly diluted it cachet!

The upkeep on their stores here is generally awful in urban areas (including high end areas like Beverly Hills, West Hollywood, etc.). And the attitude from corporate and store level is not good.

I have to travel 7 miles (in Los Angeles traffic) to find a decent Ralphs. The best one being in Westwood with terrible parking and not free past an hour.

[ClownLoach]

There isn't much difference between Fresh Fare and plain 'ole Ralphs these days. And Kroger has begun localizing merchandise. The El Toro Ralphs, for example, carries more Home Chef product than the nearby Woodbury Fresh Fare. Both stores were built at the same time with an identical layout, but whereas the Woodbury store features its third décor package, El Toro is one of the few retaining the 2000s décor package (that it was built with) and it looks like they're closing the pharmacy. In other words... it's the inferior performer, but obviously those $30 Home Chef meals must sell pretty good.

Ralphs has made the Fresh Fare sign meaningless. Is it a regular Ralphs with a different sign? Is it a Ralphs trying to be like Whole Foods? Is it a Ralphs trying to be like Gelsons or Bristol Farms? It could be any of those things depending on which location you enter.

That El Toro store is just dismal. It is dark and depressing, I can't believe that has sat with zero improvement for almost 20 years. It was always the closest Ralphs in drive time when I lived by the Spectrum but I would go out of my way to shop at the one across the street from The Market Place on Jamboree, or I would sometimes go to Woodbury only to regret the decision the second I pulled into the dysfunctional parking lot full of people who can't drive. My guess is that it makes enough money to break even or turn a small profit (especially because it has noticeably higher prices than the other surrounding Ralphs) and they'd rather sit on it versus give up the site which I'm guessing would become the first Northgate in South OC.

If you really want to see a head scratcher go to the new Foothill Ranch Fresh Fare. No exterior FF sign (unless they added one recently, it only said Fresh Fare on window graphics). Weird barnwood and shiplap decor. Nothing about it feels "fresh" to me, nor was there any change in assortment at all. This is apparently the "Whole Foods knockoff" version.

I found a news article from over 20 years ago when Ralphs launched FF under Fred Meyer ownership. What was interesting is that the concept was for smaller, older stores in upscale neighborhoods and originally was just a reset/remerchandising exercise with a remodel later on. Some of these stores, like Anaheim Hills, have received multiple remodels since posting the FF branding but still do not have FF decor and are basically a regular Ralphs inside.

https://www.supermarketnews.com/archive ... erishables

At this point I think it's time to just retire the FF sub-branding entirely. In the unlikely event the merger goes through maybe they can start again with the Pavilions name and current concept in the correct locations. These can become "Ralphs Pavilions."

[Bagels]

There isn't much difference between Fresh Fare and plain 'ole Ralphs these days. And Kroger has begun localizing merchandise. The El Toro Ralphs, for example, carries more Home Chef product than the nearby Woodbury Fresh Fare. Both stores were built at the same time with an identical layout, but whereas the Woodbury store features its third décor package, El Toro is one of the few retaining the 2000s décor package (that it was built with) and it looks like they're closing the pharmacy. In other words... it's the inferior performer, but obviously those $30 Home Chef meals must sell pretty good.

Ralphs has made the Fresh Fare sign meaningless. Is it a regular Ralphs with a different sign? Is it a Ralphs trying to be like Whole Foods? Is it a Ralphs trying to be like Gelsons or Bristol Farms? It could be any of those things depending on which location you enter.

That El Toro store is just dismal. It is dark and depressing, I can't believe that has sat with zero improvement for almost 20 years. It was always the closest Ralphs in drive time when I lived by the Spectrum but I would go out of my way to shop at the one across the street from The Market Place on Jamboree, or I would sometimes go to Woodbury only to regret the decision the second I pulled into the dysfunctional parking lot full of people who can't drive. My guess is that it makes enough money to break even or turn a small profit (especially because it has noticeably higher prices than the other surrounding Ralphs) and they'd rather sit on it versus give up the site which I'm guessing would become the first Northgate in South OC.

If you really want to see a head scratcher go to the new Foothill Ranch Fresh Fare. No exterior FF sign (unless they added one recently, it only said Fresh Fare on window graphics). Weird barnwood and shiplap decor. Nothing about it feels "fresh" to me, nor was there any change in assortment at all. This is apparently the "Whole Foods knockoff" version.

I found a news article from over 20 years ago when Ralphs launched FF under Fred Meyer ownership. What was interesting is that the concept was for smaller, older stores in upscale neighborhoods and originally was just a reset/remerchandising exercise with a remodel later on. Some of these stores, like Anaheim Hills, have received multiple remodels since posting the FF branding but still do not have FF decor and are basically a regular Ralphs inside.

https://www.supermarketnews.com/archive ... erishables

At this point I think it's time to just retire the FF sub-branding entirely. In the unlikely event the merger goes through maybe they can start again with the Pavilions name and current concept in the correct locations. These can become "Ralphs Pavilions."

In fairness... many, if not most, of the original FF elements -- expanded produce selection (especially organic), Boar's Head deli products, expanded meat (emphasis on prepared meats like fajitas, London broil etc.), expanded wine selection, etc. have found their way into nearly every Kroger, I think the biggest problem... is that people who are willing to pay for an upscale shopping experience, aren't looking to do so at Ralph's. Look at the rebooted Pavilions concept - it's largely been a bust, and many of the upgraded features have already been scrapped. Some -- like the butter trays in the meat department (garlic butter, etc.), prepared meat dishes (like stuffed chicken or whatnot), have found themselves in high-volume Vons/Ralphs, even while exiting Pavilions.

The Foothills Ranch Ralphs is a good example -- not my favorite store to begin with given that its hours have historically deviated from the rest of the chain. Since the mid-2010s, South OC Ralphs generally close at 1AM. Not this store -- even before COVID it was shuttered at 9PM on Sundays. I noticed the new décor package, but I didn't notice it had been "upgraded" to Fresh Fare. Or any other changes, for that matter. You'd think they'd get rid of the awful layout, which features the produce in the center of the store, a la mid-century supermarkets.

On a side note, I'm surprised Northgate (or another Latino) grocer hasn't entered Lake Forest. Plenty of options in recent years -- it took many years for the two shuttered Vons to find new owners. And Smart & Final is probably desperate to offload the store across from Ralph's -- huge (for S&F) and minimal business. Although that store has operated as a central bakery for the chain in years past.