Giant-Landover Rolling Out Remodels This Week

Giant-Landover Rolling Out Remodels This Week
Progressive Grocer

Giant-Landover Rolling Out Remodels This Week

May 7, 2008

Giant Food, LLC has completed multimillion-dollar renovations to its stores in Bethesda, Md.; Clarksville, Md.; Largo, Md.; Rehoboth, Md.; Columbia, Md.; and Warrenton, Va. The stores, which range in size from 58,000 to 65,000 square feet and boast improved produce and perishable departments, will all have their grand
openings May 9.

The renovations are part of the Ahold banner's three-year Project Refresh investment plan to remodel or replace about 100 Giant Food stores, according to Giant Food e.v.p. and g.m. Robin Michel in a statement.

Giant Food spokesman Jamie Miller told Progressive Grocer that the six stores are the first to be remodeled under the program, which Ahold first revealed in October 2007. Construction on the locations began in February, he added.

The remodeled locations additionally boast new interior decor, including new store signage, and larger food and pharmacy departments, as well as a new convenience meal area, where shoppers can pick up sandwiches, salads, and sushi, and a bigger selection of natural foods, including Giant's Nature's Promise items.

In the course of the remodels, Starbucks units have been added to the Bethesda, Columbia, and Warrenton stores.

Also new to the stores are technologies such as "Easy Shop," which permits shoppers to scan and bag their groceries as they shop, then pay and go, and "Deli Vision," a kiosk at which customers can place deli orders, then pick them up when they've finished shopping.

"Our...customers will find that their Giant has a brighter, fresher new look along with numerous improvements that will simplify their lives," noted Giant Food.

A total of about 90 new jobs have been created at the remodeled stores.

Landover, Md.-based Giant Food operates 184 supermarkets in Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, and the District of Columbia, and employs about 21,000 associates. Included within the 184 stores are 165 full-service pharmacies

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Reply from Giant Consumer Affairs

Thank you for taking the time to contact us about your experiences at your Marlow Heights Giant.

I am sorry to hear that your store was sold out of the advertised McCormick Sea Salt Grinders. I know how important it is to have the products available for sale and apologize for any inconvenience this caused you. I assure you we share your concern as our goal is to be in stock on sale items at all times.

I have contacted your store manager, Patsy, who was equally concerned. She informed me that an order has been placed and the McCormick Sea Salt Grinders should be in the store on May 8th. Although this will be beyond the advertised sale date, if you do not currently have a rain check, we will gladly honor the price. You can ask for Patsy, who will be more than happy to assist you. We certainly want to make every effort to ensure that we have enough sale items in stock to meet demand in the future.

We also appreciate your concern about the full circular being removed from the Sunday Washington Post in your area and returned to the Wednesday newspaper. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause you. Since our ad breaks on Friday, more customers told us they prefer to receive the full circular on Wednesday to give them time to plan their shopping. Unfortunately, it was not economically feasible to continue to have our circular in both the Wednesday paper and also the Sunday paper. For customers who are Sunday only subscribers or non subscribers, we are glad to put them our private mailing list to receive our circular in the mail each week, no later than Thursday. I have taken the liberty of adding you to our mailing list as we want you to continue to receive our circular.

We will follow-up with the store to ensure that the Purina Naturally Complete Dog Food is in date and that any out of date product is removed immediately. I have also let our buyers know of your preference for the Banquet Spaghetti and the Stouffers Tuna Noodle Casserole. Thanks, again, for your helpful and constructive feedback. We appreciate hearing from you and look forward to your continued patronage.

Sincerely,

James Weldon
Customer Care Representative
Ref: 483734

Giant brags about website

Giant Food Stores Sees Website Traffic Increase 400% Because of a ''Super Shopping List''
Business Wire, 1 May 2008
contact: Aalbin Andolshek, Grocery Shopping Network

Unavailable and outdated items

Giant Food, Marlow Heights, 1 May 2008, 10:00 am

McCormick Sea Salt Grinder:

As I told you l several days ago, you advertised the McCormick Sea Alt Grinder as being on sale back in early March. The store has has a shelf label saying it is on sale through May 8 ever since. Bur for 8 consecutive weeks, the product has not been on the shelf. Are you waiting for the sale to end before you restock?

Purina Naturally Complete dog food:

We buy the 56 oz. size of this regularly. Today there was only one bag on the shelf. It had a DEC 2007 expiration date. It is now May 2008, why do you still have a product on the shelf months after the expiration date? When will you restock with non-expired bags?

Stouffer's Entrees, 4 for $10.

We wanted the Tuna Noodle Casserole, but could not find it in the freezer. Have you stopped selling it?

Banquet Meals, 10 for $10.

I really like the Banquet Spaghetti and think it tastes better than the competing, more expensive Stouffer's product. You apparently don't carry it.

These last two items show why we have stopped shopping exclusively at Giant and keep increasing our business at Giant's competitors. I know from your previous replies that keeping our loyalty and business is not a high priority for Ahold. Until now, I have generally limited my comments about Giant's decline to you and my family. Now, with the recent publicity about Giant's reduced selections, seems to be a good time to start blogging about my experiences--maybe I'll find others who feel they have been deserted by Giant.

Blogger reports her Giant treats couponers like criminals

My Giant treats couponers like criminals - so today I got fed up
A Full Cup; Savings by the Cup Full, 27 Apr 2008, 8:19 am
by mindyloo
Report on Giant Food #337, Baltimore, MD.

Giant Food Stores to Offer Less Selection

Giant Food hopes less means more
Examiner, 27 Apr 2008
by Liz Farmer, AP
(includes a few customer comments)

Giant chain pares least-sold items
Times, 27 Apr 2008
by Liz Farmer, AP

Giant Food Stores to Offer Less Selection
dcist, 28 Apr 2008
by Sommer Mathis
(includes many customer comments)

Giant Food to Narrow Selection to Make Room for Best Sellers
ABC 7 News, 27 Apr 2008
(includes a few customer comments)

Giant discontinues products to stay competitive
WTOP News, 28 Apr 2008
by Liz Farmer
(includes many consumer comments)

Important News from Giant about your weekly circular

Re: Important News from Giant about your weekly circular.

Once again you are trying to drive me away.

I read the Sunday Washington Post--that is where I obtain your circular every week.

I do not subscribe to or purchase the Wednesday Washington Post.

I do subscribe to the Washington Times, but you don't advertise in the Times.

So, you refuse to advertise in the Washington paper I read, but want me to go buy a different paper I don't want.

You claim that "We look forward to serving all your shopping needs."

This change does NOT serve my needs.

Sale item unavailable - week after week

Marlow Heights; 23 Apr 2008, 10:00 AM

Back about March 9, your weekly circular for the Marlow Heights store advertised McCormick Sea Salt Grinders at 2 for $4.00.

There was and is a label on the shelf saying that the sale price is good until May 8.

But you have never had the produce on the shelf during the sale period. Some days the slot for it is vacant. Other times there is some other McCormick product in the spot with the Sea Salt label.

Will this item ever be in stock before the sale is over?

Or are you waiting for the sale to be over so that you won't ever have to sell it at the advertised price?