Published on: November 11, 2021
Got several emails yesterday responding to the piece about how Sprouts has been unable to deliver on a planned strategic shift.
One MNB reader wrote:
Sprouts needs improved digital presence - primarily their digital circular - and the rumor is that they are looking for a new digital circular provider.
My suggestion, for what it’s worth, is that they need a better digital messaging presence. Web and mobile digital circulars, mobile push messaging, digital advertising placements, and targeted email campaigns as the modern way to communicate their value proposition.
And from another reader:
The transformation Jack Sinclair has made at Sprouts is amazing – FOR THE WRONG REASONS. I have been a loyal Sprouts shopper. They have been a terrific option to Whole Foods and also have been “budget friendly” in providing organic foods. Also their stores have been a pleasure and enjoyable experience to shop---odd for a grocery, right??
When Jack Sinclair was named CEO, Sprouts was experiencing terrific growth and seemed all they had to do was “turn the heat up” on expansion. So they guy comes in and changes things. His track record at Wal-Mart was un-spectacular. His track record at $.99 Stores was unspectacular.
I look forward to the day when boards of directors stop hiring people based on WHERE THEY USED to work versus hiring based on WHAT THEY HAVE ACTUALLY achieved. The BOD’s need to remember, it is a very rare person who MADE THE COMPANY.
And another:
Sprouts needs to regain that Treasure Hunt vibe. I live in metro Atlanta, where we are blessed with Publix, Kroger, Target, TJ’s, Whole Foods, Fresh Market, Costco etc in every suburb.
I used to pop into Sprouts every two weeks to purchase brands stocked only at Sprouts.
Now those brands have been discontinued, replaced by the same brands sold at Publix & Kroger and Sprouts private label.
Sprouts and other small format retailers like Aldi & Lidl need to create a compelling reason for shoppers to add another stop.
Regarding the merger of Price Chopper/Market 32 with Tops, and the prevailing opinion that this sets up the company to be acquired by a larger entity, one MNB reader wrote:
I always thought it would be a great move for PC and now Tops to become part of the Wakefern Co-Op. They could have tremendous power within that organization and still remain independent.
As a result of that merger, C&S is acquiring 12 stores as mandated by the federal Trade Commission (FTC) and converting them to a banner with considerable dust on it - Grand Union.
One MNB reader wrote:
C&S bought the stores as a defensive move to protect their distribution. If the locations were sold to another player, C&S could lose those rights. They have done this for years. To revive the GU banner under the tutelage of C&S will only be an epic fail. Wegmans thanks you.
MNB reader Phil Herr wrote:
At least it isn’t A&P!
And from another reader:
Is C&S crazy bringing this brand back? Back in 1991 Dannon moved me from Michigan to New Fairfield, CT and there was a Grand Union downtown. What a horrible store with aging equipment, dirty shopping carts and lack of customer service. This about as crazy an idea as General Motors introducing a new model in Mexico called Nova which loosely translates into “doesn’t run”….
I did a FaceTime video yesterday wondering why cassette tapes seem to be coming back, which prompted one MNB reader to write:
Hey don’t knock cassette’s. Still have one in my 1994 Toyota PU and have used it recently listening to Elvis…..yes I am old.
Also have have original cassette deck players, some friends say I am junk collector….
Still waiting for the Bell bottoms to come back…..
But wait a draw back with cassette tapes is that I have yet to find a way to program them, so I can listen thru my hearing aids…. Music always sound better with hearing aids!
MNB reader Joe Axford wrote:
What's next, 8 tracks?
Never know, nostalgia being what it is.
And MNB reader George Denman wrote:
As you probably know, like yourself I am a car aficionado owning a 1973 Corvette convertible, a 2001 Corvette convertible and a 2001 Cadillac STS. Both latter cars have their original stereo components including cassette players. But I couldn’t begin to imagine risking putting another cassette into their units. Don’t people remember the tapes getting twisted and caught in the unit heads? Now on the other hand I did ask my wife for a new turntable for Christmas. I have several original Beatle albums unopened purchased in Europe back in the 70’s including the 1st Beatles album under the name the Quarrymen. Can’t wait to play these classics.
Yesterday, MNB took note of this Bloomberg story:
"President Joe Biden spoke with the chief executive officers of Walmart Inc., United Parcel Service Inc., FedEx Corp. and Target Corp. on Tuesday to discuss easing supply chain bottlenecks, according to a White House official.
"Biden and the executives - Walmart’s Doug McMillon, UPS’s Carol B. Tome, Fred Smith of FedEx and Target’s Brian Cornell - talked about potential moves to speed up deliveries and lower prices, the official said, without elaborating.
"The executives told the president that store shelves will be well stocked for the holiday season, the official said. Biden has been under pressure to clear supply-chain logjams and ease inflationary pressures as consumers begin their holiday shopping."
I commented:
The problem is that while Walmart, Target, UPS and FedEX have the wherewithal to devote resources to getting products on the shelves, I'm not sure that this will translate to an up-and-down-the-supply-chain solution that will make things better for small retailers and suppliers. They're likely to continue to have problems getting products, and for at least some of them, this will create all-new issues that will build on the problems suffered during the pandemic.
One MNB reader wrote:
Seems there are two major components missing from these talks – the suppliers and transportation companies. Not many retailers receive their deliveries via FedEx or UPS. And while retailers can promise that their shelves will be full, they have absolutely no control over whether the manufacturers will be able to successfully deal with labor and material shortages. There is a shortage of aluminum cans; what are Walmart, Target, UPS and FedEx going to do to fix that? There are labor shortages, preventing many manufacturers from being able to run at full capacity – same question as the last one. This is posturing at its best.
And from another reader:
The worst problem seems to be there is absolutely no aspect of everyday life that the federal government doesn't want to get its dirty hands around.
And you'd like the government to do nothing? I imagine there might be some folks who would have a complaint to two about that.