Breakout Sessions
December 7 & 9, 2010
National Grocery – Benchmarking the Big Three
Kroger, Safeway, Supervalu
The three biggest retailers in the channel have had very different recent performance histories--and are likely to reach different critical decision points in their progress in the near future. Will Kroger’s firmly established market leadership position be sustainable as Walmart returns to a heavy reliance on price? Can Safeway establish a viable brand in the mind of its shoppers and return to growth? Will Supervalu survive in its current form or will it undergo massive changes as it struggles with low performance and high debt? We will examine both the strengths and weaknesses of the Big Three and take a look at how their businesses are likely to evolve to meet the challenges of the near future.
- Compare and contrast these retailers-- and outline what they should be learning to do next, both from suppliers and from each other
- Evaluate the probability of the grocery channel consolidating into a few major players
- Hear how a supplier can mitigate the risks of channel strategies that rely on large under-performing customers