Latest news with #TheFreshMarket
Miami Herald
09-07-2025
- Business
- Miami Herald
What makes The Fresh Market pop, according to its CEO
After navigating a bit of an identity crisis, The Fresh Market has set its sights back on rediscovering its roots. CEO Brian Johnson, who took over the top role in February, said the specialty grocer has put its goal of creating a European-esque grocery shopping experience back at the forefront, with foodservice as a star attraction along with a soothing atmosphere and a hospitable staff. "It's all about going back to our roots and what made The Fresh Market special. … You've got to know who you are," Johnson said, noting that since joining the company as COO five years ago, he and the executive team have made a conscious effort to lean into the specialty grocer's original vision. Johnson added that these points of differentiation include focusing on guests, offering value and keeping the retailer relevant. While store expansion is in the works, Johnson said the grocer will grow its fleet at a moderate pace in order to maintain The Fresh Market's culture and in-store experience. Shoppers can also look forward to a new app that better ties in the grocer's loyalty program. Johnson spoke with Grocery Dive to provide insights on The Fresh Market's priorities, outline how it approaches differentiation and share details on its upcoming app. Editor's note: This interview has been edited for length and clarity. GROCERY DIVE: What are The Fresh Market's biggest differentiators compared to traditional supermarkets as well as fellow specialty grocers? BRIAN JOHNSON: I would say that [our differentiation] starts with our service and our people. Because we are a smaller footprint, and because we offer a lot of services in our stores - with fresh cut meat, our service meat counters, our service deli counters, our service bakery counters - there are many, many instances when a guest shops with us, they're going to interact with our people. So that's a service, and we call it impeccable hospitality… and that makes up that differentiated shopping experience from a service perspective. Being called The Fresh Market, our [fresh department] is certainly a differentiator for us. We offer fresh-cut meat that we cut fresh every single day. In our bakery, those ovens are on every day. We're baking fresh products. Our produce is the highest grade product that we can buy. In our deli, or our convenience meal solution area, as we call it, we've got many, many either low- or no-cook meals that are chef-quality. All of these things are differentiating points for us. In our grocery department, we've got a very interesting assortment. We have some of the world's best products, but we also have some of the highest quality and unique local products from around the different markets that we serve here in the U.S., and that's something that we're really working on expanding in our stores - having more of those local items. That element of discovery makes our stores fun. And then we've got the relaxing music and the relaxed atmosphere in our stores. So you come in and you may have had a stressful day, but you come into a very relaxing atmosphere with a lot of these very interesting products and great service. Can you talk more about how The Fresh Market approaches foodservice? How does the offering continue to evolve? It's very difficult to execute if you're not 100% committed, because it's very labor-intensive. We're committed to it. We understand the importance of providing convenient, high-quality, and, in many cases, healthy meal solutions to our guests who are, in most cases, very time-starved. People in our society today, we're all super busy, yet we still want to eat well, and we want to provide that solution where you can buy [affordable] high-quality meals that are either already prepped for you or require very little preparation. We want to be able to meet all of those needs, because we think that by focusing on that, it's a great point of differentiation for us. There are certainly others in the industry that do a very good job of it, but we feel that it is certainly a strength of ours. In our new stores, we've got a barbecue program where we've got smokers in these stores. We're smoking brisket, and we've got fresh, world-class barbecue in these new stores that our guests rave about. That was introduced with our first new store of this decade, and it was introduced at our first remodel, which is our store in Greensboro, North Carolina. And then all the new stores, starting from that point forward, have gotten our barbecue program. I'm from Texas. Barbecue is close to my heart, and I can tell you, our barbecue is fantastic. In what ways has The Fresh Market implemented technology into its operations and stores? We just completed rolling out electronic shelf labels in every store in our company. We've also got an in-stock too, called Captana. So what it does is it will periodically take snapshots of our shelves - and it does not take pictures of our guests, by the way, so there's no privacy concerns there - for up-to-the-minute [inventory levels] in every single store in the company. Most retailers have visibility into the in-store inventory balance, but they don't know if it's on the shelf or in the back room. I know if it's on the shelf. It's enabled us to increase our on-shelf and in-stock percentage, which has been a huge help and really provides a much better shopping experience for our guests. You mentioned the upcoming launch of an updated app for The Fresh Market customers. What will the app look like and what will it offer shoppers? We're working on developing a new app, and we're in the early stages of it. The goal of the app is to provide a much better experience for our guests, one that's seamless, that really delivers on our shopping experience digitally, just like in the store. So we want to take our impeccable hospitality and incorporate that same shopping experience onto our app. And that's not easy to do. We're still working on the discovery phase on that, and we're kind of mapping out what that looks like. There are a lot of things that we'll be able to do with the app. One example would be helping guests find the items they're looking for. So we can tie that into our electronic shelf labels that have a blinking light. And if a guest is looking for an item in the olive oil set that they can't find, they can push a button and the light will start blinking on the tag so they can find it. One of the big drivers of us wanting to develop a new app is that we want to incorporate the elements of our loyalty program [into it]. Sometime in 2026, the app will be ready to pilot. We want to make sure that we do all our due diligence to get it right. What does store growth under the revamped store format look like for The Fresh Market? With us, efficiency is important, but what's even more important is making sure that we continue to strive to be even more relevant than yesterday. So while we want to be efficient, because we want to pass those efficiencies on to our guests, we also want to make sure that we are ramping up that in-store experience. I think it would be easy to do some things from a cost-cutting perspective, but we might lose a little bit of interest in our stores. And we don't want to do that. We want to make sure our stores are super interesting, because honestly, our brand is our moat, and we want to make sure that brand is as strong as it can possibly be. We constantly tweak things [in our format] to make sure that we're being relevant. This year, we'll open 11 stores - that's kinda the range that we're looking at moving forward - and we'll ramp up from there as we continue to grow and as we continue to tweak things. We could open more stores, but it's important to us that we staff these new stores with great people, and so when we open a new store, we put a current manager in that new store. We're not going to hire someone [new] to manage our new stores, because culture at The Fresh Market is extremely important. Copyright 2025 Industry Dive. All rights reserved.
Business Wire
04-06-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
Celebrity Chef Carla Hall and The Fresh Market Team Up to Support Alzheimer's Association During Month of June
GREENSBORO, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Fresh Market is proud to partner with Alzheimer's Association and celebrity chef, author and TV personality Carla Hall to raise funds and awareness for Alzheimer's disease during Alzheimer's and Brain Awareness Month this June. From June 1-30, The Fresh Market will donate 10% of the purchase price of Hall's Sweet Heritage Butter Tart to the Alzheimer's Association. Carla Hall, beloved for her appearance on Bravo's Top Chef is now using her voice – and her passion for food – to make a meaningful impact in the fight against Alzheimer's disease. Share Carla Hall, beloved for her appearance on Bravo's Top Chef and Top Chef: All Stars, is known for her philosophy of cooking with love. She is now using her voice – and her passion for food – to make a meaningful impact in the fight against Alzheimer's disease in honor of her beloved grandmother, Freddie Mai Price Glover. 'My Granny had a larger-than-life personality, but what I remember most is her food — it was always made with love,' said Hall. 'Ironically, it was changes in her cooking that first signaled something was wrong. That's when we learned she had Alzheimer's.' Inspired by her grandmother's legacy, Hall is an outspoken Celebrity Champion for the Alzheimer's Association. She speaks out by sharing her story to raise Alzheimer's awareness, break down the stigma surrounding the disease and generate greater public support for the cause. "The Alzheimer's Association is thrilled to collaborate with The Fresh Market and Carla Hall during Alzheimer's and Brain Awareness Month this June,' said Sarah Fried, Alzheimer's Association vice president of Corporate Initiatives. 'This partnership will help fund critical support services and research, while encouraging others to join us in the fight to end this disease.' Alzheimer's impacts millions of families. The numbers are startling. For the first-time ever, there are now over 7 million Americans living with Alzheimer's disease and almost 12 million family members and friends serving as their unpaid caregivers, according to the Alzheimer's Association Alzheimer's Disease Facts and Figures report. 'It's not often we have the opportunity to collaborate with two incredible partners through a single initiative,' said Emily Turner, Chief Marketing Officer at The Fresh Market. 'We're honored to join forces with Carla Hall and channel our shared passion for food into raising awareness of Alzheimer's disease and supporting the vital work of the Alzheimer's Association in our communities.' Carla Hall's Sweet Heritage Butter Tarts are available in Apple, Cherry, Peach, Strawberry Rhubarb, and Fruits of the Orchard and feature a buttery oat crust with a hint of almond, a nod to the flavoring Carla's grandmother loved. The partnership will be active in all The Fresh Market locations throughout the month of June. About The Fresh Market Rated by USA Today as one of America's Best Customer Service Companies in 2025, voted #1 in three categories by USA Today's 10Best Readers' Choice Awards for 2024—"Best Grocery Store Bakery," "Best Grocery Store Deli," and "Best Grocery Store Prepared Foods"—and recognized for three consecutive years as the 'Best Grocery Store in America.' The Fresh Market currently operates more than 170 grocery stores in 22 states across the U.S. and one Spirits & Wine store, inspiring guests to discover new flavors and cook with confidence. For more information, please visit or follow the company on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X and Pinterest. About the Alzheimer's Association The Alzheimer's Association is a worldwide voluntary health organization dedicated to Alzheimer's care, support and research. Our mission is to lead the way to end Alzheimer's and all other dementia — by accelerating global research, driving risk reduction and early detection, and maximizing quality care and support. Our vision is a world without Alzheimer's and all other dementia®. Visit or call 800.272.3900.
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Grocery Outlet opens 11 new stores in Q1
You can find original article here Supermarketnews. Subscribe to our free daily Supermarketnews newsletter. Grocery Outlet is making headway in its restructuring laid out in the fourth quarter, opening a net 10 new stores in Q1 and achieving nearly a third of its plan for 33 to 35 new locations by the end of the year. The grocery chain ended the first quarter with 543 stores across 16 states. Newly appointed CEO, Jason Potter, who previously served as CEO of The Fresh Market and joined Grocery Outlet in late January, said the grocery retailer also delivered on its first quarter outlook for its established stores with comparable store sales up 0.3% from 2024. 'These stores are off to a solid start, performing ahead of expectations. We also exceed our gross margin outlook by improving our shrink run rate through improved inventory, visibility, reporting, and execution,' he said. Potter said he kicked off the quarter with a tour of more than 50 stores and dozens of the chain's suppliers. 'I've listened, gained valuable and candid feedback and learned more about what matters to all of them,' he said in the earnings call on Tuesday. Potter said he remains 'bullish' on the grocery retailer's ability to improve costs and margin while growing. 'As I've said, I believe with the right focus and execution, this business can be much larger and much more profitable in the future. Achieving our potential, however, requires that focused execution,' he said. He said the company has set four strategic imperatives to achieve its goals: Tackling new store performance to drive long-term growth and strengthen returns on invested capital Securing top talent to activate the strategy Addressing execution gaps by continuing to make progress on systems to improve performance Improving the ability to execute at scale by strengthening leadership, opportunistic buying, and becoming a leading selling organization that delivers a winning customer experience The turnaround effort follows a difficult period for Grocery Outlet over the last year. '2024 was a year in which many critical operational elements were out of sync, which was further exacerbated by trying to do too much, too fast. But we're working urgently to get back on track,' Grocery Outlet Chairman Eric Lindberg said in February. Grocery Outlet reported that net sales rose 8.5% year over year for the quarter. Meanwhile, gross margin improved to 30.4% from 29.3% the previous year. Adjusted net income reached $13 million, or $0.13 per diluted adjusted share, up from $8.8 million, or $0.09 per diluted adjusted share, last year. Adjusted EBITDA increased by 31.7% to $51.9 million, representing 4.6% of net sales. Grocery Outlet also announced the departures of Ramesh Chikkala, EVP, chief operations officer, who is retiring this June, and Pamela Burke, EVP, chief stores officer, who will retire later this year. 'Pam has led a number of functions and forged strong relationships with our IOs during her decade with the company. Ramesh has helped stabilize and build leadership teams to drive systems improvements, while also strengthening our supply chain,' Potter said. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
04-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
The Fresh Market Celebrates Successful Mount Pleasant, S.C. Launch with Grand Opening Event
GREENSBORO, N.C., May 04, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--On Saturday, May 3, The Fresh Market celebrated the grand opening of its new store in Mount Pleasant, S.C, bringing the total of stores for The Fresh Market to 172. The doors to the new store opened early Wednesday morning to great fanfare from the local community. The Fresh Market's Greater Charleston area debut proved popular for the specialty grocer, with huge crowds of guests throughout opening day. "We are extremely pleased with the response to our new store," said The Fresh Market CEO Brian Johnson. "We have a great team that is excited to bring our brand of impeccable hospitality to the town of Mount Pleasant." New guests partook in a myriad of The Fresh Market opening traditions including a bread breaking ceremony and the cracking of an 80lbs wheel of parmesan cheese. Additionally, the first 120 guests received a free, 4-inch potted orchid and the first 500 guests were given a The Fresh Market, Mount Pleasant reusable grocery bag. The Fresh Market also continued its commitment of supporting a local food bank with every new store launch. On Saturday, the team kicked off their partnership with the Lowcountry Food Bank and presented a $2,000 donation to the organization. The Mount Pleasant location is The Fresh Market's latest in a trio of new store openings; Wethersfield, Connecticut, and Jensen Beach, Florida, opened exactly one week earlier. The three stores cap an exciting period of growth for the specialty grocer, which has opened 11 grocery retail locations and the new Spirits & Wine concept in the past six months. The new 25,000 square foot store is stocked with a carefully curated selection of high-quality meats and seafood, along with fresh produce, local finds, and a unique collection of international products. For guests in search of a convenient, high-quality meal, The Fresh Market boasts a broad selection of restaurant-quality prepared meals and sides and ready-to-cook, ready-to-heat options. About The Fresh Market, Inc. Rated by USA Today as one of America's Best Customer Service Companies in 2025, voted #1 in three categories by USA Today's 10Best Readers' Choice Awards for 2024—"Best Grocery Store Bakery," "Best Grocery Store Deli," and "Best Grocery Store Prepared Foods"—and recognized for three consecutive years as the "Best Grocery Store in America," as well as a top 5 most trusted grocery retail brand for specialty and natural/organic foods in the 2022 BrandSpark Most Trusted Awards, The Fresh Market helps guests discover the best with time-saving meal solutions, unique ingredients, and delicious food for any occasion. From fresh produce and exceptional meat and seafood to signature baked goods and thousands of organic options, the specialty grocer offers something to please every palate. The Fresh Market currently operates more than 170 grocery stores in 22 states across the U.S. and one Spirits & Wine store, inspiring guests to discover new flavors and cook with confidence. For more information, please visit or follow the company on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X and Pinterest. View source version on Contacts Media Contact:Sam Wroblewskisamwroblewski@ Sign in to access your portfolio
Business Wire
04-05-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
The Fresh Market Celebrates Successful Mount Pleasant, S.C. Launch with Grand Opening Event
GREENSBORO, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--On Saturday, May 3, The Fresh Market celebrated the grand opening of its new store in Mount Pleasant, S.C, bringing the total of stores for The Fresh Market to 172. The doors to the new store opened to great fanfare from the local community. The Fresh Market's Greater Charleston area debut proved popular for the specialty grocer, with huge crowds of guests throughout opening day. Share The doors to the new store opened early Wednesday morning to great fanfare from the local community. The Fresh Market's Greater Charleston area debut proved popular for the specialty grocer, with huge crowds of guests throughout opening day. 'We are extremely pleased with the response to our new store,' said The Fresh Market CEO Brian Johnson. 'We have a great team that is excited to bring our brand of impeccable hospitality to the town of Mount Pleasant.' New guests partook in a myriad of The Fresh Market opening traditions including a bread breaking ceremony and the cracking of an 80lbs wheel of parmesan cheese. Additionally, the first 120 guests received a free, 4-inch potted orchid and the first 500 guests were given a The Fresh Market, Mount Pleasant reusable grocery bag. The Fresh Market also continued its commitment of supporting a local food bank with every new store launch. On Saturday, the team kicked off their partnership with the Lowcountry Food Bank and presented a $2,000 donation to the organization. The Mount Pleasant location is The Fresh Market's latest in a trio of new store openings; Wethersfield, Connecticut, and Jensen Beach, Florida, opened exactly one week earlier. The three stores cap an exciting period of growth for the specialty grocer, which has opened 11 grocery retail locations and the new Spirits & Wine concept in the past six months. The new 25,000 square foot store is stocked with a carefully curated selection of high-quality meats and seafood, along with fresh produce, local finds, and a unique collection of international products. For guests in search of a convenient, high-quality meal, The Fresh Market boasts a broad selection of restaurant-quality prepared meals and sides and ready-to-cook, ready-to-heat options. About The Fresh Market, Inc. Rated by USA Today as one of America's Best Customer Service Companies in 2025, voted #1 in three categories by USA Today's 10Best Readers' Choice Awards for 2024—"Best Grocery Store Bakery," "Best Grocery Store Deli," and "Best Grocery Store Prepared Foods"—and recognized for three consecutive years as the 'Best Grocery Store in America,' as well as a top 5 most trusted grocery retail brand for specialty and natural/organic foods in the 2022 BrandSpark Most Trusted Awards, The Fresh Market helps guests discover the best with time-saving meal solutions, unique ingredients, and delicious food for any occasion. From fresh produce and exceptional meat and seafood to signature baked goods and thousands of organic options, the specialty grocer offers something to please every palate. The Fresh Market currently operates more than 170 grocery stores in 22 states across the U.S. and one Spirits & Wine store, inspiring guests to discover new flavors and cook with confidence. For more information, please visit or follow the company on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X and Pinterest.
