Information Kit
100 Corporate Office Drive
St. Louis, MO 63045
save-a-lot.com
Contents
FACT SHEET
COMPANY MISSION
COMPANY HISTORY
BIOGRAPHY: BILL SHANER, PRESIDENT & CEO
SAVE-A-LOT INTRODUCTION
BUYING POWER
RETAILER PROGRAM
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Fact Sheet
Established:
1977
Headquarters:
St. Louis, Missouri
Address:
100 Corporate Office Dr.
St. Louis, MO 63045
(314) 592-9100
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Save-A-Lot opened its first store in 1977.
Today, the company is the nation’s leading
extreme value, edited assortment grocer and
the fifth largest chain under a single banner.
Save-A-Lot operates nearly 1,200 grocery
stores in 39 states. Licensed retailers operate
approximately 75 percent of the stores.
More than 4 million shoppers visit Save-A-Lot
each week.
Save-A-Lot’s prices are up to 40% less than
conventional grocery stores.
Save-A-Lot stores meet shoppers’ primary
grocery needs by carrying 1,250 of the most
popular SKUs.
Save-A-Lot’s 400+ trademarks and exclusive
brands deliver quality and value.
The average size of a Save-A-Lot store is
14,000 to 16,000 square feet.
Save-A-Lot stores are bright, clean and
convenient.
Save-A-Lot is a self-distributing company with
15 distribution centers strategically located
across the U.S.
Save-A-Lot introduced general merchandise
into its stores in 2002, further establishing
itself as a leader in extreme value retailing.
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Save-A-Lot’s edited assortment format means
that stores carry only the most frequently purchased grocery items, plus USDA-inspected
meats and farm-fresh fruits and vegetables.
• The company carries high quality exclusive
brands – many produced by the same
manufacturers of leading name brands
– and a selection of nationally branded items.
• The company’s edited assortment model,
smaller stores, power buying, self-distribution
and operating efficiencies allow Save-A-Lot
to offer savings of up to 40% compared to
conventional grocery stores – without asking
shoppers to sacrifice quality.
• Save-A-Lot’s addition of general merchandise
meets additional wants and needs of
consumers, plus it saves shoppers a trip
or two.
PRODUCT SELECTION
Save-A-Lot carries a wide selection of high quality products, including:
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BUSINESS MODEL
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Fresh fruits and vegetables
USDA-inspected beef, pork and poultry
Dairy products
Frozen foods
Grocery products
Smoked and packaged meats
Snack foods
Household products
Health/beauty aids
Pet food
General merchandise
Company Mission
Save-A-Lot is
committed to selling
high quality
groceries at terrific
savings – every day.
Save-A-Lot is
keenly aware of its
responsibility to its
customers and a need
to maintain its high
standards of honesty,
efficiency and
performance.
Save-A-Lot’s
associates are the
company’s greatest
resource.
That’s why the
company has created
and preserves a
climate of sharing,
a sense of teamwork
and a feeling of family.
SAVE-A-LOT VALUE
Save-A-Lot is committed to selling high
quality groceries at terrific savings – every day.
Maintaining low prices demands a commitment from Save-A-Lot to operate efficiently and
effectively. And while Save-A-Lot continually
strives to offer low prices, it never asks consumers to sacrifice quality.
SAVE-A-LOT QUALITY
Save-A-Lot works hand-in-hand with vendor partners to produce 400+ trademarked
exclusive brands and also carries an assortment
of leading name brand items. Save-A-Lot’s
exclusive brands meet or exceed the quality of
their name brand counterparts; in fact, many
of Save-A-Lot’s exclusive brands are manufactured by the same manufacturers of the leading
national brands. Every product in a Save-A-Lot
store carries a 100%, unconditional satisfaction
guarantee.
OUR CUSTOMERS AND COMMUNITIES
Save-A-Lot is keenly aware of its responsibility
to its customers and its need to maintain high
standards for value. Save-A-Lot recognizes the
importance of good corporate citizenship in
each of the markets its serves. The company
takes seriously the charge to operate its stores
in a manner that makes the company a welcome
neighbor. Save-A-Lot also encourages employees
to participate in community activities consistent
with its philanthropic outreach efforts which include children’s welfare and feeding the hungry.
OUR STORES
Save-A-Lot is committed to providing a safe,
clean, convenient and dignified shopping
experience for its customers. The company
operates bright, well-lit, fully stocked and
easy-in, easy-out stores usually located within
a mile or two of where shoppers live and work.
Wherever Save-A-Lot does business – in urban,
suburban or rural environments – the company
believes that all shoppers deserve a respectful
shopping environment.
OUR ASSOCIATES
Save-A-Lot’s associates are the company’s
greatest resource. That’s why the company has
created and preserves a climate of sharing,
a sense of teamwork and a feeling of family.
That requires clear, open lines of communication; a significant commitment to training and
development; competitive compensation and
benefits; a commitment to diversity; equal
opportunity; and high standards of honesty,
integrity and performance.
SAVE-A-LOT SUSTAINABILITY
COMMITMENT
At Save-A-Lot, we have a responsibility to
identify and support initiatives that are environmentally-friendly, ranging from recycling
programs to reducing energy usage in our
stores and offices.
Since Save-A-Lot opened its first store
30 years ago, our business model and philosophy have always been to operate efficiently,
reduce excess and make productive use of our
resources. We are committed to environmental
stewardship and sustainable operations and
continually work to use energy more efficiently
and reduce waste.
We invite all our customers to join us in our
commitment to protecting the environment
through responsible use of our natural resources.
Company History
1977
First Save-A-Lot
store opens.
1978
General Grocer Co.
adopts Save-A-Lot
concept; adds five
stores in St.Louis,MO.
1979
30 locations added.
1980
50 more stores and a
warehouse in
Jackson,TN, open.
1983
Wetterau Inc., purchases
Save-A-Lot.
1984
Save-A-Lot adds 76
stores and two
warehouses.
1993
Save-A-Lot becomes
a subsidiary of
SUPERVALU.
2001
Save-A-Lot opens
its 1,000th store
2006
Bill Moran, Founder &
CEO announces his
retirement &
Bill Shaner named
President & CEO
HUMBLE BEGINNINGS
Save-A-Lot’s unique concept was introduced
in 1977 when the first store was opened in
Cahokia, IL. Today Save-A-Lot is the nation’s
leading extreme value, edited assortment
grocery chain with 1,200 stores in 39 states,
serving more than 4 million shoppers weekly.
A self-distributing company, Save-A-Lot has
also grown its logistics network and operates
15 dedicated distribution centers strategically
located across the U.S. Save-A-Lot’s value
equation – providing high quality groceries
at savings up to 40% less than conventional
stores – continues to stand as the company’s
cornerstone. Save-A-Lot’s edited assortment,
extreme value format was conceptualized and
executed by Bill Moran, who for nearly 30 years
refined the concept until retiring in 2006.
SUCCESSFUL STRATEGY
While the edited assortment concept was
new, the Save-A-Lot model was immediately
successful. In fact, the idea soon allowed
smaller, independent retailers to compete
effectively with growing retail chains. It was in
early 1978 that General Grocer Co. saw great
potential in the format, adopted Moran’s idea
and soon opened five additional stores in the
St. Louis area. Awareness of this new way of
retailing and its emphasis on price, quality and
convenience spread quickly – primarily through
word-of-mouth. Save-A-Lot rapidly expanded
to more than 30 locations by 1979. In 1980,
the company added 50 new stores and opened
a warehouse in Jackson, TN. In 1983, Wetterau Incorporated, a St. Louis, MO based food
wholesaler and retailer bought the Save-A-Lot
operation. By 1984, Save-A-Lot had aggressively expanded operations by acquiring 75
Jewel T stores and two additional warehouses.
Save-A-Lot became a subsidiary of SUPERVALU
INC. in 1993 when the Minneapolis, Minnesota-based food wholesaler and retailer acquired
Wetterau. Save-A-Lot remains a wholly owned
subsidiary of SUPERVALU.
UNIQUE BUSINESS MODEL
The company has prospered because of a
commitment to its unique format. Save-A-Lot’s
streamlined purchasing, delivery, retail
operations, and a focus on high quality
exclusive brands continue to deliver extreme
value to consumers. In spring of 2002,
Save-A-Lot further redefined extreme value
retailing when it acquired a chain of general
merchandise stores. Since that acquisition
Save-A-Lot has utilized its new expertise to
introduce everyday general merchandise items
into Save-A-Lot stores to further meet the
wants and needs of value-oriented shoppers.
Biography: Bill Shaner
As President and CEO of Save-A-Lot, Bill
Shaner leads one of the nation’s largest
grocery store chains with its mission to offer
its customers the best shopping experience at
its nearly 1,200 stores across the nation. Bill
firmly believes that Save-A-Lot’s strength is offering great food, great prices and great people
every day.
Bill Shaner
President & Chief
Executive Officer,
Save-A-Lot
After being named President and Chief Executive Officer in 2006 when Save-A-Lot’s founder
Bill Moran announced his retirement, Bill continued the company’s focus on consumers. He
leads his team to be mindful of its customers in
their daily actions and decisions. He encourages his associates to always keep in mind
how to best meet the needs of the more than 4
million value seeking consumers that visit SaveA-Lot stores each week.
Bill brings a wealth of experience to the role
with close to 30 years in the retail industry. In
addition to his President and CEO positions at
Save-A-Lot, Bill is also a Senior Vice President
of parent company, SUPERVALU.
Bill joined Save-A-Lot in 1999 as Executive Vice
President and Chief Operating Officer, following 15 years at parent company SUPERVALU.
As Save-A-Lot’s COO, his responsibilities included store sales and profitability; real estate
and market development strategies for both
corporate and licensed retail; store design and
construction; and the company’s self-distributing logistics network.
He joined SUPERVALU in 1984 and has held a
variety of positions of increasing responsibility
including president of SUPERVALU’s former
Maryland division, president and chief operating officer of the former Laneco division, and
president of SUPERVALU’s Central region.
Prior to working at SUPERVALU, Bill started
his career at the Kroger Company working
in various positions including procurement,
merchandising, retail operations, and store
management.
Bill earned his bachelor’s of science degree
in marketing from Wheeling College. He also
completed the Advanced Executive Program
at Northwestern University and the Financial
Management Program from the Wharton
School of Finance.
In 2008 SUPERVALU recognized Bill Shaner
as its 2008 Champion of Diversity (insert link
to diversity page with video). This honor is bestowed upon Bill for his commitment to driving
the company’s diversity and inclusion efforts in
what he does each day.
Bill is active on several boards in the community including the United Way of St. Louis, St.
Louis Regional Business Council, the Central
Institute of the Deaf and the St. Louis Crisis
Nursery. . He enjoys golf, swimming, traveling
and a variety of sports. Bill, his wife Donna,
and their two children reside in St. Louis.
An Introduction to Save-A-Lot
“Offering products at
prices much lower than
what shoppers are
accustomed goes against
what they’ve been told
– that the more you pay,
the better the product.
That’s simply not the
case at Save-A-Lot.
Our products match or
exceed their national
brand equivalents.”
Bill Shaner,
President and Chief
Executive Officer
SAVE-A-LOT IS A NEIGHBORHOOD
GROCERY STORE
Save-A-Lot brings great food at great prices
to all types of communities – urban, rural and
anywhere in between. The company operates
more than 1,200 stores in 39 states and is
committed to providing great value on the
items shoppers purchase most often.
Customers can save up to 40% compared
to conventional grocery stores every day, so
they shop Save-A-Lot again and again.
THE SAVE-A-LOT DIFFERENCE
At Save-A-Lot, customers can taste the
difference. That’s because each and every
product on a Save-A-Lot shelf is carefully
selected. Customers can be absolutely sure
that the company’s high quality, exclusive
brands – and an assortment of name brand
items – meet exacting standards for
quality and value. Save-A-Lot shoppers want
and deserve the best. At Save-A-Lot, that’s
exactly what they get for their food dollar.
SAVE-A-LOT’S VALUE EQUATION
The company’s buying power and efficiencies
drive down costs and savings are passed along
to the consumer. By saving up to 40% every
time they shop, customers can see their grocery
bills drop $30 to $40 per trip. That’s like
receiving more than a week’s worth of
groceries free each month.
EDITED ASSORTMENT
Save-A-Lot does some of the shopping for its
consumers by carrying an edited selection of
grocery and non-food items – the products
people buy most often. Save-A-Lot stores
typically carry about 1,250 SKUs, compared to
30,000+ at conventional stores.
SAVE-A-LOT LOWERS COSTS
Here’s how Save-A-Lot’s unique business
model helps customers save money:
• Save-A-Lot stores are smaller than
conventional grocery stores and carry only
the most popular items. The smaller format
means shoppers don’t pay for excessive
overhead or costly inventory. You will find
quality groceries. What you won’t find are
cappuccino kiosks, in-store floral
departments or other frills that drive
up costs.
• Save-A-Lot carries a high quality line of
exclusive brand products shoppers won’t
find anywhere else. These brands are made
exclusively for Save-A-Lot at substantial
savings. Shoppers don’t pay for costly advertising and marketing of the national brands.
• Keeping operating costs below market averages gives Save-A-Lot a competitive edge.
Stores reduce operating expenses and the
company focuses its buying power by carrying
one size – the most popular – of each item.
• Save-A-Lot is a self-distributing company
with 15 dedicated distribution centers
making deliveries simple and cost efficient.
• Save-A-Lot helps reduce labor costs by
procuring, shipping and merchandising
products out of custom cartons. This reduces
shelving and other costs.
• By bagging their own groceries Save-A-Lot
customers help eliminate labor costs.
Buying Power
“We need to match
or exceed national
brand quality. That’s
something a lot of
companies claim, but
we back it up with rigorous quality control.
Although low prices
are part of Save-A-Lot’s
appeal, we don’t assume that customers
are interested only in
the cheapest products available. They
want and deserve the
best quality they can
afford. One of the
things we’ve done
differently is to go for
quality first and then
negotiate the best
price we can. We do
not let price dictate
the quality. Our commitment to consumers
is that we will offer
them the very best
product available.”
Bill Shaner,
President and Chief
Executive Officer
And Save-A-Lot’s edited assortment format
allows the company’s buyers to negotiate the
lowest prices on Save-A-Lot exclusive brands
and even select national brand items.
Focused on providing its customers with the
very best products at the very best prices,
Save-A-Lot has earned a reputation as an
innovator and a leader in the grocery industry.
Today the company continually refines its
edited assortment method of retailing and
couples that strategy with tremendous
buying power.
Save-A-Lot’s buying power of 1,200 stores and
4+ million weekly shoppers makes the company
one of the largest purchasers of many of the
products we carry. This buying power allows
Save-A-Lot to negotiate with leading manufacturers – often the same producers of the key
national brands. The result is exceptionally low
prices on high quality products.
“Save-A-Lot’s buying power is phenomenal
from an industry standpoint,” said Bill Shaner,
President and Chief Executive Officer.
“Save-A-Lot is the biggest customer for many
of our vendors. From a vendor’s perspective, Save-A-Lot can mean reaching over 4
million customers a week through a single
retail source.”
“What’s on the package is not as important
as what’s in the package,” Shaner said. Being
associated with Save-A-Lot has made many
of our vendors successful. But it’s success that
they’ve earned because they provide Save-ALot and its customers high quality products. If
the quality isn’t there, then they lose Save-ALot’s business. We want our customers to be
satisfied.”
Retailer Program
Save-A-Lot’s licensed
retailer program
provides excellent
opportunities for
independent grocers
to compete in the
retail market.
“It’s a disciplined
system with a lot of
dedicated people. You
can be very successful
with this format.”–
Don Haltenhof,
Save-A-Lot Retailer
Nearly 75% of
Save-A-Lot’s stores
are operated by
licensed retailers.
“Save-A-Lot is a great
format for us. It’s
much simpler than a
conventional grocery
store, so you can focus
on execution. It’s easy
to administrate, and
you don’t have the
huge capital
investment required
to open a
conventional store.”
– Mike Lofino,
Save-A-Lot Retailer
A SUCCESSFUL LICENSED
RETAILER PROGRAM
Save-A-Lot’s licensed retailer program
combines the strength of entrepreneurs
and the power of the nation’s fifth largest
grocery banner.
Approximately 75% of Save-A-Lot’s nearly
1,200 stores are operated by licensed retailers – entrepreneurs ranging from single store
operators to ownership groups that operate
dozens of stores. For all, the Save-A-Lot retailer
program provides a unique and proven format
to effectively compete in the grocery industry.
Said Mike Lofino, a Dayton, OH-based retailer,
“Save-A-Lot is a great format for us. It’s much
simpler than a conventional grocery store
so you can focus on execution. It’s easy to
administer, and you don’t have the huge capital investment required to open a conventional
store. You can open several Save A-Lot stores
for the cost of a single conventional store.”
In fact, Save-A-Lot’s business model was
specifically designed to help independent
retailers compete in an ever-evolving
industry. And our retailers not only recognize
the potential but they see the results every
day. Underscoring the success of the model
is the fact that many of our retailers own
multiple stores and continue to open
additional stores.
Don Haltenhof, a Columbia, IL-based grocer,
is a typical Save-A-Lot retailer. He has been
associated with the company since the late
’70s. He and a partner now operate dozens of
stores in Illinois, Missouri, Indiana, Tennessee
and Oklahoma.
“It works,” Haltenhof said of the Save-A-Lot
retailer program. “It’s a disciplined system with
a lot of dedicated people. You can be very successful. What’s really unique about Save-A-Lot
comes back to discipline – not having as many
items as conventional stores and being able
to order and receive everything from a single
warehouse. Fifteen years ago we were buying
products from multiple sources – milk from one
place, meat from another. Now, everything we
sell comes on one truck. We can better serve
our niche and provide groceries to people who
want high quality and a low price.”
LICENSED RETAILERS
In identifying potential licensees Save-A-Lot
looks for a track record of successful experience
in management. Many of our retailers have
grocery experience. Others have been successful in other industries. And whether a store is
located in an urban, rural or suburban market,
a key to retailer success is the ability to follow
a well-defined program with energy and enthusiasm. Current and new retailers help the
company grow at a rapid pace.
Frequently Asked Questions
Save-A-Lot stores
provide a quicker,
more convenient
shopping experience
and provide
customers with
savings of up to 40%
compared to
conventional
grocery stores.
Save-A-Lot carries its
own line of highquality exclusive
brands… items
you won’t find
anywhere else.
What is a Save-A-Lot store?
Save-A-Lot stores are unique, neighborhood
grocery stores that offer high quality products
at low prices. One major difference you’ll
discover at Save-A-Lot is a smaller,
easier-to-shop store that saves shoppers
time and energy. Stores are typically 14,000
to 16,000 square feet with aisles that are
wide and uncluttered. The result is a quicker
and more pleasant shopping experience. While
shoppers will find the grocery basics they’re
looking for, they won’t find in-store coffee bars,
or other frills that drive up costs.
What does “edited assortment” mean?
Save-A-Lot has already done some of the
shopping for its customers. Save-A-Lot’s
edited assortment strategy means that stores
carry about 1,250 of the best-selling grocery
items in the most popular size and variety.
Most are Save-A-Lot exclusive brands plus an
assortment of nationally branded items. By
carrying only the food items shoppers buy most
often, Save-A-Lot creates unparalleled efficiencies and savings throughout the supply chain
– from procurement to distribution to merchandising.
What types of products does
Save-A-Lot carry?
Save-A-Lot stores carry everyday grocery
items with a focus on exclusive brands and an
assortment of national labels. Shoppers will
find USDA-inspected meats, farm-fresh fruits
and vegetables, dairy products, bakery goods,
groceries, health and beauty items, household
goods, pet food and even an assortment of
general merchandise.
How do exclusive brands help shoppers
save money?
Save-A-Lot’s exclusive brands deliver high
quality at great savings, up to 40% less than
conventional grocery stores. With nearly 1,200
stores and 4+ million weekly shoppers,
Save-A Lot has the buying power to offer high
quality and low prices. Save-A-Lot customers
don’t pay for the costly national advertising
and marketing programs of the name brands.
How does Save-A-Lot’s logistics network
drive down retail prices?
Save-A-Lot operates a dedicated network of
15 distribution centers strategically located
across the U.S. that are designed specifically to
support edited assortment stores. The network
allows stores to order everything they need
on a single truck, making deliveries efficient
and cost effective. Also, product is shipped and
merchandised in custom cartons, eliminating
costly labor and shelving charges at store level.
Savings are passed along to consumers.
Who is the typical Save-A-Lot shopper?
Save-A-Lot shoppers are value-oriented
consumers looking for high quality groceries
and significant savings compared to
traditional grocery stores. Save-A-Lot targets
consumers who either need or want to save
money on their grocery bills. Save-A-Lot serves
4+ million customers weekly in all types of
markets – urban, rural and suburban.