Progressive Grocer - May 2010 - (Page 14)

THE SUPER Steadfast Leaders Year-to-year industry rankings remain steady for the companies holding the top dozen slots of Progressive Grocer’s Annual Super 50 report, and newcomers begin their own climb. Analysis by Michelle Moran Research by Debra Chanil T 14 he climb continues. While the industry leaders remain steadfast in the top 12 positions of Progressive Grocer’s Super 50 report, new leaders are inching their way up the ranks, most notably Trader Joe’s, which jumped ahead of Target to grab the 13th position. to bring all facets of Tops operations back to western New York,” he notes. “As part of the transition process, we worked to establish a new information technology infrastructure from which each Tops store and the headquarters operate. This conversion was a monumental task, as we transitioned our entire infrastructure and operation from a large conglomerate to an independent, free-standing operation METHODOLOGY Military (DeCA) made a nice leap to No. 16 from its No. 20 ranking last year, pushing Save Mart down a slot to rank No. 17. Tops Markets made the biggest jump up — seven spots from No. 38 to No. 31 — while the biggest slide came from Woodman’s Food Markets, down from No. 45 to No. 49. Tops CEO and president Frank Curci says, “2009 was a pivotal year for Tops Friendly Markets, and I’m proud to say that we’ve successfully accomplished what very few other supermarket retailers have attempted, especially during the current economic climate.” Curci notes Williamsville, N.Y.-based Tops’ transition to being a completely “locally operated” company as one of its greatest achievements in 2009. “Since December 2007, when Tops was acquired by Morgan Stanley Private Equity, Tops management and associates worked tirelessly • Progressive Grocer • May 2010 without disrupting the customer experience and still allowing our associates to do their jobs effectively.” He continues: “Over the course of the year, we were able to leverTops’ Frank Curci age that position as a local company in order to take advantage of an opportunity that we believed would jump-start the growth of our organization. In early January, Tops purchased a majority of Penn Trafﬁc’s assets, including its 79 supermarket locations. Continued on Page 80 Progressive Grocer’s 2010 Super 50 is based on information from Nielsen TDLinx, which collects and maintains store information across all channels selling consumer packaged goods. Store counts include supermarkets with a minimum of $2 million in annual sales. Sales are presented in terms of all-commodity volume (ACV), an annualized range of the estimated retail sales volume of all items sold at a retail site that pass through the retailer’s cash registers. The TDLinx ACV is an estimate based on best available data — a directional measure to be used as an indicator of store and account size, not an actual retail sales report. The ACV includes supercenters, but only for their grocery-equivalent merchandise. The ACV omits sales from convenience, drug, wholesale club and other formats that may be part of total revenue for some companies. A H E A D O F W H AT ’ S N E X T www.progressivegrocer.com http://www.progressivegrocer.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Progressive Grocer - May 2010

Progressive Grocer - May 2010
Contents
Nielsen’s Shelf Stoppers/ Spotlight: Candy/Non-ChocolateCandy
Super 50: Steadfast Leaders
The Lempert Report: ConAgra, Celebs Battle Child Hunger
Best Practices: Starting at the Top
Wake-up Call: Coupons Make a Comeback
Store of the Month: Roots and Wings
Harold Lloyd on … Making a Difference: Why Work as a Clerk?
Experience at Large: Put Your Best Customers to Work
Confection: Sweetening the Pot
Tea: Brewing up Sales
Non-alcoholic Beverages: Summer Quenchers
Summer Grilling Special: What a Gas!
Produce: Local and Lovin’ it
IDDBA Show Preview: Recipe for Success
Trends: The Summertime Freeze
Meats & Cheeses: Brown-bagging Sales
Food Industry Insights: Leadership for the Future
Tech Toolbox: A Look at the Latest Solutions
Out of the Box: The Latest Tools of the Trade
Roundtable: The Executioners
Foodservice: Green Machines
What’s Next: Editors’ Picks for Innovative Products

Progressive Grocer - May 2010