Are Dollar Stores simply becoming Fast Grocery Stores?

Intel is famous for making computer chips that are faster, better and cheaper every two years.  Moore’s Law, states that the number of transistors on a chip will double approximately every two years. Consistently it continues to ring true.  Retail food consumers want food fast; they don’t like long lines or walking around in a 100, 000sq.ft.store when they need the “basics”.

Convenience stores figured that out long ago and continue to garner market share from both restaurants and grocery stores focused on speed of service.  Dollar stores are jumping in with both feet.  Family Dollar Stores added 150 food items in February, 2012 as reported Supermarket News reported. 

By the end July, 2012 Family Dollar Stores will have added an additional 250 food sku’s  (items) which will bring the total food item count to 400.  That is a lot of shelf space and a lot of food.  The test with the first 150 items went well to say the least.  Consumer like the price points on food at Dollar stores and Family Dollar obviously liked the sales and profit results.

Family Dollar has now added coolers to 700 of its stores and plans to add coolers to 700 more stores by the end August, 2012. Most of the food items found at Family Dollar stores are national brand names the ilk of Gerber baby food, Gatorade and Velveeta cheese. 

Family Dollar is but one example of food channel migration.  Every company in the Dollar stores sector can be found adding more and more food items.  Many are now adding coolers and offering fresh prepared food as well.  Success does leave clues and Dollar stores understand the consumers need for speed.

Since 1991 retail food consultancy Foodservice Solutions® of Tacoma, WA has been the global leader in the Grocerant niche for more on Foodservice Solutions® Bing or Google Grocerants or visit http://www.linkedin.com/in/grocerant, twitter.com/grocerant Email: grocerant@q.com