Cover Story John Persons (left) and Dave Damrath say the reformulation has exceeded their expectations.
and surrounding areas. On average, the company’s stores are within 150 miles of its warehouse facility, which Tops says allows it to replenish inventory quickly and manage distribution costs. Tops has grown and continues to grow — it recently acquired and converted five stores in New
York’s Hudson Valley and one in Massachusetts, former Stop & Shop and Hannaford stores, as a result of the Ahold U.S.A. and Delhaize America merger. Colgan says Tops has a loyal following, which extends to its private label products, especially the Tops brand. “Eighty-five percent of consumers say it’s important to do business with a company that they have strong emotions for,” she notes. “If they don’t trust what you stand for, they are probably not going to buy products that have your name on them. So the name of the business and the brand have to be closely aligned.” As for the recent reformulation of the Tops brand, while Tops didn’t release sales figures, Damrath says the rollout has “exceeded expectations.” For Persons, who has seen an array of private label products come and go in his lengthy Tops career, the reformulation has taken the grocer’s own-brand offering to another level. “I’m really excited with where we’re at with our private brand offering,” Persons says. “I think it’s the best we have ever had.” SB Aylward, editor-in-chief of Store Brands, can be reached at laylward@ensembleiq.com.
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Flavor Evolution
Jerky trail mixes bring true innovation to the snack category At Dick Stevens, we’ve created a line of healthy, flavorful snack products unlike any other snacks on the market. Our gluten-free, reduced-sodium jerky trail mixes combine pieces of jerky with nuts, dried berries and seeds, resulting in a whole new flavor sensation consumers crave. Unlike the “me-too” flavored jerky products that have flooded the category in recent years, the one-of-a-kind Dick Stevens line represents true innovation, says Jeff Eckert, founder and president.
New products:
And in the trail mix category, which, Eckert notes, has drifted away from its healthy roots, Dick Stevens stands out as a nutritious, protein-rich alternative with a unique flavor profile.
Private label:
Dick Stevens performs well whether it’s merchandised as a jerky product or a trail mix. Today’s health-conscious, flavor-seeking consumers can see the difference. Priced at $3.99 for a 6-ounce bag and available in five varieties, Dick Stevens brings a low price point to your snack set and a larger-than-average size. We offer standard beef, chicken and turkey jerky trail mixes and two premium versions, made with hemp-encrusted bison and pomegranatekernel-encrusted beef. Attractive, stand-up aluminum packaging further distinguishes Dick Stevens from other jerky and trail mix products in the market. We’ve made a significant commitment to the production of our unique blends of jerky trail mixes, and we’re expanding in 2017 with new flavors, new products and our first private label offerings for retailers.
New flavors: In addition to our current line of beef, chicken, turkey, hemp-encrusted bison and pomegranate-kernelencrusted beef, we’ll soon be expanding with pork and bacon varieties as well.
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Our unique production capabilities include a new, state-of-the-art facility that is both SQF Level 2 certified and USDA inspected. We are working with several retailers on new private-label lines of jerky trail mix, as well as lines of both jerky products and trail mix products. We’ll also offer private label versions of our energy bars when we begin production on those products later in 2017. Each day, more and more consumers are discovering the unique combination of healthfulness and flavor that Dick Stevens offers. Join our growing network of retail partners who satisfy their customers’ snack cravings with Dick Stevens products. Email us at dick@dickstevens.com or call (888)767-6179 for more information.