EXCLUSIVE PHOTOS: Grocery Outlet Keeps Growing in Ohio
As the first snowfall of the season blanketed Northern Ohio, Ryan and Maria Buchanan cut the grocery receipt ribbon on their independently owned Grocery Outlet store in the city of Ontario. This marks the third Grocery Outlet outpost in the state of Ohio, and the first in the Greater Cleveland region.
The store, located at 876 N. Lexington-Springmill Road, features low prices on national brand and private label groceries, as well as organic produce and household essentials.
It’s a family affair for Ryan Buchanan and his wife Maria, who both originally hail from Northern California, where Grocery Outlet stores are prevalent. His sister also owns a Grocery Outlet location in the Golden State, and his daughter will serve as a manager at the new Ontario store.
“We just love what they stand for and what they bring to the community,” Ryan Buchanan told Progressive Grocer. “It felt like it was time for us to be a part of that.”
In addition to stores in Boardman and Cincinnati, Ohio, Grocery Outlet is also planning two new outposts near Dayton, according to reports.
Grocery Outlet had a strong third quarter, which saw net sales increase 10.4% to $1.11 billion, due to new store sales and a 1.2% increase in comparable-store sales. Comp transaction growth of 2% was partly offset by a 0.7% decline in average basket. Comps during the summer were challenging but accelerated in September to 3.8%.
“Our double-digit third quarter net sales growth reflects the strong positioning of our consumer offering – value continues to win in the market and we continue to grow our share of consumer nondiscretionary spending,” said Eric Lindberg, chairman and interim president and CEO of Grocery Outlet.
Lindberg was named interim president just a few days before the release of Q3 earnings as R.J. Sheedy stepped away from the position and resigned from the company’s board of directors.
Emeryville, Calif.-based Grocery Outlet offers products sold through a network of independently operated stores at more than 520 locations in California, Washington, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Idaho, Nevada, Maryland, North Carolina, New Jersey, Georgia, Ohio, Alabama, Delaware, Kentucky and Virginia. The company is No. 66 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2024 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America.
