Food Lion's Bloom Takes Lifestyle Mag Strategy to Next Level
SALISBURY, N.C. -- Bloom, the experimental banner introduced by Food Lion in 2003, is the latest supermarket to launch a consumer lifestyle publication. Unlike other in-house supermarket magazines, however, Bloom's new publication goes way beyond food.
The retailer tapped Boston-based custom publisher, The Pohly Company, to re-launch "InBloom," a magazine it had rolled out before, but decided to update.
Topics covered in the new "InBloom" include home-decorating, entertaining, health and wellness, travel, and customized regional content.
"'InBloom' goes beyond food because we want it to simplify our shoppers' lives, just as our stores do," said Robin Foster Johnson, director of marketing and brand development at Bloom, in a statement. "Our shoppers have limited time for the most important people in their lives and for themselves. 'InBloom' offers straightforward, thoughtful, and novel ideas to make their lives easier and simpler - all delivered in a fun and funky style."
The content of "InBloom" is organized into four mini-magazines:
-- "Your Space" provides information and tips for home-decorating, entertaining, and space organization.
-- "Your World" offers content customized for the Charlotte, N.C., and Greenville, S.C., regions. Content focuses on local events, people, and places.
-- "Your Self" features articles on health and wellness, work/life balance, and home-based leisure pursuits.
-- "Your Passions" focuses on those important to Bloom shoppers: spouses, children, friends, neighbors, and even pets. Editorial topics will include meal planning, travel, and timesaving advice.
The company expects distribution to grow to 400,000 households by the end of the year.
Bloom operates five stores in and around Charlotte, N.C., and recently opened three stores in the Greenville and Upstate areas in South Carolina. Food Lion plans four more for later this year.
In addition, the company will move into the Washington, D.C., area and plans to open a number of Bloom supermarkets there. A Washington, D.C., version of "InBloom" will be introduced later this year.
Bloom is a banner of Food Lion, LLC, a subsidiary of Belgium-based Delhaize Group.
The retailer tapped Boston-based custom publisher, The Pohly Company, to re-launch "InBloom," a magazine it had rolled out before, but decided to update.
Topics covered in the new "InBloom" include home-decorating, entertaining, health and wellness, travel, and customized regional content.
"'InBloom' goes beyond food because we want it to simplify our shoppers' lives, just as our stores do," said Robin Foster Johnson, director of marketing and brand development at Bloom, in a statement. "Our shoppers have limited time for the most important people in their lives and for themselves. 'InBloom' offers straightforward, thoughtful, and novel ideas to make their lives easier and simpler - all delivered in a fun and funky style."
The content of "InBloom" is organized into four mini-magazines:
-- "Your Space" provides information and tips for home-decorating, entertaining, and space organization.
-- "Your World" offers content customized for the Charlotte, N.C., and Greenville, S.C., regions. Content focuses on local events, people, and places.
-- "Your Self" features articles on health and wellness, work/life balance, and home-based leisure pursuits.
-- "Your Passions" focuses on those important to Bloom shoppers: spouses, children, friends, neighbors, and even pets. Editorial topics will include meal planning, travel, and timesaving advice.
The company expects distribution to grow to 400,000 households by the end of the year.
Bloom operates five stores in and around Charlotte, N.C., and recently opened three stores in the Greenville and Upstate areas in South Carolina. Food Lion plans four more for later this year.
In addition, the company will move into the Washington, D.C., area and plans to open a number of Bloom supermarkets there. A Washington, D.C., version of "InBloom" will be introduced later this year.
Bloom is a banner of Food Lion, LLC, a subsidiary of Belgium-based Delhaize Group.