Grocery Outlet Enters the Private Label Game
Grocery Outlet Holding Corp. has officially launched a private label program, dubbed GO Brands. Products under two new brands – SimplyGO and GO Home & Haven – will begin rolling out this month, while items in the GO Paw & Pamper brand will launch next year.
In total, 100 new private label SKUs under the first two brands will be available in Grocery Outlet stores by the end of the year.
“At Grocery Outlet we are committed to our mission of Touching Lives for the Better by saving our customers money and providing quality products at unbeatable values,” said RJ Sheedy, president and CEO of Grocery Outlet. “We designed the GO Brands program to deliver on that promise. Each brand has its own unique identity, while maintaining the reliable quality and incredible value our shoppers rely on us for every day.”
Specific offerings from each brand under the GO Brands umbrella include:
- SimplyGO: High-quality grocery basics, including pastas, baking essentials, dairy products, such as butter, cheese and whipped toppings, and more.
- GO Home & Haven: Everyday household essentials and personal care items, including paper towels, aluminum foil, parchment paper and facial tissues.
- GO Paw & Pamper: Pet products featuring pet food and accessories.
“Shoppers today have high expectations of any private label brand they purchase, and many choose their favorite grocery store based on that exclusive offering,” said Steve Wilson, EVP, chief purchasing officer. “Our GO Brands items are the perfect complement to our existing extreme value assortment of quality name brands, creating an even richer treasure hunt shopping experience.”
Meanwhile, Grocery Outlet experienced better-than-expected gross margins and earnings for its second quarter, ended June 29. Although it decreased by 140 basis points, the 30.9% gross margin was 90 basis points ahead of expectations and a 160-basis-point improvement from the first quarter.
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.
