Posted on 02/16/2010 10:01:48 AM PST by Star Traveler
Published by diamondpoet
December 4, 2009
What is Walmart really up to.
Walmart is one of the biggest supermarket chains in the world. As of August 31, 2008, Walmart has as many as 100 food categories:
United States 4,227 total units.
International 3,210 total units
This is a time where families needs to make every penny count, Walmart expansion of it’s Great Value brand is replacing many of the name brands, we have used for so many years.
The new improved Great Value products — which has been appearing on shelves and various sections of the store, is slowly being integrated into Walmart stores across the country, within the past few months – will provide families with affordable and possible high quality groceries. This is some sales jargon that Walmart has come up with, but what is really going on?
Walmart is the company, that is famous for their roll-back slogan, and now it would seem that they are also trying to monopolize the food industry. I am all for savings, but I prefer quality products and good taste. I grew up with many of the brand names and it is what I am accustomed to.
There are a few thing that I could settle for, that is not name brand, but when I was shopping during the Thanksgiving holiday, I was looking for McCormick’s vanilla, this is the only brand that I use to make my pies. I discovered that Walmart had completely removed McCormick’s brand and replaced it with their own brand Great Value. I rely on McCormick’s products to prepare many of my meals.
I tried using substitutes, but there is no comparison to McCormick’s Seasonings. I have never shopped anywhere other than Walmart, because I was comfortable and they basically provided most of my needs.
It would now see that I am being forces to shop somewhere else. Walmart no longer stock all the brand names that I desire. Since Walmart is trying to completely eliminate the middle-man, what type of effect will this have on many of the distributors and will this also have a spiraling effect on the economy as well?
Since so many distributors rely on Walmart’s business, will they not suffer and be forced to downsize? I can’t help but wonder is this really going to benefits the consumers or hurt us even more?
Well, I can report the “replace” is not happening here in Colubmia, MO WalMarts. The WalMart “Great Value” brands are ALTERNATIVES placed on the shelf next to the standard “brand name” food products.
Note what the original article said and what the additional article that I've posted said (from the Advertising magazine) and also, what I've said.
It's that Walmart is doing this with certain selected name-brand items. And I've already run into it. In addition, another FReeper reported on this thread that also Walmart discontinues some of these name-brand products for a few months and bargains with suppliers and then it shows back up on the shelf again.
All this means that customers who were spending money there for these products are forced to go to other stores and this hurts Walmart. It doesn't hurt the customers themselves, as they are exposed to other stores with a wide variety of products in them, and they (many times) find other things that they like. So, in that respect, forcing those customers out of Walmart for those particular discontinued items, has been a benefit to the customers.
So, who it is not a benefit to... is Walmart itself... and that's the problem (for Walmart, itself, of course.).
In addition, with the news reports about this, it's also clear that Walmart is doing this as a chain, for all stores, and it's not just on the basis of one particular store and one particular manager of a store, doing this just for his store.
And, once again, so to make it clear (and this is the one thing that many posters seem to be confused about) -- it's that Walmart is not replacing "all" name-brand label items, they've selected a certain portion and a certain number to do this for. That seems to be one confusing point to some posters here.
Another confusing point to some posters is that they think this is a discussion about whether Walmart "should have" any "off-label" items on their shelves. And once again, that's not the issue here, because all stores have those.
Target is right across the street from my local Walmart. As Walmart's store brand product quality is deteriorating (sorry, the "white box" stuff IS on the whole worse than the prior look-alike products), I'm going over to Target more to buy their distinctly superior Archer Farms store brand. If what I'm after is can't-screw-it-up dirt-cheap at Walmart (and they HAVE screwed up dish detergent), I'll go there. If I want something with quality (not premium, just better) I'll appreciate, I'll go to Target (they've got an AWESOME house-brand coffee selection, many varieties of small-batch exotic-location beans).
Ok, so you can't camp in Target's parking lot, and I can't buy my daughter's first rifle there (she is NOT getting married at Walmart!!!). As the "white box" Walmart brand deteriorates, I do go across the street more.
Exactly, and eventually if enough of your “key” items wind up missing from WM shelves you’ll switch entirely over to their competitor. Becoming a house brand retailer can be a dangerous transition.
OK grits is not my thing..am from the North and we don't see what "you all" see in grits!
Maple sugaring time is coming soon!!
(laughs)
Target is more in the heavily populated areas for some..Target is not close to those more rural.
I am a Hannafords customer, local farm stands in the summer etc. WF when I get into the city.
Now if you had the choice of spending 20K on a destination wedding or amost feebie Wal Mart "theme" wedding....(you snob you..lol)I still know your answer.
I did. Next question? :-)
Compare them again, and methinks you'd see that Whole Foods had someone hand-select fruits & veggies individually for optimal color & quality. That they may have looked the same was likely more a matter of the orchard having a uniformly good crop.
(FWIW: I sometimes go thru Whole Foods. Once I recover from the prices (again), I usually leave empty-handed and head to Walmart.)
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Grits = Corn
Add stone-ground cornmeal instead
Call them Rhode Island Johnny Cakes
Yankee style
Warm, with some salt and butter. Yum.
I totally agree with you - the only thing that has changed is they are packaging them in white and they stand out more.
Previously the Great Value labels mimicked those of the brand name that they were comparable to. I have even picked up Great Value by mistake a time or two because the packaging was similar. The new white labels really stand out.
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Yup!
I make up multi-grain pancake mixes too
Try sneaking in some oatmeal in pancake mixes as one FReeper mentioned about adding oatmeal to tuna salad or chicken salad
Hmm! Hmm! Hmmmm!
I go just to eat their fired pizza!! Real Italian style with crust done the correct way..equal thickness (wheat) from tip to stern! The vegan/veggie with chicken ( looked like chicken, tasted like chicken ), but is called the Vegan pizza or just the Italian with red sauce, pepperoni and big globs of mozzarella
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In the South - leftover grits are often spooned into cooking or baking trays - and fridged
Fried in butter on a griddle or a pan
Grits <-&-> Johnny Cakes
Cousins
Cranberries are great added to hot oatmeal
Blueberries are better and healthier for you!
Add them on top - nuke frozen booberries 30-60 seconds first - mixing in produces purple oatmeal or pancakes - not pretty!
I’ve have a box of great value salt and morton’s in the same kitchen, I can’t tell the difference.
There are some things like that you can’t tell the difference but try their tuna - mush - or other items like that and you’ll taste the difference ...
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