Tag: fresh and easy

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Fresh and Easy closing is a huge loss to downtown Fresno

On By jamesinclair

Note: Because most Fresh and Easy stores will continue business as usual until the end of the year, the chain is still the cheapest way to be high quality food. See end of post for details.

Last week we got the sad news that Tesco had sold the Fresh and Easy chain after months of searching for a buyer. The buyer is “Yucaipa” an investment company better known by its owner, Ron Burkle, a billionaire who has extensive experience in the supermarket industry. Their wikipedia page shows all the companies they’ve dabbled in.

The good news is that the new owners will operate 150 stores, and they may apparently lean towards the healthier side of things. I was worried Wal-Mart or some Dollar chain would come in to sell the cheapest (and worst quality) foods, which is contrary to the Fresh and Easy experience. Others were hoping for Trader Joes, but such a huge expansion would be unprecedented for them. Click to read more!

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Supermarket Blight

On By jamesinclair

Many urban areas have to deal with a problem of not enough supermarkets, especially in poorer areas. I’ve heard, but don’t know if it’s true, that Detroit doesn’t have a single national supermarket retailer. In Boston, the North End (not poor by any measure) has been searching for a major supermarket for years. In DC, large portions of the center have no access to large grocers. This phenomenon is called a “food desert” and a lot of time is put into trying to lure retailers into under-served areas.

Fresno is not like that. Oddly enough, Fresno is jam-packed with huge supermarkets, many in very close proximity. Here is a list of most (I may have forgotten a few!) grocery chains that serve Fresno. This doesn’t include small, local stores. All of the following brands are major chains with multiple locations in the area. Click to read more!

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The implementation is the problem, not the technology

On By jamesinclair

This is a post I eventually plan on writing about transit, especially BRT. But today, the subject will be about self-checkout lanes at supermarkets, because I saw an article pop up about them the other day. Said article appears to pop up every few months.

How is transit related to the supermarket? It’s related because if you botch the implementation of a technology or service, people assume the shortfalls are because of the technology, instead of being because of bad management.

Despite an almost universal dislike for standing in long or slow checkout lines, an overwhelming majority of shoppers opt for cashier-assisted lanes instead of self-service, according to the 2011 “Food Retailing Industry Speaks” report published this autumn by the Food Marketing Institute, an Arlington, Va.-based trade group. Click to read more!

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Fresh and Easy Closing South Fresno Location

On By jamesinclair

When Fresh And Easy came to Fresno 2 or so years ago, I became highly interested in their small-format stores and their location scoping. What especially caught my eye is the way they distributed their stores, which included both a downtown location and a (sort of) South Fresno location.

A non-fast-food chain opening south of Shaw? What magic is this?

Well, it turns out that the party didn’t last so long, as the chain will be “temporarily” closing their Cedar and Shields location (temporary meaning from 2 years to forever). The report comes from the Fresh and Easy Buzz Blog which has a list of the 12 stores the chain is closing. That’s a shame. Ceder and Shields is a busy intersection in an area lacking cheap grocery options. Click to read more!