Posts Tagged “Dollar General”
GOODLETTSVILLE, TN – Dollar General has exceeded its latest milestone, now offering fresh produce options in more than 5,000 stores across the country.
The retailer now has more individual points of produce distribution than any other U.S. mass retailer or grocer. DG stores that carry produce provide consumers with a curated assortment of fresh fruits and vegetables, including tomatoes, onions, apples, strawberries, potatoes, sweet potatoes, lemons, limes, salad mixes, and more.
First announced in the Company’s Q4 2022 earnings last March, DG has continued to make strides toward reaching this milestone and now, more than 5,000 DG stores also carry the top 20 items typically sold in traditional grocery stores which cover approximately 80 percent of the produce categories most grocery stores traditionally provide.
“We are constantly looking for ways to better serve our customers and one of our top priorities is to ensure the communities we call home have access to fresh, affordable, and convenient food options,” said Emily Taylor, executive vice president and chief merchandising officer at Dollar General. “We have exceeded our goal of having 5,000 total stores with fresh produce by January 2024. We’re proud to leverage our footprint to meet the need for healthy food options in more communities than any other retailer across the U.S.”
The Company has also recently invested in a partnership with Shelf Engine, an AI company providing retailers with technology to improve perishable food forecasting and ordering.
The partnership will evolve Dollar General’s process to optimize in-stock produce levels, helping automate the ordering process while providing customers with the freshest food possible. As this tool continues to roll out, it will support the Company on its meaningful produce growth journey while improving operational efficiency.
Approximately 80 percent of Dollar General stores serve communities of 20,000 or fewer people, and residents in these communities often rely on the retailer for their everyday essentials including components of a nutritious meal. Every Dollar General provides customers with healthy food options such as milk, eggs, bread, cheese, frozen and canned vegetables, grains, lean proteins and more, including Dollar General’s exclusive Good & Smart® private brand.
As part of the Company’s commitment to provide convenient and affordable access to foods, in 2023 it announced its “Food First” initiative, which includes the customer feedback-driven expansion of its private label brand, Clover Valley, welcoming over 100 new items to shelves including a wide range of entrees, sides, sauces, condiments, snacks and more at affordable price points.
Additionally, Dollar General partners with local and national nonprofit organizations, including food banks, as part of its on-going efforts to help alleviate food insecurity. DG’s operational partnership with Feeding America, the nation’s largest hunger-relief organization, provides in-kind food donations from stores and distribution centers across the country with a goal to contribute up to 20 million meals each year. To date, Dollar General has donated more than 23 million meals and over $3 million to Feeding America.
Explore local stories of how Dollar General has brought fresh produce to underserved communities here. To learn more about Dollar General’s produce and healthy food options, including recipes using ingredients sourced from DG stores, visit https://www.dollargeneral.com/c/food-beverage. Find a store with produce near you by filtering for fresh produce on the online store locator.
About Dollar General Corporation
Dollar General Corporation (NYSE: DG) is proud to serve as America’s neighborhood general store. Founded in 1939, Dollar General lives its mission of Serving Others every day by providing access to affordable products and services for its customers, career opportunities for its employees, and literacy and education support for its hometown communities. As of November 3, 2023, the company’s 19,726 Dollar General, DG Market, DGX and pOpshelf stores across the United States and Mi Súper Dollar General stores in Mexico provide everyday essentials including food, health and wellness products, cleaning and laundry supplies, self-care and beauty items, and seasonal décor from our high-quality private brands alongside many of the world’s most trusted brands such as Coca Cola, PepsiCo/Frito-Lay, General Mills, Hershey, J.M. Smucker, Kraft, Mars, Nestlé, Procter & Gamble and Unilever. Learn more at DollarGeneral.com
Dollar General is pulling back on “nice to have” investments in favor of “need to have” as inflation and income pressures its bottom line. The move mirrors many of its customers.
Headquartered in Goodlettsville, TN, the company is cutting its pOpshelf concept in 2023, reducing the number of stores in the pipeline to 90, down from 150. The concept, which is focused more on urban shoppers with higher incomes, currently has more than 160 stores in 16 states.
“We are reevaluating our plans with regards to our timing of reaching 1,000 stores by the end of 2025 and plan to provide an updated expectation at a later date,” said CEO Jeff Owen, during the company’s recent earnings call.
Reductions in SNAP dollars and lower-than-usual tax returns hit Dollar General customers hard, Owen said. That resulted in less discretionary spending, and lower sales in non-consumables.
“Unfortunately, our customers are saying they’re having to rely more on food banks, savings, and credit cards,” Owen said.
One area Dollar General continues to focus on is its DG Fresh, and fresh produce initiatives. DG Fresh has enhanced profitability of perishables for the company, and while it continues to focus on frozen and refrigerated foods, fresh produce is still on the radar.
“While produce is not currently serviced by our internal supply chain, we continue to believe that DG Fresh provides a potential path forward to expanding our produce offering to more than 10,000 stores over time,” Owen said.
By the end of the first quarter, March 31, Dollar General offered fresh produce in nearly 3,900 of 19,000 stores. Owen said the company is on track to expand that number to 5,000 by the end of 2023.
Dollar General has completed its initial rollout of its DG Fresh initiative, so now the company will focus on adding more fresh produce to stores, and possibly self-distribution of fresh produce.
Based in Goodlettsville, TN, the company is now delivering refrigerated and frozen items to 17,500 stores from 12 facilities.
“And while produce was not included in our initial rollout plans, we believe DG Fresh provides a potential path to accelerating our fresh produce offering in up to 10,000 stores over time as we look to further capitalize on our extensive self-distribution capabilities,” Jeff Owen, COO said.
Fresh produce is now in more than 1,500 stores, with plans to expand to a total of more than 2,000 stores by the end of the year.
Dollar General plans to open 1,050 stores this year and remodel 1,750.
While the company’s same-store sales couldn’t keep up with a record 2020, CEO Todd Vasos said basket size is bigger, as is customer base.
“We believe we will ultimately exit the pandemic with a larger, broader, and more engaged customer base than we entered it, resulting in an even stronger foundation from which to grow,” Vasos said, during the call.
Goodlettsville, Tenn. – Dollar General (NYSE: DG) today announced an operational partnership with Feeding America®, as well as a $1 million donation to the organization, to provide access to food resources in rural and otherwise underserved communities and to proactively address food insecurity across the country. The Company also plans to offer produce in up to 10,000 communities over the next several years, with a meaningful number of those stores in current United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) defined food deserts.
“Food insecurity impacts communities across the country, and given that Feeding America projects that 42 million people may face hunger as a result of the pandemic, we want to be part of the solution for those facing this issue,” said Todd Vasos, Dollar General’s CEO. “With our extensive store footprint, often in communities others have chosen not to serve, Dollar General is uniquely positioned to help combat hunger by offering convenient access to a variety of nutritious foods at affordable prices. Our work with Feeding America builds on these efforts by providing in-kind donations of perishable foods to help nourish and feed those in need. Together with Feeding America and local community food banks, we look forward to making a measurable impact in the fight against food insecurity.”
Produce and Healthier Foods Goals
With approximately 75 percent of the U.S. population living within five miles of one of its general merchandise stores, millions of Americans rely on Dollar General to provide convenient, affordable access to the everyday products they need and want, including the components of a nutritious meal such as milk and dairy products, bread, frozen and canned vegetables, canned fruits, grains and more. Dollar General also has partnered with a registered nutritionist to create DG Better For You meals, which provide healthier recipes for each meal of the day with items sourced from DG stores, and created the Good & Smart® private brand to provide yet another healthier option to customers.
The Company currently offers fresh produce in more than 1,300 stores, providing the top 20 items typically sold in grocery stores and approximately 80 percent of produce categories carried by most grocers. Dollar General plans to expand this offering in up to 10,000 stores, including a meaningful number of stores located in food deserts.
Feeding America Partnership
In partnering with Feeding America, Dollar General is excited to bring together the nation’s largest domestic hunger-relief organization and the nation’s largest retailer by store count to positively impact food insecurity concerns, especially in rural America.
Dollar General’s work with Feeding America will be highlighted by a $1 million donation, as well as in-kind donations of perishable and nutritious food to community food banks. At full operational capacity, Dollar General seeks to provide up to 20 million meals each year*. This will not only help alleviate hunger in the communities it calls home, but also nearly double the number of stores in which Feeding America services.
The partnership further aims to enhance Feeding America’s rural hunger initiatives and provide more food donations to 95 percent of member food banks across the country. Additionally, it aims to support otherwise underserved communities with valuable food resources through Dollar General’s unique real estate footprint with approximately 75 percent of its stores serving communities of 20,000 or fewer individuals.
About Feeding America
Feeding America® is the largest hunger-relief organization in the United States. Through a network of 200 food banks and 60,000 food pantries and meal programs, we provide meals to more than 40 million people each year. Feeding America also supports programs that prevent food waste and improve food security among the people we serve; educates the public about the problem of hunger; and advocates for legislation that protects people from going hungry. Visit www.feedingamerica.org, find us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.
About Dollar General Corporation
Dollar General Corporation has been delivering value to shoppers for more than 80 years. Dollar General helps shoppers Save time. Save money. Every day.® by offering products that are frequently used and replenished, such as food, snacks, health and beauty aids, cleaning supplies, basic apparel, housewares and seasonal items at everyday low prices in convenient neighborhood locations. Dollar General operated 17,426 stores in 46 states as of April 30, 2021. In addition to high-quality private brands, Dollar General sells products from America’s most-trusted manufacturers such as Clorox, Energizer, Procter & Gamble, Hanes, Coca-Cola, Mars, Unilever, Nestle, Kimberly-Clark, Kellogg’s, General Mills, and PepsiCo. Learn more about Dollar General at www.dollargeneral.com.
Artichokes are a healthy vegetable and here are five reasons why. Also, fresh produce is coming to hundreds of Dollar General stores this year.
Ocean Mist Farms is the leading grower of fresh artichokes and the only one to offer more than one artichoke option for you as a consumer – whole, raw artichokes to cook from scratch, organic and conventional, or washed, trimmed and ready to Season & Steam in a bag.
5 health benefits
- Antioxidants A study by the US Department of Agriculture found that artichokes rank number one over all other vegetables when it comes to antioxidant levels, including anti-inflammatory antioxidants. Don’t ignore the artichoke leaves or you’ll miss out on a plethora of nutrients!
2 FIBER One medium sized artichokes contains 6 grams of dietary fiber, which is a quarter of your recommended daily value! While artichokes are high in dietary fiber, they are low in calories – only 60 calories per artichoke.
- Protein Artichokes hold 6 grams of protein, making it one of the top vegetables that contain a significant amount to easily get more protein in your diet.
- Prebiotics You can find inulin, one of the most available and the more promising prebiotics in the food supply, in artichokes. It helps improve gut, heart and digestive health!
- Vitamins Artichokes are a very good source of Vitamin C and Vitamin K, which help growth and repair of tissues in all parts of your body, assist in blood clotting and is helpful for your bone health.
For recipe inspiration, visit www.oceanmist.com
Dollar General
Hundreds of remodeled Dollar General stores are adding fresh produce following successful tests.
That company has 1,000 store remodels planned for 2018, with about 400 of those locations featuring “traditional plus” stores including 34 cooler doors to merchandise an expanded perishables assortment. Of the 750 traditional-plus stores to be operating by the end of the year, about a third will include an assortment of fresh produce, bringing to 450 the number of stores carrying fresh fruits and vegetables.