Food Basics USA
 Food Basics logo, circa 2001 |
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| Type | |
|---|---|
| Industry | |
| Founded |
|
| Headquarters | Montvale, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Number of locations | 11 (2011)[1] |
| Area served | Northeastern United States |
| Key people | Sam Martin (President & CEO) |
| Parent | The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company |
| Website | foodbasicsusa.com |
Food Basics is a no-frills discount supermarket chain owned and operated by The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company in the northeastern United States.
Food Basics carries all major national brands, as well as A&P's portfolio of private labels,[2] including America's Choice, Master Choice, and Health Pride. Food Basics also offers brands usually not carried by other A&P banner stores.
History
Canadian Origins
The Food Basics concept began in 1995, in Canada, where it was launched by A&P's Canadian subsidiary. The two chains are no longer connected, as the Canadian Food Basics chain is owned and operated by Metro Inc., which purchased A&P's Canadian stores.
Bringing Food Basics to America
In 2001, A&P brought the Food Basics concept to the US, changing its Passaic, New Jersey store from A&P to Food Basics.[3] A&P was pleased with the results, announcing that year that another of its New Jersey stores, in Paterson, would close in November to become a Food Basics. A&P then decided to concentrate their business plan on its newer and larger stores, converting smaller stores to Food Basics.
A part of A&P's history
Some of the new Food Basics stores had been part of the A&P family for decades, including a Paterson store located at 465 Getty Avenue,[4] with A&P's former Atlantic Regional headquarters also located on that property; the building next door that housed those offices is now home to the Paterson Board of Education.
Other Food Basics stores, such as the Wallington, New Jersey store, were added to the A&P fold when the chain purchased Stop & Shop's New York Metro division in 1982.
The shopping bag policy
In its beginnings, American Food Basics stores followed the same business plan as the Canadian stores; no fresh meat or deli were offered, some stores did not have fresh produce, and customers were not allowed to receive free plastic bags. In the latter case, customers were encouraged to bring their own bags, with a small discount for each bag used, or use cardboard boxes provided for free. A sturdier plastic bag than a typical supermarket shopping bag was available to customers for a small fee.
This was not a popular policy and Food Basics eventually stopped charging for shopping bags and started using the typical cheaply made plastic bags used by its competitors, as well as its fellow A&P banner stores.
Food Basics today
For years, nearly all of Food Basics' locations in America were smaller A&P stores. More recently, A&P expanded the Food Basics concept to larger stores, including an A&P Food Market in Fairview, New Jersey, a former Super Fresh Super Store in Northeast Philadelphia, a Pathmark Super Center in the Eastside neighborhood section of Paterson (the city's second Food Basics store) and an A&P Super Foodmart in Bridgeport, Connecticut; the latter closing in 2011 due to A&P's 2010 bankruptcy filing.
In 2006, A&P changed Food Basics, opening a prototype store in Glassboro, New Jersey. The newer format emphasizes low pricing (or best pricing), fresh produce, cut meats, and a bakery. New signage, colors, and wide aisles were among the changes in the Glassboro store. The Glassboro store was closed in early 2008, along with the Dumont, New Jersey store.
As of April 15, 2011, A&P operates 11 Food Basics stores in the US;[1] eight in New Jersey, two in Philadelphia (one is a former Super Fresh Super Store, the other a brand new build in the same shopping center with a former "Centennial design" A&P Supermarket/Plus (now "Deal$"), and a former Waldbaum's in Brooklyn. A&P had operated several Food Basics stores in Michigan and Ohio through its now-defunct Farmer Jack chain; these stores were closed in 2005.
External links
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