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FRIEDMAN'S EVENT HIGHLIGHTS 200% FRESHNESS GUARANTEE

BUTLER, Pa. -- For the past five months, five Friedman's Supermarkets and two Bi-Lo/Friedman's Foods stores have been running a promotion that guarantees the freshness of its produce departments.The promotion offers a "200% guarantee" on all products at stores supplied by wholesaler/retailer Penn Traffic Co., Syracuse, N.Y. It was the brainchild of officials at Penn Traffic, which supplies Friedman's

BUTLER, Pa. -- For the past five months, five Friedman's Supermarkets and two Bi-Lo/Friedman's Foods stores have been running a promotion that guarantees the freshness of its produce departments.

The promotion offers a "200% guarantee" on all products at stores supplied by wholesaler/retailer Penn Traffic Co., Syracuse, N.Y. It was the brainchild of officials at Penn Traffic, which supplies Friedman's and other independents in the Northeast.

To promote the program, signs above displays and advertisements in store circulars read, "You'll Be Happy or Double Your Money Back."

Penn developed signs and other point-of-sale material to fit the needs of the produce departments in each of the stores it supplies.

"We've had only 52 returns during the [promotion]," said Mike Cavalliero, Friedman's produce supervisor, interviewed last month. "We've only lost probably $100 to $150."

Cavalliero said sales numbers throughout the chain have been "fairly decent" since the program was implemented. The promotion was first introduced during a Penn Traffic display contest on California tree-ripened fruit at the Mercer Road Friedman's store here.

During the 10-day contest, sales at the Mercer Road store increased 400% compared with the same time last year. It moved about 263 boxes of fruit, up from about 50 to 60 boxes in last year's contest.

Cavalliero said the store had recently been remodeled and the chain felt it needed a way to draw shoppers.