Top SN Content of 2012: Stories of Supervalu's Struggles Make List

Dec. 27, 2012 by Melissa Tinklepaugh in SN Social

SN's top 10 of 2012, ranked by page views

In the Dec. 17 issue of Supermarket News, editors looked back on 2012’s biggest industry news. In retail news, Supervalu laid off employees, dismissed its chief executive officer and began the process to sell its stores. A look SupermarketNews.com’s most viewed editorial content — articles, galleries and videos — for 2012, up until Dec. 20, shows that readers were heavily interested in following the unfolding of Supervalu’s struggles. Four news articles about Supervalu’s troubles — one published as recently as Oct. 30 — garnered enough page views to rank in the top 10 list of SN’s 2012 most viewed content. (See top 10 list below.)

In SN’s coverage of 2013 predictions for the industry, analyst Andrew Wolf said Kroger Co. and Safeway will reap gains from Supervalu’s downsizing. With Supervalu’s pending sales and this predicted surge for other supermarkets, the Supervalu saga should continue to impact the industry and news coverage in 2013.

“2012 SN Top 75: Billion-Dollar Businesses,” an article providing insight into SN’s annual Top 75 Retailers & Wholesalers list, ranked as the fifth most viewed editorial content this year, preceded by 2011’s Top 75 Retailers list. SN will include its 2013 list of Top 75 Retailers & Wholesalers in the Jan. 21/28 double issue

Photo galleries also piqued the interest of SN readers. Galleries of Pathmark’s renovation in Weehawken and a tour of Weis Markets’ new Bellefonte store landed alongside the year’s most viewed content. After seeing the success of SupermarketNews.com’s galleries and other multimedia content, editors increased the frequency of galleries this past year. Going into the new year, SN editors plan to continue complementing content with galleries, infographics, videos and other visual and audio storytelling formats. Recent multimedia expansions include Audio Slideshow: A Store Tour Through Two Generations at Northgate and Damage and Delays: One Chain's Hurricane Experience [Audio].

	SN's top 10 of 2012, ranked by page views
	1. Kroger Doctrine Is Changing the Channel Published March 19, 2012 Devotion to its ‘Customer First’ strategy keeps Kroger out in front of its traditional rivals.
	2. Photo Gallery: Pathmark's Renovation in Weehawken Published July 6, 2012 Renovations at a Pathmark store in Weehawken, N.J., exemplify A&P’s efforts to remerchandise its store base around neighborhood shopping preferences — in this case, with appeal to Hispanic shoppers.
	3. Supervalu Eyes Potential Sale, Slashes Spending to Cut Prices Published July 19, 2012 MINNEAPOLIS — Supervalu last week said it would seek strategic alternatives including a potential sale of all or part of the company as part of sweeping plans to slash expenses and capital spending and increase price investments that one analyst termed a “shift to survival mode.”
	4. SN's Top 75 Retailers for 2011 Published Jan. 24, 2011 Sales among the Top 75 food retailers in North America recovered from a slump in 2009, rising 7.7% during 2010, compared with a cumulative drop of 0.2% a year ago.
	5. 2012 SN Top 75: Billion-Dollar Businesses Published Jan. 30, 2012 Sales growth driven by inflation and market-share gains create a new threshold for the Top 75.
	6. Supervalu Mulls Sale; 'Future Uncertain': Analyst Published July 11, 2012 MINNEAPOLIS — Supervalu on Wednesday said its board of directors would seek strategic alternatives including the sale of all or parts of the company while announcing sweeping plans to slash expenses and capital spending after first quarter financial results fell well below expectations.
	7. Weis Markets Photo Gallery: The New Bellefonte Store Published May 22, 2012 Weis Markets’ 62,000-square-foot Bellefonte, Pa., store, which opened in February, crystallizes the retailer’s brand positioning and strategy by emphasizing fresh departments, service and local relevance, as well as chainwide store improvements taking place under its “No Store Left Behind” program.
	8. Supervalu Buyout Talk Heats Up Published Oct. 30, 2012 MINNEAPOLIS — The two Albertsons chains — separated since the 2006 breakup of the banner — could be reunited, according to reports last week.
	9. Supervalu Fires Herkert; Sales Named CEO Published July 30, 2012 MINNEAPOLIS — Supervalu on Monday said that Wayne C. Sales (right) has been named president and chief executive officer, replacing Craig R. Herkert.
	10. Okey-Dokey: Russian Retailer Eyes Florida Published Jan. 30, 2012 A firm headed by a Russian retailer, with backing from Dutch investors, is seeking to build a chain of small food stores in South Florida.