TYLER, Texas -- Brookshire Grocery Co. here will introduce chainwide a kitchen gadget line from Bradshaw International, Santa Fe Springs, Calif., in January.
The program replaces a private-label line supplied by a service merchandiser in a cross-docking arrangement at Brookshire's warehouse. The 106-store chain anticipates the change in supply methods will lead to lower retail pricing and improved margins by eliminating the service distributor's upcharge for buying, picking and shipping. Gadgets in Brookshire's current line are priced from 99 cents to $7. Although Brookshire's customers perceive the uniform packaging of the rack jobber's proprietary gadgets "as something like a national brand, we'll have better control of the items and costs by going through our own warehouse direct," said Jerry Moore, general merchandise category manager. He said that in the cross-docking program "our people order and stock the product. If we can bring it into the warehouse and eliminate paying a distributor for assembling and delivering it, we'll save the middleman's costs," he added. Brookshire's general merchandise staff will replanogram the 8-foot sections with a 125-item assortment using manufacturer suggestions, which Moore is hopeful "will improve the department. We'll be more in control over the section and better able to weed out the slower-moving items and bring in the newer items quicker." Once the new gadgets assortment is set, Brookshire will promote the full section more aggressively with 25% and 50% off, and dollar-day sales.
The chain has promoted gadgets primarily "off floor stands in seasonal programs, including Thanksgiving and at other baking seasons. But we haven't promoted our in-line gadgets. This will allow us to compete better with Wal-Mart and the discounters," Moore added.