• Smart & Final boosted store size, upgraded customer service and rationalized the assortment to strengthen the appeal of the non-membership warehouse stores to general customers while maintaining its appeal to business customers.

•  The company grew average store size to 25,000 square feet from 17,000 square feet; eliminated slow-moving SKU’s to devote more room to faster movers; increased produce offerings; added a wall of values; and began running ads weekly instead of every other week.

• Smart & Final acquired a perishables distribution center in 2008 from Whole Foods Market — a deal that included 34 Henry’s Farmers’ Markets in Southern California and nine Sun Harvest Markets in Texas. Those stores were sold in April 2011 to Sprouts Farmers’ Market, Phoenix.

• The company tested the idea of expanding its Cash & Carry format from the Pacific Northwest and Northern California to Southern California but abandoned the idea after testing three stores.

• It also attempted to expand into the Denver market under the name SmartCo in mid-2010 but pulled out within five months when sales failed to meet expectations, the company said at the time.

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