TREE SELLS CHEESE AT SHAW'S

ROSEANNE HARPER

EAST BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- Shaw's Supermarkets here is getting serious about Laughing Cow cheese after a new merchandising tack sent sales flying way above projections.

In a chainwide effort to grow sales in the dairy aisle, the 189-unit retailer planted trees in the department's specialty cheese section -- hanging trees that hold 18 net bags each of miniature, colorful, waxed rounds of Laughing Cow Mini BonBel and Laughing Cow Mini BabyBel cheeses.

"We're exceptionally well-pleased with the results. Sales [of those items] are up three times over," said Bernie Rogan, spokesman for Shaw's.

Previously, the red net bags that contain six mini cheese rounds each, and weigh a total of 4.5 ounces, were displayed just in four lucite bins on the top shelf of the dairy case. To catch customers' attention, Shaw's supplier suggested bringing secondary displays of them down to eye level, and predicted that that move alone could double sales of the novelty cheeses.

"They're definitely impulse items. I don't think many people go to the supermarket with Laughing Cow on their grocery list," said the supplier, Bob Burke, an executive with Deli Dynamics, Natick, Mass.

Now, the red- and yellow-waxed rounds hang nearly in the customer's face as he reaches for everyday items like packaged, sliced and shredded cheeses.

"We'll certainly continue this in all our stores. It's working for us," Rogan said.

The plan to push the high-margin bags of mini cheeses that retail for $2.99 to $3.49 prompted chainwide planogram changes. The trees that hold the net bags hang down from the top of the dairy case about 12 to 13 inches, and are positioned in two places. They're hard to ignore from an aisle away.

Meantime, the lucite bins that had been Laughing Cow's place in the case are used now to display such things as mozzarella cubes and shaker-type packages of shredded parmesan cheese, as well as other varieties of Laughing Cow mini rounds.

"The trees are eye-catching enough that we think they'll draw customers over to the dairy case. We're looking now for a secondary place to display Laughing Cow wedges [foil-wrapped, mini wedges packaged in a round container]," said the supplier.

The rollout began in April with the aim of getting the trees into all the chain's stores, including those recently acquired from Star Market and Grand Union, by Memorial Day weekend. And the sales success posted in the last month marks just the beginning.

"These are great picnic items. Good with a bottle of wine, and then for back to school, they'll do great, we know. Shaw's is getting very aggressive with specialty cheese in the dairy case and we've already shown them that extended displays work," the chain's supplier said.

The Laughing Cow miniatures are made by Bel/Kaukauna USA, Little Chute, Wis.