PRESIDENT'S CHOICE GETS UPGRADE AT JEWEL-OSCO

MINA WILLIAMS

MELROSE PARK, Ill. (FNS) -- A new, larger format is giving Jewel-Osco the space and flexibility to showcase entrees in the President's Choice frozen line not previously available here.

According to industry experts, Jewel, which has been opening about one new or remodeled store per month, is increasing the size of its units. Within the newer floor plans, the frozen-food department is one of the areas that has been expanded.

Positioned in the center of the store's 70,000-square-foot floor plan, the beefed up frozen-food department enables the operator to use merchandising techniques previously reserved for dry grocery areas.

Strategies being used range from huge displays to convenient double facings. Moreover, the chain is drawing more attention to its ever-deepening line of President's Choice frozen foods.

A new, replacement unit that SN visited, located in Crystal Lake, a northwestern suburb of Chicago, highlighted the introduction of the private-label entrees here and advertised them as "meal solutions for busy people."

A coffin case end cap display featured the entree items in family and single-serve sizes, while six doors were devoted to the entire line of products. In addition to this grouping, President's Choice selections were double-faced within sections, among like products in the regular lineup.

Within the coffin-case end cap, newly offered President's Choice macaroni and cheese, vegetable lasagna, three-bean beef chili, five-cheese cannelloni and shepherd's pie were specially priced at $4.86 for family-size, five-serving packages. Single-serve macaroni and cheese were offered at $1.30, while single-serve three-cheese meat lasagna was priced at $1.49.

A variety of patties was displayed in the frozen doors reserved for President's Choice. Beyond the President's Choice, thick and juicy and traditional beef patty offerings -- which include regular, hickory and cheesy beef flavors -- were salmon burgers, tuna burgers, lentil and bean patties, turkey patties and breaded veal steaks.

Chicken breasts were offered in both boneless skinless and regular varieties. Newer flavors included lemon pepper, honey Dijon and teriyaki.

Hors d'oeuvres from President's Choice included mini potato skins, three styles of meatballs and three flavors of chicken wings.

Side dishes ranged from stuffed baked potatoes to breaded chicken nuggets. The side dishes were merchandised adjacent to the hors d'oeuvres.

Desserts, such as apple crisp and Mississippi Mud Pie, also were featured. Ready-to-bake cookie dough mirrored the most popular flavors available from national brands. The line's signature Decadent Chocolate Chip, Raisins First oatmeal and peanut butter cookie dough all were available.

Items featured in the coffin case also were double-faced in the doors reserved for President's Choice, as well as in their category within the frozen-food department. For example, private-label salmon and tuna burgers also could be found in the seafood section.

Each item in the President's Choice line shows a logo on the package front, which communicates whether the item is previously cooked and ready to heat, or whether it must be cooked. Additionally, a microwave icon is used on items that are microwavable. Cooking times also are included in this area of the packaging.