GIANT FOOD PREPARES SUPER SOFT-DRINK PROMOTION

Carol Angrisani

LANDOVER, Md. -- Giant Food here hoped for a private-label touchdown with a Super Bowl promotion that positioned its new soft-drink line with national-brand snacks and beverages.

Consumers received a free soft-drink 12-pack with the purchase of five participating Kraft or Nabisco products, including Wheat Thins, Triscuit, Ritz, Cheese Nips, Maxwell House and Jell-O. Consumers had to present their Giant BonusCard to get the savings, and were limited to one qualifying purchase each day from Jan. 12 through Jan. 26.

Giant timed the promotion to the Super Bowl, since it's a time when snacks and beverages are in demand, Barry Scher, Giant's vice president of public affairs, told SN.

The event was one of the first major promotions for the new line, introduced last fall in 12-packs of 12-ounce cans, 6-packs of 2-ounce bottles, 3-liter and 2-liter bottles. About 30 stockkeeping units are available. Flavors include Rally Cola and Spin Cola; Quist, a caffeine-free lemon-lime flavor; Ramp, a citrus flavor; and Dr. Bob.

"Shoppers who buy participating [Kraft/Nabisco] products get a Catalina coupon for a free 12-pack of soda," Scher said. The promotion was featured on Giant's Web site, www.giantfood.com. Copy on the site read, "Kraft ... The Big Snack Game Plan." A 12-pack of Rally cola was pictured with various Kraft products.

Giant's private-label cola line received further attention in the weekly ad for Jan. 12-18. A special section highlighted a variety of "Super G" private-label products. The heading read, "Super G Products. Same Quality, Better Price." Two-liter sizes of Giant's Spin cola -- along with other flavors -- were on sale for 69 cents each, a 20-cent savings.

Giant operates 189 supermarkets in Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey and the District of Columbia. It is part of the Ahold USA group, owned by Royal Ahold of the Netherlands.

The soft-drink line is available not only in Giant, but also in other Ahold USA operating units. The rollout is part of a larger strategy to market common private-label brands across the Ahold USA group.