Smart & Final proceeds with new-store triple play

Warehouse-style grocer Smart & Final is adding to its central California footprint with the unveiling of its first Extra! store next week in Madera, just to the northwest of Fresno in the San Joaquin Valley.

Plans call for a grand opening event on Wednesday at the 32,000 square-foot Smart & Final Extra! store, situated at 2237 W. Cleveland Ave., Suite 101, in Madera. On opening day, customers will receive a free branded tote bag with purchase and can enter to win a $100 Smart & Final gift card, among other Smart & Final-branded giveaways, the Commerce, California-based chain said Thursday.

“As a local Madera resident, I know families from across this community will benefit from Smart & Final’s unmatched grocery shopping experience, including our fresh produce, quality meats and extensive selection of club-sized items,” Madera Smart & Final Manager Samantha Bertoncini said in a statement. “My team and I are committed to serving all members of our community with the best customer service and low prices on their favorite everyday essentials.”

The Madera store marks the second of three new Smart & Final locations in California announced this past spring by parent company Chedraui USA. In October, Smart & Final opened a new 32,000-square-foot store in Lancaster at 2058 W. Avenue J, slated to be followed by another new location in Lompoc, though no opening time frame has been disclosed for that store. Among current Smart & Final locations, the closest to the Madera site are two Extra! stores in Fresno.

Related:Chedraui USA’s Q3 sales impacted by changing FX rates

Bigger than the legacy Smart & Final stores, the Extra! format melds a wholesale club-style store—without the membership fee—with a conventional supermarket in a value-priced, one-stop shopping destination. Offerings include household- and club-sized groceries, farm-fresh fruit and vegetables, natural and organic options, center-store items, frozen foods and fresh categories such as meat, seafood, deli and baked goods.

The Madera Smart & Final Extra! will operate 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. Other store highlights include meat, cheese, bread, oven-roasted chickens and more items under Smart & Final’s First Street brand; organic groceries and eco-friendly selections under Smart & Final’s Sun Harvest brand; products tailored to businesses and households, such as high-quantity paper goods, beverages, snacks and cleaning supplies; and a fresh floral department. Customers also can get same-day delivery via  SmartandFinal.com or the Smart & Final mobile app.

Including the Madera location, Smart & Final has 255 stores in California, Nevada and Arizona under the Smart & Final Extra! and Smart & Final banners.

Related:Smart & Final readies Extra! store opening in Lancaster, California