SuperValu to usurp brands at Musgrave

Musgrave’s SuperValu and Daily Basics ranges are being rolled out to Budgens stores across the UK in a move that could see hundreds of branded products replaced by own-brand lines.

The new ranges will also be rolled out to Londis stores from May and will be available to SuperValu-branded stores in Northern Ireland for the first time. The decision to use a single own-brand portfolio allows the Musgrave group to pool its buying power across Great Britain and Ireland, improving the quality and value, while enabling recent packaging innovations such as top-down squeeze bottle table sauces to be included. Fresh lines will be sourced in the country of sale, meaning that UK stores will be selling British meat and vegetables.

SuperValu items are designed to retail at 20% less than equivalent brands, while Daily Basics represents a saving of 40% for the shopper. About 500 lines will initially be available, with the potential to rise to 1,100 skus in Budgens stores. A premium tier, SuperValu Supreme, could also be rolled out to UK stores at a later date, Musgrave Retail Partners managing director Donal Horgan revealed.

He told C-Store: “The willingness for shoppers to swap brand for own-brand is increasing, and we have a strong in-store campaign planned, based around a ‘switch and save’ message, and will be positively discriminating in favour of own-brand in range reviews. A quality own brand is one of the pillars of a competitive proposition, giving retailers the firepower to compete.”

Londis retailer Ramesh Shingadia of Southwater, West Sussex, can’t wait for the new range. “It couldn’t come at a better time,” he told C-Store. “Confidence in own label is growing. Shoppers want value for money, but they don’t want to compromise on quality, which is what makes this range perfect.”