Publix

• F&D Reports state that Publix stores typically stock nearly 40,000 SKUs.
• Store Brands reported that Publix comprises most of its own private brand sales amounting to over 3,000 SKUs.
• F&D also reported in 2017 that Publix sells around 3,000 private label products.

• BNP Media reported that Publix Super Markets' private label grocery sales amounts to $5.2 billion.

• Store Brands also reported that Publix Premium line counts over 350 SKUs.
• Publix is a privately held company based in Lakeland, Florida.
• According to Forbes, Publix has 202,000 employees.
• It also had $36.1 billion in sales as of December 2019.

H-E-B

• H-E-B President and COO Craig Boyan stated in a 2011 interview that H-E-B carries 40,000 to 50,000 SKUs.
• In its H-E-B brochure, the company states it has over 11,800 unique own brand items.
• BNP Media reported that HEB Grocery Co.'s private label grocery sales amounts to $2.8 billion.

• BNP also reported that HEB's newly launched discounted supermarket Joe V's Smart Shop carries around 9,000 SKUs.
• H-E-B is a privately held company based in San Antonio, Texas.
• According to Forbes, H-E-B has 116,000 employees.
• It also had $28 billion in sales as of December 2019.

Research Strategy

Whole Foods Market

• Total number of SKUs at conventional Whole Foods Supermarkets: 20,000+ 
• Currently, there are 12 Whole Foods 365 store (small-format) stores in the US. Whole Foods 365 stores house 7,000 SKUs.
• According to the 40th Annual Natural Retailer Survey, 47% natural retailers stocked between 25 to 200 private label SKUs, and only one retailer stocked 1,000 private-label SKUs. As Whole Foods Market (a survey respondent) is the largest organic products retailer in the United States, and since Amazon (parent of Whole Foods) sells 1,000+ Whole Foods Market private-label SKUs, it is assumed that Amazon sells all Whole Foods Market private label SKUs.
• Therefore, the number of private-label SKUs: 1,000+ 
• Number of branded SKUs: ~19,000 (20,000+ - 1,000+)
• Total revenue: $15,887,900,000 
• The exact value or share of Whole Foods Market's private label sales is not known. According to a report by eMarketer, "at premier fresh grocery stores like Whole Foods Market or Sprouts Farmers Market, just 23% of CPG sales came from private-label items"
• Therefore, private label's share in Whole Foods Market's revenue is assumed to be ~ 23% 
• Revenue from private label SKU sales: ~ 3.65 billion (23%*$15,887,900,000)

Hy-vee

• Hy-vee's 90,000 sq.ft. store in Central Iowa sold 70,000 SKUs in 2013.
• Hy-vee's 90,000 sq.ft. store in Waukee, Iowa sold 60,000 SKUs in 2013.
• Given that the typical Hy-Vee store is 90,000 sq. ft., the average number of SKUs at a large-format Hy-vee store is estimated to be 65,000 (60,000+70,000/2). While the sample used to calculate the average is small, it is unlikely that the number of SKUs will vary drastically between stores of the same size.
• Total number of SKUs: ~ 65,000 SKUs
• Hy-vee has announced that it plans to eliminate "200 artificial ingredients or synthetic chemicals across 1,000 Hy-vee label products by July 2018". This does not indicate the total number of private label products, which will also include organic private label products.

• Number of private label SKUs: N/A
• Number of branded SKUs: N/A
• Total revenue : $10.2 billion 
• Private label share in revenue: ~ 21% 
• Revenue from private label SKU sales: ~ 2.14 billion (21%*$10.2 billion)
•  Ninety-seven percent of Hy-vee's business comes from 13,000 SKUs.
• Hy-vee spent 32% of its promotional budget on private labels in 2016.

Research Strategy

Southeastern Grocers

• Southeastern Grocers has approximately 3,000 of its own brand SKUs, which cover all categories. In 2017, they tested more than 2,300 of their brand items, which led to improvements in 2,260 of the products.
• The private label brand items owned by Southern Grocers include SE Grocers Essentials, SE Grocers, and Prestige. The Southern Grocers brand has around 3,000 products, the Southern Grocers Essentials has about 100 products, and the Prestige brand between 20 and 30.
• Southeastern Grocers does not disclose publicly the total number of branded SKUs that it stocks. The average grocery store stocks 50-60,000 SKUs.
• The grocery chain had a 2018 revenue of $10.5 billion, down 10.5% from the previous year.
• Southeastern Grocers filed for bankruptcy in 2019, with a debt level of more than $500 million.

Giant Eagle

• Giant Eagle sells more than 10,000 products under its private label. The products are sold across all categories in its stores.
• In 2019, Giant Eagle had revenue of $9.2 billion.
• The company was aiming to make 40% of its sales private label brands, which would give the private label a value of $3.68 billion, based on its current revenue. Unfortunately, Giant Eagle has not disclosed whether it has achieved this target.
• Giant Eagle does not disclose publicly the total number of branded SKUs that it stocks. The average grocery store stocks 50-60,000 SKUs.

Research Strategy

Wegmans

•  Store Brands reports that Wegmans has 7,000 store/own brand SKUs.
•  Richmond reported that Wegmans has 65,000 SKUs in total.
• The article also stated that private brands make up about 25% of Wegmans' grocery dollar sales.
• This would equal $28.5 million in USD value in 2018, given Wegmans' grocery sales of $114.9 million.
• Richmond also reported that Metzger estimates Wegman's private label products make up at least 40% of its sales.
• This would equal $3.68 billion in USD value in 2018, given Wegman's 2018 annual sales of $9.2 billion.

WinCo

• WinCo SVP of public legal affairs Michael Read disclosed in a 2013 interview that WinCo carries around 23,000 SKUs.
• MBD reports that WinCo Foods Private Brand has rolled out thousands of SKUs.
•  WinCo Foods LLC also opened stores containing "hundreds of quality private label products the company continues to introduce" in 2014.
• BNP Media reported that Winco's private label grocery products amount to $500 million.

• WinCo is a privately held, employee-owned company.
• Dallas News reported that WinCo Foods stocks and sells $1.5 million worth of merchandise every week.
• This is nearly a 5x increase compared to average supermarkets' $318,000 worth of merchandise per week.

Research Strategy