President's Choice
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President's Choice (or "PC") is the private label brand of Loblaw Companies Limited, the largest food retailer in Canada. The PC brand includes a wide variety of food, drinks and consumer products, and services, such as President's Choice Financial services. While many store brands (including Loblaws' own value brand no name) provide low-cost versions of brand-name products, many PC products are marketed as being on the same level as "brand name" products, or even, for some food products, as a "premium" or luxury product. The brand is used as a "unity" brand across the various food store names operated by Loblaws.
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[edit] History
The brand was launched by Dave Nichol, president of Loblaws from 1975 to 1985, and president of the company's product development arm from 1985 to 1993. [1] The brand was named after Nichol, who has not been associated with the company since then, although both the PC brand and the semi-annual "Insider's Report" flyer (which originally bore his name) have continued. The "Insider's Report" differs from typical grocery store flyers in that instead of promoting sales and low prices, it emphasizes the uniqueness of the products, either in that they are only available under the President's Choice, or by arguing that the products are of much higher quality than competing products. For example, the report will often present PC-branded cookies and emphasize the use of exceptionally high-quality, imported, or organic ingredients.
While The Decadent, a chocolate chip cookie made with butter and President's Choice-branded Decadent chocolate chips, was only available in 17% of Canadian supermarkets, it became Canada’s best selling cookie.[1] President's Choice also sells cola in the forms of both major competing brands, PC Cola (in a red can representing Coca-Cola) and PC New Wave Cola (in a blue can representing Pepsi). PC products cover most food categories, although some of these categories have a limited selection compared to other brands (e.g. PC-branded milk is only available in the organic variety).
[edit] President's Choice in the United States
President's Choice products have been available in the United States in the Chicago market at Jewel grocery stores since the early 1990s,[2] under an exclusive regional marketing agreement.[3] Even though Jewel-Osco and Loblaws both carry President's Choice products, Jewel Osco's owners (including current parent Supervalu) and President's Choice distributor Loblaw Companies Limited are unrelated companies. From around 1995-1999, Lucky Stores carried President's Choice soda until acquired by Albertsons.
Michigan-based Glen's Market carried the President's Choice line for a short time. Glen's Market offered special coupons and promotions on the item to create excitement about the new line being offered. Glen's Market is a wholly owned subsidiary of Spartan Stores, Inc.
Michigan-based D&W Food Centers carried the President's Choice brand for several years before eventually being purchased by Spartan Stores, Inc.
During the 1990s, Stop & Shop supermarkets of Quincy, MA also carried the PC line of products, as did Cambridge, Massachusetts-based Star Market before it was acquired by Shaw's Supermarkets in 1999. Shaw's ceased carrying President's Choice products in its Star-branded stores following the acquisition, despite the PC line being carried by its parent's Jewel stores.
Portland, Oregon-based Fred Meyer stores also carried the President's Choice brand for a time.
Charlotte, North Carolina-based Harris Teeter carried the brand in the early 1990s.
President's Choice was also carried by Bell's Markets in western New York, when they were supplied by a company affiliated with Loblaw. They were later carried by Tops Friendly Markets in that area.[4]
[edit] Product lines
In addition to the main President's Choice line of products, the brand also features five specialized product lines:
- Teddy's Choice: products for infants
- Mini Chefs: food for 5- to 10 year-olds
- Organics: organic food
- Blue Menu: food marketed to health-conscious consumers. Blue Menu products often have lower fat content or healthier ingredients such as whole grains.
- Green: products that are marketed as being more "environmentally-friendly." (For example, advertisements for PC GREEN Toilet Bowl Cleaner state that it is "100% chlorine-free" so there are "...fewer toxic substances going into our water.")
[edit] Types of products
[edit] Food products
PC's food products include a variety of prepared foods (baby food, canned foods, soups, condiments, etc); grain products (breads, cereals, grains, rice, etc); dairy products (yogurt, cheese, etc.); frozen food (frozen desserts, entrees, meats, etc.); drinks (juice, soda, water, coffee, and tea); fresh foods (deli products, meat, poultry, fresh pasta, produce, seafood, etc.); and snacks (crackers, snack foods, chips, dips, and sauces).
[edit] Non-food grocery items
Non-food items include baby products; bath and body care products; cleaning and household products; laundry supplies; miscellaneous goods; paper and office products; and a range of general merchandise; batteries.
[edit] Mobile Phones
PC Mobile started in the summer of 2005 as another President's Choice product, reselling Bell Mobility's services as a Mobile Virtual Network Operator in Canada. Due to recent growth in the prepaid mobile industry, PC Mobile now competes with other Canadian pre-paid MVNO companies, such as Virgin Mobile, Solo Mobile, 7-Eleven Wireless, and Petro-Canada Mobility.
PC Mobile currently offers four phones: the Samsung m300; the Nokia 2855i; and the Samsung a580 (available in blue or pink). PC mobile airtime fees are $0.20/minute. The initial card is for $15.00 (good for 30 days) worth of airtime and subsequent cards are for $25.00 (60 day expiry). WAP service is also available through PC. For an additional five dollars per month, unlimited access to WAP-enabled websites using the OpenWave browser is granted. (All prices CAD)
[edit] Financial
[edit] External links
- President's Choice website
- President's Choice Mobile Website
- Nichol's speech at The Empire Club of Canada
[edit] References
- ^ a b Marketing Hall of Legends: Dave Nichol
- ^ Klepacki, Laura. "Jewel set to roll out President's Choice line", Supermarket News, March, 1992.
- ^ Hauk, Katherine. "Beyond borders - Jewel Food Stores Inc. to market Loblaw International Merchants Inc.'s President's Choice products - Inside the News", Prepared Foods, July,1992.
- ^ Turcsik, Richard. "Tops said to give nod to President's Choice", Supermarket News, January, 1995.
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