Hy-Vee's weirdest business decision yet?

[coolerifyoudid]

It's the 9 1/2 Weeks sequel nobody asked for.

 

[CyState85]

Only in Iowa do you get awesome pizza from a gas station and Chinese food from a grocery store.

 

[ZRF]

I mean, I guess I won't fault a company for trying. But I find it interesting that for some businesses, its ok to expand beyond their core product, but for others its not.

For example, McDonalds core product is fast food, mainly burgers, chicken, and fries. Then, I believe in the 90's, and 2000's they started investing and expanding in to other areas, which investors loved. Then investors didn't love the idea and demanded that they had to go back to their core product. I just find the idea of what wall street things a business should do is fascinating as they contradicts themselves a lot.

Not just your core product, but your identity.

It's not quite the same in the Des Moines area but Quik Trip has a relative monopoly the convenience store market in the KC area. They accomplished this by having the fastest/best checkout process of any retail/sales establishment I've been in. The line can be 15 deep and it takes no more than 2 minutes to get to the cashier. The restrooms are clean, the layout is consistent, and most of the stores have been updated. In the updates they added the kitchens but it didn't detract from or disrupt their core business model.

I can go down the street to one of the few Casey's that's sprouted up in the area. Several times I have been 2nd or 3rd in line and it's taken OVER 10 minutes to get out of there. If a QT was right next door I would NEVER go Casey's and it's why they would never be able to get a foothold here in the city if they tried (even though it's not their core model). They also changed an immediately recognizable sign/logo to something that was poorly designed. They literally spent millions of dollars to design, construct, and change signs at hundreds/thousands of stores for what reason exactly?

I'd love to know QT's profitability as they are absolutely crushing. That's a company that knows what it is and continually makes excellent business decisions.

 

[davegilbertson]

My only explanation is that Hy-Vee's entire board shorted the stock and are getting nervous that the blue hairs keep shopping there despite their best efforts to push people away. Otherwise, I just don't understand their moves lately. They are a grocery chain. You don't need to set it up so that your customers just hang around the place all day. Or maybe I'm wrong and I'm the only one trying to make my grocery shopping experience as short as possible.

On a side note, I guess Wahlburgers is opening in Cedar Falls soon. So there's another reason to avoid the place.

Believe there were some stats that younger generations aren't "shopping for groceries" as much as previous, marrying later, or not at all as a factor.

Takeout, and prepared meals became more of a thought to get them in, now they're desperate for anything. I only know as I listened to some report years ago when I had the same questions as to why they were trying to become malls.

 

[carvers4math]

Went in one of the Kansas City stores, they had a Chiefs store, a Wahlburgers, a medical clinic with all the sick people in a waiting area right by the pharmacy, but no MultiGrain Cheerios. Also very few choices at meat counter. Maybe they are trying to be an overpriced Walmart.

 

[MJ29]

Who actually spends time in grocery stores anymore? I order online, pull up outside, and let them bring it to my car.

Then again, I'm old and married, so I'm probably not the target demo for this.

 

[BCClone]

It's the 9 1/2 Weeks sequel nobody asked for.

Kinky ones will leave with bottles of vegetable oil, chocolate syrup and whipped cream.

 

[Gonzo]

I worked at a SunMart grocery store while in high school and we'd always haze the new employees by telling them one of the things they had to do was go to aisle 2 and shake the bottles of salad dressing. Has nothing to do with the Hy Vee love machine, but it was a funny thing to watch and I felt it warranted mentioning.

 

[davegilbertson]

Not just your core product, but your identity.

It's not quite the same in the Des Moines area but Quik Trip has a relative monopoly the convenience store market in the KC area. They accomplished this by having the fastest/best checkout process of any retail/sales establishment I've been in. The line can be 15 deep and it takes no more than 2 minutes to get to the cashier. The restrooms are clean, the layout is consistent, and most of the stores have been updated. In the updates they added the kitchens but it didn't detract from or disrupt their core business model.

I can go down the street to one of the few Casey's that's sprouted up in the area. Several times I have been 2nd or 3rd in line and it's taken OVER 10 minutes to get out of there. If a QT was right next door I would NEVER go Casey's and it's why they would never be able to get a foothold here in the city if they tried (even though it's not their core model). They also changed an immediately recognizable sign/logo to something that was poorly designed. They literally spent millions of dollars to design, construct, and change signs at hundreds/thousands of stores for what reason exactly?

I'd love to know QT's profitability as they are absolutely crushing. That's a company that knows what it is and continually makes excellent business decisions.

Snackle is their biggest blunder, but that's mostly on VMLY&R's shoulders for coming up with it.

 

[Trice]

These "WTF is Hy-Vee doing?" threads are the best. So many weird choices from that company.

At least if the date goes really bad, Hy-Vee's new SWAT team can separate the combatants.

 

[Rabbuk]

These "WTF is Hy-Vee doing?" threads are the best. So many weird choices from that company.

At least if the date goes really bad, Hy-Vee's new SWAT team can separate the combatants.

My view on that is the first time the hyvee swat shoots someone on accident it will wipe out all the money they're saving in loss prevention.

 

[Cyched]

My dad taught adjunct night classes at a college and he always asked if anyone met in his class and ended up getting married to let him know. After 22 years he had 1.

1? His student married themself?

 

[Rabbuk]

1? His student married themself?

Well 1 instance I guess. 2 humans

 

[BCClone]

1? His student married themself?

Maybe he married one.

 

[carvers4math]

These "WTF is Hy-Vee doing?" threads are the best. So many weird choices from that company.

At least if the date goes really bad, Hy-Vee's new SWAT team can separate the combatants.

They need a SWAT team for the outdated crap they leave on their shelves.

 

[everyyard]

Vegetables are sensual. People are sensuous.

 

[BCClone]

What do people steal from grocery stores? Shove a New York strip down your pants?

 

[Cyched]

Well 1 instance I guess. 2 humans

Just making sure there was no self love going on in class

 

[oldman]

Went grocery shopping with the wife (not always a good idea) Sunday, and we had breakfast first at wahlburgers. No more eggs benedict, and the place was basically empty. A disapointment.

 

[CycloneBob]

Not just your core product, but your identity.

It's not quite the same in the Des Moines area but Quik Trip has a relative monopoly the convenience store market in the KC area. They accomplished this by having the fastest/best checkout process of any retail/sales establishment I've been in. The line can be 15 deep and it takes no more than 2 minutes to get to the cashier. The restrooms are clean, the layout is consistent, and most of the stores have been updated. In the updates they added the kitchens but it didn't detract from or disrupt their core business model.

I can go down the street to one of the few Casey's that's sprouted up in the area. Several times I have been 2nd or 3rd in line and it's taken OVER 10 minutes to get out of there. If a QT was right next door I would NEVER go Casey's and it's why they would never be able to get a foothold here in the city if they tried (even though it's not their core model). They also changed an immediately recognizable sign/logo to something that was poorly designed. They literally spent millions of dollars to design, construct, and change signs at hundreds/thousands of stores for what reason exactly?

I'd love to know QT's profitability as they are absolutely crushing. That's a company that knows what it is and continually makes excellent business decisions.

I agree - after being a Casey fan for years, the choice is Quick Star if they're close.