Krogers are kind of gross, will the Albertson team bring some class and non molded produce to the franchise?
Does one of them own Randall's? Several Randall's grocery stores are in Austin, although HEB is working hard to push them out of the area. Not a big fan of Randall's, but they carry some name brand items that HEB no longer carries, HEB apparently being determined to shove name brand items off their shelves with their HEB brand groceries (which may be cheaper, but often not as good) and they're at least some competition for HEB, which helps moderate prices a little. I'm against this merger.
No argument from here. Yes, it can be pretty weird, especially at night. HEB has just about put them out of business, certainly in my part of Austin in the southwest/Oak Hill area. I've lived out here for well over 20 years and Randall's was the only "big" grocery around for a long time. Now that one has closed, surrounded by no less than 4 HEB's.
I think many of the HEB banded groceries or not only just as good, but better. Then again, I have shitty taste........
I don’t understand why there’s three Randall’s like a mile apart in West Austin. I guess HEB bought one. I also love the HEB stuff as most name brand stuff.
Years ago, Randall's was upper tier in Houston and Safeway was ho hum. Safeway left Houston and then bought Randall's as a way to get back in the Houston market. Randall's had already started to slip and Safeway didn't turn it around. Safeway also struggled and was sold to Albertsons. Albertsons was in Houston for a relatively short period of time. Not that many Randall's left in Houston, so probably few conflicts to resolve between a Kroger store and a Randall's store. If both the Kroger store and Randall's store near Stratford High School are both still open, then that would be a conflict. There isn't a Kroger really close to the Randall's at Kirkwood and Bellfort Maybe a Randall's in Pecan Grove area and another around Town & Country or Memorial City or whatever that area is called. Maybe a conflict between a Kroger and a Randall's on Westheimer around Westchase area. I know somebody that worked in the Randall's warehouse and they closed that a few years ago. Probably were supplying their Houston stores from DFW warehouse after that.
I have one Kroger by my house and its horrible, HEB just up the street and is always crowded AF but its so much better............Kroger is a step up from Food Lion but way under HEB
I used to frequent Kroger and thought it was top tier but then HEB rolled in hard. Now I wouldnt even step foot back into a Kroger. It feels wrong.
I guess I’m lucky (or unlucky) but the Kroger Signature Store in Friendswood destroys HEB in terms of niceness and food. I don’t get the whole HEB food Mecca thing. Then again, we get groceries delivered and I only go for a few items if we’re out.
I’m with you on this, although I think my tastes are closer to marginal than shifty. Hill country fair is jus so-so generic, but if it’s got HEB or Central Market or Mi tienda branding, I’m always ready to try it with the expectation that I’ll like it better.
I honestly didn't realize Albertsons was still a thing. I thought the company went under years ago, apparently they're still a huge company and just pulled out of Houston.
I tend to like HEB vs Krogers. Just a personal preference. Maybe it's because them there Krogers ain't TEXANS.
I would kill for an HEB in Ruidoso. Albertson is meh, walmart is worse, and our little Thriftways grocery store was bought out by Lowes Market which in my experience is meh x2.
Most of them are just white labeled products that are the same as name branded stuff. Trader Joes entire business is white labeling products that are otherwise sold as higher end name brand merchandise. But everyone is doing this now. You can sell customized (and in many cases better quality) packaging on the exact same product and sell it for a higher margin. Target's grocery business took off once they rolled out all of their private label products. Historically, store brands in the US were considered cheaper, and lower quality but some chains (Trader Joes, Target, Whole Foods, etc..) have managed to fix that perception. But I think a lot of shoppers still default to the idea that the private branded products are inferior in quality. I personally but private label on almost everything. There are a few things where I taste the difference but 95% of the time, its the same thing.
