The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company - Private Brands, Then and Now

Private Brands, Then and Now

For decades, A&P pioneered in the use of store brands. Eight O'Clock, Red Circle, and Bokar coffees, Our Own tea, Ann Page, and Jane Parker foods, to regular customers, were almost as notable as retail brands the stores carried. Other A&P brands included Sultana, Iona, Cap'n John, Dexo, Dexola, Yukon Club, Sail, Bright Sail, Grandmothers, Marvel, Penguin, Super Right, White House, Cherri-Aid, Sparkle, Bonesse, Sunnyfield, Crestview, Wildmere, Ched-o-bit, Mel-o-bit processed cheeses, Nutley margarine, and Sunnybrook/Silverbrook butter.

In the 1990s A&P introduced two store brands, America's Choice and Master Choice. The America's Choice name was a rebranding of the entire A&P-brand line, which replaced many older brands, including Jane Parker and Ann Page. Master Choice was A&P's line of premium items including meat and baked goods. Simultaneously, A&P introduced the Health Pride brand of health and beauty aids. Meanwhile, A&P sold Eight O'Clock Coffee to a San Francisco investment firm in 2003; stores continue to sell the coffee. Some SuperFresh stores, plus Super A&P stores in New Jersey, include Eight O'Clock Coffee Cafes, built when A&P owned the brand. The cafes offer coffee and other drinks (America's Choice soda, Rockstar energy drinks), chips, candy, bagels, donuts, fresh baked goods, sandwiches, wraps, and other items. They usually have that day's newspapers available. Added in 2008 and 2009 were the environmentally sensitive Green Way brand, Hartford Reserve (replacing Master Choice), and America's Choice Gold, a brand positioned between America's Choice and Hartford Reserve in terms of quality. More recently, it was announced that America's Choice Reserve would replace the America's Choice Gold line in produce, poultry, bakery, and deli.

In 2009, the 150th anniversary of A&P, store brands introduced included Via Roma (Italian cheeses, pasta, pizza, fresh cannoli), Preferred Pet (dog and cat foods), Market Spa (shampoos, conditioners, and lotions), Live Better (over-the-counter health products, including pain relievers, allergy relief, cough drops, vitamins) and America's Choice Kids (child-healthy foods). The number of store-brand products had grown to over 20,000. In 2010, A&P added entry-level store brands (Food Basics and Home Basics) in yellow packaging. "See yellow, save green" is the slogan for these brands. Food Basics' products include discount-priced canned and bottled products, evaporated milk, frozen confectionery, produce, and meat, while Home Basics' line include bargain-priced paper, toilet tissue, detergents, and plastic food wraps.

A&P's newest store brand is the Food Emporium Trading Company.