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By Brad McEwen

ALBANY — Shoppers buying groceries in any of Albany’s Harveys locations likely noticed a significant change to their neighborhood supermarket Wednesday as the company unveiled its new store design and consumer savings concept as part of a nationwide grand opening.

The new store concept, which was unveiled during a simultaneous opening ceremony during which all of the 73 store locations in the Southeast cut a ribbon commemorating the brand re-launch, is aimed at provided Harveys customers with additional savings on products they commonly purchase.

“I’ve been working in grocery retail around the world for over 30 years, and I’ve never experienced anything of this scale on one day before,” said Ian McLeod, president and CEO of Harvey’s parent company, Southeastern Grocers. “To re-launch 73 stores in one go was an ambitious challenge, and I’m proud of the way the company has rallied the flag and taken up the challenge. So, it’s been a fairly substantial coordinated effort. I think (it is) the world’s largest simultaneous ribbon-cutting ever.”

Harvey’s Regional Vice President Ken Wicker, who was in Albany for the ribbon-cutting, said some of the company’s listening session were held in Albany, where customers were very open about what they wanted to see inside the store.

“We had several sessions where we brought customers in and we asked for their feedback on what they wanted in the supermarket, what they needed more of,” said Wicker. “It’s no surprise that they wanted lower prices, more value, more deals.”

Armed with that kind of feedback the company ultimately settled on a multifaceted savings concept that provides customers with discounts on more than 3,000 items.

The company now features what it is calling the “Low and Staying Low” price guarantee, which will be extended to more than 800 products identified in the store by a bright yellow thumbs-up sign. Once reduced, prices on those products will remain discounted for six months.

“We have over 750 items that are now guaranteed at that low price for up to six months, and it’s great items,” Wicker said. “It’s sugar, margarine, stuff our customers buy every day. They don’t have to wait on a sale.”

The company is also marking down more than 2,200 additional items branded with the “Great Low Price” tag, and it has opened a new section in every store called the $1 Zone, featuring more than 600 items being sold at that price.

As part of the savings concept, the company has also expanded all of the store’s meat sections to include more variety and larger-sized packages. The store has also started a Pick-5 program that allows customers to buy five of a total of 75 marked-down items, including frozen meats and vegetables, for $19.95.

Additionally the company has expanded its health and beauty products section, revamped its Harvey’s Rewards + Plenti card points program and expanded it across multiple brands.

All of the pricing changes, McLeod said, were rooted in understanding the store’s customers and trying to provide a shopping experience that would suit them and service their needs.

“If you’re taking prices down on items that customers buy on a regular basis, then that really makes a difference when people are looking to stretch their dollar,” he said.

McLeod added that, in addition to the new savings concept, the company also remodeled each of the Harveys locations, adding brighter yellow and green colors, new facades and new interior signage.

“There’s quite a lot of changes that we’ve made,” he said. “The store itself has a new delivery. It’s bright and it’s fresh and it’s cleaner and we’ve invested in new equipment.”

McLeod said he’s fairly certain the changes will resonate with Harveys customers based on feedback the company has gotten at its pilot stores. McLeod said Southeastern Grocers converted a former Bi-Lo in Charlotte and a former Winn Dixie in Jacksonville to the new Harveys design, which led to considerable success.

Both McLeod and Wicker said they have no doubt the changes will also resonate with customers throughout Georgia and in Albany.

“I think it’s really good for us and for the customers,” said Wicker.