With a global supermarket powerhouse about to enter an already competitive market, Foodland needed to both defend and enhance its position as the retailer of choice for South Australians. With the market well and truly entrenched in a price war, the new global supermarket (a well-known discounter) was set to drive this agenda even further. It was, at the time, a race to the bottom. A race Foodland did not want to participate in.

Better understanding the Foodland brand and the market was the first step. Using primary research in the form of a brand health tracker allowed an investigation into the mind of the market and identify where the gaps were. Any brand positioning needed to broad and applicable to the 100 (plus) independently owned and operated stores; both in-store and out.

It was clear Foodland’s identity was deeply rooted in local, community and great food. All strong associations for the brand. While ‘location’ and ‘price’ were identified as important factors to the market when selecting a supermarket, a growing trend emerged: ‘quality’ and ‘local’. In a time where “Down Down” and “Cheap Cheap” was prominent, Foodland identified a gap in the market and took took the brand position of “Great Food Lives Here”. An association it could own and reinforce.    

Since its launch, Great Food Lives Here has proven to be effective. An increase in mental availability (let’s chat for an explanation on what this means and why you should track it), advertisement awareness and likability, ultimately led to an increase in brand affiliation and increased sales.

Great Food Lives Here was ahead of its time. It rejected the notion that supermarket brands need to look the same and say the same messages. The market readjusted itself after the launch and many of the ‘pricing’ messages have reverted to ‘quality’ and ‘local’. Albeit after a long Foodland head start.