U.S. grocery firm The Save Mart Companies (TSMC) has attempted to draw in shoppers this summer through a heavy focus on expanded assortments of such species as shrimp and tuna deals, targeted toward customers firing up the grill.
TSMC, which operates over 200 stores across the U.S. states of California, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington under the Save Mart, Lucky, FoodMaxx, and other banners, has expanded assortment significantly across raw, cooked, shell-on, peeled, and head-on varieties.
These moves highlight how shrimp is a “major focus area” for the chain, TSMC Vice President of Meat and Seafood Bill Booth told SeafoodSource.
Booth explained the expanded assortment supports different cooking occasions and customer preferences; for instance, smaller sizes may be sauteed, while some customers might be seeking larger-sized shrimp for the grill, he explained.
One of the company’s most successful recent additions has been jumbo head-on shrimp, “which filled a clear gap we identified in the assortment,” Booth said.
According to Booth, TSMC’s shrimp program is built around a diversified sourcing strategy that allows the company to stay flexible, move product efficiently, and maintain strong quality standards across its assortment. That includes partnerships supporting premium head-on whiteleg shrimp currently sourced from Ecuador, which carry Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP) certification, “reinforcing both sourcing transparency and customer confidence in the category,” he said.
Elsewhere in the seafood department, TSMC is increasing its assortment of “steak-like” fish such as tuna and swordfish, particularly as grilling occasions increase during the summer.
Additionally, salmon remains the anchor of the chain’s seafood department, according to Booth.
“Salmon is the king of fillets in any seafood operation. It continues to lead the category because it delivers on quality, versatility, health, and ease of preparation all at once,” Booth said, adding that the firm will continue to highlight the popular fish throughout the summer.
Seafood as a whole continues to be a major growth category for TSMC, Booth said, with executives focusing on expanding options in ways that “solve the meal while giving customers more flexibility and confidence at home.”
As a result, the company is seeing “strong momentum” in convenience-driven seafood solutions such as seafood boil kits, crawfish boils, fresh ceviche, and prepared seafood options.
Frozen seafood in particular is a key component of the company’s overall seafood strategy.
“Customers are becoming more educated about the quality and flexibility frozen seafood can offer, especially when product is processed and frozen very close to harvest,” Booth said.
However, there is still room for both fresh and frozen to perform well as they serve different customer needs, and success comes from executing strategies for both categories at a high level, he added.
