Albertsons Pursues an Omnichannel Evolution

Following a quiet rebrand of its unlimited delivery subscription program, Albertsons Companies is executing an omnichannel "reintroduction" to shoppers that now also includes a relaunched loyalty program and an updated Deals & Delivery mobile application.According to the grocer, the newly named Albertsons for U loyalty program encompasses the best of the previous loyalty program, Just for U, and existing members are automatically enrolled. The program carries the name of each respective banner store within Albertsons Cos. — i.e. Albertsons for U, Safeway for U, Jewel-Osco for U, etc. Membership is free, and new members immediately earn $5 off their next in-store or online purchase of at least $25 worth of qualifying items. After that, members earn points on nearly every dollar spent and points can be redeemed on groceries and gas. Perks include personalized deals, a free item every month, and a special birthday treat.Meanwhile, the new Deals & Delivery app combines Albertsons’ two most used services, integrating both the Albertsons for U loyalty program and the rebranded FreshPass delivery subscription program. Shoppers can download the app by store name across Albertsons’ 20-plus banners. One of several apps Albertsons offers, the Deals & Delivery app features a digital wallet and app coupon integration, list builders and a pay-from-app functionality.In July, Albertsons had announced that it plans to more than double the availability of its grocery delivery service in the U.S. this year via a 1,200-store partnership with Uber. In June, Albertsons announced a deal with DoorDash to offer on-demand grocery delivery from nearly 2,000 Albertsons stores. New LeadershipThe grocer also recently named Sharon McCollam as president and CFO, effective Sept. 7. Reporting to CEO Vivek Sankaran, McCollam will succeed Bob Dimond, who will be retiring and will remain with the company as an adviser through February.McCollam (pictured at right) in 2016 retired from Best Buy, where she had served as EVP, chief administrative officer and CFO. She is broadly recognized as the co-pilot of Best Buy’s Renew Blue transformation, which has been regarded as one of the foremost omnichannel transformations in the retail sector. Prior to Best Buy, McCollam held several transformational leadership positions at Williams-Sonoma Inc. from 2000 to 2012, including COO and CFO from 2006 to 2012. Since retiring from Best Buy, McCollam has served as a member of several corporate boards, including companies with a strong consumer, e-commerce and health care presence. “I am thrilled to have [McCollam] join the Albertsons team,” Sankaran said in a media release. “We are entering the next phase of our transformation, centered on building deeper relationships with customers through data, technology, and connected omnichannel solutions. [McCollam] has done just this throughout her career, helping to engineer multiple retail transformations, including the spectacular turnaround of Best Buy and the digital transformation at Williams-Sonoma. [McCollam] is well-known for her expertise in retail operations and digital growth strategies as well as her passion for building customer-centric cultures. I look forward to working closely with her to architect the evolution of our strategy and create value for all of our stakeholders.”As president and CFO of Albertsons Cos., McCollam will assume several leadership responsibilities, including finance, corporate strategy, information technology, supply chain operations, and property development, and will be involved in all aspects of the company’s growth and transformation strategy.

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