Inside Save Mart's Marketing Transformation

When Andy Comer, Save Mart’s vice president of marketing, talks about the company’s evolution, he chooses his words carefully. Marketing, for him, is not about slogans or campaigns. It is about alignment – on mission, on value, on community, on experience.“Everything we do starts with the customer,” Comer says. “If our message isn’t grounded in what our shoppers need most, then it doesn’t matter how polished the creative is.”That ethos has become the backbone of Save Mart’s marketing transformation. Over the past year, the company has rolled out a sweeping series of initiatives designed to reintroduce the brand to shoppers who may not have realized how radically it has changed. The shift began with an unapologetic focus on value. In an inflation-heavy environment, the company knew it had to communicate affordability in every channel: in-store, online, in print, through digital media and across acres of West Coast communities.Comer describes the change as a “customer-centric reset,” a wholesale rethinking of how Save Mart shows up in people’s lives. One of the most impactful examples is the company’s Right By You initiative, a 12-point affordability program launched to help shoppers navigate rising costs. It is designed to be human, empathetic and unquestionably clear about the company’s priorities. “We need to show customers that we understand the pressure they are under,” Comer notes. “Not in a performative way, but through tangible action.”The clarity of that message is supported by highly visible promotional work. Shell Fuel Rewards, digital deals across fresh departments, deep weekly features in print and digital, and seasonal promotional events have all taken on a renewed urgency.“Authenticity resonates more than polished messaging,” Comer explains. “Our job is to tell the truth about who we are right now, a company getting better every week, moving faster every month, redesigning its experience around value and relevance.”That redesign is perhaps most visible in Save Mart’s new and updated formats. The Lucky and Ace Hardware’s San Jose collaboration, which places a Pacific Provisions Ace Hardware location adjacent to a Lucky store, demonstrates an innovative approach to convenience by addressing a clear community need for both home improvement and grocery shopping in one trip. Suddenly, a customer running in for milk or produce can also grab a drill bit, a set of paint brushes, or a seasonal grill accessory.“It’s neighborhood grocery reimagined,” Comer says. “It reflects how people actually live.”Further northeast, the company is preparing to unveil Frankie’s Bottle Shop & Bar, a premium spirits retail and craft cocktail bar opening in South Lake Tahoe in 2026. The concept features an extensive bourbon and whiskey library, curated bottle selection and craft cocktails in a rustic-modern design inspired by Tahoe’s mountain culture.“This is about creating a place where spirits enthusiasts can explore rare bottles, learn from knowledgeable staff and enjoy cocktails you can’t get anywhere else in Tahoe,” Comer says. “Frankie’s is built to serve both locals looking for their regular spot and visitors seeking an authentic, elevated experience.”Meanwhile, conversions of underperforming Lucky stores into FoodMaxx locations reflect a different kind of marketing instinct, one rooted in humility and responsiveness.“When a community tells you they need a value format,” Comer explains, “you listen. You don’t try to sell them something they don’t want. You give them what matters most to their families, at a price that honors their budgets.”Digital marketing has become the bridge connecting all of these moves. Chief Digital Officer Tamara Pattison has helped modernize Save Mart’s engagement strategy, tightening the connection among data, storytelling and value. Under her leadership, the company has sharpened its personalization capabilities, expanded its home delivery footprint through Amazon and strengthened its digital couponing programs to drive deeper loyalty.We believe digital is just an extension of our stores,” she says. “Our goal is to add value to the shopper journey no matter where they are, making it easier, faster and cheaper for customers to get what they need every day.”That belief runs through every marketing decision that Save Mart makes. Whether it’s the excitement of a FoodMaxx grand opening, the intimacy of a Frankie’s tasting event, or the everyday reassurance of a well-priced weekly ad, the company’s message is consistent: We are evolving for you, alongside you and because of you.“It’s a once-in-a-generation moment to redefine who we are,” Comer says, “and the momentum is real.”This article was originally published on P2PI-sibling publication, Progressive Grocer.

Inside Save Mart's Marketing Transformation

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