Giant Eagle’s Tim Tackett takes advantage of secondary placement for candy items in a variety of store formats.

Celebrating his tenth year buying candy for grocer Giant Eagle, Inc., Tim Tackett is busier than he’s ever been. Not only does he buy candy for 163 corporate and 58 independently owned and operated supermarkets, but he is also responsible for all the candy in its 153 GetGo fuel and convenience stores, three premium Market District locations, and a just-debuted Giant Eagle Express neighborhood concept site.

Tackett started with the company as a bagger during his high school years, and was named category manager, candy, cigarettes and tobacco in 1999. As the Pittsburgh, PA-based company expands its presence in Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia and Maryland, it’s the differing store formats that present increased opportunities for Tackett to nimbly get candy cross-merchandised everywhere he can. For instance, regardless of where confectionery is sold in the store — grocery, produce, floral, video and other departments — Tackett says it fares well when he is able to develop multiple points of shopper disruption.

“We sell a ton of sugarfree in the pharmacy,” he offers as an example, “but also do a great business in pallet displays at the front of the store, and of course during the holidays.”

Tackett says sugarfree confectionery is unique in that it is something consumers put on their shopping lists, so the store’s four-foot pharmacy section is double placement to what can be found in the regular candy aisle.

“Some customers need sugarfree candy,” he explains, “then there’s the segment looking for it for diet concerns.”

About 12 percent of Giant Eagle candy sales are sugarfree, he notes, pointing to a strong demand from an older population in its markets. In the produce section, Tackett says seasonal tubs are a common fixture, with candy corn and chocolate-panned items leading the charge. He notes that he works in concert with Giant Eagle’s snack buyer on occasion, and crossover products often give them pause.

“Sometimes chocolate-covered nuts are a toss-up,” he jokes, “but we do a good job of getting items in front of consumers.”

Wine sections in stores, he says, are a great placement for premium chocolates, though he is cautious about where that segment is headed.

“Premium chocolate has peaked, but we aren’t going to see a huge drop-off in premium items,” he tells Candy & Snack TODAY. “We still have a lot of customers who want these items.”

The chain’s Market District concept stores, built to resemble European-style open-air markets, are ideal for premium items, notes Tackett, from well-known brands to a host of the company’s Market District private label offerings. The upscale consumers they attract can find premium chocolate novelties, fresh roasted nuts, hand-dipped caramel apples and fresh-spun cotton candy amidst a nostalgic candy section and other packaged gourmet confections.

In the GetGo locations, Tackett tends to select items that are known to perform well in the convenience channel, such as king-size chocolate bars and assortments in value-priced peg bags.

“At GetGo, they’re typically looking for on-the-go meal replacements,” he notes, “so it’s not a place for laydown bags or a lot of premium choices.” He says it’s more of an adult-minded set, so very limited kids candy is featured.

“The shopper might be a mom,” Tackett acknowledges, “but she’s in a hurry getting gas, so it’s not the same trip as when she’s doing her weekly grocery shopping.

“It’s interesting to buy for both grocery and c-store layouts,” he continues, “because you have to think about who the different consumers are and what they’re looking for.”

Where Private Label Shines

Despite current economic motivators, many consumers are increasingly looking for store brand items that represent value, Tackett acknowledges. He is particularly well versed in the subject as before becoming the candy buyer in 1999, Tackett served for seven years as the chain’s private label liaison across all categories.

He admits this experience impacts the emphasis he places on these types of products today. The three brands — Giant Eagle, Market District and Valu Time — are targeted, according to Tackett, in three price point tiers to the chain’s diverse consumer base.

Of the 419 items that comprise Giant Eagle’s everyday sets, 35 of these, or 8.4 percent, are store branded products, Tackett tells Candy & Snack TODAY.

He confers with suppliers to develop the chain’s private label candy and packaging offered in all its banner stores.

“Some are traditional items packed under the Giant Eagle label, and others are clearly unique items such as our Market District chocolate-covered pretzels and boxed chocolate programs,” he states.

The store’s only everyday boxed chocolate offerings, in fact, are two SKUs of Market District eight-ounce boxes, one milk and one dark, with SRPs of $9. For Valentine’s and Christmas, Tackett says he brings in Russell Stover Candies, Inc. and others to supplement these items.

The Market District brand is Giant Eagle’s premium line, and also includes stand-up bags of chocolate-covered salty snacks. The Giant Eagle line competes in everyday peg bags and tie-top cello bags often merchandised in the produce section, containing non-chocolate favorites such as sours, gummies and other chewy candies. Valu Time items are typically in laydown bags, ranging from starlight mints to spearmint leaves and orange slices.

Seasonally, Giant Eagle brand offers chocolate novelties and holiday-themed suckers, he adds.

“I expect our own candy brands to grow consistently with the category as long as our suppliers continue to offer our consumers a value,” Tackett explains.