New H-E-B

The Lempert Report
May 12, 2022

Phil: So, but some good news H-E-B has opened up a new retail store in Texas. It's their first two story, true Texas barbecue restaurant, by the way, their true Texas barbecue by Texas monthly magazine has been named the best Texas barbecue in Texas. They have also opened up home by H-E-B, a department it's 120, 2000 square foot expanded organic and local produce a department with chef inspired meal, a drive through pharmacy, a larger curbside pickup, and what they also have. And our friend Stacy Bates was heavily involved with this with H-E-B. They built an office for a licensed nutritionist to be there, to help their shoppers. So, you know I wanna have an H-E-B come to Santa Monica. 

Sally: Yeah. We love H-E-B. My husband is from Texas and we love going in there. We love it for the fresh tortillas that they have there. 

Phil: Yep. 

Sally: I also thought it was really cool that they're really embracing, um, local goods in this store by offering Texas based artisans and businesses, an opportunity to sell things like, you know, things that are very Texas like broken antler art they've got.

Phil: Which I want.

Sally: But if you go, you know, you like that kind of stuff, stop

Phil: Yeah. And also, in another story, there was in supermarket news about HEB they've rolled out smart tablets. The company is the Luma project in the beer and wine department of 120 of their stores. And basically instead of just running an ad, the way Walmart and so many other retailers do it they're focused on the people behind the brands on the shelf. So it really is storytelling. And when you look also HarrisTeeter's been using them, Lowes food has been using them. And there's some numbers here, which are fascinating to me. Brand C growth rise twofold during a loop video campaign followed by 25% growth in the following month, 12% growth over the ensuing six months and retailers sell 51% more items for brands that are highlighted in loop tablets on an end aisle and 60% of shoppers buying a loop featured product are trying it for the first time. So it really just talks about the power of video when it's done, right? Not when you just take a commercial that's on TV and put it in the store, but going that little extra effort and doing that whole storytelling, I think is really important.