Fresh Affordable Food for America’s Communities With Dollar General’s Allen Warch

Summary

---

Podcast Summary

The CPG Guys: "Fresh Affordable Food for America’s Communities With Dollar General’s Allen Wark"

Release Date: December 24, 2025
Hosts: Peter V.S. Bond & Sri Rajagopalan
Guest: Allen Wark, Vice President of Food and Fresh Merchandising at Dollar General
Location: On-site at a Dollar General Market in Tennessee

---

Episode Overview

In this episode, Peter and Sri from The CPG Guys visit a Dollar General Market (DG Market) with guest Allen Wark. They explore Dollar General’s evolution from a discount general store to a vital source of fresh, affordable food and essential goods for communities. The conversation walks listeners through the new DG Market store format, emphasizing the company’s mission to improve food access, adaptability to local needs, the importance of value and convenience, and Allen's passion for serving customers. The episode offers insights into assortment planning, private label strategy, category reviews, community impact, the use of digital channels, and more.

---

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. DG Market’s Role in the Community

• General Store Revival:
  • DG Market expands on the concept of the traditional general store, providing not only groceries but also health, beauty, and general merchandise, serving as the only full-service retailer in many towns.
  • "We are not a traditional grocer by any means. I like to say we're America's general store." – Allen Wark (06:14)
• Food Accessibility:
  • Dollar General fills gaps where large supermarkets don't operate, making fresh and affordable groceries available in under-served areas (06:41).
  • 7,000 DG Markets now include produce, making them the nation’s largest produce retailer by number of locations (40:44).

2. Expanded Store Assortment and Organization

• Health and Beauty:
  • Bright, expanded health and beauty section with both national and private label brands, including a focus on value offerings like Elf Cosmetics (07:53).
• Fresh Food Emphasis:
  • Fresh bakery products greet customers at the entrance, establishing a new tone for shoppers (08:23).
  • Strong assortment in breakfast, cereals, convenience foods, and fresh produce (21:56–22:58).
• Destination and Convenience:
  • Product organization supports both quick fill-in trips and full pantry loads; ease, speed, and value are central (10:20, 41:47).
  • Seasonal relevance (e.g., holiday candies and baking goods) is always front-and-center (11:24).
• Private Label Strategy:
  • Clover Valley serves as Dollar General’s private brand for food, with frequent packaging updates and a focus on quality and value (23:58, 24:43).
• Value Section:
  • “Value Valley” section offers essentials like branded toothpaste and body wash for only $1 (19:39–20:24).
  • “Serving others” is highlighted as a company mission (11:50).

3. Assortment Adaptability and Data-Driven Decisions

• Ongoing Category Review Process:
  • Review frequency varies by category; some have 2 reviews per year for responsiveness to trends (18:05).
• Data Utilization:
  • Dollar General partners with Nielsen and suppliers to utilize data and insights for product selection (37:04–38:06).
  • They balance national brands with private brands according to community needs and national consumer trends.

4. Fresh, Refrigerated, and Frozen Offer Expansions

• Produce Expansion:
  • Over 7,000 stores now carry produce, leading the nation in store count (40:44).
  • Both refrigerated and ambient produce sections are available, including salad kits and convenience fruits (40:05–40:12).
• Dairy, Frozen, and Meat:
  • Expanded dairy, cheese, frozen entrees, sides, vegetables, and even premium ice cream brands (29:58–35:56).
  • Full meal solutions promoted (e.g., taco night kits, pizza & Pepsi deal) (31:08, 32:05).
  • Meat sections include ready-to-cook and value-added convenience proteins (39:33).

5. Digital Engagement and Savings

• App & Promotions:
  • DG’s app offers digital coupons, special deals, and is a key communication tool (32:38).
  • Temporary price reductions (TPRs) available across media: in-store, in print, and digitally (33:57).
• Customers of All Walks:
  • DG Markets serve diverse income groups; value and quality are appealing to all (36:00).
  • "People of all economic conditions want to save money and the high quality of the product that was in the store makes it very appealing." – Peter Bond (48:25)

6. Adaptability & Living the Mission

• Always Under Construction:
  • Constantly evolving store layouts and assortments to stay relevant—"We're always under construction" (15:53, 42:22).
• Serving the Community:
  • Allen speaks about the company’s mission-driven, heart-led culture focused on truly serving the customer and community (45:29–45:41).
  • “We stay close to the pulse of the consumer. ... We have to change with it.” – Allen Wark (14:57)

7. Leadership & Personal Motivation

• Allen’s Journey:
  • Allen has spent his whole career in grocery retail, starting as a teenager; joined Dollar General three years ago attracted by the company’s mission (45:14–45:41).
  • He follows the golden rule with his team and emphasizes continuous learning and fun at work (46:26–46:54).
  • “Anytime you get to go to work and feel good about that, I think that's a win.” – Allen Wark (46:09)

---

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Community Commitment:
  • “We operate in markets where either larger retailers have chosen not to serve or just simply can't reach. So you know our importance to the... We know it and we respect it.” – Allen Wark (06:14)
• On Value and Simplicity:
  • "A customer comes in and needs this needs to stretch her dollar as best as it can. It’s very easy with pre pricing ... to say okay, I have $20 to spend. I can make those decisions very easily." – Allen Wark (11:50)
• On Digital Engagement:
  • “You can see that ... the value that comes out of the app, not only to just look at the products ... but just the savings that you can get. ... It's really a 360 approach.” – Allen Wark (32:38)
• On Private Label:
  • “Clover Valley brand is a national brand equivalent. ... We have a commitment to our consumers that when they purchase a Clover Valley product that they will be satisfied.” – Allen Wark (23:58)
• On Always Evolving:
  • “We’re always under construction and that’s a good thing. The customer is always changing. We need to change with her.” – Allen Wark (42:22)
• On Dollar General’s Breadth:
  • “That makes us the nation’s largest produce retailer per point of distribution, which we're very proud to say.” – Allen Wark (40:44)
• On Broad Appeal:
  • "I noticed a Cadillac SUV and a Porsche sedan parked prominently in the lot. People of all economic conditions want to save money." – Peter Bond (48:25)
• On Store Experience:
  • “Every time I walk in a Dollar General I learn something new.” – Sri Rajagopalan (36:25)

---

Timestamps for Key Segments

• DG Market Introduction & Purpose: 05:30 – 06:41
• Assortment Walkthrough (Health & Beauty, Bakery): 06:46 – 09:47
• Fresh Food and Partnerships: 08:23 – 09:42
• Value Section Highlight: 19:39 – 20:24
• Private Label (Clover Valley) Discussion: 23:58 – 24:43
• Produce Expansion and Leadership in Fresh: 40:44 – 41:47
• Digital Platform and Promotions: 32:38 – 33:57
• Allen’s Background and Leadership Philosophy: 45:14 – 46:54
• Final Takeaways from Peter & Sri: 47:25 – 49:00

---

Summary Takeaway

This episode provides a detailed, first-hand look at Dollar General’s transformation into a pivotal grocery and essentials retailer for American communities, especially in under-served areas. Through innovation in assortment, a steadfast commitment to value and convenience, and leveraging digital communication, Dollar General—guided by leaders like Allen Wark—continues to adapt and grow, fulfilling its mission to “serve others,” while proving that affordability and fresh, quality products can coexist at scale.

---

Transcript

[A]

Hey, it's PVSB with the CPG Guys. You know, we talk a lot about this on the show. For CPG marketers today, it's not just about reaching consumers. It's about connecting with them meaningfully at every touch point. Here's the reality. Shopping isn't just an event anymore. It's woven into daily life. And with consumers spending over 90 minutes streaming content, daily entertainment has become central to the shopping journey. Amazon ads unifies commerce, entertainment and open Internet to reach 86% of US households, turning trillions of consumer signals into powerful results both on and beyond Amazon. So visit advertising.Amazon.com to learn more. Hello and welcome to the CPG Guys podcast. Set at the intersection of commerce and tech. Your hosts, Sree Rajagopalan and Peter Vs Vaughan explore how brands and retailers engage consumers in a digitally driven world. And now, here are the CPG guys. Hello and welcome to the CPG Guys podcast. I am your incorrigible co host, pbsb. When I'm not podcasting, I am leading in stream client engagement for Flywheel, the commerce acceleration division of Omnicom. I'm joined, as always, by my BFF. He is the CRO of ThinkBlue Consulting. He is the patriarch of the Raj family media empire, guiding the careers of his daughters, Lara and Rhea. His sidekick in that pursuit is his wife, Kavita, who runs her own podcast, Lights, Camera, Conversation. And when he's not doing that amount of work, he's also looking after his three three cats and his dog. Still can't stop laughing about that. Of course I'm talking about my ride or die. My bff, the man known as Sri. Sri. This is the second of our episodes with Dollar General. I'm really excited about this. How you doing, man?

[B]

What's going on?

[C]

I'm doing awesome here in Nashville. It's a lot of fun. Two of two. Can't wait.

[D]

Because we already talked about the hall of Values, but now we're actually gonna get in store and walk the whole store.

[A]

We're not just walking the store. After the episode ended, Sri. We went shopping in the store.

[D]

That's correct.

[A]

By the way, my daughter loved the donut and unicorn sponges I brought back for her. She used them.

[C]

Why wouldn't she, Peter?

[A]

She used them. She took a bath last night and used them straight up. She loved it. But here's what we're doing. I'll just say to our audience, make sure you're following us on your preferred podcast platform. If it's Apple or Spotify, do me a Favor one click follow. Because that way you'll get new episodes right into your app as soon as they're released. But also give us a rating. Ratings mean that our podcast is more findable by industry contemporaries who want to be educated and entertained. So please, please do leave us a rating and write a review too, because we want to hear from you, we want to know what's relevant to you. But today's episode involved a store visit. We went to a Dollar General Market DJ Market, which is their format for a full grocery shop. And it includes a fairly wide variety of fresh products. But meeting us at the store was Alan Work. He's the Vice president of merchandising for Fresh Food and Grocery and he wanted to share with us what makes DG Market so special and why it is growing at a very accelerating rate. Up to 7,000 door fronts now have the DG market platform. Think about that. 7,000 that is larger than just about every other chain of retailers in the United States, save for maybe the drug chains. You know, and at one point he meant, you know, there were some great references, I think Angela Martin said to us that, you know, they have, they have a pop, a pop shop store that has more, more version, more actual locations than, than most mid sized retail chains. But it's a really solid conversation. Alan was so kind to walk us through the store and help us understand Dollar General's commitment to helping make groceries, fresh groceries available and affordable to so much of America's population. So sit back, relax, SRI and I'll join you on the back end of this conversation record to give you our takeaways from it. So here we go. Hey everybody, it's the CPG guys.

[E]

We're down in Tennessee and we are.

[A]

At a Dollar General Market.

[E]

We are so pleased to be joined by Alan Wark. Alan is the Vice president of Food and Fresh Merchandising at Dollar General. Alan, how you doing?

[F]

I'm doing great. So glad to be here and so glad to join you guys.

[C]

This is awesome. Thank you to Dollar General Corporate Communications for having us. Thank you to you for walking us through a Dollar General market. So I'm excited to be here. But tell us what to expect as we walk through the store.

[F]

Well, what you're going to see is a play on our general store, but in a bold way. And where you'll see that boldness is in areas like behind us in our health and beauty, expansion, more space for things our customers are looking for. But as you go around the store, you're going to find expansion in lots of areas like our fresh foods, frozen foods, dairy, as well as center store grocery areas, and a whole lot more.

[C]

Anyway, for those watching, this is very inviting.

[F]

We're very proud of it.

[E]

And I should ask, it's important to have the assortment you have here because in. In many markets, Dollar General is the only player in town. And having the ability to do a full grocery shop and live your life is very important for this format.

[A]

Yes.

[F]

Oh, absolutely. I mean, we are not a traditional grocer by any means. I like to say we're America's general store. Yeah, you think about history back long ago, how important general stores were to local communities. And we operate in markets where either larger retailers have chosen not to serve or just simply can't reach. So you know our importance to the. We know it and we respect it, and we do our best to help them in their needs, whether it's in food purchases or general merchandise purchases.

[E]

All right, well, we're going to let you take us along. We'll ask questions as we're going, so please lean on.

[F]

All right, great. Okay, thanks. So in this space, as I mentioned, you see a much more expanded offer within our health and beauty care. And throughout this offer, you'll see national brands, but you also see a lot of our private label brands mixed in. And it ranges from beauty products, makeup products, as well as hygiene products, and expansion in hair care and in other areas.

[C]

Now, when it comes to personal care, especially beauty here, are you covering the full spectrum, like lip liners, eyeliners?

[E]

Yeah.

[F]

I would say that we are very much in tune with the best of the best of what a customer is expecting. Obviously, you know, we are a small box format, but we are pretty mighty within that small box. So most customers will find what they need throughout this assortment.

[C]

Any highlights you want to point out here?

[F]

Yeah. One of the things we're really proud of is the expansion of Elf cosmetics, which you see on this end cap. And as you see, it has a full array of not only the different products that you expect, but also the accessories that you would you want to use for it. So.

[E]

And Elf is a brand that's very focused on value, so quite in tune with what Dollar General is trying to deliver to its customers.

[F]

Absolutely. I'm very excited about this, and our customers have been very excited about it as well.

[C]

Imagine they get a Nashville brand with reach. I'm seeing it here. Must be special.

[E]

It's on style and it's on value. Great, great combination.

[F]

I want to point out one area over here that is new to this format. When, when we launch this format, you're hit right when you come in the door with fresh products.

[B]

Yes.

[F]

And that is a difference from maybe what you've seen in the past with Dollar General, our Thaw and Cell bakery products right here. When you come in the door, it just kind of sets the tone as you go into this main hall, fresh behind it, of, you know, we, we have the solutions that you're looking for in all categories within the fresh space.

[C]

The downside of this is you let Peter and me on the secret that you're actually carrying.

[E]

Oh, that's bad.

[C]

That's bad.

[F]

Yeah, I'm a lemon pie fan myself. But you know the great thing as you look around, whether it's a single grab and go snack or it's a breakfast for tomorrow, you know, muffins and all sorts of things. Cookies over here. So it's a, it's a. As I said before, we have a. We focus on just really looking at what is the best of the best assortments, all in segments and multiple segments and trying to offer that to our customer.

[C]

And, you know, as you walk in, you can do this breakfast occasion right here. How excited are your partners vendors to be able to participate in this?

[F]

Oh, we love they. They love our journey. You know, we, we work with tons of partners across. In all the. All of the store in the Fresh space, there's at least three or four partners that we work with very regularly. But you, you can believe that once the, the word got out that we're in this business, definitely knocks at the door.

[E]

Is this all dsd?

[F]

No, this is brought in through a partnership with Spartan Ash.

[B]

Okay.

[F]

It's brought in and it's thaw and sell here at the store.

[E]

That's great.

[B]

Good to know.

[C]

And how often do you have to.

[F]

Refresh these as needed? I mean, it's. It's all itself.

[E]

Exactly.

[C]

That's what the CPG guys want to hear.

[E]

Okay.

[C]

Yeah, I got another one for you. A special one. I see donuts.

[E]

So sree. I'm just going to tell you right now, this CPG guy is not leaving the store without the donut and the unicorn for Nadia that I have already. I've already got that in my mental basket. So we're not leaving till we get those.

[F]

I will not let you forget.

[E]

No, you will not.

[C]

It says beauty for everyone. That's just fabulous.

[F]

Brilliant. It's great. As you go through the aisles here, you'll see destination selling. And what's great about this format is that it really allows us to kind of open up the breadth of destination selling. So we know customers really like to get in and get out of the store. So ease of sales, ease of selling is very important. And ease of taking care of our customers. Traffic is very.

[E]

I look at your assortment here and I know I can come here to deal with any immediate needs conditions that I have. I've got a cold. I've got.

[C]

That means.

[E]

Yeah, I mean you've got everything I need from a cough and cold, sleeping. I've got pain medication. I have got. I've got acid, indigestion, reflux. Everything I need here for what I would typically go to maybe, maybe a chain drugstore for. I know I'm going to be able to get it at DG Market.

[F]

Yeah, that's great. And what's great about this store, you'll be able to get that in a hand of bananas over here and.

[E]

And I can do everything else.

[C]

And the chocolate whoopee pie.

[E]

And the chocolate whoopee pie. We'll get the whoopee pie.

[F]

Now if you go over and look at this, you know, Dollar General has always been about being on point and you can see right when you come in tis the season. So our Christmas candy is up right here up front for show. You know, seasonal relevance is important. Make sure you have the right products important. And you see this, this offer here.

[E]

Just covers all avenues and value. It screams out either on the product or on the shipper that it came in. You understand the value proposition you're building.

[F]

Here and that's what I think is one of our superpowers as a company. You know, our, our whole goal is to serve others. That that's our mission. And serving others comes in lots of ways. Right. You think about the ease of shop. You know, a customer comes in and needs this needs to stretch her dollar as best as it can. It's very easy with pre pricing all on this. It's very easy to say okay, I have $20 to spend. I can make that those decisions very easily without having to try so hard. So you're.

[E]

And your price points are structured where they can do that mathematics very easily.

[F]

Absolutely.

[E]

In their head they don't like it's 78 cents. As for you know, it's like $1 25, $50 all points where you can sit there and you know, you know how much you have in your pocket. You can basically do your, you do the mental math in your head as you're shopping through the store. It's great.

[C]

You Know what? Cock my. The Chocolate Center, the rudolphs. The Rudolphs. $25.

[E]

It's good value.

[F]

Yeah, absolutely.

[C]

Thank you again. I'm really flattered and impressed by how inviting these shops are. And we expect this in any Dollar General market we go to.

[B]

Yeah.

[F]

There's iterations of our Dollar General market that we have our plus market, which is the format you see today.

[C]

This is Dollar General Market Plus.

[F]

It's dgpm, which is our Dollar General plus market. We have another iteration of this which is used for maybe smaller real estate opportunities where you might not have the same amount of square footage that this store offers. And that's our DGMM or mini market. You're going to see the same things. Both of those market stores offer the same things as expanded vegetables, produce, meat as well as expanded offers throughout the store.

[C]

I can't wait to get to the categories I come from which is food and bever. But in the back wall I see paper goods, everyday needs. Should we walk over there and maybe chat about what you have back there?

[F]

Sure.

[C]

This looks like a hall of fame wall.

[F]

Well, I referenced earlier how I think we're America's general store. And you think about what that means. For me it means the, the item I need for the occasion I have.

[E]

Yeah.

[F]

So if you think about cleaning or you think about, you know, if you're a business and you say you're a cleaning business, you need a one stop shop to get all the supplies that you need. It really just checks the box no matter what your needs are. And this, you know, variety that you see all the way down just shows that, you know, we know that that's important to customer. The variety is important and you'll see all the variety all the way across.

[E]

SRI was remarking me earlier today how he said, do you, you want to know what my local hardware store is? It's Dollar General.

[F]

Absolutely, absolutely.

[C]

I told the story to your copper comps team that my in, in my life I've only acquired my hardware and tools from Dollar General. And I also told them the reason why now walking in here, we did not. The CPG guys did not anticipate such a large assortment for paper blocks. And you said something very important and special there. You said business, cleaning business. We thought your customer is not a business, it's the everyday consumer. Talk to us about the business aspect.

[F]

Well, what I would say is we know that we fill lots of needs and you know, the retail landscape and the consumer, it's very eclectic. And you know we operate in markets where many don't. So when you combine all those things together, we, we kind of know and respect the fact and sign up to the fact that we may be needed for things that maybe other retailers might not be needed for. And I think the biggest thing for us is that we stay close to the customer and we meet them where they're at, wherever that is, whether it's in satisfying their pantry or it's helping them in a business need that they might have. But more importantly, we also stay close to the pulse of the consumer. What are they needing? And you'll see over years, over a year, you'll see expansion and contraction of different categories because the consumer is always changing and we have to change with it. I like to say we're always under construction.

[C]

So as you make decisions on assortment, obviously this is a big set. Current lead state does tell you that from a business standpoint, paper goods is important. This is cleaning in particular.

[F]

Absolutely. I mean we are constantly and we have an amazing category team that they are, they live in the data, they live in the trends. Whether it's third party data or first party data, we're constantly examining ways that we can better serve the customer. And you know, being that we are a smaller box than most retailers are, we have to be really, really diligent and make sure we have the right products that they're looking for.

[E]

So you mentioned that being in tune with changing consumers. So there's one category I want to talk about, it's back in this aisle. I'd really like you to talk about it. So one of the areas very interesting to me is energy drinks. You have a large ambient section here. It really speaks to you being in tune with a younger generation, a consumer and what they're asking for. So you have a fairly strong assortment in a number of different forms. Classic energy drinks, but now increasingly the coffee infused energy solutions. Talk to us about overall your approach to reaching younger consumers in terms of what their eating and drinking habits are.

[F]

Well, the evolution is daily, right? I mean we're in a world where there's multi generation across the scope and our goal and job is to really dial in the best we can. We have tons of great partners that help supply this category that we work very, very closely with to bring up what's that strategy need and assortment in the next three months, six months, a year and then we try to cycle through that and through optimization abilities that we have within the year between reviews we can do pull in plugs and cut ins and things like that to stay in on top of assortments.

[E]

So speaking of the assortment planning, the frequency of doing, you know, full category reviews, is it dependent upon the category? Do you have a regular schedule that, like, every category is going to get one review a year?

[A]

How do you.

[E]

How do you plan to make decisions about, you know, what. What's changed and what needs to. Needs to transpire on the shelf to be more relevant to consumers is really.

[F]

All of the above. We have some categories that have twice a year reviews, some that have once a year reviews, some that have once a year, plus a cut in, scheduled cut in. The beauty of Dollar General is that we're used to being on our toes, and we have a team that really supports that so we can action things very quickly. So there are times where we might schedule a cut in just because the environment's changed, the consumers change, and we need to change with it. As you see, we run shelf strips where it helps our stores with the stocking and helps our DSD suppliers with the placement. So, you know, the prep and everything that goes behind that to make sure that every one of those strips is accurate. You know, all that's worked into our timelines, and those timelines vary depending on the complexity of the category.

[E]

Okay.

[C]

Another thing, when we walk past that, I saw Glade candles. I wasn't anticipating Glade candles in the Dollar General.

[F]

Well, you'll see tons of cleaning products in our. In our store as well, and even ones that at great value.

[C]

Is that based on this community or can we expect at other stores as well?

[F]

You could expect those kind of assortments in other stores.

[E]

Okay, great.

[C]

And then I'm fascinated by the. I actually want to read out what's on the assortment here for beverages. So I see everything from Duncan, Starbucks, Red Bull. As I look down here, Rockstar, which we know all too well. The seafood drink, you see number five right here.

[E]

Celsius, one of the hotter ones.

[C]

You got the whole enchilada, man.

[F]

Thank you. Yeah, we're proud of the team and their commitment. You know, there's a passion our category teams have of staying true to the customer, and you can see it in the assortments that we have in all of our aisles.

[E]

So tell us about the value section.

[F]

So we call this our Value Valley. And as you see from the big signs on here, everything in this section is just a dollar. So if you think about that, you know, being Dollar General, a lot of folks look at that dollar part of our name, and the General is really where it's at. But we do also offer that Dollar value, of course. And that's, that's the best price out there. So if you look at the kind of products that we have, like I said, we have, you know, cleaning supplies, we have health and beauty supplies.

[E]

Body wash for a dollar, body wash for a dollar.

[C]

Sree, not a body wash. That's VO5 right there.

[F]

Yeah. It's really the essentials to live your life the best way. And it's a high quality product. I mean, these are brands that you, you're used to seeing out there. Crest, Colgate, Zest. These are all brands for dollar.

[C]

So is there any unique, is there anything unique about this wall other than the price point? Of course. I'm assuming anything on the $1 deal here is a dollar.

[F]

Yes.

[C]

And then I'm looking at that Colgate sparkling white. Is it only available here? You can't find that assort that product anywhere else in the country.

[F]

We do work with suppliers in various categories where, you know, through economies of scale, we're able to offer a product that maybe others can't. You know, it's really, I think the number one priority for us is to make sure that we have what our customer needs. And then it's also how do they need it?

[C]

Yeah. So one of the things is we talk to your vendors, manufacturers repeatedly on the CPG guys. Most of them talk about a loss of household penetration. Here's one way you offer it for a dollar a year. Drive, drive, trial, drive, trial, bring them back, lapse, household. Here's the answer right here. And I'm looking at the risk.

[E]

I know where I'm going for my stocking stuffers this year. I'm going to this value.

[C]

I have to inform our corporate communications team. I'll be spending some extra time at this.

[E]

Yeah, we're going to be leaving here.

[C]

Like it's not just a conversation on the podcast.

[F]

Yeah.

[C]

It becomes a trip mission.

[B]

There we go.

[F]

Well, we're glad to have you. Okay.

[C]

This is incredible, by the way. Congratulations. Thank you. So we're going to now a different part of the store. I see beverages and food and refrigerators.

[F]

Yeah. So over here we can look at our center store food offers which you'll find in these couple aisles. And then I'll take you through the perishable offers. Okay. Over the years, who makes these? That's right.

[C]

Yes.

[F]

Over the years, Dollar General has really evolved in this space. You know, categories like cereal. There was a time probably many years ago where this, this section was 4 to 8 foot max. Okay. And you look. And now it's in, in total, it's 12ft of box cereal on a 4 foot section of some bags and some convenience cuffs ready to, ready to consume. And then we break into cereal bars and other things. So we think about breakfast. The breakfast offer, it's a massive amount of, of footage that's been dedicated to it and it's one of our top categories we're real proud of is the expansion here. And our category team's done an amazing job, you know, doing, you know, being smart about how we can get more for the consumer. Yeah, we added shelves here last year to be able to bring in more offers here in the, in the cup space. This is a category that our customer has told us through our data that hey, they really appreciate this as a convenience and a value. So using the space and maximizing the space is definitely a key part of delivering what we're trying to, which is make sure we have everything for everybody.

[C]

I can tell you that I was fortunate to be part of the team that was able to bring cups to you guys from General Mills as well as back up there.

[F]

The large size, yeah, the large size.

[C]

Didn'T exist and hopefully someday they'll get their stab at bringing bags as well. And then you go values, that's a very important one.

[F]

That segment of the category has expanded over the years for sure. And this is another area that's expanded too because convenience as we know in the industry has been an expansion point for many, many years.

[E]

Yep.

[C]

But this talking about bars.

[F]

Yes, absolutely. And you know, how do, how do you, you're rushed, you gotta get the kids off to school in the morning. You got, you know, you gotta, you want to plan a healthy breakfast with the time that you've got. These are options along with the rest of the offer that we can provide. And you see assortments in here that you'll see in, you know, the, the main brands like Nature Valley, Nutri Grain, those are brands you're going to expect to see at any retailer that sells food.

[C]

But I'm also impressed by a packaging I see right there. Toaster pastries on Clover Valley. Tell us about Clover Valley.

[F]

Well, Clover Valley is a brand that we love. It is our private label brand within our food department. And you know, Clover Valley brand is a national brand equivalent. So we, we cut it against all the best of the best in the industry and make sure that the recipes and the, and the ingredients are up to that par level, if not better. So you know, we have a commitment to our consumers that when they purchase a Clover Valley product that they will be satisfied. But we also, you know, make it a point that we want that to be the best experience so they know where to come back and see that on our shelves again.

[C]

Now, am I getting this right? As I look through the packaging for your private brands, everything looks refreshed and new and attractive. Is that true? Last year there's been a makeover for the packaging?

[F]

Well, we, we look at our packaging all the time. All the time. It's a continuous cycle. You know, obviously it, you know, we want to stay, stay up to date so that our consumers can, can see that pop off the shelf. And I think, you know, as you see, the value here just speaks for itself. I mean, two for $2, $25 or two for $2, that is, that, that is a deal. That is the deal. And we're very proud of the deals that we're able to offer at Clover Valley. Serving others, Dollar General is super important. Value is super important. It's one of our key focus areas.

[E]

One of the biggest trends in food these days is flavor profiles. And nothing says flavor profiles more than seasoning. You have a four foot section on seasoning that allows consumers, because they'd have to go to a traditional grocery store if you didn't offer this. This allows them to, it's a critical component of creating a meal experience for a family.

[F]

Yes, absolutely. If you think about the expansion of a food offer over time, you can't just give them the side and not the center of the plate or you can't give them the center of the plate, not the side. It doesn't really solve the problem.

[C]

That would be a tease.

[F]

That would be a tease. And again, we're committed to solving problems. And if there's a problem of accessibility where Dollar General is the only option you might have in a town, we have to respect the fact that we got to deliver to all of the needs. So we now, assortments may be a little bit more reduced than what they might find in larger retailers. But as you can see in this sex, we've done a pretty good job of make sure we dial into the must haves, the essentials, the salt and pepper, the Lowry seasoning, the chili packets, the taco, everything that you need, powder, everything. Absolutely. And, and you know, it's this. You'll see examples like this throughout the store where you'll see some sets might, might be a little bit smaller, some are bigger, but you'll see that all the segments are represented. This, we can help a customer fill up a basket versus a Fill in.

[C]

So I see cake mixes, I see generals have done a pretty good job of getting all the veggie cropping stuff in here. That's post my time. Talk to us about how important baking is to us.

[F]

Well, this time of year, it's super important.

[E]

Yeah.

[C]

Contract timing of the year.

[F]

Yeah. Well, obviously, categories, ebb and flow, seasonalities are important as we are approaching. So the season's important. Right now we're in the fall going into the holiday selling season. A lot of folks are going to be doing baking and cooking at home, getting ready for the family to come over. So when you look at our sets, you know, we obviously have the basics like the cake mixes and icings, but then expanded assortments on brownies, jello oils, all the things that an essential baker needs to get the holidays complete. But what's really cool is that we've, we have this season tons of great promotions. And we're really excited about the $5 off 15 promotion that we're running through the holidays. That's through the holidays into December. Absolutely.

[C]

And so this being such an important category, are you flexing more resources, watching it more closer, given that this is probably one of the single most important categories?

[F]

Absolutely. You know, you have to respect that the family holiday is one of the most important things for that household. That's when they see people they haven't seen for a while. That's when emotions are at their. Ross.

[A]

That's why I dread the holidays.

[F]

So we have a responsibility to take care of those the best we absolutely can. Absolutely.

[C]

Yeah.

[F]

All right.

[C]

Coffee assortment as well. And again, I'm looking at the. Peter, check this out, right?

[E]

Yep.

[C]

Look at the packaging.

[E]

Yeah, it's beautiful. It's showing off the beans. It's a good cup coffee.

[F]

If you look at the color combinations that we use, it's all about the subtleties about being simple and helping our customer navigate. So all of our flavors in our clover valley pods are all different color coded for the flavor so they. They can come in easily. See their the brand that they want.

[E]

Or that flavor, you get familiar, it becomes habitual. And that's the brand they just reach for the bot.

[C]

Here's what I've never seen before. Coffee. This is probably serves a certain segment.

[E]

Toasted coconut, right?

[C]

Toasted coconut.

[F]

There you go. Absolutely. So the Parish Mall Fresh space is an area that over the last 10 years, Dollar General has really expanded upon. So you'll see in here there's destinations and as the doors progress. And here we're in a plus market so there's an expanded footprint. You know, most of our dollar generals have refrigerated dairy and deli items. Here you'll see a little bit of expanded assortments, a little bit more doors. But you again, very similar story as what you see in center store. Pretty much. If there's a segment that you're looking to shop, we're going to see it in this assortment. From cheeses to deli meats to eggs, bacon. All those types of categories that you would expect to see in a, in a grocer.

[E]

And the signage on, on your doors also emphasize the fact that you are friendly for SNAP and EBT payment mechanism.

[F]

Absolutely.

[E]

Great.

[C]

And this is looks like a 64ft assortment.

[F]

Yeah. And there's some more cases down the the main hall there for the frozen.

[C]

So what so for your customer and for audience is at, at this special market we are at right now, bus market is 64 or more what they should expect?

[F]

Yes, this is about the same amount of door counts that you should expect. There's always going to be some variance depending on some of the variations of blueprint. Yeah, this is about the average and we're always evolving. Like I said, you know, we have our hard hats on all the time. We are always under construction looking for ways to dial in the offers for our customers.

[C]

One impressive thing that I've seen here in the refrigerated section, primarily cheese and dairy here is you can fulfill a whole pantry need for that section right here. And you can do it fast, easy. Am I wrong?

[F]

No, absolutely.

[C]

States here for dairy and cheese right here.

[F]

Well, we passed when we looked at the spice section, we have our taco seasoning. Well, you can come over here and get the cheese that's needed for tacos in the aisle over by the bread you can get the tortilla shells and then down here you can get the ground beef and you can have the whole taco dinner instantly.

[C]

Since you mentioned that, how do you show the consumer, demonstrate to the consumer they can assemble a taco dinner. You're on a promotional activity of some sort that says hey, build your taco dinner here. How do they know?

[F]

Well, we feature that a lot in our ads. When you look at our advertisements that go out, you'll see blocks that kind of give some inspiration. We block our ads up where this is breakfast themed items and here are meal solutions for you. We do a lot of work to try to make sure that we communicate those opportunities in our stores. And you know it does very well. We have a great promotion where you can buy a frozen pizza and a Pepsi as a combination where you get a frozen pizza meal occasions for a family, get a large frozen pizza and get a free Pepsi. So you know, those are types of things that we try to do to make it simpler because you know, our customers, they require us, they need us for value, but they also really need just help in their life. And, and that's what we try to do.

[C]

Both. You know, we are working CPG guys do a lot with Dollar General Media Network. In fact, for those listening, we're going to be hosting a dinner together at ces. For those listening in, if you're a brand, if you're a chime in. Which reminds me, as I think through assortment, as I think through the area region and I think of promotional activity, digital comes to mind. Digital. You know, every time I talk to somebody from Dollar General, they talk about the importance, importance of digital. Tell us what that word means to you and is that now your primary communication vehicle to your customers?

[F]

Well, we are definitely committed to the digital landscape. You can see that in, you know, if you have our app just going through and seeing one, the value that comes out of the app, not only to just look at the products and, and you know, the, the typical interaction you would have with a, with a retailer app, but just the savings that you, you can get. And we apply digital coupons, we apply special offers, special deals and promotions through our digital platform. But we still also still run our typical tprs and we still run our weekly ads. So it's really a 360 approach.

[E]

I mean, those of any digital prowess, expert to novice, can make sure they save money at Dollar General.

[F]

Absolutely. My grandfather called me the other day. He lives in Gallatin, Tennessee, and he went into one of our newer remodeled stores right down the street from his house. He called me up and this is a retired meat cutter of 60 years. So he knows the grocery business. He called me up and said, I was just in that new store and I loved it and I spent way more than I thought I would because it had everything I needed. And I said, all right, Pop, thanks. That is awesome.

[C]

So the PPRs you refer to for audience, temporary price reductions, are those primarily found in store or are these found on the flyers?

[F]

The CPRs are found. It's everywhere we have. Sometimes you, you'll come in and be surprised and delighted about the value you'll find in the set and sometimes you'll see it on our feature, whether it's front page or in interior pages or as a digital Offer it really is a full 360 approach to make sure we bring as much value to our consumer as possible.

[C]

You know, we started this conversation as I mentioned. I always come to a Dollar General to get my hardware. As I walk the aisles and look at the values that's going to expand into a more, more important food trip mission.

[F]

Well, you can bake a cake right there. So why don't you go ahead and next time I see you expect some baked goods.

[C]

We'll do one better. We'll feature it on the CPG guys about it, Dollar General. How about that?

[F]

Absolutely. Okay. As we come back up towards the middle of the store here, you can see on both sides. This is our frozen offer. You know again very similar conversations as throughout the store. When you think about a category like frozen, you think of all the little segments that that day part breakfast. Absolutely.

[E]

Dessert.

[F]

So from novelties to ice cream, single serve as well as multi serve ice creams. Then into frozen vegetables, frozen potatoes, frozen entrees. It's, it's basically the full assortment of meat steaks.

[C]

I'm looking at the ice cream. I see a lot of premium as well. Over here I'm looking at, if I look through, you've got Havilland, whichever one by two bar of them. Let's see much larger bag sizes. I didn't expect to see such a large assortment in premium. What's writing opinion here? So clearly there's a customer for premium.

[F]

Well, there's a, you know our job is to listen to our customer in the assortment. Obviously we, we know that we have a customer from all walks of life, whether you know, financial or just all throughout the different areas of the country.

[E]

We pulled into the parking lot, we saw a Porsche and a Cadillac parked in the parking lot.

[C]

That's the first thing Peter made me know.

[E]

I said this tells you that everybody wants to save.

[F]

Oh, absolutely. Saving. Saving goes across.

[A]

It's universal.

[E]

All income brackets.

[F]

Absolutely. And you know, and at the end of the day the brands that people want is what we're going to go after.

[C]

Yeah.

[F]

And then. But we still have to own the fact that we need to deliver value.

[C]

Yeah.

[F]

So it's not one or the other, it's both.

[E]

It's both fascinating.

[C]

You know, every time I walk in a Dollar General I learned something new. As we walk through this frozen refrigerated section back there. Now we're in the frozen section. I'm really impressed by a choice weaving of education. This corn is very important to me and I can see it's a great Selection right there across the board for me.

[E]

How, how does, so how does data drive your assortment decision for this? Like SRI mentioned, you know, I'm a veteran. He's not the only one. There are other people that are gluten free. How does that play into making sure that you've got the right coverage for your food to start?

[F]

It's very important. You know, we keeping a, you know, finger on the pulse of, of consumer needs is you have to have the data to do that. You know, we partner with Nielsen and other data sources. We partner with our supplier CBGs who have immense amounts of data to provide and insights and the collection of all those pieces really drive everything we do. You know, a great example we looked earlier about with all of the assortment over in the ambient space for drinks and energy drinks. But we also know that we play a part in that convenience.

[E]

Customer, immediate consumption.

[F]

Yeah, there's a customer that's off for lunch and needs to come in and get a quick bite and there's offers within here that they need to have a beverage that's cold, ready to go. So, you know, we, we know through our data that that is an important aspect of our story, something that we need to satisfy.

[C]

You mentioned partnership with Nielsen and is it a partnership where you just receive the data or they actually helping you with insights as well?

[F]

They help us quite a bit with insights, yes.

[C]

So you're reacting pretty dynamically in that case.

[F]

Absolutely.

[C]

Love the fear section here as well, the assortment. I'm just fascinated by how inviting these islands are.

[E]

And sree, we've talked a lot about frozen and how it provides, you know what I call the perimeter of the plate. Right. The sides, the dessert. Here we have a section that's clearly focused on the center of the plate. It's fresh protein.

[C]

Talk to us about the center of the plate, please.

[F]

Yeah. So in a market store, this is what you're really going to see that really pops out other than just expanded sets and assortments. But meat and produce offer is what you would find. And this is, this is our meat set you would find in, in most of our market locations. As you see, it's, it's got all of the key proteins. Right. So chicken, pork, beef grinds and versions within. We also carry sausage products. And one of the things we did last year was, you know, other than just the base proteins, you know, we see, we saw a demand for convenience.

[E]

Right.

[F]

Because some people go through the day what's for dinner. They don't know what I'm going to do for Dinner and Dollar General might be a stop on the way home. So we started to expand offers that are either fresh sides that accompany these products or versions of like the fajita chicken that's already cooked and prepared. So this is really more of equally as much of a meat offer as a. It's really a what's for dinner offer.

[C]

Now I'm tempted to ask you, after walking through many of these house, when can we expect more Dollar General U.S. markets in Southern California?

[E]

He's ready to go.

[F]

I'll let the market planning to.

[C]

You know, we need to save as well.

[E]

All right. So I'd be remiss if I didn't talk about get your fruits and vegetables and you got them here.

[F]

We do have them. This is our refrigerated portion. We have an ambient portion and a refrigerated portion of our fresh produce offer. And you know, I feel like a broken record. It's the segments that you would expect to find in the offer. Right.

[A]

The best of the best.

[E]

Strawberries, carrots, these grapes.

[F]

We know what the tops.

[E]

But you even have salads ready to go.

[C]

Ready.

[F]

And these products, you know, when you think about that convenience, you know what's for dinner tonight? You come in and within five minutes you can get a full array of the center of the plate, the sides and beverages all like that.

[C]

Time is money.

[F]

Absolutely. So really proud of this offer and how it's expanded. We are. We have over 7,000 stores right now that have produce.

[E]

Yep.

[F]

And that makes us the largest.

[E]

And you're ahead of plan on that, aren't you?

[F]

We're doing pretty well.

[C]

I want to do this again. So 7,000 stores, you have produce, which makes you the.

[F]

The nation's largest produce retailer per point of distribution, which we're very proud to say. And the expansion continues.

[E]

And you are. And you're ahead of schedule on that.

[F]

From what we understand, we're doing pretty well.

[E]

That's great.

[C]

Let's look at the ambient section of bone producers. So you carry vegetables here. You got the basics. Onions.

[E]

You can't be in produce if you don't have bananas.

[F]

That is correct. That's the critical. It's the key categories you'd expect. Tomatoes, bananas.

[E]

We have.

[F]

Varieties of onions. And then there's some convenience areas too. So if you need some charred garlic or you need some fruit squeeze, lemon, lime juice, there's little extras just to help make that convenient.

[E]

Part of an import. A important component of making the full meal.

[F]

Absolutely.

[E]

Yeah.

[C]

Again, Peter, my stark observation walking through is save time Yep. You want to get that pantry basket, quick load in.

[D]

Even a full pantry trip, you can.

[C]

Do it fast here. And two types of values.

[F]

Right.

[C]

Number one, the actual value, price points of that nature. But more important one, you can be in and out here, very convenience and still walk away. Is that fair to say, a full pantry truck?

[F]

Oh, absolutely.

[D]

Pantry pantry loaning.

[F]

Absolutely.

[C]

For the household. That's incredible.

[F]

Yeah.

[C]

What are we not.

[F]

And those tools that you keep shopping for, that's lifelong.

[E]

He likes his little micro screwdrivers.

[C]

It's not going to change at this point, general. But what I saw here, it can be so much more.

[F]

Absolutely. We're constantly evolving. You know, we were like I said before, we're always under construction and that's a good thing. The customer is always changing. We need to change with her. We meet her where she is and you know, whether it's a customer that just needs convenience on the way home or it's a customer that needs to stretch that dollar the best that she can, I think that we check the boxes for that and we strive to do that every day.

[C]

What do we not see?

[F]

Yeah, I think you can kind of come in and see some of our. Now we're going to the general non consumable areas.

[E]

Still seasonally focused. Everything you need for the holidays?

[F]

Well, you know, Dollar General's well known to surprise and delight consumers in the non consumable space. So whether it's holiday decor or just, you know, getting those things like the stocking stuffers or the things in the holidays. So as you go through, we're seasonally relevant. We have an amazing offer of home decor items that are right there in your face. Very easy, easy, welcoming. And then as you go through our aisles, all those Christmas and holiday needs that you'd be looking for, wrapping paper, all the ornaments, anything. And customers can trust us that we're going to have this offer every year.

[E]

This is the component of Dollar General historically that your consumers have come to know and expect and you've built integrity in terms of you're going to deliver them good quality at a good, good value.

[F]

Absolutely. And similar to other areas of the store, the value just shouts out, whether it's on your pre price, on packages, in display cartons, very easy to shop. And you know, you can come in meander and be surprised.

[E]

Dolly, that's a familiar name around these parts. Can you tell us about Dolly?

[F]

It's kind of a big deal in these parts. Yeah, kind of a big deal. You know, we're really excited about the partnerships that we have throughout our business. Dolly Parton has been a great partner at Dollar General. We've launched a lot of different brands and products under her brand. And as you see here, this is a whole home decor offer for the holidays. And obviously who doesn't love Dolly? So this has been a great partnership with her and we have a lot of partnerships with a lot of folks.

[E]

Alan Wark, this has been a great walk through of the store. You shared with us what the DG market is all about. The expanded food section, how it helps people not only with their non consumable products, but clearly the consumable products that lets them live their lives and does so with affordability being a key theme in in our lexicon this day. So Shereen, I want to thank you for taking time out of your day to walk us through the GG market.

[F]

Oh, we loved having you here and definitely come back and see us.

[E]

All right.

[C]

This was incredible. So thank you again for the store tour. I love to know you the person. How long have you been with Dollar General?

[F]

A little over three years now.

[C]

Three years. What were you doing prior to that?

[F]

I've been in the grocery retail business my whole life, since I was 14, stocking shelves at Shoppers Food Warehouse in Maryland where I'm from.

[C]

Peter's from retail. I'm from CPG, 30 years myself. What brought you to Dollar General?

[F]

I think more than anything it's the mission. I've always been a retailer that led from the heart, you know, being in various stores, seeing the impact that being a good, solid, dependable retailer in a community, the impact that has on families and the impact that has on the community. And that really is what Dollar General is about. That coupled with an amazing team, you know, from our executive team, from through our store operations team, everybody's marching at the same beat to do good and, and to try to help our customers. And you know, anytime you get to go to work and feel good about that, I think that's a win.

[A]

Have fun.

[E]

All right.

[C]

It's in your. There's a big quote right at the entrance to headquarters which talks about having fun.

[F]

Yeah.

[C]

Monday is all of values and developing.

[D]

A person by ensuring that they have.

[E]

Fun at what they do.

[C]

So I love to ask you about your leadership principles and we lap up here.

[F]

Sure. I believe that, you know, we all play a part a360 approach for, you know, our up and coming, you know, leaders in the business. We have to be students as much as teachers. There's a lot to learn. There's A lot to learn. And I kind of live my life by the golden rule with my, with, with myself and with my team. And, you know, we've all come up through the years and we've learned what great habits to have and what things we might not want to repeat.

[E]

Right.

[F]

And I just try to remember those things, remember where you come from and apply those and hopefully leave their lives as emerging leaders as well as the business that you're responsible for in a better spot when you're gone versus when you came in.

[C]

I'm fascinated by how welcoming and inviting the shops are. The assortment, the holiday assortment is incredible. It's pleasing, values, time saving. Thank you for doing this with us. We do appreciate it.

[F]

Oh, absolutely. All right.

[B]

Okay.

[E]

Sree.

[A]

What a solid conversation we had with Alan Wark walking through Dollar General's DG Market Store. It was about 15 minutes from corporate headquarters. What are your big takeaways from our store walk?

[D]

I'll tell you, man, I wasn't fully aware this journey was beginning when I was at General Mills. It's been a year and a half. They really wanted to move in fast and quick into fresh as well as truly expand their grocery assortment. Being a value player, you know, a lot of that basket was getting filled with beauty and personal care items and household cleaning items. Now they're offering a choice for the shopper who's in a hurry and needs convenience when in store. The one of the most important things Dollar General can offer you is that capability to be in and out pretty.

[C]

Quickly with a check, fast checkout experience.

[D]

And I think seeing the expansion and seeing the assortment which is actually available on the shelf was quite a pleasant surprise.

[C]

I didn't expect it.

[A]

Yeah, sri for me, what, what really resonated was the fact that DG Market appeals to everyone of every economic class. When we pulled into the parking lot, what did I notice? First, it wasn't the GT market. It was the fact that there was a Cadillac SUV and a Porsche sedan parked prominently in the lot. People of all economic conditions want to save money and the high quality of the product that was in the store makes it very appealing. Don't think that just because it's GG Market that you're not seeing big name brands and high quality products. It absolutely was there. So what a great experience. So grateful to again, Brooks Degeman from Corporate Comms for arranging this and Alan Wark from Merchandising for actually taking the time to walk the CPG guys through a very impressive store format. And I did enjoy taking my goodie bag home too. And sri, I forgot to mention we didn't talk about this, but Angela gave us some of the yellow sunglasses I gave my pet and this is one of their charity programs, but I gave one of my pairs to Nadia and she wore the glasses today to school. So I felt really happy about that. Sri, as always, thank you very much for joining me on this journey to our audience. Make sure you're following us and after you're on Apple or Spotify, make sure you leave us a rating. And of course follow us on YouTube, LinkedIn, on Instagram, on Facebook, and of course on TikTok, where Shree is now exceeding, what, 150,000 followers? Paparaj himself all right everybody, thanks again for joining us and we look forward to speaking. Thanks for joining us everyone. We look forward to speaking with you on the next episode of the CPGI's podcast. Goodbye.

[B]

The content in this podcast episode is provided for general informational purposes only. By listening to our episode, you understand that no information contained in this episode should be construed as advice from CPGuys LLC where the individual author, hosts, or guests, nor is it intended to be a substitute for research on any subject matter. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by CPGuys LLC. The views expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. The views expressed by CPGuys LLC do not represent the views of their employers or the entity they represent. CPTGuys LLC expressly disclaims any and all liability or responsibility for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, consequential or other damages arising out of any individual's use of, reference to, or inability to use this podcast or the information we present in this podcast.