Times, They Are A-Changing
Celebrating 60 years of feeding Hawaii, Times Supermarkets still has that local feel, but with a new and modern look. That’s basically how Times Supermarkets wants to be perceived in this community. As it celebrates its 60th anniversary, it’s a time to reflect on the ways this kamaaina business has upheld those values.
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This is a story about specials and being special.
That’s basically how Times Supermarkets wants to be perceived in this community. As it celebrates its 60th anniversary, it’s a time to reflect on the ways this kamaaina business has upheld those values.
Can a rock-steady philosophy of being a no-nonsense neighborhood grocery store carry it into the new era of ever-growing competition, fickle consumers and sophisticated retail technology? Does humbleness and folksy customer service cut it in today’s fast-paced, increasingly impersonal society? Has Times set itself apart enough to sustain a brand and customer loyalty for another six decades?
Best way to answer those questions is to grab a shopping list and go to a Times Supermarket to experience the truth.
So we did.
If you haven’t been to a Times Supermarket recently, the first thing you notice is modernization. In some cases, major remodeling has taken place, like at the Waimalu, Beretania, Kaimuki and Kunia stores. In other cases, there’s updated décor, like at the Koolau, Kahala, Kaneohe and Aiea stores, according to Bob Stout, senior director of retail operations.
At the flagship Times-Beretania, a reinvented produce section greets you with a retail landscape of fresh fruits and vegetables. With products arranged in crates and baskets, it is reminiscent of roadside farm stalls and a simpler time when food went directly from field to table.
“Typically in a store arrangement, you want to lead with produce,” says Randy Slentz, Times senior director of marketing and merchandising. “You want to establish freshness. If the produce is fresh when you walk in, that says, hey, this store is on top of things.
“Times has the most complimented produce in town,” he adds. “That’s not marketing hype. This is what our shoppers tell us.”
People might think produce is the same everywhere - until they buy a bad piece of fruit.
“If it’s not something we’d be proud to take home, we don’t put it out there for our shoppers,” says James De Jesus, director of produce.
Times’ company philosophy is to be the neighborhood store, according to Slentz, who started his career as a grocery clerk. Its “come shop with a friend” slogan reminds shoppers and employees that Times has been Hawaii’s local grocery store since 1949.
Established by Wallace and Albert Teruya, the sons of Okinawan immigrants, Times’ first store was a 6,000-square-foot location near McCully Street. The company grew in the post-World War II boom to become the state’s third-largest local grocery store.
Times got its name from the former Times Grill on Kapiolani Boulevard, owned by the Teruya brothers during the early 1940s.
Today Times has 12 supermarket locations on Oahu, two Fujioka’s Wine Times stores, and Shima’s Country Market in Waimanalo. The Times operation also includes 12 pharmacies and a network of 1,100 employees.
The supermarket chain was acquired in 2002 by PAQ Inc., a Stockton corporation that operates Food4Less and Rancho San Miguel markets in Northern California.
With the buying power of its Mainland owner, Times cut prices on 6,000 grocery items and prides itself in “everyday low prices” or “EDLP,” as it’s known in the business.
Times loyal customers know to look for yellow tags for EDLP items and a blue tag for advertised specials with even more savings. And of course there are specials advertised in Times’ MidWeek inserts.
“Our customers really shop those yellow tags in our stores,” Slentz says. “It’s something they’ve come to recognize and trust. We don’t play gimmicks with those tags. If it says savings, it’s a real savings.
“Our 60th anniversary celebration will be to help Oahu families who are trying to save right now,”
Slentz adds. “We will put our marketing dollars into pricing so more people can benefit.
“In order to grow market share within our stores, we have to be relevant to consumers. That means focusing on what we do well and what is most meaningful to our shoppers.”
Industry observers note that Times has gone through a transition over the years. More than a half century ago, it was considered the most modern of food centers in Hawaii. After a period of growth and prosperity, it reached a plateau 15 years ago and didn’t change very much after that. Stepping into a Times Supermarket was a bit like stepping back in time, it was reported. It lost its progressive edge, and new competition in town led to stagnating sales.
With the change in ownership seven years ago, it started moving again. Former Times president Roger Godfrey, now retired, led PAQ’s efforts to bring Times into the realm of modern grocery stores with specialty departments.
The acquisition of Lyle Fujioka’s Wine Merchant business in 2004 was instrumental in upgrading the quality of wine selections and varietals at the markets.
“We are able to buy imported and domestic wines that are sometimes exclusive to Hawaii,” Slentz says. “The key thing is we have people who are experts at tasting and judging wine. They work hard to find wines with excellent price and value.”
Another triumph for Times is its upgrade to Sterling Silver Premium Meats, introduced four years ago. The hand-selected, fresh beef and pork cuts have a reputation for exceptional flavor, tenderness and juiciness.
Sterling Silver is graded Prime or Choice/AAA and is in the top 12 percent of all beef. It is grain-fed in the high plains of North America and known for superior marbling that creates a rich, authentic beef flavor, according to Gerald Hayne, director of meat operations.
The premium grade beef was first offered as outdoor grilled steaks, and the response was “terrific.”
That led to the explosion of Taste of Times prepared meals and deli offerings.
Weekly plate lunch specials starting at $5.99 with a drink are offered between 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. at various locations.
Matt Holmes, director of kitchen operations, has introduced tasty meals as Sterling Silver Top Sirloin Steak, Baked Italian Salmon, Orange Sesame Chicken and Garlic Shrimp - perfect for busy moms with a hungry brood waiting at home.
One thing that doesn’t have a place on its shelves is complacency.
Fully realizing that shoppers vote with their dollars, Times is constantly tracking consumer trends and preferences.
“There are more than 50,000 new items introduced in the grocery industry every year,” Slentz tells us. “We watch the movement of items in the store constantly. Ultimately, the shopper decides what we carry.”
The growth of new categories such as organic products will be driven more by producers than retailers, he claims. It is a growing but still relatively small segment of the business.
“Private labels will con-
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