Dive Brief:

• Bashas', a grocery store chain primarily located in Arizona, has launched a six-month advertising campaign “Better@Bashas’” to spotlight fresh items, including scratch-made doughnuts, baked bread, freshly ground beef and produce from farmers in Arizona.
• During the campaign, the grocer plans to have celebratory elements, including a giveaway, for each of its highlighted products, Ashley Shick, spokesperson for the grocer, wrote in an email.
• The campaign is celebrating why Bashas’ is unique as the grocer looks to refresh its brand ahead of its 90th anniversary next year, Shick said.

Dive Insight:

The “Better@Bashas’” campaign kicked off on Monday with a doughnut giveaway. The grocery takes pride in its doughnuts, which are made from scratch at stores and available in 59 flavors and varieties. The grocer has pointed to its scratch baking of doughnuts and other bakery items as a key differentiator, allowing for greater customization, more experimentation with flavors and better quality. 

The integrated broadcast and digital media campaign aims to remind shoppers of its “better groceries at a better value,” while showcasing its unique offerings. Shick said the initial campaign concept was developed internally. “The concept was used as a central element in our advertising agency review process, where we selected the right local agency partner to expand on and execute the campaign,” she wrote in an email. 

Many grocers are placing more emphasis on their fresh products. Some, like Schnuck Markets and Sprouts Farmers Market, are opening alternative formats focused on fresh. Grocers are seeing the fresh perimeter rebound, with it bringing in almost 32% of sales in the first half of 2021, according to a Food Industry Association report. Meanwhile, health and safety concerns coupled with supply chain issues are giving local products a boost, NielsenIQ found last year.

Bashas’ is also using the campaign to link its local produce and history as a local business. For example, a sign in the produce department says “Local like us” in the advertising spot. Earlier this year, the grocer teamed up with Forager, a technology company that links retailers with local food suppliers, to make it easier to work with local brands. 

The campaign also reaffirms Bashas’ strong Arizona identity as it comes under new ownership. Earlier this month, Raley's signed a definitive agreement to acquire Bashas’ Family of Stores, and the transaction is expected to close by the end of this year. Bashas’ will continue to run its existing banners and maintain its corporate headquarters, more than 100 stores and distribution center in Arizona.