Branding a private lane to growth

摘要

Founded in 1859 by George Huntington Hartford and George Gilman, The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Co. Inc. (A&P) started as a single store on Vesey St. in New York City, selling tea, coffee and spices at value prices. In 1880, the retailer claims that it introduced the first private-label product-a baking powder. By the 1920s, A&P had opened its own factory, packaging facility and bakery to support its Sunnyfield private-label bacon, butter, flour and cereal and Sultana private-label canned goods, peanut butter and jams.rnToday A&P is headquartered in Montvale, NJ, and operates 435 stores in eight U.S. states under the store banners of A&P, Waldbaum's, A&P Super Foodmart, The Food Emporium, Super Fresh Pathmark and Food Basics. The retailer reports annualized total sales volume of $9.5 billion for the 2008 fiscal year ending February 28, 2009.