Safeway (Australia)

Infobox_Company
name = Safeway Supermarkets

type = Subsidiary
slogan = The Fresh Food People
foundation = 1963
location_city = Sydney
location_country =
AUS
key_people = Michael Luscombe, CEO
num_employees =
industry = Retail
revenue =
parent = Woolworths Limited
homepage = [http://www.woolworths.com.au/ www.woolworths.com.au]

Safeway is the trading name used by Woolworths Limited until 2008 for its supermarkets in Victoria, Australia. Elsewhere in Australia the trading name was simply Woolworths supermarkets. In August 2008, Woolworths announced it would be discontinuing the "Safeway" name, rebranding Victorian stores as "Woolworths". [cite web|Publisher=The Age, Melbourne|date=2008-08-21|accessdate=2008-08-21| title=Woolies shelves Safeway brand|url=http://www.theage.com.au/national/woolies-shelves-safeway-brand-20080820-3ywj.html]

Beginnings

US company Safeway Inc. entered the Australian grocery market in 1963 with the purchase of three Pratt supermarkets. Bill Pratt had taken over Pratt's Store in Frankston, Victoria in 1946 and was a pioneer of self-service and supermarkets in the 1950s. Pratt caught the eye of Safeway Inc. Bill Pratt took the helm of Australian Safeway in 1967. [cite book|title=My Safeway Story: Making it Happen|author=Bill Pratt|date=2006|publisher=Brolga Publishing]

The subsidiary Safeway Australia was created, and by 1985 the chain had grown to 126 supermarkets trading under the Safeway banner across Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland. Safeway's stores in New South Wales were branded "Red S" because Safeway contravened a registered trademark of another supermarket called Saveway. The distribution centre located in Wellington Road, Mulgrave, Victoria formerly housed Safeway's head office.

Acquisition by Woolworths

In 1985 Australia's second largest supermarket operator Woolworths Limited successfully acquired Safeway Inc. Australian interests. In the agreement Woolworths Limited acquired all Safeway stores and the naming rights in exchange for a 19.99% interest in Woolworths Limited (which has since been sold). This transaction pushed the group’s grocery market share above ColesFact|date=August 2007, giving Woolworths Limited the title of Australia’s largest supermarket operator (which it still holds to this day).

Safeway stores in New South Wales and Queensland were re-branded as Woolworths Supermarkets. However Safeway stores in Victoria retained their name, and all Victorian Woolworths stores were transferred to the Safeway banner. Mr. J.W.R. Pratt, Chairman and Managing Director of Australian Safeway Stores and Mr. P.A. Magowan, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Safeway Stores Inc (USA) were also appointed to the Woolworths Board.

In 1987 Woolworths and Safeway Supermarkets launched “The Fresh Food People” campaign, adopting a uniform company logo and marketing strategy, which are still in use today 20 years later.

Use of Safeway brand

From Woolworths' takeover of Australian Safeway in 1985 until 2008 Safeway remained as the brand name used by Woolworths Supermarkets in Victoria (aside from two in Mildura) as well as the border town of Albury in NSW. During the 1980s and 1990s the Mildura stores moved from Woolworths to Safeway and back again, while the Karingal Woolworths store remained so until the late 1990s. The brand also followed Woolworths Supermarkets' progression into liquor trading as Safeway Liquor, and into petrol trading as Caltex Safeway.

Despite displaying Safeway above the doors, stores contain Woolworths branded private label products.

As of 2008 there were 189 Safeway-branded supermarkets in Victoria.

Rebranding of Safeway to Woolworths

On 22 August 2008, Woolworths announced it was launching a new identity for all its supermarkets and plans to replace the Safeway brand in Victoria, in order to unite all of its supermarkets under one common brand 'Woolworths'.cite web|publisher=Woolworths Limited|title=Farewell to Safeway. Welcome to Woolworths.|date=2008-08-22|accessdate=2008-08-23|url=http://www.woolworths.com.au/resources/safeway+supermarkets+rebranding+to+woolworths.pdf]

The logo, which had been in use for 21 years, was replaced with a brand image with a new green tinted icon representing the 'W' in Woolworths with the addition of a stylised leaf to suggest fresh produce. It is also reminiscent of a 1970s Woolworths logo. However, the company's slogan, "The Fresh Food People", which is known throughout Australia, remains as a key part of the new logo. [cite web|publisher=Woolworths Limited|title=Woolworths launches new look after 21 years|date=2008-08-22| accessdate=2008-08-23|url=http://www.woolworths.com.au/resources/woolworths+launches+new+look+after+21+years.pdf]

Woolworths indicated that Safeway supermarkets at Camberwell and Preston would be among the first to be re-branded. The company said it could take up to five years to rebrand all Safeway stores to the Woolworths names.Fact|date=August 2008

References