Dollar General reaches critical milestone
Dollar General continues to strengthen its grocery offerings.
The discounter said it has surpassed its latest milestone, and is now offering fresh produce in more than 5,000 stores across the country. The stores carry the top-20 produce items typically sold in traditional grocery stores, which cover approximately 80% of the produce categories most grocery stores traditionally provide. The curated assortment of fresh fruits and vegetables includes tomatoes, onions, apples, strawberries, potatoes, sweet potatoes, lemons, limes, salad mixes and more.
Dollar General’s goal to reach 10,000 stores with fresh produce was first announced in 2021. (Last summer, the chain expanded its Clover Valley private label brand, debuting more than 100 new items in 2023, including produce.)
“We are constantly looking for ways to better serve our customers and one of our top priorities is to ensure the communities we call home have access to fresh, affordable, and convenient food options,” said Emily Taylor, executive vice president and chief merchandising officer at Dollar General. “We have exceeded our goal of having 5,000 total stores with fresh produce by January 2024. We’re proud to leverage our footprint to meet the need for healthy food options in more communities than any other retailer across the U.S.”
The retailer’s produce initiative aims to serve small communities that rely on their local Dollar General — approximately 80% of its stores serve communities of 20,000 people or fewer.
The company announced it recently invested in a partnership with Shelf Engine, an AI company providing retailers with technology to improve perishable food forecasting and ordering. Dollar General said the partnership process to optimize in-stock produce levels, helping automate the ordering process while providing customers with the freshest food possible.
As of Nov. 3, 2023, Dollar General operates 19,726 Dollar General, DG Market, DGX and pOpshelf stores across the U.S. and Mi Súper Dollar General stores in Mexico.