<body><div>Progressive Grocer talks with merchandising exec about how retailer is touting itself as a destination for seasonal food and beverages<figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=1PZMUM_0wPTguTV00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=1PZMUM_0wPTguTV00" width="1440" height="958" ><figcaption>John Conlin, SVP of merchandising, food and beverage at Target</figcaption></figure>Shoppers may be guided by tradition when it comes to Thanksgiving meals, but Target Corp. is striving to change up some of their pre-holiday shopping habits. The mass retailer is touting itself as a destination for seasonal food and beverages, promoting a Thanksgiving meal deal priced at $20 and $5 less than last year’s offering.Given ongoing consumer concerns about higher food costs, Target is sharing a variety of ways that shoppers can buy affordable Thanksgiving essentials, including sides and desserts under $5 and turkey for $0.79 a pound. As part of its runup to the Nov. 28 holiday, the retailer is highlighting its own Good &amp; Gather brand of frozen turkeys and russet potatoes.Progressive Grocer recently spoke with John Conlin, SVP of merchandising, food and beverage at Target, about how Good &amp; Gather is central to this year’s gatherings, along with the retailer’s other plans for helping its customer celebrate the annual repast.Progressive Grocer: How is Target aiming to be a destination for Thanksgiving meals as well as other nonfood items, such as napkins, decor, etc.? John Conlin: Let me start by saying that seasons are where Target shines brightest, and our cross-category assortment plays a huge role in that. This season, Target is offering an assortment full of affordable joy that makes it easy for consumers to celebrate, and not only during Thanksgiving, but for all the celebratory moments across the season. It’s no secret that food and entertaining go hand-in-hand, and Target is the best one-stop-shop for all of shoppers’ Thanksgiving needs at an incredible value. For example, this year, we’re offering our Good &amp; Gather turkey at an extremely competitive price, just $0.79 per pound which 20% less per pound than last year. We’re also offering many hosting and gift-giving options to make entertaining easy all season long. We are also prioritizing delivering incredible value across our assortment and our Thanksgiving meal is a great example of that – it is $5 less than last year and feeds a family of four for just under $20. Plus, we’re making it easier than ever to shop for Thanksgiving and the holidays. With Target Circle 360, members can have all the makings of their Thanksgiving meal delivered straight to their door the same day they place their order, freeing up time for family and other holiday activities. PG: How has your ongoing strength in food and beverage encouraged shoppers to visit Target for all their holiday needs, perhaps instead of cross-shopping at other channels and stores?JC: Food and beverage plays a central role in ensuring our guests can turn to Target for all of their wants and needs. Evolving from simply selling food to celebrating food, we deliver value and inspiration to our guests during everyday trips, seasonal shopping visits and everything in between. What sets us apart from other grocers and retailers is our assortment. We are curators who bring together products our guests will love and ones they are inspired by. With 700 new food, beverage and entertaining items, Target is the one-stop-shop for consumers’ everyday trips, seasonal shopping visits, and everything in between. I am so impressed with what the team is cooking up across our assortment for both Thanksgiving and the entire holiday season. From entertaining options, like the first-ever Good &amp; Gather charcuterie party tray for just $11.99, as well as sides like Good &amp; Gather Dips that make hosting easy – we have it all. We are also bringing Marks &amp; Spencer’s premium gift offerings back starting the first week of November, which makes for a great host or hostess gift. New this year, we’re introducing home items like London-themed ornaments and mugs. <figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=3e0fix_0wPTguTV00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=3e0fix_0wPTguTV00" width="1440" height="1920" ><figcaption>Belts may tighten after the Thanksgiving meal, but Target is offering a deal for consumers tightening their budget belt ahead of time.</figcaption></figure>PG: What makes the Good &amp; Gather turkey an appealing choice for Thanksgiving? JC: We know affordability is top of mind for shoppers this season. To help families stretch their budgets, we’re offering our Good &amp; Gather turkey at just $0.79 per pound. That’s 20% lower per pound than last year and the lowest price per pound since 2020. While turkey may be the center of the Thanksgiving dinner for many, we’re also bringing back our popular Thanksgiving meal, featuring our Good &amp; Gather turkey, stuffing and five additional items to help shoppers prep and feed four for $20, which is $5 less than last year. PG: Do you see people shopping earlier for Thanksgiving this year, given concerns about price/budget and on-shelf availability, based on recent supply chain issues in the news?JC: Consumers are ready for one of the most exciting times of the year, which is why we're leaning into the magic of ‘Tarzhay’ like never before — with an assortment, value, and experience only Target can deliver. When it comes to food and beverage, we continue to see excitement around our seasonal and holiday offerings and typically see shoppers visit Target in the days leading up to Thanksgiving to get everything they need to celebrate, like their turkey. In fact, we sold more than 25 million pounds of turkey in the five days leading up to Thanksgiving last year. Beyond the Thanksgiving meal, we know that Thanksgiving Eve is one of the most popular days of the year for frozen pizza as families prep for the food holiday. In response to that and new this year, Target will offer shoppers who place a Target Circle 360 order in the week leading up to Thanksgiving a free frozen pizza with their order from Nov. 13-16. We’ve also reduced regular prices on more than 2,000 items across owned and national brands this holiday season, including food, beverage, everyday essentials and more. PG: For a while it seemed like Thanksgiving was kind of sandwiched between the big retail holidays of Halloween and Christmas. Is Thanksgiving staying top of mind and why do you think it's a much-loved and celebrated holiday in the U.S.?JC: We know Thanksgiving is an important moment in our guests’ lives, bringing families and friends together around the table – it is very much top of mind. Shoppers loved our Thanksgiving Meal last year, and we’re looking forward to bringing back the meal and additional new value options, including a $0.79 per pound turkey and sides at highly competitive price points. We’re making it easy for families to shop for everything they need for a traditional Thanksgiving dinner. Plus, they can discover new and exciting entertaining options to serve their meal on, like our new, exclusive Thanksgiving collection with John Derian, which just launched on Oct. 13. PG: Finally, do you have any family-favorite recipes on your own Thanksgiving table?JC: Everyone in the Conlin family has a sweet tooth. I am personally looking forward to trying our new Favorite Day pies. Beyond that, we’re looking forward to using the Good &amp; Gather russet potatoes from this year’s meal to make mashed potatoes topped with plenty of butter.</div></body>

Mountain View, CA

NewsBreak

EXCLUSIVE: Target Shares Thanksgiving Marketing Strategy

Progressive Grocer talks with merchandising exec about how retailer is touting itself as a destination for seasonal food and beverages. Shoppers may be guided by tradition when it comes to Thanksgiving meals, but Target Corp. is striving to change up some of their pre-holiday shopping habits. The mass retailer is touting itself as a destination for seasonal food and beverages, promoting a Thanksgiving meal deal priced at $20 and $5 less than last year’s offering.