Photography by I. George Bilyk
With three locations in Philadelphia, specialty food retailer Di Bruno Bros., headed to the suburbs to open its fourth store at the Ardmore Farmers Market at Suburban Square last March. While the four specialty food stores sell the same products, each has a distinct clientele.
In fact, each store has a different demographic, so each location has some autonomy to tweak its product mix to meet the needs of its shoppers, explains Emilio Mignucci, the company’s vice president of culinary pioneering. At the same time, the retailer is working to centralize its purchasing and create a product approval procedure for its stores.
At Ardmore, the customer mindset is focused on having the best, and customers will oftentimes gravitate to the most expensive item on the shelf because they equate, despite the staff showing them a full range of products, the most expensive item as superior. At Ninth Street location, consumers are more financially conservative. The store’s diverse clientele, which includes the twenty- and thirty-something hipsters as well as a more senior demographic, is watching its spending, Emilio explains. The Comcast Center location, which is a popular lunch destination, is well stocked with grab-and-go foods and also caters to commuters.
“Everybody from college students to the successful business man, we show the value,” explains Emilio.
Chainwide, cheese is the No. 1 seller, and prepared foods are a big part of the Di Bruno’s retail business. Di Bruno Bros. sells prepared foods at Ardmore, Comcast and Chestnut Street locations.
No matter where the store is located, for Di Bruno Bros., the goal is to expand its business while coexisting with diverse vendors, explains Billy Mignucci Jr., the company president, pictured right. In fact, the Ardmore location is right across the street from Trader Joe’s.
When asked why they opened directly across from the value-priced retailer, Billy cites Di Bruno Bros.’ customer-service focused and knowledgeable staff and their different product offering that includes specialty foods from local companies and U.S. producers, Europe, South America, North Africa and Asia.
“Danny (their grandfather) taught us it is not productive to spend a lot of time worrying about competition,” Billy says. “They come to Di Bruno Bros. because they want to come. We have a brand where people say, ‘I want to go there, not I have to go.’”
During the recession, some retailers have expanded their selection of lower-priced items to pique the interest of frugal consumers. Not Di Bruno Bros. “We’re not going to start selling something because it is cheaper. You’ve got to stand by your mission,” stresses Emilio.
Case in point: The retailer sells Parmigiano Reggiano from Giorgio Cravero, who has been the stores sampling his product and meeting staff and customers. It is a few dollars more than other Parmigiano Reggianos on the market, explains Emilio, but Di Bruno Bros. is sticking with it because of the superior quality, taste and relationship with the producer.
Future plans
In April, Di Bruno Bros. will move into a 12,000-square-foot commercial kitchen, which is under construction. Currently, the prepared foods are all made on the second level of the Chestnut Street store.
“Once the commercial kitchen is open, it will help grow our business,” Billy says. “We can take on more opportunities.” The retailer already has a thriving wholesale division.
After the commercial kitchen is up and running, one idea is to use the Chestnut Street kitchen, which has an adjacent sit-down dining area, to host a pop-up restaurant.
Throughout the growth and evolution of the family-owned company, the leadership of the company is very much inspired by the first generation that started it all 72 years ago.
Billy says, “I know Danny would be proud of what we’re doing here."
