Open Letter: Grandma Lucy’s Unveils Plans to Support Independent Retailers

Listen to this article

The following is a letter from Grandma Lucy’s co-owner Breann Shook to the company’s independent pet retail partners:

To Our Valued Independent Pet Retail Partners,

Grandma Lucy’s would like to thank you for all the support you have shown us over the last 19 years.

To this day, we remain a family owned and operated company and we would not be where we are today without our valued partners. In our changing retail environment, I believe both independent pet and Grandma Lucy’s are focused on the same goal. It is determining the steps to reach the goal that will take team work. For this reason, please find below some of the steps Grandma Lucy’s has taken to bring shoppers back to brick and mortar:

• Increased IMAP – After listening to our retail partners and distributors, effective October 1, Grandma Lucy’s will be increasing our IMAP to be 5 percent over our MSRP. We believe this will be the first step towards creating a competitive marketplace for our brick and mortar partners.
• No Subscribe & Save / Auto-Ship – Grandma Lucy’s has not and will not participate in these programs. We feel this gives an unfair advantage over brick and mortar retailers.
• No Additional Marketing Dollars to DotCom – This is another program we are continuously approached about by dotcom retailers. Grandma Lucy’s does not give dotcom any marketing dollars to push our brand through their marketing channels.
• No Inclusion in Direct to Consumer DotCom Mailings – Grandma Lucy’s has declined to do so and demanded that we are never included on any dotcom mailers and/or added in any of their marketing efforts.

Again, I believe that Grandma Lucy’s shares the same goal as many independent pet retailers to bring customers back to brick and mortar. I will make myself available to share in as many discussions as possible on how manufacturers and retailers can work together to make this happen. It is a big task that cannot be accomplished without the support of each other and working together. We look forward to your continued support and partnership to ensure the industry we know and love continues to thrive.

Many Thanks,

Breann Shook
Co-Owner
Grandma Lucy’s