Dollar General’s efforts to bring fresh produce to locations will continue into the new year, but at a slower pace compared to years prior.
Dollar General plans to begin selling fresh produce at approximately 300 more locations in 2025, bringing the total number of stores that have this offering to roughly 7,000, CEO Todd Vasos told investors during a Thursday earnings call.
From 2022 to 2023, Dollar General added produce to more than 1,800 stores, bringing the store count that offered fresh fruits and vegetables to more than 5,000 locations.
The addition of produce to roughly 300 more stores is part of a remodeling effort that includes expanding the cooler section, Vasos said. This remodel format is expected to roll out across more than 80% of Dollar General’s new stores next year, Vasos said.
Dollar General has ambitious store update plans in the new year. During the fiscal year 2025, the retailer aims to complete around 4,885 projects, including 575 store openings in the U.S. and 2,000 full remodels, Vasos said.
Dollar General is also introducing a new remodel initiative, Project Elevate, across 2,250 locations. Project Elevate is “incremental to our full remodel program,” Vasos said, noting the retailer is upgrading stores that are “not yet old enough to be part of the full remodel pipeline.” Stores undergoing Project Elevate will receive nearly all of the same assortment updates as full remodels except for the cooler expansion and the addition of produce.
Dollar General currently operates more than 20,000 stores across 48 states.
During the Q3 period that ended Nov. 1, the dollar retailer saw same-store sales increase 1.3%, “near the top end of our expectations for the quarter,” Vasos said in a statement. Dollar General also reported net sales bumped up 5% to $10.2 billion.
