Price Chopper introduces a new concept grocery store

By Kathy Feist

This morning Cosentino’s Price Chopper celebrated the opening of its new concept grocery store, one that sells goods at 10% above wholesale cost. 

Should the concept do well, there could be more in the future, according to owner John Cosentino.

ChopMore!, formerly Cosentino’s Price Chopper, opened Tuesday at 8700 E. 63rd St. in Raytown to much fanfare– a swarm of media, the Cosentino corporate staff, Raytown Chamber of Commerce and several unsuspecting shoppers.  

“We’re really excited,” said Cosentino prior to cutting the ceremonial ribbon. “It’s a new chapter, a new idea. We had to make some operational changes to pass our savings to our customers. But we really are going to be saving the customer a lot of money out the door.”

Unlike traditional supermarkets, a cost-plus store operates under a straightforward, no-frills approach. At ChopMore! items throughout the store are priced at cost, with 10 percent added at the checkout to cover operating overhead. The new approach provides customers with price transparency. 

Cosentino spent more than a year studying the unique grocery model found in other markets and found that cost-plus was a proven game-changer for independent retailers. “It will empower our local, family-owned stores to go head-to-head with giant national big-box retailers.”

“AWG is proud to partner with Cosentino Food Stores on this exciting venture, and we will continue investing in solutions that help independent retailers grow, innovate and succeed,” stated Dan Funk, president and CEO of Associated Wholesale Grocers. 

The Raytown store opened in the Brywood Shopping Center in 1980 as a Thriftway before rebranding as a Price Chopper in 1985. 

“Bringing ChopMore! to this site is deeply personal for me because this location is where I began. This is the place where I first worked in the industry,” said Cosentino. “Our family has been serving this community out of this location for nearly 50 years and we wanted to try something different. You have to listen to your customers and these customers want more value.”

ChopMore! will hold a second celebration on October 31 when the parking lot will be filled with family fun activities.