Dillons Removing Boar’s Head From Salina Deli; Staff Cite Declining Sales
A notice posted at the store tells customers that Boar’s Head products will no longer be offered at the location and directs shoppers toward other deli meats and cheeses.
“Boar’s Head products will no longer be offered at this location,” the customer notice states. “We continue to provide a variety of high-quality deli meats and cheeses, including many customer favorites from our premium deli selection.”
A Dillons employee told Salina311 that declining sales were among the reasons for the decision. Staff also described Boar’s Head as a longstanding part of the store’s deli offerings.
The change is notable because Boar’s Head has been a familiar premium deli brand at Dillons for years rather than a temporary or seasonal product.
Private Selection replacing several products
A separate instruction sheet provided to store employees tells staff to recommend Kroger’s Private Selection products as comparable replacements once Boar’s Head is removed.
The list pairs eight popular Boar’s Head products with Private Selection alternatives, including Ovengold turkey, maple honey turkey, mesquite smoked turkey, cracked pepper turkey, SmokeMaster ham, maple honey ham, London broil roast beef and Golden Classic chicken.
For example, employees are directed to offer Private Selection Oven Roasted Turkey Breast in place of Boar’s Head Ovengold Turkey and Private Selection Angus Roast Beef as an alternative to Boar’s Head London Broil.
The customer notice also says employees can direct shoppers to another location nearby that continues to carry Boar’s Head.
Similar changes occurring elsewhere in Kroger
Dillons is owned by Kroger, and Salina is not the only market where the company has recently reduced Boar’s Head availability.
Kroger has confirmed that some stores elsewhere in the country have stopped restocking Boar’s Head products, although the brand remains available at other Kroger locations. National grocery-industry reports have raised supplier pricing as a possible factor, but Kroger has not publicly confirmed a single companywide reason for the Boar’s Head changes. (Inc.)
The broader shift comes as Kroger has publicly emphasized lower prices and greater use of its own private-label products as it competes with retailers including Walmart and Aldi. (Supermarket News)
That makes the Salina change part of a larger retail trend, although the explanation provided locally — declining sales — came directly from Dillons staff rather than a corporate announcement.
Change comes as shoppers watch grocery costs
The move also comes as Salina households continue to see noticeable price differences among local grocery stores.
Salina311 recently compared 10 everyday grocery staples at Aldi, Walmart and Dillons without using sale prices, coupons or loyalty discounts.
That comparison found a normalized basket costing $23.70 at Aldi, $25.17 at Walmart and $26.73 at Dillons. The largest differences were in products such as meat and milk, while several pantry products were separated by only a few cents. (Salina 311)
That comparison did not include premium deli meat, and it was not designed to measure Boar’s Head sales. But it provides additional context for a grocery market in which consumers are increasingly comparing prices across stores and retailers are placing greater emphasis on store-brand alternatives.
For customers accustomed to ordering Boar’s Head at Dillons, however, the result is straightforward: a brand that has occupied the local deli counter for years is being removed, with Private Selection positioned as its primary replacement.
