Safeway 2006 Annual Report Download - page 6

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Outlook
Safeway made solid progress in 2006. We continued
to gain market share in the supermarket channel and
achieved strong operating and financial results. We
believe this is further evidence that our growth
strategy is working. To drive growth going forward,
we will continue to innovate throughout our core
business, keeping our offering fresh and relevant to our
customers while providing them a unique, memorable
shopping experience.
In addition, we will continue seeking innovative ways to
drive future growth outside of our core business. We are
gratified with the progress made by Blackhawk Network,
a Safeway subsidiary that is the largest provider of third-
party gift cards in North America. At year-end 2006,
the network comprised more than 60,000 storefronts
in the U.S. and Canada. As more cards are added to
the network and it expands in the United Kingdom and
beyond, we believe there will be strong growth for years
to come.
On the following pages, we touch on some of the ways
we are bringing more to the table. These key elements
of our strategy are designed to set us apart from the
competition and generate profitable sales growth. Each
element is focused on the consumer, because customer
satisfaction is the driving force behind everything we do
at Safeway.
In closing, I want to thank each of our 207,000 employees,
all of whom have contributed to our success. A lot of
hard work has gone into improving our business. With
the continued support of the entire Safeway team, I’m
confident your company has a promising outlook for
2007 and beyond.
Steven A. Burd
Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer
February 26, 2007