EasyJet founder Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou’s budget food store has been forced to close temporarily after less than two days as it has run out of stock.
EasyFoodstore closed yesterday afternoon (3 February) and is expected to reopen tomorrow morning (5 February) after it has restocked the shelves.
A spokesperson for easyFoodstore, in Park Royal, north-west London, told The Guardian: “The level of interest has been completely overwhelming. The last people through the door today had travelled up from Canterbury.
“We anticipated we had enough stock to last a couple of weeks but it has just gone in a day and a half.”
The retailer, which has the slogan, 'No expensive brands. Just food honestly priced', said it still plans to sell its items for 25p each throughout February as an introductory offer. Prices will then go up but are expected to remain very low.
Haji-Ioannou has stated that he wants the store to eventually pose a threat to the likes of Aldi and Lidl.
EasyFoodstore sells a range of just 76 grocery items including pasta, biscuits, and tins of fruit and vegetables. It does not sell fresh fruit and vegetables, though.
Haji-Ioannou first announced plans to open a discount food store in August 2013. A mock easyFoodstore was built in Croydon a year later, but the tycoon’s plans appeared to stall, with the first shop opening for customers this week. The store is intended to be a pilot for a chain.
Haji-Ioannou and his family still own about 35 per cent of easyJet, and are the biggest shareholders. He has already expanded the 'easy' brand into a string of other industries, creating easyCar, easyHotel, easyGym and easyProperty.
