Fruit and vegetables have long been regarded by the multiples as the flagship products when it comes to attracting customers, exemplified by their prime position in many stores.
Morrisons is already well known for its Market Street image throughout the chain’s 440 or so branches, with sales equating to around 15-16 per cent of retail produce sales overall. It has also succeeded in raising the perception of its range and high quality, which is now becoming apparent in several of its new and refurbished stores.
A glimpse of things to come started to emerge last year with Morrisons’ ‘fresh lab’ format at its Kirkstall store. The concept places emphasis on fresh products and includes elements of retail theatre, like fresh produce displayed on ice. Further refurbishments are on the cards, although Morrisons has not yet revealed how many branches will continue to undergo this transformation.
In Surrey, deep in the heart of the commuter belt at Woking, some of those concepts are being rolled out. Certainly there is a new sense of space in store. Apart from improved lighting, all produce signage has been redesigned in black and green, and kept to display level, providing an unbroken view of this whole central section.
There are 11 island sites, bordered by long runs of shelving that collectively carry a vastly-increased range. On average there will be 130 new lines in the Morrisons stores of the future, which is about 20-30 per cent increase.
Particular care has been paid to identification, particularly valid for some of the lesser-known ethnic lines or new varieties that continue to come forward. As well as a mass of easily read information on taste and cooking tips, signage makes sourcing instantly identifiable with the use of national flags.
Recent examples of new arrivals are Italian-sourced truffles, speciality mushrooms, fresh coconuts, Sicilian aubergines and Dutch pigeon tomatoes, as well as an ever-widening range of exotics. “Morrisons has a heritage of being great at selling fresh food,” says Andrew Garton, head of produce. “We want to build upon this and create a genuinely different retail experience for our customers.
“There has been continual innovation and experimentation to create a new model for selling fresh food. In our Fresh Market, we have expanded the number of lines, giving our customers a greater variety of choice, seasonality and freshness. The response has been enthusiastic.”
What is particularly eye-catching is the instalment of specially designed ice beds changed daily, and the use of fine water vapour blown over salads and vegetables enhancing their freshness - systems up to now more normally associated with US produce retailing. -
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