Mixing convenience and speciality goods, Coles supermarkets’ newest concept store Coles Local opened today 13 November.
The supermarket runs at around half the size of a typical Coles outlet and sources a mix of goods from local and international producers. Coles CEO, Steve Cain said it will be focused on high-quality products designed to meet the needs of its surrounding community.
The outlet will sell only 100 per cent Australian-grown fresh fruit and vegetables and be the first Coles-run store in Australia to package convenience meals and pre-prepared fruit and vegetables under the Coles Local brand.
A resident chef will be on-hand at the “Foodie Hub” to offer product samples, advice, and recipes for shoppers to try at home. Complementing him are a handful of floor staff to help busy customers find what they need.
In line with its zero-edible-food-waste policy, the store has installed a ‘food digester’ which uses water and microbes to process inedible waste into a by-product that can be sent to the local waste water treatment plant. It will also feature a closed-loop water system on in-store refrigeration.
“We’re here to be part of Surrey Hills. Our customers have told us that they want to shop in a sustainable store that reduces food waste and helps the local community,” said Cain.
The company said it will be listening carefully to customer feedback on the Surrey Hills store as it seeks to roll out smaller format stores in the coming years.
