Sainsbury’s brings new format store to the market
Sainsbury’s has relaunched its Hempstead Valley supermarket in Kent as a next generation new format store.
Spanning 62,000 sqaure feet, the shop features the retailer’s first Sainsbury’s Fresh Food Market and a new-look café and food-to-go hub. The retailer has also installed a self-service patisserie counter, takeaway hot food bar and pizza counter, and has transformed the store’s beauty department and clothing and home section.
The adjacent Sainsbury’s petrol station has also been redeveloped to enable it to offer more on-the-go ranges and home essentials such as cleaning products and toiletries.
Sainsbury’s said in October that it would pilot its new Fresh Food Market in the Kent shop and, if successful, would look to roll it out to more stores. The retailer said it has been delighted with customer feedback on the new food hall format and will begin a trial across more stores in 2021. The format is a market-style presentation of fresh fruit and vegetables and has a focus on seasonality and British food.
Speaking of the new store, Sainsbury’s property director Patrick Dunne said: “We have completed an extraordinary amount of work to improve the product and service experience for our local customers and we know the changes we have made will be enjoyed for many years to come. We will also use many of the learnings throughout the phases of work, together with the ongoing feedback from our customers and colleagues on our changes, to help us as we continue to invest in our stores.
“We’re investing in our stores because we want our stores to be a hub of inspiration to help our customers create the plate of food that best serves them and their family.”
