Coles has unveiled its first convenience-focused supermarket in Glen Waverley, Melbourne. The new ‘store of the future’ format caters to increasing consumer demand for easy meal options including prepared ingredients and ready meals.
Coles customer research found 50 per cent of shoppers didn’t have time to cook from scratch, and 33 per cent could not say at 5pm what they would be having for dinner that night.
Coles GM for store development, Jon Haggett said: “Customers have told us what they want – it has to be fresh, it has to be quick and it has to be great quality.”
The store offers an expanded range of ready-made convenience options and prepared meals, including the cooked by Curtis range of seasoned mince, ready-to-cook meats and seafood, and Coles branded pre-cut vegetables and salads. (Celebrity chef Curtis Stone officially opened the store earlier this week.)
It includes “everything from an on-the-go breakfast like an acai pot with banana and oat, to prepared meals from our new Coles Local brand and Youfoodz that can help you put dinner on the table in minutes,” Haggett said.
The concept was trialed in Sydney and marked the beginning of the company's investment in store developments.
In June, CEO Steven Cain announced 75 supermarkets would be renovated in 2020, up from the 50 this year but using four formats to cater to different demographics and shopping needs. Cain says up to 40 per cent of floor space would be allocated to local customer needs and its online range would double to 40,000 products (Food & Drink Business, 21/06/2019).
The Glen Shopping Centre includes an expanded range of Asian foods including Chan’s Yum Cha meals, Marion’s Kitchen cooking kits and King of Kings Bao and Noodles.
Other features that were popular in customer trials include a fresh pasta bar, DIY pizza station, desserts from Mark’s Cakes and a self-serve bread slicer that makes short work of the store’s range of gourmet stone-baked breads from Melbourne supplier Laurent Boillon.
The store also has:
- Open-style meat counter with a qualified butcher;
- Pick & mix tomatoes and mini capsicums;
- Gourmet deli with self-serve olive bar and expanded cheese selection;
- Scoop & Weigh with a range of coffee beans, nuts, dried fruits, and chocolates;
- and loose leaf herbal teas, ranging from golden chai to a calming blend of chamomile, lemon and lavender.
As part of the refurbishment, Coles created more than 20 new local retail jobs, with 10 new team members starting their first job ever.
