Transforming our stores
Front Cover Contents Chairman’s statement Chief Executive’s review Best at fresh > Transforming our stores >> Café Fresco >> St Katharine Docks Product and price Best at availability A cleaner, safer environment Best at customer service The Board of Directors Financial review Downloads		Our staff have been trained to sell in a theatrical and fun way, Jason Davis one of our Hot Wok chefs prepares an exotic dish.         The results of all of our work on store formats are exemplified by our store at St Katharine Docks, in Wapping, which we re-opened last December. The store is in the heart of the developing docklands business centre and is relatively small at 17,000 square feet. Demographically the catchment area is mixed, with a big lunch-time trade. We decided to develop this trade and provide a convenience offer for the commuter population while retaining the loyalty of local residents by continuing to fulfil the top-up supermarket role.
			The store is divided into four zones – “Fresh to Go”, Personal Indulgence, Everyday Essentials and Browser – each with its own ambience and feel. – “Fresh to Go” occupies 25% of the store area and offers a unique combination of retailing and catering. The Hot Wok bar offers a choice of more than 150 dishes which can be stir-fried in minutes. Recipes have been gathered from China, Singapore, Burma, Japan and Thailand. The Pasta counter has an extensive range of freshly made pasta and sauces which can be served hot or cold. The Hot Rôtisserie offers a great selection of cooked chickens and a great selection of breaded chicken using our chef’s own recipes. Fresh pizza is cooked in an authentic stone baked oven. The Pre-Order Sandwich Bar offers a range of six breads and 20 fillings, plus a choice of quality coffees. Customers can pre-order by e-mail or fax for speedy collection. The Patisserie has an exceptional selection of cakes and pastries made by the best patisserie chefs in the country, while the Bakery offers our extensive “Breads of the World” range. – Personal Indulgence includes the Wine Cellar, which has been renamed and re-designed to resemble a traditional wine cellar. It has a domed ceiling in dark wood and deep terracotta-coloured floor tiles. The wine range has been considerably extended, with an emphasis on fine wines. Leading on from the Wine Cellar we come to Health and Beauty, with the same curved ceiling but with lighter wood panelling and floor tiles. The range now includes more indulgence products such as bath oils, hair conditioners and convenience products. – The Everyday Essentials and Browser areas contain the familiar ranges of ambient groceries, chilled fresh foods, produce and non-foods. In St Katharine Docks and other smaller stores we have created a feeling of range breadth by removing duplicated lines and some pack sizes to allow an extension of ranges elsewhere. We have also increased the range by raising the height of our top shelves. This has enabled us to introduce 600 new lines at St Katharine Docks. Since re-opening, like-for-like sales have grown strongly, and combined with the richer sales mix being achieved, the store is delivering excellent results.
			Habib Ahmed, one of our pizza chefs in action.
			A new look in the South East We learned many lessons from the experience of refitting St Katharine Docks, which we immediately put to work in a challenging project which started in January and finished in early April. This was the complete refitting of a further 51 stores in London and the South East, applying many of the ideas successfully tested at St Katharine Docks. One of these stores – at Lewes, Sussex – was refitted earlier in the year due to extensive flood damage. Three London stores – Ealing, Hammersmith and Blackheath – were finished in January and the rest completed by April. Using dynamic new methods pioneered at St Katharine Docks, stores have been encouraged to develop their customer service and selling skills and create “retailtainment”. New staff uniforms communicate a more relaxed, informal and engaging message to customers. Many of these stores are achieving double digit sales growth following their relaunch.
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