Small Format Fresh Supermarkets - Roche Bros and Ahold

Everyone is taking notice of the success we are seeing around the country with small format stores (Wal-Mart is onboard with this approach as is Target).  We have a couple of examples in the Boston area that are making news.

First up is the new Roche Bros. store in downtown Boston:

http://www.bostonglobe.com/lifestyle/food-dining/2015/04/23/roche-bros-unveils-downtown-store-former-filene-basement/

Here is a snippet from that piece:

Field trips and focus groups helped shape the menu of the new Roche Bros. at Downtown Crossing, a store that promises to be part traditional supermarket, part take-out food emporium.

The new two-level store, which will operate largely in space previously occupied by Filene’s Basement, will be the only market of its kind in the neighborhood. This is the second big supermarket to open in the city this year. Whole Foods Market unveiled a huge place in the former Boston Herald site in the South End, called the Ink Block project.

Next is news from Ahold on their move in this direction:

http://supermarketnews.com/small-format-supermarket/ahold-open-fresh-format-boston

Here is a snippet from that piece:

Ahold USA, which quietly opened an urban fresh format recently in Philadelphia, is doing the same in Boston, SN has learned.

A division of Ahold known as Fresh Formats LLC is advertising for employees for a new small-format fresh food store to be located in the Boston neighborhood of Allston. Want ads appearing online describe the venture as “a new Fresh Food market that is small in size but BIG on fresh, organic & value.”

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant