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NEWS COLES OPENS ITS MOST SUSTAINABLE SUPERMARKET Coles has opened the newest store in its Coles Local format in Melbourne’s Hawthorn. laimed to be the most sustainable Coles supermarket in Australia, Coles Local Hawthorn is just the third example of the new supermarket format that is said to be tailored specifically to the needs of local customers. Addressing sustainability, Coles Local Hawthorn features free recycled customer carry boxes in place of bags, a dedicated ecofriendly product section, a zero-edible-food-waste policy, reduced plastic packaging on fresh products and energy efficient doors on fridges. Additionally, team member uniforms are claimed to be made from 65 per cent recycled bottles. The store’s product range, selected to match the needs of local shoppers, includes products from 80 specialty local growers, bakers, producers and cafes, such as Melbourne cake and pastry maker Brunetti (after the COVID-19 pandemic forced the closure of its outlets). Brunettis owner Yuri Angele is pleased to be partnering with Coles to offer an expanded range of sweets and pastries for customers. “We’re very excited to be partnering exclusively with Coles Local to offer a range of artisan desserts, and we’re very appreciative of the support received by them,” he said. “Brunetti has been heavily impacted by COVID-19 with a 90 per cent reduction in our revenue. We’ve had to make some significant adjustments to our manufacturing capacities. Previously, Brunetti relied solely on its retail stores to generate income and this is the first time that we’ve pivoted our retail strategy to sell our products outside of our stores.” Coles Local Hawthorn features an “expanded convenience offering”, including an “extensive vegan and vegetarian range”, Japanese mochi ice-cream, self-serve “barista-quality” coffee from DC Specialty Coffee Roasters, a cinema-style candy bar and more than 350 lunch and dinner options that customers can prepare “in 30 minutes or less”. In addition, options for self-serve also extend to pets, with frozen pet food ice-cream. This offering is said to be a supermarket first. Meeting the demands of millennials Located next to Swinburne University’s Hawthorn campus, the store is promoted as having been tailored to the needs of the local customer base, which includes a high proportion of millennials. Coles customer research shows that millennials seek out food retailers that are both convenient and sustainable, and shop more regularly than customers from older demographics. Coles Local Hawthorn’s self-scanning checkouts are claimed to be the first at a Coles supermarket to accept only card payments, reducing time spent at the checkouts. Creating convenience Coles Group CEO Steven Cain says the store has been designed to offer locals the most convenient end-to-end shopping experience possible. “The smaller Coles Local format is designed to inspire customers and provide quality food through an in-store experience specifically tailored to the local community,” he said. “We’ve delivered an offer that makes life easier for customers, allowing them to move through the store efficiently, to get the ideal meal solution for their breakfast, lunch or dinner. “We’re committed to becoming Australia’s most sustainable supermarket, and this store in Melbourne is at the forefront of our strategy to achieve this.” Keeping it local Coles Local Hawthorn will employ 110 new team members with 88 per cent of the new team members living locally (within five kilometres of the store). Customers will also notice a “distinctly Hawthorn feel” when they walk down Glenferrie Road, with two murals from Melbourne-based designer Justine McAllister paying homage to local Hawthorn “icons”, including the Hawthorn Football Club. More stores to come Coles Local stores, according to the retailer, have proven to be a hit with customers. The company is now planning to roll the format out to NSW, with Sydney’s first Coles Local supermarket expected to open in Rose Bay this month. 8 RETAIL WORLD MAY, 2020