New Retail Concepts:
Store-based
Origin’O – health and wellness convenience store
NBO/Operator:
Craenendonck NV, Belgium
Description:
Health & wellness convenience store specialising in
naturally healthy and mainly organic food
Launch date and location:
May 2006
Louvain, Belgium
USPs:
Offers healthy, fresh and packaged food in a trendy
environment. Products aimed at breakfast are in the
entrance area and are followed by bread, cheese,
vegetarian snacks and ready meals.
Potential:
Origin’O could successfully attract wealthy young
consumers, particularly in areas such as university towns.
Eden Teva Market- organic hypermarket
NBO/Operator:
Blue Square Israel Ltd, Israel
Description:
Hypermarket specialising in organic and
health and wellness products
Launch date and location:
June 2007, Poleg Industrial Zone
USPs:
Largest retailer specialising in organic and
bio products in Israel
Potential:
In line with the rising health and
wellness trend
Benefits from the growing popularity of
health-oriented products among Israeli
consumers
ThreeSixty – supermarket for the health conscious
NBO/Operator:
Dairy Farm International, Hong Kong
Description:
First organic supermarket
Launch date and location:
Insert photo
December 2006, Landmark Central,
Hong Kong
USPs:
Offers a large range of organic food
products, cosmetics and toiletries and
environmentally-friendly household
products. Experts in naturopathic
and homeopathic medicine stationed in the Wellness Centre to provide free advice
on health supplements and beauty products.
Potential:
A second outlet opened in Oct 2007, with a third planned for 2008. Targets a niche
market, attractive to a higher-income group but is likely to move into the mainstream
in view of growing health awareness. Jusco and ParknShop supermarkets are also
introducing organic sections to cater for the growing demand.
Marjane – fairtrade in hypermarkets
NBO/Operator:
Group ONA, Morocco
Description:
Marjane Hypermarket: offers fairtrade
products and products made by prison
inmates
Not
Launch date and location:
June 2007, Morocco
USPs:
Fairtrade products section in hypermarket,
with a share of profits given to less privileged
farmers. Display of products made by prison
detainees – funds to help in their
resettlement after release.
Potential:
Marjane chain grew in popularity following these initiatives. Other
supermarket chains such as Label Vie have followed in its footsteps.
Happily - convenience store for women
NBO/Operator:
am/pm Japan Co Ltd
Description:
Convenience store with products
specifically tailored to women
Launch date and location:
December 2005
Tokyo, Japan
USPs:
Staffed only by women
Powder room furnished with a dressing table
Offers wide range of skin care products and dietary supplements
Potential:
Targets a high-spending demographic
Strong potential in largest cities in developed markets
Nutradia – convenience store for diabetics
NBO/Operator:
Diabeticom, Belgium
Description:
Health and wellness convenience store
for diabetics
Launch date and location:
April 2006
Brussels, Belgium
Insert photo
USPs:
Offers a complete range of high-quality health and wellness ‘for food
intolerance’ packaged food for diabetics but also people suffering from obesity.
All saleswomen are dieticians and thus advise customers with professionalism.
Potential:
Although it is set to remain a market niche, Nutradia should benefit from the
growing incidence of diabetes II in Belgium, with 8% of the population already
diagnosed as diabetic. In addition, the Nutridia brand is already being
distributed by other shops (eg Delhaize).
Kidfresh – convenience store for kids
NBO/Operator:
Kidfresh Inc, US
Description:
Health and wellness convenience store
for children
Launch date and location:
January 2007
Manhattan, New York, US
USPs:
Sells healthy ready meals made in
conjunction with paediatric nutritionist
Offers additional services: cooking classes
and story times
Potential:
Will remain niche, not likely to move into mainstream grocery retailing.
Could be converted into a children’s corner in outlets offering similar
assortment for adults eg Wholefoods Market.
Just Married Centre – shopping mall for engaged
couples
NBO/Operator:
Immogrinvest Kft, Hungary
Description:
Shopping mall where one can buy
everything for weddings
Launch date and location:
Spring 2009, Biatorbágy, Hungary
USPs:
Located near Budapest, the centre will be 40,000 sqm, including 200 shops and
restaurants, banks, a playground for children, party rooms etc. All goods and
services needed for a wedding will be available in an exclusive environment.
Target group is engaged couples and relatives, as well as friends invited to a
wedding. Seasonally changing rental fees for tenants.
Potential:
The population in the immediate catchment area (less than 15 minutes journey) is
about 2 million. Future development depends on the composition of outlets, offered
goods, services and their price level.
Volg – mobile village store
NBO/Operator:
Volg Konsumwaren AG, Switzerland
Description:
Village grocery store on wheels
Launch date and location:
June 2007, Switzerland
USPs:
Present in rural areas where there are
no shops. Convenient, particularly in
areas with a high proportion of elderly
customers, as the store comes to its
customers. Offers limited product
assortment of 450 products at standard
Volg prices.
Insert photo
Potential:
Higher consumer potential than in normal stores – the investment is about the
same for a store and the mobile version.
Good potential in rural areas, but not in cities.
Passabene – self scanning
NBO/Operator:
Coop Schweiz, Switzerland
Description:
Self-scanning option –
to be rolled out to Coop stores
all over Switzerland
Insert photo
Launch date and location:
June 2007, Wankdorf
USPs:
No more queuing at the cash desk
Timesaving self-service
The use of self-scanning is
limited to holders of a loyalty
card
Potential:
Matches increasingly hectic lifestyles of Swiss consumers
Cost saving from the retailer’s point of view
Helps strengthen the customer-retailer relationship and gather information about
consumer habits
Tesco Fresh & Easy – self-operated checkouts
NBO/Operator:
Fresh and Easy Neighbourhood
Markets Inc (owned by Tesco PLC), US
Description:
New, smaller supermarket format
includes 100% self-operated checkouts
and a number of
health/environmentally- friendly
measures
Launch date and location:
November 1, Hemet, California, US.
USPs:
Smaller format than normal US supermarkets, high proportion of ready meals,
checkouts 100% self-operated. Own brand foods include no artificial additives or
colours and no added trans fats. Solar-powered distribution centre.
Potential:
Tesco sees major development potential within the US market, with consumers
responding well to the new format that the Fresh & Easy brand has unveiled after
extensive testing. Possibility that elements such as self-operated checkouts may
not appeal to consumers looking for a more personal approach.
Tesco Poland – talking trolleys
NBO/Operator:
Tesco Polska Sp zoo
Description:
Tesco shopping carts have an
integrated audio system, activated
by infrared sensors
Launch date and location:
June 2007, Tesco Krakow, Poland
USPs:
Carts play advertisements for
particular products as the customer
passes the shelf
Potential:
The advertisement reaches the customer at the most appropriate time – while
choosing the product. This is an advantage for manufacturers and distributors
as a new marketing form and eases choice for customers.
As there are lots of ads all around, this could be annoying for the customer,
especially when he/she simply passes the product, without the intention to buy.
New Retail Concepts:
Non-Store
Casa Mediashopping – TV shopping
NBO/Operator:
Media Shopping SpA, Italy
Description:
TV shopping in sitcom format combining
shopping and entertainment. Broadcast
daily on Mediaset channel 4
Launch date and location:
January 2006
USPs:
First tv shopping formatted as part of a
real half-hour sitcom. The story is set in a
flat share and focuses on the actors’/tv sellers’ friendships and daily life. Products
are promoted by being used as part of the scene within the sitcom. Products
include general household care products, furniture, cosmetics, clothes …
Potential:
Strengths - customers become familiar with the idea after a few episodes; viewers
appreciate the sitcom shopping/entertainment mix, and prefer this to other
conventional and less enjoyable TV shopping formats.
Weaknesses - targets mainly pensioners and housewives; the first group could
find this innovative format misleading.
Just Fries – French Fries vending machine
NBO/Operator:
Prolave, France
Description:
Vending machine located on the high street, offering a
portion of freshly cooked French fries for €2 and in 2
minutes, with a selection of sauces, salt and napkin
Launch date and location:
Valenciennes (Northern France) in September 2007
USPs:
The only vending machine to sell products cooked on
demand. Available 24/7 for on-the-go consumption. Just
Fries stresses the quality of the fries, with high-quality oil
and frozen potatoes, and a new cooking process enabling
rapidity and great taste without odours.
Photo: sent by Prolave for the presentation
Potential:
Great buzz around this machine in terms of media coverage. Appeals especially to
young consumers because of its convenience and quality. Prolave aims to install a
machine in every region in France.
Another concept, Just Tapas, is in development and should be launched in 2008.
Datart – mobile payment terminals
NBO/Operator:
DATART International, Czech Republic
Description:
Mobile payment terminals
Launch date and location:
June 2007, Prague, Brno
USPs:
Offers its customers the option to order via
the internet but pay with credit card on
delivery by mobile payment terminal
installed in delivery vans.
Potential:
This solution improves the perceived security of card payment
and has increased on-line shopping business.
Arome – packaged fresh cut fruit vending
NBO/Operator:
Dure CS, South Korea
Description:
Packaged fresh-cut fruits from a vending machine
Launch date and location:
Launched 2nd half 2006; located in South Korean
sports centres, saunas, rest stops, educational
institutions, tourist resorts, etc
USPs:
For Won1,000-2,000, consumers can select packaged
fresh fruits ranging from cherry tomatoes and apples
to oranges and kiwi fruit from a vending machine;
disposable utensils are included. The vending
operation has a refrigeration plant and well-planned
logistics so that the fruits are kept fresh at the ideal
temperature of 4-5°C.
Potential:
As Korean consumers increasingly focus on wellbeing and
health, fruit vending machines can be successful, given
the convenience they provide, and the fact that they
offer a healthy alternative to products such as
carbonated beverages or confectionery.
Retailing via Second Life
NBO/Operator:
Linden Labs, US
Description:
Retailers are offering sales of their
virtual “products” to Second Life
users for their residents.
Launch date and location:
Gained prominence late-05/early-06
USPs:
Users of Second Life are purchasing, Source: americanapparel.net
with actual money traded into “Linden Dollars”. Mainstream retailers along with
outside entrepreneurs are looking to cash in.
Potential:
Big names include adidas, Sony, Coldwell Banker, Toyota, & Circuit City. Linden
Labs CEO: “There are more than $1.3 million per day worth of interpersonal
transactions.” Not verified, but likely only a small portion for retail merchants.
Some, such as American Apparel (above), have already decided that the
Second Life phenomenon is over, and have left the site.
Healthcare For You – OTC vending machine
NBO/Operator:
Shanghai No. 1 Pharmacy Co Ltd,
China
Description:
OTC healthcare vending machine
Launch date and location:
March 2007
Shanghai metro, China
USPs:
Has direct phone link to doctor for
help. Provides wide range of OTC drugs.
Can be used in Chinese, Japanese or
English.
Potential:
Quick and easy way to get basic OTC
healthcare products
Convenient for office workers
Too expensive for most Chinese consumers
Comjoin – water vending machine
NBO/Operator:
Beijing Comjoin Water Vending Machine Co Ltd, China
Description:
Water vending machine providing filtered water at
RMB4 for a 8.9-litre barrel but requiring
consumers to bring their own containers
Launch date and location:
Late 2004, Beijing, China
USPs:
Located in residential areas, easy to purchase
Consumers can purchase however much they want
The water is filtrated by eight processes
Much cheaper than packaged water
Potential:
Rapidly increasing in terms of market coverage by attracting individual franchisers
due to the cheap cost of the machine at only RMB8,500 per unit.
Market is currently unregulated, there may be a need for increased regulatory control.
Need for further education on health and safety aspects of selling water via
vending machines.