The first new-look Albert Heijn to go is set to open today on Amsterdam’s Zuidplein. The renewed format focuses on immediate consumption, increasing the convenience aspect for the shopper on the go. The Albert Heijn to go combination of speedy service, delicious fresh produce, fine coffee and the buzz of energy about the place now cater even better to the customer’s requirements. This renovation also sets up the formula for the heady growth expected over the next few years.
Albert Heijn to go
Consumer behavior has been changing in recent years, with people so busy that they are more accustomed to eating on the go. It is becoming more normal for people to have not just their breakfast and coffee out of the house but even lunch and dinner, and what the consumer values in this situation is speed, freshness and a healthy product range. The new Albert Heijn to go format covers all these bases.
New product range
In the new Albert Heijn to go, customers will encounter an assortment of distinct quality, freshness and great healthy variety. A hundred new lines have been added, including fresh sandwiches, lunch salads, soups, fish-filled wrap snacks, snack vegetables, and complete hot meals such as green chicken curry. Customers can also go for the meal deals — changed for each of the day’s three meals, at a fixed price. The assortment is changed all day long to fit what customers want at that particular time of day, making it easy for them to pick out their choice quickly and ensuring there is always enough variety. That is what Albert Heijn to go’s target group needs: they are customers on the go who are often pressed for time in choosing which meal, snack or drink to buy.
New look
The new-look Albert Heijn to go focuses on immediate consumption, increasing the convenience aspect for the shopper on the go. To enhance this aspect, the store layout has also undergone a complete metamorphosis. The store feel has been energized by bringing in cheerful colors like magenta, orange, green and purple. Product packaging has also been reinvigorated and given a contemporary edge.
Mobile website
A mobile website at www.albertheijntogo.nl has been developed specially for shoppers at the new-look Albert Heijn to go, where customers will find information and special offers, and can offer their feedback on the store and its assortment. Albert Heijn to go will use these customer suggestions and remarks to help continue the development of its new format.
Aiming for growth
Ahold unveiled its growth plans for the Albert Heijn to go format at the end of last year; one of the ambitions is to open 150 new convenience stores in Europe in the next five years. The renewal of the Albert Heijn to go format is the first step to achieving this growth in the Netherlands and beyond. Various types of locations for branches are under consideration: city-center locations, places where commuters congregate, and outlets at organizations and major offices.