A&P plays up premium, artisan offerings
HOLMDEL, N.J. —A&P continues to expand gourmet products and departments in its Fresh stores as it seeks to position itself as the food lover’s supermarket of the Middle Atlantic.
The supermarket operator is preparing to expand its line of Premium Gold Angus beef into ground, complementing a ground kobe beef offering, and is rolling out the new Fulton Fish Market seafood program in new and refurbished stores, including one that opened earlier this month in here. The new store also furthers a Starbucks Cafes launch at A&P, which opened its first licensed unit in November 2007 at a Fort Lee, N.J., supermarket.
Holmdel operates somewhat of a Starbucks upgrade. The Fort Lee store offered a Starbucks kiosk with a small nearby seating area at the entrance of the store. The Starbucks at Holmdel is placed in its own alcove off the entrance, and even features a fireplace in the seating area.
Holmdel also is helping to roll out the chain’s new whole grain artisan bread line, done with Ace Bakeries. “We do a lot of sampling with Ace,” said store manager Gary Buegler. Given the bakery effort to offer something for every taste, from organic bread to buttery croissants to truffles to sophisticated fondant cakes, it’s no surprise A&P wants to get customers involved. The Holmdel store offers a first for A&P bakeries: elaborate cupcakes in the shape of fantastic animals as an attraction for children in an otherwise adult-oriented section.
Among the fresh seasonal seafood products that are provided under the Fulton Fish Market program—which taps the expertise of the famous New York wholesale operation and is merchandised in the specially developed Joe’s Market seafood case—are Alaskan salmon, red snapper, tuna and swordfish steaks. Product in the program, initiated just weeks ago, is delivered daily and, in fact, Buegler noted during a store visit that, if he places an order by 11 a.m., he gets delivery later that day. Further bolstering Holmdel’s seafood credentials is the store’s licensed sushi operation, which features a chef who prepares food in store.
Not every Holmdel upgrade is about edibles. Its floral department was expanded and came on line just as A&P was adding potted orchids to the product mix. Additionally, floral is adjacent to a test of giftware under the Russ brand.
The store also offers the first consulting room at any pharmacy in the A&P chain, part of an increasingly elaborate health and wellness campaign the retailer offers. Then again, everything is getting more elaborate at A&P.