Fresh & Easy Store Big on Convenience

New York, Tesco’s first Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market, which opened without fanfare last week in Hemet, Calif., a small town 75 miles southeast of Los Angeles, is heavy on convenience and features a warehouse-store ambience, with exposed ceilings and products displayed on shelves in cut-open boxes, according to various reports.

Although the approximately 10,000-sq.-ft.-store carries some branded product, the Fresh & Easy private label dominates the mix. The exclusive brand is represented in nearly every major category including produce, meat, prepared meals, juice, coffee and mixed nuts. Signage throughout the store calls attention to Fresh & Easy as an organic and eco-friendly retailer.

In line with the store’s convenience orientation, all of the produce, with the exception of bananas, is packed and displayed in recyclable plastic containers. Prepared foods include sushi, salads, soups, sandwiches and heat-and-eat dinner entrees, plus a few hot items.

The store has no service departments, and all the cash register lanes are self-checkout.