Tesco confident in Fresh & Easy format

SAN DIEGO Tesco today outlined its plans for its Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market stores in San Diego. According to the company, Tesco has secured seven sites in the area and is researching additional locations. The markets are being touted as smaller than the average supermarket, giving consumers a faster, easier shopping experience. In addition to San Diego, the company will open Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market stores throughout Southern California and in Phoenix and Las Vegas.

In preparation for its U.S. debut, Tesco said it used extensive customer research in local U.S. markets combined with the learnings from Tesco's highly innovative Express format which it operates in more than 1,000 stores in seven countries, to come up witht the right store format.

"We literally went into their kitchens and looked in their refrigerators," said Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market ceo, Tim Mason. "Based on our research, we are confident our stores will be a hit in every neighborhood we open in."