What everyone has been waiting for: Tesco’s US Roll Out Follows Two Years of Research

[Trompe le Monde 1,107]

This prototype store is apparently in Santa Monica though I have yet to find it

Tesco’s US Roll Out Follows Two Years of Research June 26 2007

Following a two-year research programme which has seen Tesco’s US CEO Tim Mason and his team invest thousands of hours investigating the needs of the American consumer, the supermarket giant will be launching its Fresh & Easy stores in the US by the autumn.

Preparation has included hiring researchers to examine the fridge contents and lifestyles of 60 American families; building a prototype store in a Los Angeles warehouse and flying people in from San Francisco, Las Vegas and Phoenix to test new ideas and products there; and encouraging HQ staff to try out different products each week to hone and refine the product range.

The retailer has given serious attention to studying typical American shoppers. For starters, Mason says, ‘We literally went into their kitchens and looked in their refrigerators.’ The team also conducted research to examine the Hispanic consumer market to ensure an ethnic range of brand products will be on offer at competitive prices.

One of the major findings has been that consumers who have always visited a variety of different stores to buy their groceries are now demanding a one-stop shop for all their purchases. Mason added: ‘Based on our research, we are confident our stores will be a hit in every neighborhood we open in.’

The new chain will aim to provide shoppers with a ‘neighbourhood market’ shopping experience offering about 3,000 products, focusing on fresh meat, vegetables, packaged goods, wine and beer. Products will be split half and half between Tesco own-brand and other companies’ products.

Mason said that most importantly the format will be fresh, saying: ‘It is an American store designed for American consumers.’ He added that Tesco will not match Wal-Mart's rock bottom pricing strategy, but will instead be somewhere in the middle, offering what he describes as 'good value'.

Tesco is planning to invest £250 million a year in up to 100 site openings; with 50 sites launched by the end of February 2008, and the creation of more than 2,500 jobs within a year. Seven sites in the San Diego area have already been secured and additional locations are being researched. The firm says that it expects the venture to break even in two years. The web site is at www.freshandeasy.com .

In the UK, latest supermarket share figures from TNS Worldpanel show Tesco secured 31.6% of all grocery spend in the 12 weeks to June 17, but with lower percentage growth rates than Asda and Sainsbury’s. Tesco operates more than 2,800 stores across 12 countries and employs more than 370,000 people. Its corporate web site is at www.tescocorporate.com .

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[no name 1]

:dance:

The website is all flashy. Wonder when? We can divide the streets up & FIND IT!

[Mags 112]

Well, as long as they add high fructose corn syrup to all of their products I'm sure they'll do well over here.

[no name 1]

Well, as long as they add high fructose corn syrup to all of their products I'm sure they'll do well over here.

Looks like it won't be!

In particular, our own fresh&easyTM line of products will have no added trans fat and no artificial colors or flavors.

[featherB 1]

HCFS.... grrrr.

As for Tesco... the burning issue is, will they sell Twiglets? That's what I want to know. I want Twiglets.

Not that there will be a Tesco here in Ohio 'til about 2048, I'm sure (if at all), but still...

[no name 1]

As for Tesco... the burning issue is, will they sell Twiglets? That's what I want to know. I want Twiglets.

Not that there will be a Tesco here in Ohio 'til about 2048, I'm sure (if at all), but still...

Jungle Jim's has Twiglets (for like $5 a bag, but still).

[featherB 1]

As for Tesco... the burning issue is, will they sell Twiglets? That's what I want to know. I want Twiglets.

Not that there will be a Tesco here in Ohio 'til about 2048, I'm sure (if at all), but still...

Jungle Jim's has Twiglets (for like $5 a bag, but still).

Ooh! Thanks (you might have told me that before, actually, come to think of it - my memory is a bit rubbish)... we're yet to make it to Jungle Jim's, but I was looking at their website the other day and generally going 'canwegotherecanwecanwecanwecanwe????' like some annoying kid, so... hmm, a trip to Jungle Jim's must definitely be made if there are Twiglets to be had. I think C. was swayed by the fact that they apparently have approximately 50 billion different kinds of hot sauce available, so shouldn't take too much convincing!

[Mags 112]

Well, as long as they add high fructose corn syrup to all of their products I'm sure they'll do well over here.

Looks like it won't be!

In particular, our own fresh&easyTM line of products will have no added trans fat and no artificial colors or flavors.

Fingers crossed. I was saying to hubby only today that finally, after about 6 months, the sweetness in food is really getting to me. I'm going to have to make a concerted effort to do more stuff from scratch (already do quite a bit).

HCFS.... grrrr.

As for Tesco... the burning issue is, will they sell Twiglets? That's what I want to know. I want Twiglets.

Not that there will be a Tesco here in Ohio 'til about 2048, I'm sure (if at all), but still...

I remember Twiglets....such a distant memory now...

[featherB 1]

HCFS.... grrrr.

As for Tesco... the burning issue is, will they sell Twiglets? That's what I want to know. I want Twiglets.

Not that there will be a Tesco here in Ohio 'til about 2048, I'm sure (if at all), but still...

I remember Twiglets....such a distant memory now...

If I don't get hold of some soon, I might have to get some of those mini pretzel stick things and dip them in Marmite. I'm sure that will be, um, 'similar'.... (Actually, it's just today I want Twiglets, it's not as though I've spent the past two months pining for them, you understand! Proper bread, on the other hand... and curry... damn, I am missing those things!)

[cheeky^Wolf 0]

*hiding my Twiglet stash from featherB*

I stocked up when I was over!

[Uzume 0]

HCFS.... grrrr.

As for Tesco... the burning issue is, will they sell Twiglets? That's what I want to know. I want Twiglets.

Not that there will be a Tesco here in Ohio 'til about 2048, I'm sure (if at all), but still...

I remember Twiglets....such a distant memory now...

If I don't get hold of some soon, I might have to get some of those mini pretzel stick things and dip them in Marmite. I'm sure that will be, um, 'similar'.... (Actually, it's just today I want Twiglets, it's not as though I've spent the past two months pining for them, you understand! Proper bread, on the other hand... and curry... damn, I am missing those things!)

Ohhhh... please stop.... you are naming all the things I am going to miss like mad!! *sigh*

[featherB 1]

*hiding my Twiglet stash from featherB*

I stocked up when I was over!

Muahahahaha... I will sniff those Twiglets out, I tell you!

(And *sigh*... I really want a bacon sandwich for breakfast. A nice local branch of Tesco sounds like heaven right about now!)

[featherB 1]

HCFS.... grrrr.

As for Tesco... the burning issue is, will they sell Twiglets? That's what I want to know. I want Twiglets.

Not that there will be a Tesco here in Ohio 'til about 2048, I'm sure (if at all), but still...

I remember Twiglets....such a distant memory now...

If I don't get hold of some soon, I might have to get some of those mini pretzel stick things and dip them in Marmite. I'm sure that will be, um, 'similar'.... (Actually, it's just today I want Twiglets, it's not as though I've spent the past two months pining for them, you understand! Proper bread, on the other hand... and curry... damn, I am missing those things!)

Ohhhh... please stop.... you are naming all the things I am going to miss like mad!! *sigh*

On the bright side... at least you have a cast-iron excuse for working your way through as many of those things as you possibly can while you can still get them easily. That's got to be a good thing!

[Dr_LHA 3]

I wonder how many (if any) products the USA Tescos will be bringing over from the UK. Could be none. From their description it sounds like they are going into direct competition with Trader Joes to me, rather than the big supermarkets.

[Trompe le Monde 1,107]

I figure either that or as a competitor to Whole Foods. Either way, they will probably first turn up in affluent urban areas where there is already a pretty good selection, and the choice out in the boondocks will remain rather dire.