Pick n Pay reveals new premium flagship store design - its blueprint for the future

Pick n Pay founder Raymond Ackerman and store manager Bertie Carstens cut the ribbon at the Pick n Pay Waterstone opening. Store: Supplied

This follows the announcement earlier this year that Pick n Pay would be organised into two brands under its new Ekuseni strategy. Pick n Pay QualiSave was launched in August, and is dedicated to customers who want Pick n Pay quality at exceptional prices.

Pick n Pay is accelerating its refurbishment programme, and the company aims to have fully revamped 130 Pick n Pay and QualiSave stores by February 2023.

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A premium customer experience

The rejuventated Pick n Pay format is designed to delight more affluent customers with a premium experience, providing "unbeatable quality, freshness and innovation" across a range of 18,000 products, the retailer said in a statement.

Customers enter the store to an array of seasonal fruit and fresh produce, with exclusive products such as seedless passion watermelons. Source: Supplied

In developing the new Waterstone flagship store, which took over three months to renovate, the Pick n Pay team worked closely with a top design house to produce a more modern and premium experience.

All stores boast a new coffee bar, and customers are welcomed with an abundance of fresh fruit and vegetables, creative and curated product displays and spacious aisles.

The Roastery coffee bar is operated by trained baristas. The coffee experience is complemented with freshly squeezed and pressed juice, smoothies and baked goods. Source: Supplied

The retailer has expanded its partnership with Can-Agri, a local producer that uses vertical farming to produce organic and free of pesticides leaf vegetables. The Waterstone store has a smaller vertical farm to show customers how Can-Agri grows its produce using this innovative sustainable farming solution, and the customer can buy this produce too.

Customers can see their leaf vegetables grow and then buy them att eh in-store vertical farm. Source: Supplied

These Pick n Pay branded premium stores are now the home of the company’s new premium private label, Crafted Collection by PnP, with more innovation expected to launch in the coming months.

A Treats corner showcases a display of sweet treats and snacks, with an expanded Crafted collection confectionary range on offer.

Sweet delights in the treats corner. Source: Supplied

Most of the signage in the store has been converted to digital screens, and there is an interactive screen to help customers pair their wine with the extensive cheese selection on offer.

The wine alcove also has a virtual wine experience with a 1m x 1 m screen that shows tailor-made videos by local wineries. Source: Supplied

New equipment in the store, such as the most energy-efficient refrigeration plants and lighting, will see the store reduce its energy usage by around 30%.

Selected Faithful to Nature natural health supplements, healthy food and snacks, and beauty products are being stocked at selected stores to complete Pick n Pay’s growing Live Well health range.

Faithful to Nature products extend Pick n Pay's Live Well health range. Source: Supplied

To match the premium experience, all store staff have undergone intensive training, and this extends to hiring the services of industry experts. A South African cheese guru is training the in-store cheese mongers to become experts on its range of over 500 local and international cheeses.

Pick n Pay will become the first retailer to stock Puglia Branded products in the formal retail sector. The deli is stocked with speciality cold meats, which are prepacked and sliced on request ensuring freshness and quality.

An extensive variety of local and international cheeses are on offer, including the “best mozzarella south of Italy”. Source: Supplied

Revamps driving double-digit growth

Pick n Pay CEO, Pieter Boone, commented: "We are very excited to reveal this impressive, revamped store. Our Waterstone store is the new look for our Pick n Pay stores and stands as a blueprint for what customers can expect. These revamped stores will fulfill our customers' aspirations for an incredible in-store experience, complete with high-quality products to match their exact needs, at affordable prices.

"Our investment in staff training also means our customer service levels will match our new and improved store experience."

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He added, "We announced our Ekuseni project in May following months of extensive research with our customers. They were clear on what they expected of us and how we needed to provide what was relevant to them. Our net promoter scores in our revamped stores have grown impressively and our customers have told us they love the new stores.

"Revamped stores are experiencing double-digit growth, we have more customers visiting our stores, and they are shopping bigger baskets. These proof points show us that we are on the right track."