Asda is continuing to ramp up its investment in food-to-go with the launch of a new concept designed to drive shoppers into its stores.
The ‘Asda Food Hub’ is initially being trialled in the retailer’s Leicester and Dagenham supermarkets, with a new concession at the front of store serving barista style coffees alongside grab-and-go options like sandwiches and cakes that are prepared in store.
The food on offer will change throughout the day, providing breakfast, lunch and afternoon snack solutions, with various meal deals on offer. For example, a breakfast sandwich and hot drink will cost £3, whilst a lunchtime baguette and hot drink is priced at £4.50.
Asda stated that it aimed to provide a modern and welcoming new look as shoppers enter the store, with orders placed using touchscreen tablets for a “quick and efficient service”.
If the concept performs well, the retailer plans to roll it out to further stores with a high footfall driven by the food-to-go mission.
As part of the launch of the Food Hub initiative, the retailer will also be refreshing 10 of its pizza and hot food counters. The counters in its Ipswich, Killingbeck, Havant, Haydon, Walton, Doncaster, Longwell Green and Gateshead store will undergo a makeover, bringing them in line with the Food Hub brand.
The update will also see new dishes and deals added to the menu, including a new hot pizza range designed to offer shoppers takeaway pizzas at a lower price than traditional takeaway chains.
Commenting on the launch of the concept, an Asda spokesperson said: “We’re incredibly excited to be launching Asda Food Hub and bringing the hot food counters at some of our stores a makeover in line with this experience. We’re always looking for ways to give shoppers more quality choices at affordable prices, and the new Asda Food Hub is a great example of us investing in our stores to be able to provide that for shoppers.
“We also know how much customers already love our pizza counters, so are pleased to be able to elevate this offering, giving our customers easy solutions that rival restaurant and takeaway quality, without the hefty price tag!”
The launch of the Asda Food Hubs follows a recent £1.2m revamp of the retailer’s traditional food-to-go range, which included the rollout of new sandwiches, salads and wraps, with many influenced by global food trends.
