Iceland launches a ‘Local’ convenience store format, partnering with SGN Retail.
- The first store is located on a Texaco forecourt in Wolverhampton featuring a streamlined shopping experience.
- The store integrates Costcutter for chilled and ambient products while Iceland provides frozen ranges.
- Iceland plans further expansion of this innovative retail format.
- This marks Iceland’s second venture into the convenience sector after its Swift model.
Iceland has embarked on an innovative retail journey by introducing a ‘Local’ convenience store format, marking a substantial collaboration with forecourt operator SGN Retail. The initiative, inaugurated on 31 March at a Texaco garage in Fallings Park, Wolverhampton, signifies a strategic expansion of Iceland’s presence in the convenience sector.
Shoppers at the Wolverhampton site experience a streamlined shopping environment where they access goods through a single entrance and complete their purchases, including petrol, food, and beverages, at a unified point of sale managed by SGN. This integration is designed to enhance customer convenience and operational efficiency, reflecting modern retail trends.
The store presents a comprehensive selection of products with chilled and ambient offerings primarily supplied by Costcutter, while Iceland contributes an extensive range of frozen goods. These frozen products include Iceland’s own-label items alongside those from collaborations with brands like Slimming World, Myprotein, and Harry Ramsden’s. This diverse product mix aims to meet varied customer needs while capitalising on established brand synergies.
Justin Addison, Iceland Foods’ International and Wholesale Director, articulated the strategic intent behind this expansion, stating, “Iceland Local will make our unique range of frozen, chilled, fresh and grocery products available to customers in a completely new type of location, complementing our 1,000 company-owned Iceland and The Food Warehouse stores on the nation’s high streets and retail parks.” This new format aims to enhance Iceland’s market reach by providing customers with ready access to their range of products in conjunction with refuelling activities.
As Iceland looks to the future, the company is already planning further rollouts of the ‘Local’ store model in the coming months. This development follows closely on the heels of Iceland’s expansion of its Swift convenience store model, introduced in March 2022, which now operates across five locations. This continued focus on the convenience retail sector underscores Iceland’s commitment to adapting to consumer demand and market trends.
Iceland’s ‘Local’ format represents a strategic expansion in the convenience sector, complementing existing operations.
