Co-op serves-up fantastic new-look store in Erleigh Road, Reading

The Co-op has launched a new and improved convenience store today to serve the community of the  Erleigh Road area of Reading.

The new-look, near 2,600 sq ft store, supports a respectable 25 local jobs, and opens between 7am-11pm daily.

Erleigh Road’s Co-op includes an in-store bakery (Yum!), with online home delivery of groceries available via Just Eat, Deliveroo and Uber Eats. Amazon Lockers also offer quick, easy and convenient parcel services, too.

The store also sees an enhanced and improved range of fresh, healthy products; meal ideas; everyday essentials; food-to-go; hot food; Fairtrade goods; flowers, chilled beers and award-winning wines; ready meals, pizzas and, free-from; vegan and plant-based products, including Co-op’s exclusive vegan range, GRO. (EDITOR: You know my views on the fantastic sandwiches in the GRO range!)

While a free ATM to provide access to cash in the community, plus a Costa coffee dispenser will be installed soon.

Manmohan Gill, who is the Co-op Store Manager, said: “It's really very exciting to be re-launching Erleigh Road’s Co-op. 

"Our aim is to operate at the heart of local life and, we are really looking forward to welcoming Members and customers into their new and improved store. We have worked to develop the range, choice and added services to create a compelling offer to serve our community, conveniently - with a focus on delivering member-value so that the people who own our business, our members, benefit every time they shop in their local Co-op.”

More information about the benefits of Co-op Membership is available by visiting www.coop.co.uk/membership.

(EDITOR: Incidentally, the husband and wife team who run That's Food and Drink are Co-Op members in our local area.)

Co-op to serve-up new-look store in North Camp, Farnborough

Shoppers who live in the vicinity of North Camp, Farnborough who are keen on saving money in a co-operative sense will be pleased by the news that the Co-op is launching a new, improved co-operative convenience store next Monday, 4 September to serve the community of North Camp, Farnborough and the surrounding areas. 

This is after a month-long programme of works and improvements to bring about the improvements. 

The new-look store which is almost 2,800 sq ft in size, is located in Queens Road, North Camp and it will provide over 20 local jobs and will be open between 6am-11pm daily.

North Camp’s Co-op will include hot food an in-store bakery and a Costa coffee dispenser, plus a free-to-use ATM which is installed as part of the Co-Op's aim to provide access to cash in all communities it serves, plus an Amazon parcel collection services and, the online delivery of groceries through Deliveroo and Uber Eats for added ease, speed and convenience.

The store also has an improved back-of-shop storage facility to further enhance the range, choice and availability of all its fresh, healthy products; meal ideas; everyday essentials; food-to-go; Fairtrade goods; flowers; chilled beers and award winning wines; ready meals, pizzas and, free-from, vegan and plant-based products – including Co-op’s exclusive vegan range, GRO. (EDITOR: Even though I'm not a vegan nor even a vegetarian I absolutely love the GRO Onion Bhaji & Mango Chutney Sandwich!) 

Last month, August, the Co-op announced its biggest ever single investment in pricing of £70 million, as it extends its ‘member-only’ pricing across everyday essentials, launching with a list of almost 200 fixed lines including milk, eggs and bread. The move also includes retail price reductions on over 600 lines.

A funding boost is also provided locally via the Co-op’s Membership programme. Membership of Co-op unlocks additional value with personalised offers and Member pricing benefits. Also, Members are rewarded with 2p in every pound they spend on Co-op branded products which is added to their own personal Membership account balance, with Co-op giving the same amount to local causes and, community organisations. So, yes, Co-op Members really can make a difference simply by shopping at Co-op.

Said Irfan Hameed, who is the Co-op Store Manager: “It's very exciting and gratifying to be re-launching North Camp’s Co-op. Our aim is to operate at the heart of local life here and, we are really looking forward to welcoming Members and customers into their new, improved store. We've worked hard to develop the range, choice and added services to create a compelling offer to serve our community, conveniently, with a focus on delivering member-value so the people who own our business, our members themselves, benefit every time they shop in their local Co-op.”

Did you know that The Co-op is one of the world’s largest consumer co-operatives, and alongside Food, Co-op operates Funeralcare; Insurance and Legal Services. Its Members own the business and play an intrinsic part in the governance of the organisation, and enjoy a wide number of benefits including member-only pricing across everyday essentials?

More information about the benefits of Co-op Membership is available by visiting www.coop.co.uk/membership

(EDITOR: I'm just chomping my way through some crisps from our nearest Co-op!)

Sainsbury’s Local helps bring new lease of life to Jericho redevelopment site

Sainsbury’s customers in Oxford have the opportunity to check out a brand-new Sainsbury’s Local, following the opening of the retailer’s latest store as part of the redevelopment of the Jericho Health Centre on the corner of Walton Street and Cranham Street, in Oxford. Colleagues are pictured gathering to cut the ribbon and celebrate the launch of the new store.

Conveniently situated just north of Oxford's city centre, the 2,745 sq. ft. store will serve customers between the hours of 7am and 11pm every day.

Local residents, workers and shoppers now have the chance to pick up a bite to eat from Sainsbury’s delicious selection of sandwiches and ‘food to go’, plus being able to pick up a hot drink from the shop's self-service Costa coffee facility. 

What's more, delicious fresh bread and pastries will be baked in the store itself every day and it will also stock a superb range of great value, high quality fresh foods, fruit and vegetables, plus other grocery and household products, besides.

Customers will also be able to collect products from the much-loved brands of Argos, Habitat and Tu Clothing, ordered online and delivered via the in-store Click and Collect service.

The 19 colleagues that make up the new store team plan to play an active role in the local community whilst also taking part in Sainsbury’s nationwide charitable programmes and initiatives. For example, through Sainsbury’s partnership with Neighbourly, the new Local will work with local food donation partners to help ensure any surplus food from the store will go to those who are truly in need.

Patrick Dunne, who is Sainsbury’s Property Director, said: "We're thrilled  to introduce a brand new Sainsbury’s Local to customers in Oxford today with the opening of our latest convenience store on the estate. Our investment in Jericho hasn't only generated new job opportunities for local people but also enhanced convenience and choice in the neighbourhood while bringing Sainsbury’s great value, high-quality products closer to more of our customers.”

Carla Browning, Sainsbury’s Oxford Walton Street Local Store Manager, said: “It’s been fantastic to cut the ribbon and open our new store today after weeks of hard work to get everything ready to welcome customers for the first time.

"We feel our new store has lots to offer the local community and my team and I are really looking forward to helping and serving the people of Jericho for years to come.”

Sainsbury’s is working hard to ensure that as a business it is operating sustainably, for example by reducing plastic across its operations and supply chain as one of its key priorities. Most recently, the retailer announced that it has removed plastic trays from its by Sainsbury’s steak range, replacing them with a cardboard tray alternative, as previously covered by That's Food and Drink.

Co-op serves-up new Brixworth, Northamptonshire, store

Co-op is launching a new, improved, larger store this week (Friday, 21 July) to serve the village of Brixworth in Northamptonshire.

The 5,000 sq ft convenience store, which supports 25 jobs in the locality, is in excess of double the size of its Hunters Way store which will relocate to the new Northampton Road site.

Opening times are between 7am-10pm daily (10am-4pm Sundays), the new store includes a free ATM to provide access to cash for people living in the community. There's also an in-store bakery, a Costa coffee dispenser and hot food options, too. The Post Office will also relocate (from the Hunters Way branch) to the brand-new location following the launch.

Brixworth’s new Co-op store will also be including an enhanced, improved range of fresh, healthy products; great meal ideas; everyday essentials; food-to-go; Fairtrade products, flowers, chilled beers and award winning wines; ready meals, pizzas and, a free-from range. Also vegan and plant-based products, including Co-op’s exclusive vegan range, GRO. (I'm not a vegan, but I love the Co-op GRO sandwiches!)

A funding boost is provided locally via Co-op’s Membership programme. Membership of Co-op unlocks extra value with personalised offers and, Member price benefits to help its Members save even more. 

Also, Co-op members are rewarded with 2p in every pound that they spend on Co-op branded products which is added to their own personal Membership account balance, with Co-op donating the same amount to local good causes and, community organisations - so, Members can make a difference locally simply by shopping at their local Co-op.

Community causes which are currently being supported by the Brixworth store are: Sunny Socks Nursery School; Brixworth Wombles, the community litter picking group and, Brixworth First Responders.

Steve Littlewood, Co-op Store Manager, said: “It's really very exciting to be launching Co-op’s newest store. Our aim is to operate at the heart of local life in our community and, we are really looking forward to welcoming Members and customers into their new and improved store. We've worked hard to develop the range, choice and added services to create a compelling offer to serve our community, but to do so conveniently.”

A soft plastic recycle unit is also available in store to enable the community to recycle ‘soft plastics’ including: crisp packets and bread bags, lids from ready meals and yogurt pots, biscuit wrappers and, pet food pouches, too. 

As a result, this means all Co-op’s own food packaging is100% recyclable through either local authority kerbside collections, or its in-store soft plastic recycling unit.

Co-op is one of the world’s largest consumer co-operatives, it is owned by Millions of UK consumers and alongside Food, it operates Funeralcare; Insurance and Legal Services.

More information about the benefits of Co-op Membership is available by visiting coop.co.uk/membership.