Coles opens its most sustainable supermarket

Coles has opened the newest store in its Coles Local format in Melbourne’s Hawthorn.

Claimed to be the most sustainable Coles supermarket in Australia, the new store is just the third example of the new supermarket format that is said to be tailored specifically to the needs of local customers.

Coles Local Hawthorn says it will employ 110 new team members with 88% of the new team members living locally (within five kilometres of the store).

Addressing sustainability 

The store features free recycled customer carry boxes in place of bags, a dedicated eco-friendly product section, a zero edible food waste policy, reduced plastic packaging on fresh products, energy-efficient doors on fridges and team member uniforms made from 65% recycled bottles.

Product range

The product range, selected to match the needs of local shoppers, includes products from 80 speciality local growers, bakers, producers and cafes, such as “iconic” Melbourne cake and pastry maker Brunettis (after the Coronavirus pandemic forced the closure of its outlets).

Brunettis owner, Yuri Angele, is pleased to be partnering with Coles to offer an expanded range of sweets and pastries for customers.

“We are very excited to be partnering exclusively with Coles Local to offer a range of artisan desserts and we are very appreciative of the support received by them,” he says.

“Brunetti has been heavily impacted by COVID-19 with a 90% reduction in our revenue.

“We have had to make some significant adjustments to our manufacturing capacities. Previously, Brunetti relied solely on its retail stores to generate income and this is the first time that we have pivoted our retail strategy to sell our products outside of our stores.”

Coles Local Hawthorn is also home to an “expanded” convenience offering. This includes an “extensive” vegan and vegetarian range, Japanese mochi ice-cream, self-serve barista-quality coffee from DC coffee roasters, a cinema-style candy bar and more than 350 lunch and dinner options that customers can prepare in 30 minutes or less.

In addition, options for self-serve also extend to pets with frozen pet food ice-cream. This offering is said to be a supermarket first.

Meeting the demands of millennials

Located next to Swinburne University Hawthorn, Coles Local Hawthorn has been tailored to the needs of the local customer base, which includes a high proportion of millennials.

Coles customer research shows that millennials seek out food retailers that are both convenient and sustainable, and shop more regularly than customers from older demographics.

To reduce time spent at the checkout, Coles Local Hawthorn is also the first Coles supermarket to only accept card payments at self-scanning checkouts.

Creating convenience

Coles Group CEO Steven Cain says the store had been designed to offer locals the most convenient end-to-end shopping experience possible.

“The smaller Coles Local format is designed to inspire customers and provide quality food through an in-store experience specifically tailored to the local community,” he says.

“We’ve delivered an offer that makes life easier for customers allowing them to move through the store efficiently, to get the ideal meal solution for their breakfast, lunch or dinner.

“We are committed to becoming Australia’s most sustainable supermarket and this store in Melbourne is at the forefront of our strategy to achieve this.”

More stores to come

Coles Local stores, according to the retailer, have proven to be a hit with customers.

The company is now planning to roll the format out to NSW, with Sydney’s first Coles Local supermarket to open in Rose Bay later this month.

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