MANCHESTER, England, 2015-11-18 — /EPR Retail News/ — The Co-op is to launch its second new food store in the space of a fortnight this week (12 November) with a £530,000 investment creating twelve new jobs in Haven Road, Colchester.
Located in the Maltings, the new 2,000 sq.ft. store will have a focus on fresh, healthy foods, ready meals and, essentials. It will open between 6am – 11pm seven days a week and also features an in-store bakery and a Costa coffee dispenser.
This follows the opening of a £500,000 new store in Halstead at the end of last month (29 October) which created 15 positions and saw guests of honour – Cllr David Hume, Mayor of Halstead, and children from Butterfly Montessori Day Nursery – declare the store open for the community.
Both stores expect to create further positions with the part-time, flexible nature of the positions considered ideal for those studying full-time, working around family needs or, who are semi-retired. Anyone interested in registering an interest should pop into the store and ask to speak to the Manager.
Both stores also launch a Community Pioneer role, where a member of the food store team, Connor Price (Haven Road) and Liam Wiffen (Halstead), will also work to foster involvement in community activities, from local fundraising initiatives to helping to understand and develop solutions to meet community needs including support for the British Red Cross, The Co-op’s new charity partnership which will help to tackle social isolation and loneliness in communities.
Alex Ball, Manager of the new Haven Road, Colchester, store, said, “We are thrilled to make such a significant investment in Colchester and have the opportunity to serve communities in Halstead and, in Haven Road and the Maltings area – we have fantastic new food stores with which to serve the community and, it is an exciting time for the whole team.
“The Co-operative is investing to transform and grow its convenience business, enhancing the in-store experience while lowering the price of everyday essentials. We are confident that the new stores will be a real asset to the community, enabling shoppers to pick up delicious food conveniently and, as a community retailer and a co-operative, it will play its part in local life too.”
There will be offers and promotions in and around the store to mark its launch. Students – who hold a NUS extra card – receive a 10% discount off their groceries in store. And, The Co-op has also announced a £125M investment in lowering the price of everyday essentials – a move which has seen it prune the price of over 100 lines of fresh fruit and vegetables including revolving offers on popular produce, called “fresh three”.
SOURCE: Co-operative Group Limited