Food Lion spends more than $50 million on 29 renovations
- Food Lion has renovated 30 North Carolina stores.
- The stores offer e-commerce-focused improvements and more prepared meal options.
- Grocers and other essential retailers are modernizing store fleets to meet modern consumers.
Food Lion has renovated more than two dozen stores, offering shoppers an upgraded omnichannel consumer experience at 29 Wilmington, North Carolina-area locations.
In a May 8 release, the grocersaid it celebrated the remodeling of two dozen Wilmington area stores May 10. The grocer, a banner of Ahold Delhaize, said five other remodeled stores would have ceremonies at a later date. In total, the Food Lion spent more than $50 million upgrading the stores, the release said.
Updated Food Lion stores include:
- E-commerce options are now available at every remodeled store, offering pick-up and home-delivery options.
- Self-checkout lanes at every store were added following feedback from employees and customers.
- Prepared meals that are ready-to-eat, ready-to-cook or ready-to-heat.
- More healthy foods and options for specific dietary needs, including organic products, gluten-free products and plant-based products, including from its Nature’s Promise private label.
- LED lighting and refrigerated cases with doors.
- An overall refreshed look with a redesign the grocer says shows its commitment to the local community.
“Food Lion has been a proud neighbor in the Wilmington community for 40 years,” said Meg Ham, Food Lion president, in the release. “From a brand-new look and feel to more convenient grab-and-go items to make any meal easier, each store has made big changes with our customers in mind. We remain committed to keeping our prices low every day, offering great promotions and other opportunities to save. We are excited for our neighbors to experience the enhancements we have made just for them.”
As Retail Leader reported in April, Food Lion renovated 20 stores in North and South Carolina that opened about two years prior. In total, Food Lion operates more than 1,100 stores across 10 U.S. states, including Delaware, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia.
Advancements in in-store experience in grocery and other essential retail categories, such as some detailed by Food Lion, offer opportunities to meet modern customers where they are. Consumers are increasingly looking to shop with brands and retailers that focus on sustainability, whether that’s through the use of renewable energy or by offering sustainably produced CPGs. In-store tech, like self-checkout scan and go, are enticing to shoppers, though they can create shrink-related challenges for retailers. Emerging tech like generative artificial intelligence can help retailers create dynamic pricing and expanded e-commerce options, including pick up and delivery, are key following lasting behavioral shifts brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.