Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market

momopi_IHB

momopi_IHB

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The world's 3rd largest grocer, Tesco, has opened a chain of medium sized grocery stores in the US, called Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market.





http://www.freshandeasy.com/home.aspx





The closest one to Irvine is the Laguna Hills store:


23719 Moulton Pkway, Laguna Hills





I've been to 2 Fresh & Easy stores, one in Anaheim and Laguna Hills store. Went to the Anaheim location at noon earlier this week and found a lot of nice freshly prepared meals, then visited the one in Laguna Hills late evening yesterday. Did not find as many fresh meals at the Laguna Hills store, probably because they were sold out during the day or something? Also, the Laguna Hills store is equipped with self checkout lines, but not the Anaheim one.





It might have just been a difference in timing and impression, but I felt that the Anaheim store had more stuff.
 
How do the prices and food selection compare to WF and TJ's? I head a segment on NPR when they first opened up a few weeks ago with a grand opening that was less than "grand". Not that it wasn't good, just they put almost no marketing or effort to celebrate the event.
 
Due to the store size, selection is more limited, but prices are pretty good.





I like their freshly prepared food selection, way better than TV dinners.
 
Tesco is probably the best known grocery store in the UK and is kinda their Walmart equivalent,they have been around for years....

Moving up a notch we have Sainsburys'.



Tesco however is still the Butt of a lot of Jokes over there still lingering from their reputation as a second rate cheapo store but they have deffinately improved and I'm guessing their new stores have been Americanized so i won't beable to buy Bubble and Squeek or Spotted Dick there which is a complete Bummer in my opinion...



Incidentally, another British name have been trying to break into the US market...Boots the Chemist,they have been around for years also...
 
<p>The Anaheim store does indeed have self checkout. My wife will confirm it. She berated my lack of ability to navagatigate the self check out line, and when I asked her right now, she reminded me again!</p>

<p>New store opening in Orange on Chapman and Main on Dec 12 (was there today, about 2/3 stocked) and about sixty days later on Chapman and Tustin (in the space currently occupied by Office Depot).</p>
 
I think the lighting in the Fresh & Easy store in Huntington Beach is creepy. Every time I go there, I want to leave as soon as possible. It's very white and stark, so gives the store an unfriendly feel. I bet the store will close down soon--I hardly ever see anyone in it--I think because of the lighting.
 
<p><strong><em>"I hardly ever see anyone in it--I think because of the lighting.</em></strong> "</p>

<p> </p>

<p></p>
 
<p>I was at the Fresh and Easy store in Upland just last week... I had never heard of them before, and was on my way home from work meetings and thought I would see what it was all about. Since I was pretty far from home, I did not get a chance to buy any refrigerated or frozen items (which some I would have liked to try).</p>

<p>Well, yes the selection is small... and yes, the prices are good. I would agree with lighting issues as well... kinda like a 99 cent store feel?</p>

<p>They did have some items that I don't see often, which was nice...</p>

<p>I also like the fresh prepared and packaged fruit... such as the mangos... good prices on it too.</p>

<p>The only real complaint I had was the bakery items... everything expired either THAT DAY or the very next day... I bought some scones anyways... but, I was told by others that this bakery issue with expiring foods is always a battle. So, please check those dates!</p>

<p>I was told by someone that worked there that they are opening 100 more stores... </p>

<p> </p>

<p>GITOC</p>

<p> </p>
 
<p>That lighting is eco frendly LED lighting to appeal to eco frendly customers who are trying to kill the planet, but slower.</p>

<p>I am the wrong guy to ask about merchendising, because I don't care about it one bit. F&E is not 400 items deep in anything, their object is to rotate their inventory, but it's my opinion that the biggest problem at F&E is the consumer is oriented at going to Costco where the store is packed to the celing with product.</p>

<p>Personally, I like the wide isles, absence of clutter, and narrower number of choices. I don't need 43 different types of peanut butter. I only like one (and F&E has it!).</p>

<p>On another note, the Orange store has an interesting mix of customers.</p>

<p>- Couples (with no kids)</p>

<p>- Seniors (singles)</p>

<p>- Fat, balding, middle aged, and otherwise odd looking single men.</p>

<p>- Coeds. Really attractive coeds. I didn't know they shopped.</p>

<p>Did I mention no kids? I've never seen anyone in F&E with a baby. Not once. Families are not their target market. Singles, DINK yuppie couples, older folks seem to be. And attractive young women.</p>

<p>You can probablly tell, this is my go-to store now. I get the concept, and enjoy shopping there. Which means it will probablly fail miserablly, but Tesco has committed to spending something like $20 billion to get this concept into the market. They are opening one store a week and have a lot of cash to burn through between now and bustoville.</p>
 
<p>Oh, the expiration DATES!</p>

<p>The stuff they get in the store is fresh today. The bread is new every day (they toss the rest). But the expiration dates confuse people because its a "sell by" date and not a "you gonna die if you eat this after" this date. IMO this is thier biggest screwup, they decided to rework the wheel because in Europe nobody has a big refigerator like in the states and pepole shop every day. How somebody though this was a good idea astounds me. The general reaction of the american consumer is "ICK! IT EXPIRES TOMMOROW! IT'S NO GOOD!" because they've been conditioned for 50 years to look for the furthest out date.</p>

<p>Cliffs notes: F&E's date is not like Stater Bros.</p>

<p>I bought a loaf of Artisan Sourdough about eight days ago and it lasted fine till two days ago where I went out and bought another one. I don't eat much toast in the morning. I really need half a loaf. Either way, it never went stale which I can't say for any other store bought loaf I've ever had outside of La Brea Bakery.</p>
 
F&E rocks.



the meat selection is the freshest.



try the original cheesecake. it's deeeee-licious.



not many people there at all..which works for me. i go in...and get out w/o waiting in line.



if you go late at night on certain days, they give flowers away that they can't sell anymore. so good way to get fresh flowers for the house. and sometimes they mark down food that is "expiring". i got a bag of carrots for 25 cents. awesome!
 
<p>SoCalGal -</p>

<p>I just looked at the thread again and saw PeterUK's comment on your comment about lighting: <strong><em>"I hardly ever see anyone in it--I think because of the lighting.</em></strong> " </p>

<p>You asked why this was funny? Look at it again in the literal sense. It made me laugh out loud! </p>
 
Girl in the OC, well, I certainly hope you're enjoying yourself at my expense! < teasing >



I went to the store again and mentioned the lighting. A worker confirmed what no_vaseline said: the lighting is eco-friendly. Each time I shopped there--about six times now--there has been only one other person in the store besides me! Apparently, I'm not the only one who thinks the lighting is strange. LOL I'm lovin' the $5 off coupons while they last.
 
[quote author="SoCalGal" date=1204268060]Girl in the OC wrote: I would agree with lighting issues as well... kinda like a 99 cent store feel?



Exactly!</blockquote>


Agree! very .99-ish. Just went for the first time...It had a strange feeling to it, and for some reason I was nervous buying their meats/poultry -- maybe it was the lighting? I'll go back once more just to see, but something just isn't right about that place...
 
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