BEDFORD, NH - The largest store in the Hannaford Supermarket chain opened its doors last weekend, June 18th, launching what its team calls a new design concept that could serve as blueprints for its future formats.

“This is going to be a learning laboratory to figure out just how effective certain services are when put together and offered in a large store,” Eric Blom, External Communications Manager at Hannaford Bros. Co., said, according to news source Union Leader. “This will really inform the design and remodels of large Hannaford stores in the future.”

The newest location stands at 68,000-square-feet, marrying several concepts under one roof, according to Blom, including the ability for its shoppers to shop online to pick up in-store, purchase made-to-order food to eat on location or take away, and get customized cutting of fruits and vegetables.

Hannaford’s Director of Operations for the Manchester area and lifelong New Hampshire resident, John Fifield told the Bedford Journal, "The decor of this store will be completely new and reflects our commitment to the local community and producers; our roots as a northern New England grocer since 1883; and our focus on high-quality, fresh food. The store layout draws from the latest research about how we make the shopping experience easier for customers."

Additional features include:

• A 700-square-foot community room for nonprofit groups in need of meeting space.
• Associates in produce, bakery, meat, and seafood with individualized, free services such as cutting particular fruits and vegetables at the customer's request; providing free spice rubs of meat and seafood; freshly-squeezed orange juice; slicing fresh-baked loaves of bread to order; and more.
• A specialty cheese shop where mozzarella will be made fresh daily, wheels of cheese cracked, cheese cut to order, and the extensive selection of items will be informed by certified cheese professional Deborah Webster.

The new location kicked off at 7 a.m. with a ribbon cutting, a sampling of local foods and other products, and a giveaway of gift cards and other items to the first 500 customers.

Keep checking in with AndNowUKnow as we continue to follow how this new format will influence Hannaford’s approach in an ever-evolving industry.

Hannaford Supermarkets