How Co-op is raising the bar with its On The Go offering

No need to check your watch – it’s clearly lunchtime in Altrincham, and the town’s new Co-op On The Go store is doing a brisk trade.

Opened in September and nestled in the thriving, modern shopping district known as Stamford Quarter, the store is buzzing. Customers are cramming in, and every outside seat is taken.

Inside, a decidedly urban aesthetic sets the scene thanks to striking graffiti visuals, while media screens on the storefront rotate through the inviting new menu.

“The look and feel is a step on from your traditional grocery retailer,” says Co-op director of store optimisation Gary Williams. “It’s current, it’s edgy, it’s inviting.”

So, what’s on offer? In short, it’s an “elevation” of Co-op’s food-to-go proposition, with some of the inspiration coming from Asia and Europe – in the form of teriyaki chicken salad bowls and more. The store offers breakfast, lunch and dinner in “exciting new formats”, including over-the-counter service and hot food delivery, says Williams.

These new approaches are a change of pace for Co-op as it ventures into foodservice, but it’s going a step further with NPD, too, with a range exclusively curated for its On The Go stores. New launches include granola pots, hot porridge, breakfast meal boxes and sandwiches made fresh every morning. For lunch, a new deli selection includes salmon, egg and spinach pots, sweet potato bhaji wraps and tomato, mozzarella & pesto focaccia bagels. All of which, for those in a rush, can be bought via a self-service route.

Co-op Irresistible pizzas are offered for lunch and dinner, cooked on demand in store and served over the counter, providing “a new customer experience for Co-op”, says Williams.

But when footfall dies down in the evening, that doesn’t mean Co-op On The Go locks up and calls it a night. From 7pm to 11pm, the store moves to online trading only, including Irresistible pizzas cooked and delivered “in minutes” via Just Eat, Deliveroo and Uber Eats.

Thanks to the store’s alcohol range, mainly made up of RTDs to fit the on-the-go theme, consumers can add a bottle of prosecco or beer to their order in a new online bundle. “Our ambition with q-commerce is to target a new market in the restaurant field,” says Williams.

Research and response

It’s remarkable what Co-op has managed to fit in a space less than 400 sq ft – but that doesn’t mean the range is set in stone. Co-op evolves and refines the offer based on recommendations from in-store customer surveys.

Feedback on the Altrincham store, for example, asked for a small range of office essentials, such as tea, milk and biscuits (as well as paracetamol) to cater to those working nearby. Local gym bunnies, meanwhile, desired protein snacks – which Co-op duly introduced.

“We’re constantly listening to our customers to understand what they truly want and provide the optimal experience,” says Williams. “Crucially, we’ve got the flexibility, adaptability and agility to serve the community better.”

Co-op has got its game face on, and new competitors such as Greggs, Starbucks and Gail’s will be watching closely. But given Co-op’s convenience expertise, with the addition of exciting food launches, the retailer is bringing something new to the foodservice table.

“The stores are designed to champion Co-op’s convenience and on-the-go expertise through a unique and innovative format,” says Williams. “But our offer is different because there’s a bigger breadth of range.”

By the end of the year, Co-op plans to open six more On The Go stores, the next one in Aylesbury on 10 November, which will make it eight overall including the format’s July debut in Solihull.

On top of that, Co-op will be retrofitting elements of the concept, such as the over-the-counter service, within five of its existing convenience stores.

“The ambition is to bring the best of Co-op On The Go into some of our existing estate, creating a store-within-a-store concept,” says Williams. “We’re trying to push it out to more customers across our estate.”

With more outlets on the way, and a unique offering for customers, Co-op On The Go is proving it doesn’t just belong in the foodservice space: it’s raising the bar.