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Asda has launched a new food to go concept as it continues to target the out-of-home and convenience sectors for growth.

It said the new Asda Food Hub concept would provide a new concession at the front of store serving barista-style coffees alongside premium grab and go options such as sandwiches and cakes freshly prepared in store at “affordable prices”. The concept is initially being rolled out at the retailer’s Leicester and Dagenham stores, 

While the food on offer will change, prices will include a breakfast sandwich and any regular hot drink for £3 and a freshly made baguette and any regular hot drink for £4.50.

Asda is promising a “modern and welcoming new look and feel” as shoppers enter the store, with the Food Hub including McDonald’s-style touchscreen tablets for ordering.

As well as the two initial stores, the Asda Food Hub concept is being applied to a refresh of 10 of Asda’s pizza and hot food counters across its estate.

Counters at Ipswich, Killingbeck, Havant, Haydon, Walton, Doncaster, Longwell Green and Gateshead will undergo a makeover, bringing them in line with the Asda Food Hub brand including a new hot pizza range Asda said would give them a quality, takeaway pizzas at a fraction of the price of the traditional takeaway chains.

The concept looks set to be rolled out to other high footfall areas in coming months if it is a success.

Asda’s latest foray into fodo to go follows previous steps into into the OOH market, after its move in 2020 to replace its fresh meat and fish counters with a new food-for-now offer, including food to go and delivery services.

It has also gone into partnership with food to go chain Twisted Café.

Asda owners the Issa brothers are targeting the out-of-home and convenience sectors for growth, hoping to attract customers with lower prices than traditional providers.

Earlier this month Asda poured £1.2m into a refresh of its food to go range, including 47 new lines and 18 improved products, as it looked to improve its quality perceptions.

It said at the time it was aiming for a more modern feel and for shoppers to “reappraise the quality” of Asda’s food to go proposition.

Meanwhile, Asda’s move to grow its convenience operation, with plans for more than 200 Asda On the Move stores across the UK by the end of the year.

“We’re incredibly excited to be launching Asda Food Hub and bringing the hot food counters at some of our stores a makeover in line with this experience,” said an Asda spokeswoman.

“We’re always looking for ways to give shoppers more quality choices at affordable prices and the new Asda Food Hub is a great example of us investing in our stores to be able to provide that for shoppers.

“We also know how much customers already love our pizza counters so are pleased to be able to elevate this offering, giving our customers easy solutions that rival restaurant and takeaway quality, without the hefty price tag.”