Fresh & Easy boss Tim Mason has attributed strong sales growth at Tesco's US chain to a good Thanksgiving and a rise in customer numbers.
This week, the West Coast chain posted a 38.5% increase in third-quarter sales and a 9.8% uplift in like-for-likes just two months after revealing first-half uplifts of 47% and 10% respectively.
"We're really pleased with the like-for-like sales growth we announced this week particularly given a declining grocery market in the US where our competitors are struggling," said Mason. "This shows Fresh & Easy is increasingly popular with American consumers."
Despite the results, experts remained sceptical the loss making-chain would hit its target of breaking even by the end of the 2012-13 financial year. "Fresh & Easy has no identity," said US industry commentator Jim Prevor. "It's not a supermarket, it's not a c-store, it's not foodie like Trader Joe's and not a discounter. In its effort to appeal to everyone, it's appealed to no-one."
This week, the West Coast chain posted a 38.5% increase in third-quarter sales and a 9.8% uplift in like-for-likes just two months after revealing first-half uplifts of 47% and 10% respectively.
"We're really pleased with the like-for-like sales growth we announced this week particularly given a declining grocery market in the US where our competitors are struggling," said Mason. "This shows Fresh & Easy is increasingly popular with American consumers."
Despite the results, experts remained sceptical the loss making-chain would hit its target of breaking even by the end of the 2012-13 financial year. "Fresh & Easy has no identity," said US industry commentator Jim Prevor. "It's not a supermarket, it's not a c-store, it's not foodie like Trader Joe's and not a discounter. In its effort to appeal to everyone, it's appealed to no-one."
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