K-Group tests new kind of food store

KESKO PRESS RELEASE 05.11.2015 AT 10.00

A new kind of K-food store opens in Myllypuro, Helsinki on 5 November. K-Myllypuro does not belong to any of the current K-food store chains, but is the K-Group's test store where Kesko, in cooperation with the retailer entrepreneur, boldly experiments with various food store concepts and models. The test store also takes customer-orientation to a completely new level - customers decide how the store, its selections and services will develop in the future.

K-Myllypuro is an example of the implementation of the K-Group's strategy and open-minded experimental culture. Agility enables fast testing of ideas in practice.

"We have been actively looking for influences from the world and studied both international and domestic retailing trends. Currently, our customers particularly value a food store's location nearby and availability of local products, ease of shopping, and wide selections of fresh products, which also form the core of the test store. Our aim is to create a new food store concept for Finland, and the test store is an important step on this road," says Jorma Rauhala, Senior Vice President for Kesko's grocery trade.

Customers have been invited to join in the planning of the new store from the very beginning. The customer panel consisting of local residents started its work even before the opening.

"When building the new concept, one of the key issues is to adapt the store to the wishes of local customers, that is, the store is tailored to look like its customers," says Rauhala.

Based on customer feedback and wishes so far, special attention has been paid to smooth and easy shopping. The name with a strong connection to the residential area was also suggested by the customer panel.

"While the store is opened in the current format, it may be somewhat different in a year's time. We will collect feedback on store operations from local customer panels, for example, and develop our operations based on this," says Aleksi Tapani, retailer of K-Myllypuro.

K-Myllypuro provides all products for daily cooking. The focus is on fresh products and the K-Group's own brands: the versatile and low-priced Pirkka and the budget brand K-Menu. The store also sells selected batches of items at very low prices.

Further information:
Aleksi Tapani, K-retailer, tel. +358 50 4219944
Mika Rautiainen, Vice President, marketing and concept services, tel. +358 50 4136584

See the video presenting K-Myllypuro (in Finnish)