Crafting the “Fresh Food Market” experience
The retail landscape in the Middle East is rapidly evolving, with a growing emphasis on creating immersive and compelling shopping experiences. The Fresh Food Market Square 1 in Cairo is the 4th project in the longstanding partnership between the Al Mansour Holding Group and Schweitzer and stands out as a prime example of innovative retail design and execution. We sit down with the key figures behind this remarkable project to uncover the insights about the successful Design + Build project realized by Interstore and Schweitzer for Fresh Food Market.
Can you tell us more about the Fresh Food Market brand? What was the ambition at its foundation?
Soraya Mansour, Vice CEO Fresh Food Market:
Fresh Food Market was founded with the ambition to introduce a luxury grocery shopping experience in Egypt, allowing customers to "eat and shop" simultaneously. It has since evolved to offer a unique experience focused on delivering exceptional quality, minimally processed ingredients, and an unparalleled selection to the Egyptian market.
The Fresh Food Market Square 1 project is a testament to Interstore’s successful multidisciplinary approach Design + Build. Could each of you briefly describe your initial perspective on the project and what you saw as the most significant challenge or opportunity?
Our initial perspective on the Fresh Food Market Square 1 project revolved around the challenge of space optimization. We focused on innovating the store layout and sections, introducing novel concepts like a blend-your-own-tea station—a first for Egypt. The opportunity lay in translating our brand vision into a tangible, unconventional design, encompassing colors, displays, and a layout that creates a fun and engaging customer experience. The adaptable pop-up section, a clever addition by Interstore and Schweitzer, provides ongoing opportunities for innovation.
The iterative design process encouraged trying novel approaches, significantly aiding the development of our future shops. This experience has positively influenced my willingness to take more strategic risks.
"Fresh Food Market was founded with the ambition to introduce a luxury grocery shopping experience in Egypt."
Soraya Mansour, Vice CEO Fresh Food Market
What does Interstore's Design + Build approach imply?
Bernhard Heiden, CSO Schweitzer & Creative Director Interstore:
Our Design + Build approach signifies a seamless, integrated process where design conceptualization and construction execution are unified under one roof. This ensures efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and a consistent vision from initial idea to final realization.
Collaboration is key to such ambitious projects. Can you elaborate on how your partnership with Ms. Mansour and her team at Fresh Food Market began?
BH: Youssef and Veronique Mansour, inspired by stores like Bonmarché Paris and Globus Zürich, wanted to bring a similar high-end grocery experience to Cairo. They found out we are involved in those projects and got in touch with us. Working alongside their team, we developed the brand identity for Fresh Food Market. In parallel, Soraya Mansour, developed the product strategy and curated the store's private-label offerings. The result is a luxurious food market with a refined and completely new customer experience that combines premium shopping with a refined social experience. The market is not just for buying food; it's a meeting place, featuring multiple gastronomy areas with seating where customers can eat, socialize, and enjoy the new concept.
From the client's perspective, how did Interstore’s approach resonate with your vision for the Fresh Food Market?
Soraya Mansour, Vice CEO Fresh Food Market:
It’s so easy for me to work with Interstore and Schweitzer – they make collaboration effortless, quickly grasping my vision. They consistently deliver solutions, no matter the challenge, transforming new ideas into innovative spaces.
How did the specific requirements of this project influence your visual merchandising strategy? What unique elements did you incorporate to enhance the customer journey and highlight product freshness?
BH: The Fresh Food Market project's emphasis on fresh produce guided our visual merchandising to prioritize natural aesthetics and clear product presentation. We incorporated bespoke display solutions and innovative lighting to enhance the appeal of fresh goods and create an intuitive, engaging customer journey.
Beyond physical design, packaging plays a crucial role in a fresh food environment. How important is the packaging within the whole design concept of a store?
SM: We believe every package tells a story, bringing a smile to your face long after you've unboxed it. Each design is a hand-drawn mini-artwork, crafted with passion.
From a customer engagement standpoint, what measurable impact have you observed due to the strategic visual merchandising within the Fresh Food Market? Are there particular areas where you've seen a significant uplift in customer satisfaction or sales thanks to these elements?
SM: Despite location-based traffic challenges and ongoing road construction, feedback has been remarkably strong, with high levels of visitor satisfaction.
"The future of food retail in the Middle East lies in creating a luxury, high-level gourmet experience."
Bernhard Heiden, CSO Schweitzer & Creative Director Interstore
Based on your experience with Fresh Food Market in Cairo, how can the Middle East region move beyond traditional supermarkets to create 'high-level gourmet experience' stores?
BH: The future of food retail in the Middle East lies in creating a luxury, "high-level gourmet experience" rather than just a place to buy groceries. The market is saturated with supermarkets. The gap is in providing a curated, high-end shopping environment that offers not just products, but an immersive experience, similar to what is found at Bon Marché in Paris and Globus in Zurich. This means focusing on unique, high-quality products, artisanal goods, exceptional customer service, and an aesthetically pleasing store design. The success of Fresh Food Market in Cairo demonstrates that there is a strong demand for this kind of elevated food retail concept in the region.
Ms. Mansour, do you have any plans to expand your business to the Middle East Region?
SM: We're presently focused on Egypt, with future expansion planned over the next years.