The Future Of Retail: Longo's Introduces Meal-Based Shopping Concept At Maple Leaf Square Location

Toronto, ON (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) - Longo Brothers Fruit Market ("Longo's") announced their latest pilot project today, which will test a new meal-based shopping program inside their Maple Leaf Square location at 15 York Street in Toronto.

The program was developed in strategic response to the changing needs and behaviours of today's shopper and will offer a new, unique and personalized style of grocery shopping within the Longo's retail experience.

"As the grocery store model continues to evolve, we must focus on developing programs that are both customer-centric and designed for the future of retail," said Rosanne Longo, Consumer Spokesperson. "Through this program, we hope to create greater value for our customers that will keep them returning to their favourite Longo's location time and time again."

Once fully launched, each store will offer a kiosk area where fresh ingredients will be merchandised according to a specific meal. The kiosk will provide customers with one central location inside the store where they can hand-select their produce, meats, starches and garnishes to create a specific meal or recipe. Meal sizing will be adjustable to ensure shoppers have enough to feed a single person or a large dinner party of 10. Recipes and step-by-step cooking guides will also be available in-store and online.

"Similar to the many Longo's initiatives that are currently underway, this program seeks to prepare us for the future of retail. As we carefully examine consumer trends, we know that customers are certainly seeking convenience, but we firmly believe that they also want a human-centred experience where they can browse, see, feel and compare ingredients before purchasing," said Rosanne Longo.

Longo' says that the program has great potential to not only attract and engage new customers but to also help its existing customers discover better ways of shopping that provide both ease and convenience.

"Everything we do at Longo's is about enhancing the overall experience that customers have with our brand both in-store and online," said Rosanne Longo. "Above all else, we strive to be a place that offers something for everyone; for those who love grocery shopping and browsing the aisles to the individual who wants to gather their ingredients quickly and conveniently. Whatever the preference, we are committed to continual improvement and perfecting the customer experience at every turn."

The pilot project will launch June 24, 2019, at Longo's Maple Leaf Square location. Longo's plans to expand the model to each of its 33 stores by Spring 2020.

About Longo’s
Longo’s is a family-owned Canadian organization that started in 1956 when three brothers, Tommy, Joe and Gus opened their first fruit market. It was a small 1,500 square foot store on Yonge Street (at Castle field) in Toronto. The family maintained a commitment to providing customers with the best fresh food experience possible. All these years later, this philosophy remains the heart and soul of our company. Today, Longo’s operates full-service grocery stores across the GTA as well as www.GroceryGateway.com, the leader in online sales of home-delivered groceries. Longo’s employs more than 5,000 team members and offers an environment where people have the opportunity to be the best that they can be.

© 2019 GlobeNewswire, Inc. All Rights Reserved.