Asda has unveiled plans to expand in the convenience market by partnering with EG Group to launch 28 new Asda On the Move stores this year, up to 200 sites next year and the ambition to roll out further stores in 2023. The launch follows the successful trial of five Asda On the Move stores, which have opened on EG Group forecourt sites since last October, as part of the supermarket’s partnerships strategy to help customers complete more shopping missions in one location. The Asda On the Move rollout will begin next month, with sites opening in Knowsley, Crewe, Skelmersdale and Holtspur. Asda will supply the products on a wholesale agreement to EG Group, which will own and operate each site.
Each site will be up to 3,000ft² in size and stock up to 2,500 products, including a selection of Asda’s premium ‘Extra Special’ range and a more extensive range of fresh produce and chilled lines than is traditionally found on fuel forecourts. They will also include food service offerings from EG Group and their partner brands such as Greggs and Subway.
Asda’s move into convenience will substantially broaden the number of new and existing customers who can access the supermarket’s great value products in convenient neighbourhood and roadside locations. The stores will open across EG Group’s existing forecourt estate in the UK and are also expected to be situated on some new-to-industry sites as well.
Mohsin Issa CBE and Zuber Issa CBE said: “The Asda business has proved incredibly resilient in 2021, as customers continue to eat more at home and enjoy food which is both fantastic quality and great value. Our plans to rollout Asda On the Move will bring Asda to new customers, enabling them to pick up food-to-go, essentials for an evening meal, or treat themselves to premium Extra Special products from a range of convenient locations. We continue to see significant opportunities to drive innovation across the business and we look forward to working with the Asda team to execute our growth strategy.”
John Fallon, Asda’s Chief Finance Officer, said: “As customers responded to the gradual easing of social distancing restrictions, we inevitably saw sales soften compared to the exceptional lockdown-driven demand experienced during the first quarter. Nevertheless, the continued resilience our business has been demonstrated in the positive like-for-like sales growth compared with the same period in 2019, as we were able to take advantage of a higher level of in-home consumption, satisfying customers’ needs across both food and non-food. Looking ahead to the rest of the year, the first phase of the rollout of Asda On the Move is an exciting next step for the business, enabling us to supply a new convenience store offer, complementing our other store formats.”
