New Brighton was once where docker day trippers, crossing the Mersey, went for traditional seaside fayre. Like many coastal towns, it has seen better days.
However, alongside a new floral pavilion the town has also had a leg-up from a major development anchored by a spanking new Morrisons. This new store is noteworthy as a snapshot of the work in progress by Dalton Philips and his team.
Work in progress is a signifi cant phrase – there’s a lot going on at Morrisons right now. Just about every part of the business is gaining some form of high-level attention. We do not yet know what vision Mr Philips & Co have for how Morrison stores will look once current trials – in fresh produce merchandising, own-label ranging and branding, e-commerce CLIVE BLACK and non-food participation, to name but four – are complete. But we do have insight into Philips’ fresh thinking, particularly the merchandising of counters and chilled prepared food. New Brighton brings much-needed modernisation to Market Street. In time, it will hopefully replace the somewhat uncoordinated in-fill implemented after the acquisition of Safeway.
While the new counters represent progress, there is no doubt the aisle commanding most attention is chilled prepared foods. That is where Morrisons has revolutionised its proposition through M Kitchen. The breadth of change, its co-ordination across so many subcategories, the merchandising and, most important of all, the product are step changes for Morrisons – in an area where, frankly, it has under-punched for many years.
M Kitchen has the scope to encourage Morrisons shoppers to both trade up and become more loyal – and it could also attract footfall. That said, there will be challenges, not least of which will be wastage and sustaining high standards.
With M Kitchen joining M Local, it will be very interesting to see where ‘M’ turns up next – allowing for time off for next year’s 007 movie. In particular, we are looking for all the ideas from Leeds, St Albans, Shrewsbury, Wrexham and York to be fused into what Morrisons is going to become. If Mr Philips’ ideas can be as eff ective across the store as the promise of M Kitchen, the UK food retailing industry is set to become a whole lot more interesting.
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