The New Morrisons

In the Sunday Times Business Section this week, the feature story was about Morrisons & with the opening of Morrisons new store on Monday, 5th December I thought I would share it with anyone who didn't read it.

The main thrust was about how it was re-inventing itself, it's ongoing strategy & how it compares to the other supermarkets.

Morrisons differs mainly in the content of its shops & how it lays them out.  For example, a new Tesco's Extra superstore like the one they are planning to build in Wisbech with the cinema is typically about 75,000 square feet.  That is approx 3 football pitches with 25,000 sq. ft. of that non-food items such as toys & electricals.  Morrisons concentrates mainly on food.

On the strategy side, Morrisons has 468 stores nationwide with over 70% of those in the north of England.  What they are trying to do is build new stores that have a wider appeal, concentrate on food with a spotlight on fresh local produce & also reflect the values in the area its being built in.  The example given was their new store in St. Albans which has an American Diner style breakfast bar & cafe, a Sushi bar, russian vegetables, 14 types of mushrooms, exotic fruits such as Papaya, a cheesemonger, butchers, bakers, fishmonger & a Charcutterie with 40 types of cured meats.

This gives us all an excellent opportunity to see what the wider world (especially marketing gurus) thinks of Wisbech in particular & Fenland in general with regard to the rest of the nation.  If Morrisons add any of the above features then that sends a really positive message about how we are viewed but if it is filled with value brands, one type of potatoes & cabbages & a burger bar then we will understand the message.

Go down there on Monday & let me know what you think.  If we none of the things that I've mentioned above are there then I think a tongue in cheek correspondence will forthcoming from me to Morrisons about why they hold so little regard for Wisbech & I will send a missive to the council to enquire why they have given planning permission to yet another company brazenly wanting to suck money out of the towns economy whilst putting absolutely nothing back in except a few minimum wage jobs.  I bet none of the builders, architects, plumbers & electricians working on the store came from Wisbech & I'm sure none of the shop fittings or raw materials came from the area.

And it will be an absolute crime if they don't source produce from local suppliers especially as this is one of Morrisons avowed strategy goals & should have been foremost in the councils mind when considering the impact a new supermarket would have on the local area & economy.  The councils job is to look after us & from what I can see 50% of their job, protecting the local economy, hasn't been done as this will take business away from the smaller retailers in town.

If however we have some great new features & the shelves are groaning with local produce I shall say so on here giving them & the council a pat on the back.