Albert Heijn to open cafes, restaurants in larger stores
Albert Heijn is opening restaurants and cafes in its larger stores. On Friday the first Bakery Cafe and Deli Kitchen are opening in the Albert Heijn store on Amsterdam's Gelderlandplein. Dozens of other stores will follow in the coming months, the Telegraaf reports.
The Bakery Cafe is located at the entrance of the store. There customers can get something to eat before or after doing their grocery shopping. In the Deli Kitchen, customers can order salads, meals, pizzas and grilled chicken to take home or eat right there. You will also be able to create your own pizza or salad.
According to the newspaper, Albert Heijn wants to capitalize on the trend that customers want more fresh and hyper fresh products that they can get at any time of the day. The difference between supermarkets and restaurants are increasingly disappearing in the Netherlands. Jumbo was the first Dutch supermarket to jump on that trend, buying restaurant chain La Place.
Albert Heijn is now following suit. "We see that traditional eating patterns are changing. Not only is the number of meals per day increasing, people are also more frequently eating on the road and away from home." Marit van Egmond, commercial director of Albert Heijn said, according to the newspaper. "With the opening of the Bakery Cafe and Deli Kitchen in Albert Heijn stores, we are taking the next step in combining retail with food services."
