Asda Opens Largest ‘On The Move’ Store

Namnews, 21st March 2022

Asda has opened its largest ‘On the Move’ convenience store on an EG Group petrol forecourt in Nottinghamshire.

Situated on EG’s London Road site in Retford, the 5,000 sq. ft. Asda store offers more than 2,500 own-label and branded items, including its Extra Special range and fresh and chilled products, alongside EG-operated foodservice brands LEON and KFC.

Following trials in four other Asda On the Move stores, the site offers access to the grocer’s full online range via a Click & Collect service, as well as collection and returns on parcels from over 100 other brands.

The new opening takes the number of Asda On the Move stores to 32. Towards the end of last year, Asda announced that it planned to open over 200 convenience stores at petrol stations operated by its new owners, the Issa brothers and TDR Capital. The group noted that the latest launch provides further evidence of the shared benefits and combined strengths of the partnership between Asda and the EG Group.

EG-owned Cooplands, the UK’s second-largest bakery chain, will open a café inside the Asda On the Move store, offering hot food-to-go options, in the second half of next month.

Oliver Silvester, Head of Asda On the Move, said: “The launch of our largest ever Asda On the Move with EG Group marks an important step in Asda’s commitment to ensure more customers have greater access to our extensive range of value products and services – whether on the move, online, in-store, or via Click & Collect.

“Our partnership with EG Group makes this possible and combines our expertise in food retail with EG’s roster of innovative and well-known food service brands. It’s fantastic to see our biggest Asda On the Move to date launch in Retford.”

Barry Westley, Head of Retail Integration at EG Group, added: “We are excited to partner with Asda on the opening of the most ambitious Asda On the Move store to date. There is a real opportunity to bring customers something different by combining our experience in foodservice and convenience retailing with a carefully curated range of Asda products and services.

“The complementary strengths of both EG Group and Asda enable us to make it even more convenient for motorists to access everything they need when they fill up with fuel.”

NAM Implications:

• This convenience format is patently on the move…
• …inevitably.
• And important that you be on board, sooner rather than later
• (because with so much to prove in terms of being on top of the debt, Asda needs to innovate to drive fast enough)
• Therefore suppliers that back the ‘certainties‘…
• …have to benefit from increased profile within the group.