Russian retailer Magnit has announced that it plans to open 2,000 bakeries across its convenience store network in 2023 as it ramps up its freshly-baked offering for shoppers.
The assortment offered by the bakeries will depend on the location of the outlet, Magnit said, but on an average it will offer around 33 SKUs. In addition, the bakery section in selected stores will also feature coffee stations.
Ruslan Ismailov, deputy CEO of Magnit said, "Bakeries are becoming points of attraction for customers in our stores. They come to us not only for basic groceries, but also for the positive feeling that comes from the smell and taste of fresh bread. We see high demand for our baked goods and will continue to scale our chain of bakeries."
Modern Equipment
Magnit will ndertake quality control of the bakeries using telemetry – all equipment will be connected to a system that enables real-time remote monitoring of production processes.
In 2021, the retailer opened its first bakeries in convenience stores as part of a pilot project.
The retailer believes that bakeries in stores will contribute to higher customer traffic.
Last year, sweet pastries, croissants, meat pies and samosas were the items that customers favoured the most, Magnit added.
'Demand For Ready-To-Eat' Meals
Andrey Martsevoy, project manager for launching bakeries and Magnit’s director for the Central District, added, “We see a strong demand for ready-to-eat and ready-to-go goods, including ready meals and quick bites. In order to meet customer needs, we open in-store departments with freshly baked goods of our own production. At the same time, the bakery service is not the end goal, as we want to develop a comprehensive service, including covering the need for a quick bite.
"Time plays a key role in modern life, so we not only develop the offering of ready-made food, but also give our customers the opportunity to quickly buy ready-made meals and fresh pastries using self-service checkouts."
© 2023 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest fresh-produce news. Article by Dayeeta Das. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: European Supermarket Magazine.
