Spanish retailer Mercadona has opened an Co-Innovation Centre in Matosinhos, near Porto, as one of its first investments in Portugal.
The facility represents Mercadona’s first step in preparation for entry into the Portuguese market.
Mercadona’s Co-Innovation Centre, which boasts more than 1,000 square metres of space, 'is designed to study, in constant collaboration with customers, the habits and preferences of the Portuguese consumer in order to develop a an efficient and innovative product range', the company said in a statement.
Apron Strategy
Using the so-called 'Estratégia Avental', or 'Apron Strategy', Mercadona’s specialists are tasked with identifying the needs of customers, listening and observing their tastes and preferences. This information is then passed on to suppliers so that, depending on the case, products can be improved or new innovative solutions can be developed.
According to Mercadona, 'the agility to innovate and create new products depends on the ability to collaborate and learn from customers' experiences through a true culture of innovation'.
This Mercadona Co-Innovation Centre joins the 13 facilities of this type that the chain has in Spain. It features product tasting rooms, kitchens and other spaces that simulate the houses of customers.
© 2017 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Branislav Pekic. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: The European Supermarket Magazine
