Iceland enters forecourt convenience

Supermarket Iceland has launched a new ‘Local’ convenience store format, owned and managed by forecourt operator SGN Retail.

The supermarket has opened its first “Iceland Local”, thus foraying into convenience format with plans to roll out the concept further in the coming months. The store opened on a Texaco garage forecourt in Fallings Park, Wolverhampton March 31. The store offers a frozen section supplied by Iceland, which includes the frozen food retailer’s own-label range and products from its partnerships with Slimming World, Myprotein and Harry Ramsden’s, reports stated.

The site also features a Costcutter though there is a single entry for petrol, food, beverages and other goods via a single point of sale, operated by SGN.

Iceland international and wholesale director Justin Addison said: “Iceland Local will make our unique range of frozen, chilled, fresh and grocery products available to customers in a completely new type of location, complementing our 1,000 company-owned Iceland and The Food Warehouse stores on the nation’s high streets and retail parks.

“Iceland Local gives customers an exciting new opportunity to pick up our food while they are refuelling, and we already have plans to roll out the concept with further openings in the months ahead.”

The new format is the retailer’s second move into the convenience sector. It launched Swift convenience store model in 2021. It now spans across five stores and carries ambient, chilled, fresh and frozen range, as well as alcohol, cigarettes and tobacco.

Iceland Local is its latest new offering, alongside its free home delivery of in-store purchases, and its swift online delivery service through partnerships with Uber Eats and Just Eat.