Dive Brief:

• Hannaford Supermarkets announced Monday the opening of its newest store and noted it has completed renovations to six existing locations since the start of 2023.
• The renovations centered around customer convenience and involved installing 24 self-checkout stations and five private pharmacy consultation rooms in stores in Maine, Massachusetts, Vermont and New Hampshire.
• The in-store upgrades highlight grocers’ continued efforts to focus on consumers' health with both food and medicine.

Dive Insight:

Hannaford’s newest store, which opened its doors in May and is located in Blue Hill, Maine, is the “highlight of the [grocer’s] first half of the year,” the press release said, stating that the store offers an expansive fresh foods selection and a full-service pharmacy. 

Six stores have completed remodels between March and June. These include locations in Derry, New Hampshire; South Burlington, Vermont; and Winthrop, Maine, along with three Massachusetts locations in Lunenburg, Leominster and Uxbridge.

Five of the remodeled Hannaford locations expanded their food offerings in areas such as the produce sections, meat and seafood departments, local selection and grab-and-go offerings. The South Burlington store, for example, now features more local producers as well as soy and vegan products, per the announcement. The Derry Hannaford location increased its assortment of fresh-cut fruits and vegetables and now has new drink options like kombucha, juices and smoothies.

The Lunenburg location added a full-service pharmacy during the remodel with private rooms for immunizations and consultations, according to the announcement. 

While some grocers have sold off their pharmacy businesses in recent years, others are investing in the service. H-E-B, for example, recently upgraded its online pharmacy tools after announcing in May the development of a health and wellness platform. The grocer has also been growing its fleet of healthcare facilities.

“These projects support Hannaford’s commitment to delivering fresh, high-quality food, dependable value and exceptional service to our customers. We thank the many associates who supported this work, and look forward to continuing to enhance the shopping experience of our customers,” Hannaford Vice President of Retail Operations Todd Bullen said in a statement.