Massachusetts-based convenience store Alltown Fresh opened its first Connecticut location in Waterbury on Aug. 21. The banner said the "farm-style market" embraces many unique features in a 4,780-square-foot space. Alltown Fresh opened its first location in Plymouth, Massachusetts in January.
The store includes an extensive selection of beverages and a curated assortment of made-to-order meals using fresh ingredients, hitting on all the food retail trends for today's convenience-seeking consumers.
"We want to be known as a restaurant and a marketplace farm stand — and ultimately don't want to be doing the same thing everyone else is doing in the convenience store space," said Eric Slifka, CEO of Global Partners LP.
The 24/7 market's kitchen will operate from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily.
Open kitchen
Alltown Fresh's Waterbury kitchen features food and drink made with organic produce, fresh veggies roasted on-site, natural and locally sourced products. Meals cater to an array of dietary preferences including vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free.
The menu includes all-day breakfast with items like the "Mindful Moroccan," which combines slow-cooked Tunisian-style tomatoes with vegetables, garbanzo beans, Greek yogurt, poached cage-free eggs and crostini. Alltown Fresh also offers salads and protein bowls, such as the "Happy Hipster," made with roasted carrots, broccoli, red peppers, zucchini squash and house-made garlic hummus.
Beverages including smoothies and kombucha are also available, and customers can order all food and beverage items via a touchscreen kiosk.
Local coffee and fresh drinks on tap
The retailer's coffee selection is central to its destination image. Alltown Fresh has a menu of made-to-order artisanal espresso drinks like macchiatos and iced mochas ranging from $2 to $4.
To target its on-the-go consumer, the store also has self-serve, bean-to-cup coffee machines filled with locally roasted coffee beans.
Alltown Fresh also offers a variety of organic teas and juices with flavors like mandarin cardamom, stonefruit haymaker, lemonade and black tea. In addition, it sells Maine Root soft drinks including Mexican cola, root beer, vanilla creme and raspberry seltzer. Customers can get kombucha on tap, with reusable bottles and growlers for purchase.
Grocery and grab-and-go
From pre-packaged nuts to produce, signs with "locally sourced" flood Alltown Fresh's grocery section as the retailer upholds its mission to source from local farmers and producers.
Locally grown produce matters to 84% of shoppers, and it's driving consumers to look for produce outside of the traditional grocery store and to places like farmers markets. According to Nielsen, buying local has the highest awareness among U.S. consumers at 46%.
The rest of Alltown Fresh's grocery section is filled with typical convenience store products like Lay's and Kettle brand chips, but also offers more natural and organic products including Amy's, Terra chips, Lenny & Larry's Complete Cookies, Bobo's oat bars and other independent brands.
An extensive grab-and-go section includes bottled drinks such as Perrier, Voss and Zevia and a variety of pre-packaged foods from bean salads, slaws and hummus to salami and artisanal cheeses.
Pet supplies
In North America, pet owners are on track to spend $281 million on premium pet products by 2023, according to Edge by Ascential. Alltown Fresh is tapping into this trend with the sale of premium pet food. Products stocked on Alltown Fresh's shelves include organic pet cookies, grain-free dog food and cat food formula and premium feast dinners for cats.
The retailer also allows dogs into the store and offers a pet relief station for guests who want to enjoy a meal with their furry friends in tow.
Convenience with community
For the convenience-seeking consumer who may not be on-the-go, Alltown Fresh's store also includes Wi-Fi and phone charging stations. Customers who want to sit back and relax can take advantage of the retailer's large, outdoor seating area or indoor seating that offers a sense of community near the hustle and bustle.
