METRO BULGARIA RENOVATES KEY DEPARTMENTS IN THE STORE

Shopping at specialised stores is gaining popularity among Bulgarian consumers driven by demand for high quality, products of proven origin and a rich selection. METRO Bulgaria, one of the places in the country associated with a rich selection of products and services for both end-consumers and business clients is making a step forward in the development of its specialised departments. The Meat and Bread sections in the store on Tsarigradsko Shose Boulevard in Sofia, which are key for the company, have been completely renovated to meet the clients' evolving requirements. The renovated sectors in the store meet the key trends in business. This is reflected in both their new modern design and the offering of services that makes the customer's experience unique for each consumer.

A new selection of over 440 meat products

According to a survey* of the market and consumption of meat, customers associate meat stands with properties such as quality, freshness and proven origin, while 75% of respondents believe that the best meat is from Bulgaria. This is why all minced meats at METRO's butcher's counter are made in the company's own butchery with ingredients of proven origin without additional colourings, flavour enhancers and improvers. The product range in the new Meat section includes both a full range of pork sourced from Bulgaria, and more exotic suggestions such as quail fillets and drumsticks, a novelty for the Bulgarian market.

Services for the business

Services personalisation is one of the leading trends in all spheres of modern business, and clients increasingly require that companies meet their individual demands. Keeping in line with this key trend, at the boutique Butchery stall professional clients of METRO can buy minced meat after an author's recipe. In compliance with the new business practices, customers have at their disposal as well the service for meat vacuuming that will prolong the products' expiration date.

The new bakery

One of the chain's strategic changes is the creation of a completely new Bakery. According to a corporate survey**, 47% of Bulgarian consumers prefer to buy baked bread and baked goods. This is why METRO Bulgaria has invested in completely new equipment that guarantees a perfect baking process, reliable packaging and high quality of the products. The special micro-perforated packaging not only protects the end product, but also keeps it fresh from the store to the clients' tables.

Besides the brand new Bakery, the renovated Bread section greets the customers with an extended assortment of almost 40 new products. These include hand-made breads, healthy options such as keto, vegan and gluten-free goods, French baked goods and many more. Clients can observe the baking process, while freshly made baked goods are specifically branded for easy identification.

The new design

The two new places in METRO, the Butchery and the Bakery, greet the clients with a new design as well. It is based on the concept of "small shop within the big store." The idea for the renovation of these key departments is to provide clients with easy access, rich selection and choice of services that will help their businesses grow.

All consumers now can shop in the renovated sections in METRO's store on Tsarigradsko Shose Boulevard, choosing from a diverse range of products with proven origin and high quality.

* data from GFK survey for September 2020, Institute for Marketing Research, Meat, MAT Sept 2020 GFK Data 

** survey conducted by METRO Bulgaria among 164 representatives of the HORECA sector in the field of restaurants, hotels, catering and fast food