Food Lion to Remodel in Richmond

Food Lion will remodel 71 stores in the greater Richmond, Va., market this year, with plans to invest $110 million for this initiative and others, including the support of associates and the community through the Food Lion Feeds hunger relief initiative.

As part of its "Easy, Fresh and Affordable...You Can Count on Food Lion Every Day!" strategy, Food Lion has already brought enhancements to its Richmond stores, including product expansion, new registers, price investments and enhanced service. The initiative comes at a time when Lakeland, Fla.-based grocer Publix is ramping up competition in the area, purchasing and remodeling 10 Martin's Food Markets stores, as well as building two new stores. Publix first revealed its impending entry into Virginia early last year.

When the remodels are complete, the key benefits that customers will be able to take advantage of will include:

• Fresh, new stores designed to be easier to navigate and shop so customers can get in and out quickly.
• Expanded variety and assortment that is relevant to customers in each store, including more local products such as beer and wine, and natural and organic selections.

"Food Lion is proud to have been a part of the greater Richmond community since 1984, and we are excited to bring our newest format to this market," said Food Lion President Meg Ham. "We look forward to making significant investments in our stores, our customers, our associates and our communities to offer a new grocery shopping experience. We want to ensure our customers can easily find fresh, quality products to nourish their families at affordable prices every day, delivered with caring, friendly service every time they shop."

Richmond is the sixth Food Lion market undergoing remodels, and the stores are expected to be completed on a rolling basis between June and October 2017. Food Lion will continue to launch enhancements across its more than 1,000 stores in 2017, as well as remodel additional markets over time. The company is currently remodeling 93 stores in the greater Greensboro, N.C., market, and previously completed 142 stores in greater Charlotte, N.C., in 2016; 162 stores in the greater Raleigh, N.C., area in 2015; and 76 stores in the greater Wilmington, N.C., and Greenville, N.C., markets in 2014.

Food Lion, based in Salisbury, N.C., has more than 1,000 stores in 10 Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic states, and employs more than 63,000 associates.