Columbia, S.C., is one of the markets where Food Lion is rolling out renovated stores as part of a chain-wide program
Food Lion will take the wraps off 92 newly renovated stores in the greater Myrtle Beach, Florence, Columbia and Charleston, S.C., markets, as well as in Lumberton, N.C., on Wednesday, July 17.
The stores received their overhaul thanks to a $158 million capital investment, which, in addition to the remodeling costs, included the hiring of 2,000 additional associates and charitable donations to local communities.
"Food Lion has nourished our neighbors in the greater South Carolina community for 43 years, and we're excited to bring these improvements to our 92 local stores," noted Meg Ham, president of Salisbury, N.C.-based Food Lion. "We've created a new grocery shopping experience through the significant investments in our stores, associates and communities. From our expanded variety and product assortment, newly reorganized stores, to a more efficient checkout experience, every change we've made will make it easier for our customers to find the quality products they have come to expect from Food Lion. When coupled with our weekly sales and promotions, customers will see that we have made it easier for them to nourish their families with healthy foods on a budget.”
Each store will open to the public at 8 a.m. on July 17, after a 7:45 a.m. ribbon-cutting ceremony. The first 100 customers in line will receive a Food Lion reusable grocery bag, a Food Lion branded apron and a $10 gift card, with one shopper getting a $250 card. Additionally, at 5 p.m. on grand-reopening day, the grocer will distribute another round of $10 gift cards to the first 100 customers at that time in all 92 stores.
Updated store features include the following:
- A greater variety and assortment across all departments relevant to customers at each store, including more local produce, a larger variety of craft beer, limited-reserve wines, and additional local, natural, organic and gluten-free items
- An extensive selection of fresh produce and meat backed by Food Lion's double-your-money-back guarantee, and a bigger range of Nature’s Promise beef, pork, poultry, milk, eggs, bottled water, cereal, coffee and other items
- Hand-battered chicken, a larger selection of convenient and affordable complete meals for families, and a wider variety of grab-and-go items and pre-sliced deli meats and cheeses, which are sliced fresh daily and available for customers to pick up without waiting in line
- A more streamlined checkout process
- New signage and groupings of similar products, to make it easier to locate items at a glance
In addition, six stores – located in Andrews, Columbia, Dillon, Florence, Georgetown and Ravenel, S.C. – will have walk-in produce coolers designed to keep produce fresher for a longer period of time.
With this latest batch of renovations, the banner now has remodeled 80 percent of its more than 1,000 stores across its 10 Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic states, where it employs more than 63,000 associates.
Food Lion is a company of Ahold Delhaize USA, the U.S. division of Zaandam, Netherlands-based Royal Ahold Delhaize Group. Ahold Delhaize USA is No. 4 on Progressive Grocer’s 2019 Super 50 list of the top grocers in the United States.