ARLINGTON, VA - New formats with a greater focus on fresh look to be a rising trend in retail, with Aldi being the latest to unveil a new interior. The german-based discount chain has launched a new format in Richmond, Virginia, offering a boost to its produce department among other changeups.

Fruit, salad greens, and vegetables are offered in an expanded fresh produce section, as well as premade dips and soups, according to news source Business Insider, with large digital displays and lit signs promising quality and freshness.

Additional changes include: 

• Refrigerators lining the store
• Electronic displays on the walls
• Permanent eye-level shelving fixtures
• Wider, more spacious aisles

While the exterior is much the same, inside the news source reports a clear focus on fruits and vegetables. Stores contain a large refrigerated section devoted to produce, and a spotlight making the fresh produce department a central focus.

The chain continues to sell the majority of produce in bulk packaging, and looks to be on a track for further growth in the U.S.

As we recently reported, the traditionally low-cost retailer has expressed interest in wealthier, suburban areas, and has also recently looked to more locations in the Texas market. Already with 1,500 U.S. stores, Aldi wants to add significantly to that number in the next couple of years.

Will this new, produce-fueled strategy soon spread with that growth? AndNowUKnow will report as the story develops further.

Aldi