By Rena Granofsky
Toronto’s Globe and Mail recently brought a new supermarket concept to our attention: Eataly of Torino, Italy. According to Eric Reguly, “Eataly is an unlikely blend of food bazaar, farm stand, educational centre, museum, eclectic dining experience and political and environmental movement.” It is all about “slow food”, the antithesis of “fast food” and the movement to preserve the cultural cuisine and associated food plants and seeds, domestic animals, and farming within an eco-region.
According to Reguly, Eataly bombards the senses with aromas, colors, variety, energy and design flare that are almost entirely missing from the typical big-box North American supermarket. It is filled with artisanal products, with an emphasis on local producers, and there are restaurants or bars throughout to sample the products.
Credit: Eataly Torino
Eataly is therefore all about the Experience, a treat for the senses and the soul. This is a destination supermarket that seems to offer an entirely different Experience than the one offered by Whole Foods, long revered for its delivery of exceptional quality organic products and prepared foods to its loyal customers. It is not about making it Easy (saving time) and does not pretend to be Economical (saving money).
So is this the supermarket of the future, as predicted by Atlantic Magazine, or simply another option for consumers? Are consumers still time pressed, looking for Easy options, and price conscious, looking for Economical options? Given our current economy and fast-paced lifestyle in North America, it would seem that saving time and money will continue to be important in the foreseeable future.
Yet the supermarket chain that continues to outpace all others is Whole Foods, an Experience retailer. Perhaps it is time for other traditional supermarkets to take their cue from both Whole Foods and Eataly, and up the Experience.
Rena,
As you say this is all about the experience. This will only work in a very high traffic area with many potential upscale customers. While there is always an appropriate time for ‘slowing it down’ and spending a little more on a few luxuries, I don’t see this as a regular grocery shopping experience for most, where easy and economical will win every time.