The Client
Meny, a leading Norwegian supermarket that’s part of the NorgesGruppen group.
The Opportunity
To give Meny a brand presence and personality.

Household had to build the brand’s fresh food offer as its key strength, while engaging their loyal customer – the 45- to 65-year-old foodie shopper. The design also had to attract younger families and city professionals as the future generation of customers, especially with the emergence of food in Norway as a lifestyle consideration for these audiences.

The Transformational Solution
‘We exist to help people eat better’ is Meny’s brand position and standout characteristic against competitors. In a market dominated by discounters shouting price and value, Meny is the first to care about what people eat.

Household has created an environment that shows why Meny is different – and better. Heroing the freshness of the product is key. Display units in Bakery and Fruit and Vegetables flex responsively to stock levels throughout the day, so displays always look abundant. Meanwhile, a wooden ceiling raft holds the fresh counters perimeter together, creating a point of intimacy and spotlighting the vibrancy of the products.

The brand is a storyteller, encouraging routine-lead shoppers to swap different ingredients into their standard recipes from Meny’s quality products. There is visible expert presence – from staff and chefs, to inspirational hints, tips and ‘perfect combinations’.

This specialist authority breathes through the physical store, with maturing cabinets making whole cheese wheels and drying meat carcasses visible and available to purchase. In addition, the Meny Lauget (guild) – the ‘best of the best’ of in-store experts – has been elevated with a ‘seal of expert approval’ initiative for hero products.

The Result
The new store’s turnover is within budget and it is delivering on key performance parameters such as high share in the fresh produce departments. The store is perceived as warm and abundant, with feedback from customers being very positive.

Vegard Kjuus, CEO at Meny said: “Household has created what will pioneer the next generation of supermarkets in Norway. The brief was simple but also difficult, because we were already performing well. But we want to lead with more than just profits – communications, customer dialogue and customer satisfaction are key.”

Christian Kildal Hansen, Store Concept Development Manager at Meny said: “What impressed me during the process was Household’s ability to absorb knowledge regarding the Norwegian grocery market, especially in terms of consumer behaviour and the local competition. This was crucial for us in order to create a concept that was adapted to local conditions within the set timeframe.”

About
Household is a customer experience design consultancy that creates emotionally connected, high performing customer experiences. We focus on Retail, Leisure and Service design for ambitious brands, constantly shaping ways to innovate across their physical and digital channels. We create transformational customer experiences through our ‘Insight, Innovation and Activation’ process, partnering with brands to make their unique connection with customers. We do this across, their environments, their communication, their services, their products and their people. Based in London and Los Angeles, Household works across Europe, the USA and Asia. We are independent, with a big reach and a big heart, valuing ingenuity, warmth and collaboration.