Health and specialty food stores are booming. More and more people are realising that a healthy diet is vital for a healthy body and healthy mind. If you are thinking of opening a healthy food store or giving your current premises a makeover, a vital piece of the puzzle is your shelving.
If you are opening or refurbishing any retail store, choice of shelving is vital. While what you sell is crucial, the environment you create is also important, and both work together to encourage customers to return.
Although the primary goal of shelving is to hold and display stock to its best advantage, it also has a major effect on the way the store looks. We live in a visual age and even if the produce you sell is the best quality, the way it is displayed will alter the perception of the product. Specialty food store products often come with a higher price tag, and displaying your stock on shelving that has a natural finish will help emphasise the organic, healthy nature of the products.
Your choice of products is likely all-natural, organic, vegan, and healthy, so displaying them on basic, metal shelving may not always be the best option, especially if you’re trying to cultivate a brand. Adding elements of wood, stone or bamboo can be a great way to emphasise the quality and organic nature of the goods you sell.
But natural materials are not the only choice for shelving in your store. Contrast can work well and going for something industrial can be impactful, memorable and make a statement. You only have to look at modern restaurant design to see how successful this can be.
Or you could mix the two. Dark powder-coated shelving with wooden accents are also popular. If you do decide organic is the way to go don’t forget that doesn’t necessarily mean you need wooden shelving units. Using woven baskets and barrels in addition to your shelving is another good option.
Shelving is one element of your store’s design and will contribute or detract from your brand. There are many retail stores that do this well – think of Lush, Hollister, or Abercrombie & Fitch; they wouldn’t be the same brand without their iconic displays. (Google them if you’re not familiar.)
Our shelving options offer a multitude of custom options that can complement, add to, and help create your brand. You can customise finish, style, colour and more, so think about how your shelving can work with your lighting to best display your products and emphasise your brand’s personality.
Don’t forget that the customer experience is a vital piece of the puzzle when it comes to branding your retail store. If you’re a premium health food store, you may have staff on hand to help shoppers choose the best products for them and offer a personal shopping experience for those who want it. On the other hand, most customers to an Asian grocery will expect to be left to shop as they would in any other grocery store, and having assistants on hand may actually turn them off from shopping with you.
Our retail shelving units and racks can be fully customised to suit any health food or specialty food store, whether you need to fit in as much stock as possible, or highlight your carefully selected products. Our shelving is just as practical as it is stylish, so you can optimise your space and offer your customers the best shopping experience possible. To find out more about our retail shelving options, click here.
