Simply Fresh has opened a new healthy-focused store within Aberdeen Royal Infirmary.

The 450 sq ft store is partnered with the NHS-owned and operated Aroma Coffee and is called Aroma Convenience by Simply Fresh.

The pilot project for NHS Scotland seeks to offer patients, relatives and staff healthier choices. The store will be managed and operated by the NHS Grampian facilities team with all profits reinvested in front-line patient care initiatives.

Complementing the existing coffee shop, it sells a range of fresh and ambient products, with at least 50% of foods and 70% of drinks meeting the strict salt, fat and sugar content guidelines produced by the new Scottish Government Healthcare Retail Standards.

Kash Khera, managing director of Simply Fresh, said: “Our ethos is all about healthy eating and best of British products, so we’re delighted to be part of this pilot project. We now have more than 86 stores within the SimplyFresh stable and this trial is a great way of introducing Scottish customers to the brand.”

Last year saw Simply Fresh introduce its small store format in partnership with the TfL network, with the first trial store achieving 85% growth in turnover in its first quarter. Aroma Convenience by Simply Fresh aims to match this success and build a long term partnership with the NHS-owned Aroma Coffee, which currently operates 31 outlets across Scotland, Wales and the Pennines.