Tapping into the resurgence of food to go, a Nisa store in Belshill, Glasgow, move the focus away from groceries and onto fresh food for now and for later.
Father and son team Abdul and Umar Majid run the store: “We want people to think of us more as a food store where they can come to buy their fresh meals, not just as a grocery shop,” said Abdul.
“We really like the Irish model and the cornerstone of what they do is their fresh food. In the long term we want to have shoppers coming in for their freshly prepared food and picking up their groceries on the same trip,” he continued.
This comes after the pair went on a trip to Northern Ireland to learn how the food to go market operates there.
They came back inspired and began by creating a food take out offer. The store has now moved on to sell freshly prepared meals including casseroles, soups, pies, and pasta dishes that shoppers can pick up from the chiller, take home and heat up for dinner.
Made on site and sold under the Baba’s Kitchen brand – after Umar’s grandfather - the choice is expanding and has been well received by shoppers who are enjoying the increased range of both food for now and food for later.
Umar, who has taken on responsibility for developing this side of the business, aspires to make significant changes over the next five to 10 years and ensure the store is future fit.
“Currently we are selling out of most of what we make every day, and we don’t have the capacity to prepare any more. So, the long-term plan will see us create a larger kitchen space which will allow us to make more products,” said Umar.
“It isn’t going to happen overnight, but I have a lot of ideas and it’s something we can do that will really help us to stand out from the competition.”
For more on food to go and its resurgence, check out the Convenience Mix Podcast.
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