GENUARDI'S LAUNCHES ITS FIRST SUSHI BAR

ROSEANNE HARPER

ST. DAVID'S, Pa. -- Genuardi's Family Markets has launched its first sushi bar, in a store in this upscale suburb of Philadelphia.

The sushi bar is located in the middle of the store's food court, which begins at the right front of the store, and features sushi chefs preparing fresh products in view of customers from early in the morning until early evening.

Officials at the 27-unit chain, based in Norristown, Pa., could not be reached for comment on the new concept, or on whether Genuardi's plans to add more such bars in other units.

When the chain's first food court opened here three years ago, officials said that the facility would serve as a learning lab, a platform on which new concepts in the prepared foods category would be tried out before being rolled out to other units.

A source at the sushi bar's operator, Advanced Fresh Concepts, said the concept is performing well since it debuted last month.

The bar was given space on an existing refrigerated island case that is a few feet into the traffic pattern of the supermarket's food court. It follows a salad bar and a Bucks County coffee bar, which together head the food court aisle.

The sushi chefs work at a narrow, refrigerated table just behind a display of sushi pieces in clam-shell packages. The sushi display is a 6-foot-long, three-tiered section of the refrigerated case.

The merchandising space for sushi was carved out by compressing an existing display of refrigerated pizzas. A limited number of pizzas are still displayed elsewhere in the shop-around case, as are other refrigerated products such as fresh pasta and salads.

The bar is being operated under a lease contract by Advanced Fresh Concepts, which is based in Long Beach, Calif.

"Sales are fantastic at the Genuardi's location. They're way ahead of projections," said Elsie Pon, assistant to the president of Advanced Fresh Concepts.

Pon added that in this store, which has a particularly heavy volume of traffic, AFC employs three sushi chefs, the maximum number it has at any location.

"The sushi bar's placement within the food court is good. And we've found that sales are always better when the sushi operation is part of the deli or food-service department, as it is there," Pon said.

Genuardi's food court also includes a Cinnabon Famous gourmet cinnamon roll kiosk and service bakery, both of which make up the beginning of the left side of the food court aisle. A line-up of food court concepts sits against the right wall of the store. The line-up includes a sandwich station, a gourmet pizza counter and a rotisserie chicken program.

Pon said the best-selling sushi at Genuardi's is California roll, just as it is in AFC's other supermarket locations. The roll is made from sushi rice, avocado, cucumber and imitation crab meat.

At Genuardi's, unit sales of the popular California roll hit a total of 110 packages in a single day recently, she said. Six pieces of California roll retail there for $3.35.

The second most popular item at Genuardi's sushi bar is a "Marina Gold" combo pack that contains six assorted pieces of sushi, such as tuna, salmon and shrimp. Its retail is $6.55.

Besides the Genuardi's installation, AFC operates sushi bars in other supermarkets across the United States, working with operators that include Tops Markets, Buffalo, N.Y.; Balls Food Stores, Kansas City, Kan.; Baker's Supermarkets, Omaha, Neb.; Gooding's Supermarkets, Altamonte Springs, Fla., and Lucky Stores, Dublin, Calif.