Food Lion hatches store remodel program in Virginia

A $168 million capital investment plan from Food Lion is earmarked for 105 store remodels in the greater Norfolk, Va., area this year.

The Salisbury, N.C.-based grocer said Friday that the expenditure also will go toward price cuts, expanded product assortment and the hiring of about 5,000 new associates, as well as the promotion of current staff and more community partnerships through the Food Lion Feeds hunger-relief program.

Plans call for 12 of the stores—in Edenton, Elizabeth City, Franklin, Murfreesboro, Newport News, Onley, Virginia Beach, Williamsburg and Yorktown, Va.—to get walk-in “garden coolers” that help keep produce fresher for a longer time period.

The deli departments in six stores—in Carrollton, Gloucester, Hayes, Norfolk, Smithfield and Virginia Beach, Va.—will be expanded to include items such as handmade artisan pizza, a wing bar, premium coffee and a soda station, among other offerings.

Remodeled stores also will carry a broader variety and assortment of products tailored for the customer base of each store, such as more local, gluten-free, natural and organic items, including fresh-cut fruit and vegetables prepared in-house daily, according to Food Lion.

In addition, the remodeled locations will feature store layouts that are easier to shop and navigate, new registers and enhanced customer service, the latter stemming from customer-centric training for associates at every store, Food Lion said. All of the stores will remain open for normal hours during the remodeling process.

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"We are excited to bring our newest shopping experience to this community. With every change, we have kept our customers at the forefront because we want to ensure they can easily find fresh, quality products to nourish their families at affordable prices every day, delivered with caring, friendly service every time they shop,” Food Lion President Meg Ham said in a statement. “We’re proud of our history in Hampton Roads and many of the surrounding communities, and we look forward to reintroducing our customers to their renovated stores later this summer."

Food Lion, part of Ahold Delhaize USA, said it has remodeled 544 of the 1,000-plus stores across its 10-state operating area in the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic over last four years as part of its "Easy, Fresh and Affordable...You Can Count on Food Lion Every Day!" strategy.