ANDRONICO'S NEWEST UNIT SHOWCASES SEAFOOD, MEAT

MINA WILLIAMS

ALBANY, Calif. (FNS) -- Andronico's newest unit in Danville, Calif., positions the meat and seafood departments as a powerhouse area, spotlighting it as a fresh-meals destination.

The new selling space takes up 29,000 square feet of the 41,000-square-foot store. The new unit leads with a "Butcher's Choice" area where both ready-to-cook and ready-to-eat entrees are presented. Pork loin, roast beef, turkey and osso bucco were a few of the RTE items offered on the day of SN's visit. Additionally, a dry aging case is positioned behind the service case, in full customer view. Within the service case, trays of prime T-bone, filet, prime rib and rib eye cuts are merchandised.

A ground-meat section within the service case features the branded Coleman Angus and Certified Angus programs. Additionally, veal, turkey breast, chicken breast, meat loaf and lamb are available. Fresh poultry is presented on ice within a 17-foot section. In addition to whole chicken fryers, quarters and parts, Andronico's offers a full complement of oven- or grill-ready center-of-the-plate fowl selections. Sausages are also part of the lineup, in a 10-foot display.

The service seafood department, which adjoins meats, showcases finfish and shellfish on a 30-foot ice table. As with other departments in the Danville location, ready-to-eat and ready-to-cook items offer customers delectable decisions. Hot chowder, bouillabaisse and fish stews simmer on a self-service chowder bar; an ice tray presents a variety of shellfish cocktails; and, lobsters swim in a nearby tank.