Lincolnshire Co-op says it has carried out £2m worth of investment across six of its outlets over the past six months.
This work is part of the society’s cyclical refresh programme, which will see work take place at different trading outlets every year, with approximately £4m invested annually.
The co-op says the programme started 18 months ago, with around £6m already invested into 39 outlets across its food, pharmacy, funeral, travel and post office sites.
As part of this, Billinghay Food Store and Post Office have undergone a £490,000 transformation, bringing a “refreshed look”, with Red Bull and frozen Coca-Cola machines installed, and new ranges introduced, including Cook frozen meals, Country Choice hot food and and in-store bakery unit.
The society offers a Love Local range, which supports local businesses, offering products like Lincolnshire Sausage Rolls from Pocklington’s Bakery in Louth and coffee beans from Lincoln Tea & Coffee.
Colleagues also have a brand-new staff room, and there’s now an in-store bakery unit.
A new ‘Your community shop’ fascia has been installed outside the food store, and customers can use the community unit to donate essential supplies to their local food bank, Sleaford Community Larder, and recycle soft plastics and batteries.
New energy-efficient solutions include LED lighting upgrades, insulated door curtains in the warehouse refrigeration rooms, and CO2 refrigeration.
Upgrades to the Post Office include new signage and shelving.
Hazel Blackbourn, Billinghay store manager, said: “We’re delighted with the refurbishment of the store and the services we’re now able to deliver, including hot food, and our customers are enjoying a range of new products.
“I can’t thank my team enough for their dedication during the refresh. Our store remained open, and colleagues took this in their stride and worked hard to continue to deliver exceptional customer service.”
Andy Warman, the society’s chief commercial and transformation officer, said: “Refreshing our food stores ensures we’re meeting the needs of local communities by extending product ranges, providing new services and achieving even better customer service.
“We’re delighted with the positive feedback our colleagues are providing, which inspires new ideas as we progress through the programme. We’re focused on delivering a plan which simultaneously benefits our business, colleagues and customers.”
