A new Co-op store has launched today (Thursday, 29, August) to serve and support the village of Englefield Green, with the sales area more than doubling in size and improved back of shop facilities to enhance the range and choice and, better serve the community.
The 2,000 sq ft convenience store, located in St Judes Road, Englefield Green, opens between 7am-10pm daily and supports 15 local jobs.
Englefield Green’s Co-op serves-up an in-store bakery, Costa Coffee Express machine and PayPoint – payment services, alongside an enhanced focus on fresh, healthy produce; meal ideas; everyday essentials; food-to-go; Fairtrade products, flowers, chilled beers and award-winning wines; ready meals, pizzas and, free-from, vegan and plant-based products.
Parcel collection services are available via an InPost Locker, and an ATM provides free access to cash in the community.
A soft plastic recycle unit is also available in store to enable the community to recycle items including crisp packets and bread bags, lids from ready meals and yogurt pots, biscuit wrappers and, pet food pouches – ensuring all Co-op’s own food packaging is recyclable through local authority kerbside collections, or the in-store ‘soft-plastic’ recycling unit.
Vipul K Patel, Co-op store manager, said: “The whole team is delighted to have the opportunity launch Co-op’s newest store here in Englefield Green. All colleagues have been supported and trained by Co-op and we look forward to welcoming our member-owners and customers into their very own Co-op store. Englefield Green’s Co-op aims to operate at the heart of local life. The range in store is catered to meet the needs of the community, which includes local university students and village residents, and we will work to serve them, conveniently.”
Bharat Patel, director of Co-op franchise partner, AKSR DHAM Ltd, said: “My wife Dipti and I are delighted to be opening our first Co-op store – we have run this store as an independent 950 sq ft store for the last nine years and always felt it had greater potential. Our partnership with Co-op now allows us to fully reach that potential, the support we have received has been invaluable – helping to bring my vision alive and give the community of Englefield Green a great new-look community store too.”
Co-op is one of the world’s largest consumer-owned co-operatives. Its Member-owners own the business and play an intrinsic part in the governance of the organisation, enjoying a wide number of benefits including member-only pricing across everyday essentials and personalised offers via the Co-op Membership app.
The store will operate as a Co-op franchise. The convenience retailer is committed to growing its award-winning franchise business, enabling Co-op to bring its products and, the benefits of Membership, to more communities.
