French food retailer Monoprix wants to conquer Europe, including the Benelux. But who is this Parisian, who suddenly wants to bring the “French touch” abroad?
For trendy city dwellers
Monoprix is as ‘Parisien’ as you can imagine: founded by a member of the Galeries Lafayette family after the economic depression of the 1930s, the banner subscribed to the trend of unit prices. Today, however, the chain is turning to the image of the city rather than to the democratic “mono” prices: repeatedly elected as the most expensive supermarket chain in France, Monoprix deliberately does not take part in the price war and wants to put convenience and “surprise” first for hip urbanites.
This “convenience” is offered by the retailer – owned since 2013 by Casino – with six different banners. For example, in addition to Monoprix, today a department store rather than a supermarket with a wide range of private label textiles and even interior products, there is also the neighbourhood supermarket chain Monop’. Derived banners are Monop’daily for a quick bite on the go and Monop’beauty specifically for personal care products and make-up.
Double the turnover
In 2008, the chain also bought Naturalia, an chain of organic stores. Monoprix prides itself on the fact that in 1990 it was the very first supermarket to include organic food in its range. In 2018, the food retailer acquired another important e-commerce subsidiary: French Zalando rival Sarenza. For the food range, Monoprix entered into a partnership with Amazon, which delivers groceries in Paris free of charge to Prime Now members within two hours.
The group is now present in 85% of the large (more than 50,000 inhabitants) French cities, with around 800 stores and 21,000 employees. Now the company is looking for new horizons: management wants to double turnover to 10 billion euros in 10 years’ time. With the help of franchising, Monoprix wants to expand to Scandinavia, Germany, Portugal and Spain, but also to the Netherlands and Belgium.
Blurring and experience in Montparnasse
The new flagship store at Montparnasse in the heart of Paris illustrates the direction the retailer wants to take. It is a real department store with over 5,000 square metres of sales space, that effortlessly combines contemporary trends such as packaging-free, digitisation and blurring. The group also likes to focus on the shift to more sustainability and health.
When it comes to sustainability, Monoprix Montparnasse focuses, among other things, on bulk products, including even beer on tap. Each month, a selection of products supports a good cause and second-hand interior objects can be found. The crafts are highlighted both in the food department and in the courtyard – the Place Publique – of the department store, where various artists and craftsmen are allowed to offer their wares. Exclusive collaborations can also be found in the fashion and home departments.
In addition, the store is to become an experience space by adding a Le Comptoir lunch restaurant, a noodle bar and a coffee shop. Cooking workshops will also be held in the restaurant during closing hours. In the courtyard, there is also a meeting place where customers, shopkeepers, entrepreneurs and associations can meet each other, and find tourist and neighbourhood information. A handy service, for example, are the AirBnB key cabinets that hang there.
Certainly not a price-fighter
But technological innovations are exploited just as much: customers can quietly fill their (connected) shopping trolley and then simply leave their full trolley behind to have the items delivered to their home later. It is also possible to pay in the app or later at home, which should save time for hasty shoppers – just like the click&collect service. In addition, smart terminals in the clothing department give customers tailor-made suggestions using QR codes.
So when the chain enters the Low Countries, it will certainly not be as a price fighter, but as a champion of Parisian finesse and premium experience. However, it remains to be seen whether the chain will first focus on the – since Covid-19 extra popular – convenience store format or the tried and tested department store concept.
