Fresh & Easy to Open 48 Stores in California's Inland Empire

RIVERSIDE, Calif. -- Tesco's Fresh & Easy U.S. division yesterday identified 48 locations where it will build stores in the Inland Empire are of California, and added that it will begin in November to open stores in Southern California, Phoenix, and Las Vegas.

"The fast-growing Inland Empire is an ideal location for our neighborhood markets," said Tim Mason, Fresh & Easy's c.e.o. "Everyone wants fresh, wholesome, food at affordable prices. When our stores begin opening later this year, our customers will see this is exactly what we are providing to the neighborhood."

Fresh & Easy's Riverside distribution center is projected to employ approximately 1,500 to 2,000 employees over the next 5 years, and the 48 stores announced today will bring nearly 1,400 additional jobs to the area, said the grocer. The number of Fresh & Easy jobs will increase as the company continues to secure sites in Riverside and San Bernardino counties, according to the company.

"We take the promise of providing great food our customers can trust very seriously," said John Burry, chief commercial officer. "For us, the centerpiece of this concept is freshness. In order to ensure freshness is paramount, we've put our distribution center in Riverside, central to the areas we are building stores, and we're making daily deliveries to each of our stores. We also aim to source as much as possible from local suppliers. For example, about 60 percent of our produce comes from California and all of our chicken is raised here, too."

Fresh & Easy will also make its own prepared foods in a kitchen facility located in Riverside. Its private label Fresh & Easy products contain no added trans-fats or artificial colors or flavors, and contain a restricted amount of preservatives, said the company. The company will also offer national brands to provide a one-stop shopping experience.

Fresh & Easy is a company of Tesco, the UK's largest retailer, which operates over 3,200
stores across 12 countries and employs more than 400,000 people.

At approximately 10,000-square-feet, the neighborhood markets will be smaller than the typical supermarket to give customers a faster, easier shopping experience, Tesco has said.

Fresh & Easy conducted extensive consumer research before committing to build stores in the U.S., in order to develop a grocery store for American consumers. One of the key insights, according to the retailer, was that almost everyone wants a wide range of fresh and wholesome food they can trust at reasonable prices.
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