Saudi Arabia’s Panda Retail Company wins Store Design of the Year (Large) - Saudi Arabia at Retail Asia Awards 2023

The company has responded to changing customer habits and the retail landscape by going back to its roots and revamping its fresh products.

Headquartered in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Panda Retail Company is one of the main and largest retail chain businesses in the Middle East, and the biggest grocery retailer in their home country, with more than 182 stores in 40 cities.

With more than 100 million customers visiting their stores every year, Panda's new vision is centred around portfolio and store optimization, seeking to enhance consumer satisfaction and engagement at all touchpoints. The Customer Experience Revival Program has emerged from this vision, aiming to continuously improve the in-store shopping experience, delight customers, and enhance the working environment for Panda Retail’s team across all stores. As a result, the company has undertaken a comprehensive overhaul of its supply chain, in-store operations, and employee engagement, resulting in a fully immersive fresh-driven shopping experience. This program is amongst Panda’s strategic objectives to always evolve whilst maintaining customer centrism, and to continuously operate as a best-in-class retailer. 

The improved Panda Retail experience was designed to enhance all stores' look and feel, shopping environment and journey, and product variety and assortments. The fresh-driven shopping experience begins in the bakery section, where customers can watch the baking process in action. Panda Retail has also hired expert butchers to engage with customers and advise them on the different meat offerings available in the meat and poultry section. The fishery has also been enhanced, with an improved display and fresher products. The self-service nuts and spices section and the deli section have also been revamped, with a focus on sourcing the best cheeses and creating an appetizing display.

To make shopping easier for customers, Panda Retail has also introduced the click-and-collect service. This online feature allows shoppers to shop online and pick up their groceries on the way back home. The company has also improved the beauty & care section by coming up with the "glow" concept, which has elevated the whole shopping experience in the beauty sector. The display is fully engaging and appealing, complemented with a central booth for make-up trials and activations in-store.

With a fresh, innovative approach, Panda Retail has completed the revamp of over 80% of its stores’ network, introducing over five new conceptual innovations, as well as, remodelling and revamping over 210,000 square feet of retail space. 

The revamped stores feature a fully engaging and educational experience, with visuals that provide useful information and tips about products. The company has handpicked the best quality suppliers from all over the world, ensuring that its customers get the freshest and most high-quality products available.

Panda Retail's impressive transformation was designed and executed with its social responsibility in mind, as the strategy ensured to contribute directly towards Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 objective on enhancing quality of life. The company is working diligently towards creating an environment that enhances lifestyle options for customers and nurtures a quality-driven experience across all stores. As a result, this transformation has been validated by its outstanding performance in brand recall, preference, and consideration in the recent BHT study conducted by IPSOS. Despite closing multiple stores in last year, the company has been able to sustain its market share and leadership position against an increasing number of competing stores.

The efforts put into improving the experience on all customer touchpoints and store sections have resulted in NPS growth of 5-8% across different consumer segments. Panda specifically saw a higher NPS for revamped stores vs legacy stores. 

Moreover, in terms of satisfaction, store sections such as the bakery, butcher, and deli sections saw double-digit growth in satisfaction numbers whereas the bakery section saw the highest growth in satisfaction garnering +20 points within a quarter.

Panda Retail's revamped retail chain and customer experience are a testament to the company's commitment to partnering with communities for a better life. The company's focus on fresh products and an engaging in-store experience ensures that its customers are rewarded with a fulfilling shopping experience. 

Panda Retail Company, the leading grocery retailer in Saudi Arabia, has been recognized for its outstanding achievements regarding in-store design at the Retail Asia Awards 2023.