Crossroads Top Food and Drug Adopts "Local Concept" with Northwest Fresh

The old has been transformed by its parent company Haggen, and now is a test market for the company's new "hyperlocal" grocery concept, Northwest Fresh.

The new store launched Nov. 16 and Haggen hopes to replicate throughout its 29 locations in Washington and Oregon, said C.J. "Gabe" Gabriel, Jr., president and CEO of Haggen.

Local groceries seems to have become a popular concept in Bellevue, with startup grocery chain opening two weeks ago in downtown Bellevue, where the old Safeway was located.

But how Haggen hopes to differentiate Northwest Fresh is a concept of "stores within a store," said Gabriel.

“What you see in our new store won’t make sense anywhere else in the country,” Gabriel said.

The stores include Chuckanut Deli and Lummi Bay Fish Market, a fish and chips bar, and a convenience store with frequently-needed items inside the front door. The store also will feature a new private label store brand, Haggen’s Original, and its own honey crisp apple juice.

Haggen plans to evaluate and refine the concept at the Crossroads location over the next three to six months, Gabriel said, and then expand it to other locations. Though he declined to say how much it cost to transform the store, Gabriel said the company is very conscious of the need to be efficient so it can keep its prices competitive while offering high quality.

Gabriel said the store includes a lot of fun features as well, including a life-size cow and apple tree, and a life-sized pig that does double duty as a piggy bank that people can put coins in to support charity causes. Gabriel said Haggen aims to help two causes in particular—food banks in Western Washington, and multiple sclerosis research.

“We’re currently the fourth largest donor, and our goal is to become the biggest donor,” to multiple sclerosis research, Gabriel said. Those efforts will include store events, such as an upcoming planned Sing from the Heart event from Dec. 9-11 at all Haggen Food & Pharmacy stores. Haggen said it will donate a $50 gift card to a local food bank for each hour an individual or group presents holiday music during the event. Groups need to register in advance to reserve a time slot at the guest services counter of a Haggen store or by calling their local store.

Haggen was founded in Bellingham in 1933, and currently employs a total of about 3,000 people throughout its Haggen and Top Food and Drug stores.