How do you make the weekly shop less

about pushing trolleys aimlessly up and

down aisles and more about a total

sensory experience? With the creation of

“Pick n Pay on Nicol”, the company’s new

flagship store, we set about designing

the first truly green shopping destination

in the country. This new, more sensual

approach to supermarket retailing has

resonated with shoppers, with sales

considerably exceeding targets, so much

so that the concept is soon to roll out to

other parts of the country.

How do you make shopping more about a total sensory experience?

sutainability wall - juice bar

flat artwork

Obviously every design element

needed to work within the overall

Pick n Pay corporate identity,

but at the same time it had to

communicate a greater level of

sophistication and reinforce the

green positioning through careful

choice of energy-saving materials.

This ethos begins with the wider,

more ergonomically thought-out

parking spaces and is expanded

upon in the calm, clean, more

open working environment right

through to small details like the

aisle and pricing signs made from

recyclable materials.

In addition, there’s the elegant “Thyme

on Nicol” café, with its large glass

doors and comfortable couches giving

shoppers a chance to take a breather

over a gourmet meal or mouth-watering

snack from the extensive and beautifully

designed menu.

Alternatively, the health-conscious

can nibble on a little fresh sushi

sliced up perfectly every day by the

highly trained staff while relaxing in

the tranquil surroundings.

We understand that food is all about emotion, it’s about connecting,

sharing and telling stories, which is why the Good Food Studio, with

its extensive classes in creating cuisine for every occasion, is already

a major attraction.

It’s a unique space for food

lovers to come together,

with intimate and personal

cooking courses that teach

you everything from domestic

dinners to gourmet dishes,

all in a superb, beautifully

designed setting.

Tapping into the explosion surrounding TV

cooking programmes and the hundreds of

recipe books produced every year by every

Tom, Dick and Jamie, the Good Food Studio

is an exclusive cooking school promoting

fresh, stylishly prepared gastronomy.

The Studio draws directly on the design

theme established in the store, evolving

this visual language across the various

spaces dedicated to specific functions.

Packed with innovative concepts to titillate even the most jaded

shopper, enticing them to stop and indulge their senses, this unique

store includes such delights as The Chocolate Room, The Cheese

Room and the popular Champagne Room.