Bakery products have “played an important role” in the success of Budgens’ new concept stores. 

The store at Crouch End in north London opened earlier this year and has seen average basket size increase from four items to nine. Mike Baker, director, said baked goods have played a part in this sales uplift.

Three new-concept stores have so far been opened, with the other two launched last year in Byfleet, Surrey and Broadstone, Dorset, which all have a heavier focus on bakery.

Baker said: “Food-to-go, including bakery, has played an important role in this early success. Breakfast is fast becoming a key shopping mission, and, in locations where we’re also offering coffee to go, we’re seeing uplift across pastries as people pop in on the way to work.

“All three stores are showing success, from increases in footfall to an increase in fresh sales, uplift in food-to-go, bakery and other key areas. We wanted to find out if our new concept was being generally well-received and also changing behaviour in the way we expected.

“Our before and after survey of shoppers in Crouch End tells us they are happy with our new concept store and they’ve really responded well to the changes we’ve put in place.” 

Firm plans for new stores are yet to be announced, but Baker said that the food-to-go category remains important and any new stores are likely to have an in-store bakery offering to capitalise on breakfast and lunchtime trade.

He added: “It is clear our customers are enjoying both the products and the convenience of people able to pop in for fresh bread, cakes and pastries.”

Sales figures were unavailable.