Fresh driving early success of Tops' new Orchard Fresh banner
Fresh driving early success of Tops' new Orchard Fresh banner
The early success of Tops Markets' new upscale Orchard Fresh banner has executives exploring the possibility of adding more locations.
Frank Curci, president and chief executive officer of Tops Markets, said in published news reports that the retailer could open "a handful" of stores in each of its markets in upstate New York.
Tops opened its first Orchard Fresh location in April in the Buffalo, NY, suburb of Orchard Park. 
Michael Albert, a pop artist and founder of Sir Real Juices, a New York company, handed out samples and interacted with customers May 26 at the Orchard Fresh store in Orchard Park, NY. (Photo courtesy of Tops Markets)From the beginning, it was apparent that the format struck a chord with shoppers in the area. And the fresh offerings in the store appear to be the driver of its success.
"From a produce standpoint, we are doing extremely well," Steve Wright, director of produce and floral for Tops, told The Produce News. "As was the case during our opening week, produce accounts for 20 percent of total store sales, which is a pretty strong number. I'd say we are the star of the show so far."
Wright said "consumers are loving" the variety of produce items currently being offered at Orchard Fresh, which places an emphasis on organic items. Additionally, the local deal had just started at Orchard Fresh May 23 with some New York leaf lettuces. He expects momentum for local items to increase as the deal picks up steam in the coming weeks.
"Actually, I don't think it's just about 'local,'" he said. "I think consumers want to make a connection with the food they eat, and we want to help the growers tell their stories."
Toward that end, Orchard Fresh conducted a demo day on Sunday, May 26, where samplings were offered throughout the day.
"Customers really respond well to demos," said Wright. "And when you make a connection with something that is grown locally, it can be magical."
