The Fresh & Easy stores, at about 10,000 sf, will be smaller than the typical supermarket but "will be easily accessible and will offer everything from everyday staples to gourmet items," Tesco says. As the name implies, the format will emphasize fresh foods, including prepared and organic items, including the company's private brand labels.

Tesco says that it has conducted extensive research into the demand for such markets and that the research, in addition to validating the demand, also showed that "by offering the right mix of authentic and national brand products that households use, together with low prices, quality meat and produce and a clean store environment, Fresh & Easy can meet the needs of Hispanic consumers."

One reason for the smaller size is "to give customers a faster, easier shopping experience," Tesco says. The Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market format is a result of extensive customer research in local US markets, combined with what the UK-based company has learned from its Express format, which it operates in more than 1,000 stores in seven countries.