Upmarket department store David Jones has unveiled the next step in its food evolution, with plans for its first Melbourne concept store.
The company on Friday said the next David Jones Food food hall would open in March at Malvern Central, in Melbourne's inner suburbs, with an emphasis on convenience.
The chain is investing $100 million over three years in the national rollout of its premium food offering, which started earlier this month with the opening of a flagship food hall at its Bondi Junction store in Sydney's east and the launch of its premium David Jones Food brand.
The move reflects the changing habits of shoppers who want retail experiences over and above buying a product.
David Jones earmarked Malvern for its demographics. Its food hall will be similar in style to the Bondi Junction's, but smaller, with a footprint of about 550 square metres. It will sell pre-packaged and fresh food under the David Jones Food moniker.
Taking cues from Switzerland's Globus, Eataly in New York, and La Grande Epicerie under Bon Marche in Paris, the revamped offering will incorporate integrated dining developed with chef and restaurateur Neil Perry, as well as cafes, butcher shops, bakeries and seafood counters plus prepared meals and packaged groceries.
David Jones plans to open another twist on the food retail concept in Wollongong in October as well as several standalone food convenience stores in coming years.
David Jones' group executive of food, Pieter de Wet, said the majority of product would be under the David Jones Food label, which "delivers best-in-class products across a range of categories".
"These include a comprehensive convenience selection comprised of prepared vegetables, salads and fruit, and will also include innovative ready meals, and ready-to-eat take home options including rotisserie chickens, sandwiches, sushi and coffee from the espresso bar," Mr de Wet said.
Pester power will also be catered for with ice-cream and confectionary on offer as well as a range of brands that are exclusive to David Jones.
David Jones chief executive John Dixon said at the launch of the Bondi Junction food hall that Australians were well-travelled lovers of food, with high expectations for service, freshness and quality.
"We talked to our customers from the outset and saw a huge shift away from exclusive food experiences to people seeking experiences that are immersive and inclusive. We were challenged to create something completely new so our approach has been to revolutionise our food offering," Mr Dixon said.
He said the Malvern store would create about 50 new roles including specialist jobs across categories including baristas, cheese, deli, wine and liquor.
