A BRAND new discount supermarket is set to open in Darlington this week - and we had a look around to see what you can expect.
Ahead of its opening on Friday, The Northern Echo had a first look inside the 'members-only' Company Shop supermarket off Haughton Road.
The supermarket, which is the first of its kind in the Tees Valley, will stock food, drink and household goods that have been made ‘surplus’ from major brands and retailers.
For the past several weeks, workers have been seen transforming the former Asda unit while 45 people have now been recruited into full and part-time roles.
Take a look below:
Speaking ahead of its launch Sally Wake, head of strategic relationships, said the firm was "absolutely excited" to be opening its doors in the town.
She said: "This our twelfth store and we've been selling surplus food for over 50 years now, so we're excited to be here and share with our new members, the products we have inside.
'People will recognise the brands that are on offer'
“Everything here is all from big retailers, we've lots of different retail brands in there, as well as really well-known high-street brands - I’m sure when members come in they will really recognise the brands that are on offer.
From M&S-branded pasta to Tesco jam, the firm sells on in-date goods which cannot be sold in supermarkets due to issues with either packaging or ingredients – but remain safe to eat.
'Perfectly safe to eat'
Ms Wake said: "So for instance, if there are too many mushrooms in the mushroom soup, although that’s not a bad thing for a lot of people, it doesn’t meet specification with the supermarket.
"We've got bits of chocolate here, all perfectly safe to eat, but it might be slightly broken, damaged, or it may simple have too many nuts or not enough raisins, and they can't be sold normally."
Once open, the supermarket will run on a membership-only basis mainly covering certain key workers, those working in the food industry and those on means-tested benefits.
Why it operates on a membership-only basis
Explaining why the supermarket operates on a membership-only basis, Ms Wake said it was a requirement of selling 'surplus' branded goods from major retailers including Tesco, M&S, Sainsbury's and Waitrose.
She explained that because of actual supplies of surplus goods and contractual agreements with the retailers who have created the product, the goods can not be offered to everyone.
She added: “We’ve always had specific membership groups, because it is food surplus, the amount of surplus we get through the door is very unpredictable.
"We also have to operate this way because of our brand partners, who want to make sure we can protect their brands and maintain their brands."
The store will officially open at 10am on Friday, February 5.
- To view opening times and to see who is eligible for a membership visit companyshopgroup.co.uk/apply-for-membership/company-shop
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