From the outside, the storefront is quite classic. But inside, this new kind of supermarket offers a completely innovative customer experience. Located in Asnières-sur-Seine, in Hauts-de-Seine, La Bonne Distrib’ was designed by Adrien Isaac, retail expert, and Kelly Frank, food science engineer. Its principle? It wants to be entirely dedicated to “real taste”.
Concretely, the ambition of this 300 m2 local business is to offer quality products that do not use food chemistry, unlike many references found in large and medium-sized stores. In these points of sale, approximately one in two products is ultra-processed, experts agree. Despite this constraint, all the classic departments are present, namely the grocery store, the greengrocer, the bakery, the creamery, the frozen foods, the cellar, the snacks, the hygiene and cleaning products. In total, no less than 2,600 references are offered for everyday purchases. La Bonne Distrib’ also adopts an approach of naturalness and seasonality: in short, don’t plan to buy tomatoes from them in March, there simply aren’t any.
Accessibility constitutes one of the pillars of the project. For Adrien Isaac, La Bonne Distrib’ “is located at the crossroads of a daily store, a market hall and a gourmet boutique with different ranges of products that meet all purchasing powers”. Around nine out of ten references are certified organic. To achieve this assortment, the retailer supplies its shelves from specialized wholesalers Biodis and Relais Vert, allowing it “to bring together references and reduce logistics costs”. Ranges that it completes with products from direct suppliers, which are not necessarily found in other points of sale. The artisanal products – all tested by its founders – allow it to offer exceptional know-how at an attractive price for the customer.
To achieve this assortment, the two designers adopted a very rigorous approach. All products meet “specifications which list the ingredients considered ultra-processed, available as open source and freely accessible on the internet,” explains Kelly Frank. Thus, no less than 500 ingredients are banned from the supermarket. The scientist describes this approach as “drastic”, because “we have to do it on a case-by-case basis to know if we can include the references or not”. An approach of which she is proud. “It allows people to eat better and encourages manufacturers to improve their processes,” she believes. For the customer, this translates into a “Simple Ingredients” logo affixed to the products, which proves that the manufacturer has respected the specifications. No more “having to turn over labels to ensure that a product is good for your health”.
Behind this technical challenge, La Bonne Distrib’ nonetheless seeks to be a friendly place. The supermarket teams took particular care to convey “a positive message without being moralistic”. And even from the start with their logo “in the shape of a man who ate well and smiled”. Based on the principle of “What is in it for me now” – understand personal and immediate interest – the point of sale is open every day of the week to allow customers to come and do their shopping at any time, whatever whatever the need. To obtain this user-friendly aspect, the two founders surrounded themselves with architects, the same ones behind the redesign of Monoprix a few years ago. An area called “Here we taste” allows customers to test products based on seasonality and highlight their “true taste”.
The new supermarket also emphasizes its solidarity approach, with its partnership with Hop Hop Food to allow people in need to benefit from anti-waste baskets every day. Eco-responsibility is also essential, with instructions provided by customers. With this concept, “it’s about rediscovering the meaning of the word “commerce”,” comments Adrien Isaac. A snub to mass distribution for someone who worked for a long time in an Auchan supermarket. La Bonne Distrib’ thus claims to set “a margin of 30%”, much lower than that of large retailers, where it sometimes reaches 70%. As for the prices charged for the customer, they are “in line with Franprix and the Carrefour next door”, but “below Naturalia and Biocoop”, says La Bonne Distrib’.
The opening of the first point of sale comes in “a context of food fatigue on the part of the French”, estimates Kelly Frank. Last February, a study by Agence Bio highlighted “the shift from a diet focused on health and environmental concerns towards a pleasure diet”. For Adrien Isaac, La Bonne Distrib’ “seeks to inspire, not to be militant”, moving away from the guilt-inducing approach. The goal is to “move away from sugar-free and salt-free options, to give the customer the opportunity to make their choices in full conscience,” summarizes the scientist. In fact, the supermarket serves as a laboratory for GOÛM, a brand support agency that Kelly Frank created. Beyond this project, “it’s an opportunity to discuss with manufacturers to improve recipes and help them with taste when developing them,” she notes.
After a month of opening, the founders of the place welcome the first feedback from their customers. “Some came to buy a few products for our debut, they now come back to stock up for the week,” they say. La Bonne Distribution does not want to stop there and is counting on four openings this year in the Paris region, with the ambition then to export its model to the rest of France.
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