Walmart is testing a new sushi bar concept inside its stores as part of a broader push to upgrade its grocery experience.
The retailer’s newest Supercenter in Jacksonville, Florida, includes a fresh sushi bar, positioned as part of its “next-generation” store design that focuses on expanded food offerings and updated in-store features.
The Jacksonville location is being used as a prototype for future remodels and rebuilds, signaling how Walmart’s grocery strategy is evolving beyond traditional grab-and-go options.
Walmart adds sushi bar to next-generation stores
As part of its updated format, the Supercenter features expanded grocery options, including a bakery, deli, and a fresh sushi bar.
“Interactive digital touchpoints that make in-store shopping easier, more efficient, and more connected. An expanded assortment including elevated fashion brands, and robust grocery offerings including a bakery, deli, and fresh sushi bar,” Walmart said in a press release outlining the concept.
The move places Walmart more directly in competition with regional grocery chains that have built strong reputations around fresh prepared foods.
John Clear, a partner at consulting firm AlixPartners, told Grocery Dive, “One of the big advantages that regional grocers have over people like Walmart, Target, and Costco is the fresh prepared foods…They can really focus on having higher quality, because they don’t always have to play on price.”
Walmart has offered grab-and-go sushi under the Hissho on the Go concept within deli departments, including stores in the Charlotte area. Pre-packaged ready-to-eat sushi is also available under Walmart’s Marketside brand, both in stores and online.
Other newer grocery features at Walmart include hot bars and grab-and-go areas that feature fresh chicken strips, rotisserie chicken, and more.
Sushi has also been rolled out across Sam’s Club locations under the Member’s Mark house brand, expanding the retailer’s presence in the category beyond traditional grocery aisles.
