Designing a food tenancy that speaks of fresh food requires a few key elements:
Light
Light or lux levels and the colour temperature of the light are crucial for any food tenancy to convey freshness.
Too little light and the produce will look dull and lifeless. Too much light and a cool colour temperature can make produce look washed out, lifeless and artificial.

Bright
Following on from lux levels and the colour temperature of light, light surfaces and natural finishes are important. Easy to clean surfaces combined with natural finishes are key to conveying the idea of freshness. Too many bright, shiny, hard surfaces not balanced with natural finishes may tip the feel from clean and fresh to sterile.

Neutral Finishes
Materials and finishes should compliment and not compete with the food being presented.
For instance, large areas of red in a butcher will distract customer’s eye from the meat on display. In a green grocer, bright fruity colours may take away from the freshness and impact of fresh fruit on display.

Theatre
The act of seeing food being prepared, whether it be a butcher cutting meat, or fresh fruit and vege being cut up and prepared for juicing in a juice bar, help convey the idea of freshness.
Nobody likes seeing food sitting all day. Think of Indian food in a food court tenancy for instance. Baine maries filled with brightly coloured curries have immediate impact, but when they have been sitting for hours, it can turn customers off.

Quality Service
This may sound like an unusual element to include in how to design for the ‘feeling’ of freshness. However, after the fit out is complete, this becomes a very important factor.
Friendly knowledgeable staff and good old fashioned quality service can go a long way, in conveying freshness.
Approachable staff who can discuss where their meats are sourced and provide advice on preparation and cooking, is the big difference between supermarket plastic wrapped tray offerings and freshly cut slices of beef at your local butcher.

Butcher Cuts & Co
Butcher Cuts & Co at Springwood Mall captures the above key elements to provide a fresh experience for customers. It is light, bright and contains neutral and natural finishes that don’t compete with the meats on display.
The Power Of A Smile
The owner of Butcher Cuts & Co, and his nephews, in this family owned business, take providing a quality product and service seriously.
They greet customers with a smile and a cheeky word, which immediately elevates the encounter to a fresh experience in a world that is becoming increasingly automated, technological where you self serve.

Emotional connection combined with being able to let customers know for instance that the cut of meat they are about to buy was sourced from a third generation organic beef farmer in the Darling Downs. And that recent rains has meant that the fat content is just perfect, adding more flavour when it is barbequed.
Educating customers through product knowledge conveyed through stories and connections to product source are powerful tools to convey freshness and engage customers, thus creating loyal followers and ambassadors of your business.
I have sampled their produce, and excuse the pun, but the quality, freshness and taste is definitely a cut above the rest.