Project
Support design new store concept. Visual merchandising guidelines, training, installtion & styling. Creating props and signs in special decoration look.

Client
Van Eccelpoel

Location
Herentals, Belgium

Partner & links
Consensio; innovatieve bedrijfsontwikkeling

https://www.consensio.be/
https://www.vaneccelpoel.be/
Shop Design Awards 2020

This family business van Eccelpoel started in 1948 and has been praised for quality products with a story ever since. Well known fresh market for miles around the area. The 3rd generation has reached out to Consensio to transform the store to a 1250m2 fresh food market. Besides the design of the store concept, we supported in the choice of furniture, the experience and styling of the concept and created props. We also developed visual merhandsing guidelines and trained the store staff.

When designing the store layout in cooperation with Consensio, the priority was to reflect the warm and  familial market feeling van eccelpoel stands for. Eventhough they moved from a small outdated store to a totally new and large “supermarket”, they wanted to keep the pallets/old barrels look & feel from the old store and have it redesigned. Each department has its own DNA like an actual outdoor market. Plans were worked out in sketchup and over a period of 2,5 years, van Eccepoel opened their new doors just before Christmas. Sales has raised by 30% since opening.

Developing a store concept goes hand in hand with the right product presentation that reflects the concept. Therefor we created custom made visual merchandising guidelines to ensure all staff members are aligned and are able to maintain the high level of product presentation that this concepts needs. Layed out in A5 booklet made in InDesign, easy to use for staff on their daily routine.

One of the main guidelines for example was to ensure van Eccelpoel selected products are presented on eye level in the racks.

Also for the “islands” where different products are presented together to create a story, specific guidelines were created. Communication and marketing campaigns, even to the level of how to sell-in to create the most inspiring product stories, are part of these visual merchandising guidelines.

For the finishing touch we created several props and department signs. Props are there to emphasize product or an area. For example we created a rusted anchor to hang above the fish counter made out of styrofoam and a sticker of a squid with a tattoo on the herringbone tiles. The huge butchers counter in the store has a bit of an old barn look with burnt slats and a huge buffalo skull so for the sign “meating place” we created metal letters in a rusty, vintage look. We also painted a trail of a tractor in the fruit&vegetables department to empahisize the market feeling. And a white vintage look sign at the Bakery which says “De Uitvolkorene”.

The training of staff and management on visual merchandising guidelines was rolled out with hands-on workshops per department and a presentation around the custom made VM manual. This way we can ensure they can maintain the high level of product presentation.

SHOP DESIGN AWARDS 2020 – PMG MEDIA
Van Eccepoel received the Shopdesign Award – category Supermarket with a lot of pride. This price was handed out by the Professional Media Group, a publisher of professional magazines from different niches.