Small-format concept is designed for urban neighborhoods

CARLISLE, Pa. — GIANT Food Stores is opening its second of four GIANT Heirloom Market stores on August 2 in Philadelphia, in the city’s University City neighborhood.

Ahold Delhaize’s GIANT Food Stores unit has developed the small-format concept to bolster its presence in urban neighborhoods.

“The opening of our second GIANT Heirloom Market store reaffirms GIANT’s continued commitment not only to the Philadelphia region but also to our strategic investment in the city’s urban core,” Nicholas Bertram, president of GIANT Food Stores, said.

The inaugural store in this concept opened in January in Philadelphia’s Graduate Hospital neighborhood. Others are coming to the city’s Northern Liberties and Queen Village neighborhoods.

Angel Cordero, a 20-year grocery veteran who managed the opening of the inaugural GIANT Heirloom Market, was named store manager at the University City store, a 9,950-square-foot outlet located near the campuses of Drexel University and the University of Pennsylvania.

“University City is the perfect neighborhood to bring GIANT Heirloom Market to — a vibrant, fast-paced community full of professionals and students looking for fresh, healthy, convenient food,” Cordero said.

The store will offer food that is high‐quality, fresh, local and seasonal, according to the company. Shoppers will also find grab-and-go meals, a selection of plant‐based foods, a gluten-free section, and a curated selection of wines and beers. In addition, the store will highlight GIANT’s private-label brand, Nature’s Promise.

Each of the city’s GIANT Heirloom Markets celebrate and feature local partnerships with area food purveyors, including High Street on Market, Claudio Specialty Foods and Isgro Pastries, as well as a grind-your-own-beans option featuring One Village Coffee, a specialty coffee roaster based in the Philadelphia suburb of Souderton, Pa.

Additional features of the new store being touted by GIANT Food Stores include a sampling station to encourage the exploration of new flavors, an expanded fresh-made sushi department, a gourmet cheese section with pairing recommendations, kombucha on tap, and a do‐it‐yourself olive oil and vinegar blending station.