Carrefour France is trialing a new convenience store formula for immediate consumption, called Bon’App. The name is derived from its own snack private label and the formula only sells items meant for on-the-road or immediate consumption.
Impulse
Carrefour’s drive for innovations seems to know no bounds, because it is trialing new store formulas all across Europe. Bon’App is different from the other formulas because it focuses solely on immediate consumption, on pure impulse buys. This in itself distinguishes it from (and complements) any other convenience formula.
Carrefour Bon’App’s product range has about 600 items: ready-made products for any time of day, from breakfast to dinner. It sells hot and cold drinks, hot snacks, salads, sandwiches, sliced fruit and vegetables, cake, candy, … Obviously, it also has a juicer and a coffee machine. Consumers can also sit at the bar and eat their order right there if they so desire. There will also be a breakfast option (starting at 3 euro) and a lunch (starting at 6.5 euro).
Small size
Carrefour had already tried Bon’App shop-in-shop formulas in several hypermarkets and opened the first standalone stores in Paris in 2015 (Marais and train station Auber). The third, a franchise store, opened on 18 May in Arras and the fourth opened on 14 June in Montpellier.
Bon’App stores are always located in busy city centres, with plenty of commuters. The stores itself are very small, only 50 to 60 sqm. The modern interior has clear signs to help customers find what they want very rapidly. The store is also open every single day: in Arras from 7h until 21h every day of the week, except on Sunday, then it opens at 11h30.
Bon’App seems to be Carrefour’s response to Monoprix’ urban formula, called Monop’daily, which already has more than thirty stores across France. Similar to Bon’App, Monop’daily is also focused on snacks and meals for the road or immediate consumption.
