In a move that’s been kept relatively quiet over the past month, Nugget Markets in December unveiled a new store concept called Fork Lift. The Woodland, California-based grocer rebranded its Food 4 Less store at 3333 Coach Lane in Cameron Park with the new name.
The Sacramento Business Journal reports that there was a grand opening celebration with food samples, but Nugget’s website included no bold announcement of the store’s arrival. And, although Fork Lift apparently joined the social network in August, its Facebook page included just a single post promoting the grand opening.
Kate Stille, Nugget’s director of marketing, gave more details to the Journal via an email last month.
“Fork Lift by Nugget Markets is a hybrid of Food 4 Less and Nugget Markets. Fork Lift by Nugget Markets offers the Cameron Park community the unique shopping experience of a Nugget Markets (store) within the warehouse style format of our Food 4 Less stores,” she said.
The concept is in line with what’s described on Fork Lift’s website: a discount warehouse and specialty grocer hybrid.
The major changes include a heightened emphasis on fresh prepared foods as well as local and organic selections. Near the front of the store is a “wall of values” promoting national brands offered in large quantities, such as party-size Lay’s chips.
Beyond the wall of values is organic produce as well as a salad bar and grain bar, with selections such as kale salad offered for $6.98 per pound.
Nugget, which has its own set of specialty stores, owns Food 4 Less locations in Woodland and Vallejo. The company does not plan to rebrand those locations, according to Stille.
While the company has owned the Food 4 Less store in Cameron Park for a while, the Nugget brand is much more visible under the Fork Lift format. There’s a Nugget Market not too far away in El Dorado Hills so it’s not the area’s first encounter with the grocer.
